Singing Guide: Fountains of Wayne

Singing Guide: Fountains of Wayne

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

Fountains of Wayne is a band that was active from 1995 to 2013. They were known for their catchy melodies, witty lyrics, and a unique blend of power-pop, rock, and alternative country. In this article, we’ll explore how to learn singing like Fountains of Wayne, focusing on their vocal technique, famous songs, and relevant Singing Carrots resources.

Vocal Technique

Fountains of Wayne's vocal style is characterized by a bright, nasal, and slightly distorted sound. Their lead vocalists, Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger, had a talent for crafting lyrics that were at once emotionally acute and playful, and their vocal delivery accentuated this quality. To sing like Fountains of Wayne, follow these basic steps:

  1. Warm-up: Start with the Farinelli breathing exercise to get your breath support muscles activated and ready. Then do some simple vocal exercises like humming and lip rolls to warm-up your vocal cords and improve vocal agility.
  2. Twang and nasal resonance: Fountains of Wayne used twang and nasal resonance to shape their vocal sound. To get the right twang, follow the How to Twang Exercise video from Singing Carrots. To increase nasal resonance, try the Soft Palate video exercise.
  3. Articulation: Fountains of Wayne's lyrics are full of wordplay and clever punch lines. To nail their vocal style, work on your articulation skills using the Finger Bite exercise.
  4. Chest voice: Fountains of Wayne frequently used their chest voice to deliver their signature punchy and expressive vocal performances. Follow the Chest Voice Explained video to learn how to sing in this register.
  5. Vocal distortion: sometimes, Fountains of Wayne would distort their vocals for added edge and expression. To learn this vocal technique, check out the Vocal Distortion & Growling article.

Famous Songs

To learn singing like Fountains of Wayne, you can choose from an array of their famous songs. Here are a few classics to get you started:

  • Stacy's Mom - a song with a catchy melody that features lead singer Chris Collingwood's forward, nasal vocal tone.
  • Radiation Vibe - this song has a driving rhythm and hooks that allow the lead singer, Adam Schlesinger, to show off his trademark nasal twang.
  • Mexican Wine - one of the band's most upbeat songs, this tune provides a great opportunity to practice your chest voice and articulation skills.
  • Denise - with its unabashedly poppy sing-along chorus, Denise is another chance to practice your twang and nasal resonance.

Singing Carrots Resources

Using Singing Carrots' resources, you can hear the vocal styles of artists similar to Fountains of Wayne and practice your skills using the tools they provide. Here are some resources to explore:

  1. Use the Vocal Range Test and find out which of the singers in the Vocal Ranges of Famous Singers resource has a similar vocal range to your own. Listen to their performances and analyze their vocal techniques on the basis of the information from the related blog articles.
  2. The Pitch Accuracy Test will help you find out how well your pitch accuracy conforms to the songs' requirements. Take the test, then practice your pitch using the Pitch Monitoring tool and Pitch Training game.
  3. The Song Search utility helps you find songs that match your vocal range, difficulty level, and genre preference. This way you can pick songs to learn that showcase the specific techniques that you are studying.
  4. The Singing Course is a 21-lesson program that provides a comprehensive education in the art of singing. Take the course for a deeper understanding of tone, resonance, and classical vocal techniques, all of which can be applied to mastering the vocal style of Fountains of Wayne.

That's it! With these tips, famous songs, and Singing Carrots resources, you can master the unique vocal style of Fountains of Wayne and impress your friends and audiences. Good luck, and happy singing!

Learn more about this artist vocal range, voice type and repertoire.