Singing Guide: Everything But the Girl
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Everything But the Girl was a musical duo formed in Hull, England, in 1982, comprising singer and songwriter Tracey Thorn and guitarist and keyboard player Ben Watt. They were initially associated with the left-wing movements of the early 80s, but later moved on to perform different genres of music.
The unique vocal technique of Tracey Thorn, which can be observed in much of the duo's work, is her ability to blend folk-style melodies with sultry, soulful tones over electronic beats. Her versatile voice was often able to effortlessly carry the melancholic, introspective subject matter of the band's lyrics.
In order to learn singing like Tracey Thorn, there are a few things to consider:
Voice analysis
Before beginning, it is important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your voice. You can take the Vocal range test that will assess your voice type and pitch accuracy and suggest practical Singing Carrots resources for you.
Warm-up exercises
Singing Carrots offers a range of warm-up exercises that can help singers of all levels develop their voice. For Everything But the Girl's melancholic sound, the Farinelli Breathing and the Gentle Humming exercises are effective warmup exercises to try.
Breathing exercises
Effective breathing is incredibly important to singing, and Singing Carrots offers targeted breathing exercises that can help you cultivate better breath support. Try the Breath Support exercise for starters.
Resonance exercises
Tracey Thorn's unique voice is characterized by her ability to create clear and resonant tones. The Resonance in singing and Open mouth & throat exercises can help you develop this same ability.
Song Choice
Tracey Thorn's voice and songwriting are characterized by a sensitivity and emotional resonance that make the band's music incredibly powerful. In order to learn singing like Tracey Thorn, it's important to connect with the emotional heart of the song and inhabit it fully, communicating with the feeling behind the words. The Singing Carrots song search tool will help you find songs that match your vocal range, difficulty level, and genre preference.
Vocal Health
It's important to take good care of your voice to ensure it remains healthy and strong. Singing Carrots offers many resources on vocal health, including Vocal health: Sources, care, prevention, and Vocal Health: Disorders, symptoms, and remedies.
Resources
To help you learn singing like Everything But the Girl, Singing Carrots offers an Online singing course that covers singing theory and practical tips. The course is specifically designed for beginners and features videos, audio examples, and interactive worksheets. The How to analyze your voice, How to learn a song effectively, Classical vs Pop/Jazz singing articles will provide in-depth knowledge and useful tips for learners. You can also explore other articles and videos featuring exercises and techniques relevant for learning Tracey Thorn's style of singing mentioned in the Resources section.
With the right resources and guidance, it is possible to learn how to sing like Tracey Thorn and develop your own unique sound. Keep practicing, exploring, and experimenting to find your own authentic voice.