Singing Guide: Flower Drum Song
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Flower Drum Song is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and book by Hammerstein and Joseph Fields. The show is based on the novel of the same name by C. Y. Lee. Set in San Francisco in the 1950s, the show tells the story of a Chinese American family and their struggle to preserve their culture amidst a rapidly changing world.
The show features several notable songs, including "You Are Beautiful", "Love, Look Away", and "I Enjoy Being a Girl". The songs showcase the unique vocal technique required for Flower Drum Song, which includes a blend of traditional Chinese melodies and American musical theater styles.
To learn singing like Flower Drum Song, it is important to develop a strong understanding of Chinese vocal techniques, as well as the basics of American musical theater. Singers should focus on building their vocal range and control, as well as their ability to convey emotion through their voice.
A great way to start is by taking Singing Carrots' vocal range test to determine your range. From there, you can explore the vocal training exercises provided on the website, such as the pitch accuracy test and pitch visualizer. These tools will help you develop your range, tone, and control.
In addition to these exercises, Singing Carrots also offers a variety of lessons on vocal techniques, such as breath support, voice registers and vocal breaks, and resonance in singing. These lessons offer practical advice on how to improve your vocal abilities, and can be applied to any style of singing, including Flower Drum Song.
Other Singing Carrots resources that can be useful for learning Flower Drum Song include the search tool to find songs matching your vocal range, the Vocal Pitch Monitor to see your sung notes on a virtual piano, and the educational singing course which covers singing theory and practical tips.
By combining traditional Chinese vocal techniques with the techniques of American musical theater, singers can learn to master the unique style of Flower Drum Song and bring any performance to life.