Learning to Sing Like Gary Barlow

Gary Barlow is widely regarded as one of the UK's finest songwriters and performers. Perhaps best known as the lead vocalist for Take That, he has also achieved great success as a solo artist, and as both writer and producer for some of the world's biggest selling artists. He's been praised for his vocal range, control, and nuanced performances. But what gives Gary Barlow that signature sound and how can you incorporate it into your own singing?

Gary Barlow's Unique Vocal Technique

Barlow's tone is often described as bright and clear, and he brings a lot of emotion to his singing. One of the key features of his style is his use of a mix voice, where there is a seamless blend of both chest voice and head voice as he sings through his range. He also has excellent breath control and uses vibrato to add warmth and texture to his performances.

Barlow's vocal control allows him to execute vocal runs and riffs with great precision, often with a playful or syncopated rhythm. He has also been known to use vocal fry and falsetto to bring variety to his singing.

How to Learn to Sing Like Gary Barlow

1. Vocal Analysis: Analyzing Gary Barlow's songs and performances is a great place to start. Pay attention to his vocal technique, phrasing, and intonation. In addition to the already provided Singing Carrots resources, check out his cover of "Against All Odds" or his performance of "Let Me Go." Once you have a better understanding of his unique style and approach, you’ll be better positioned to incorporate his techniques into your own singing.
2. Warm Up: Before singing, always make sure to warm up your voice. Begin with humming, and then move on to breathing and stretching exercises. These exercises will help you relax and get your voice and breathing muscles ready to sing.
3. Breath and Support: Excellent breath control is a hallmark of Barlow's singing. Learning to control your breathing will allow you to sustain notes for longer periods of time without running out of breath. Check out Singing Carrots' "Breath Support & Respiration" article for some great exercises to help you develop this skill.
4. Vocal Mix: Gary Barlow's mix of chest and head voice is key to his unique sound. Learn how to blend these two registers together seamlessly and practice moving between them. Singing Carrots' "Chest Voice Explained" and "Voice Registries" articles provide helpful advice on how to develop this skill.
5. Vibrato: Barlow often uses vibrato to add warmth and texture to his singing. Pay attention to how he incorporates it into his singing and try to emulate this in your own voice. The "Singing with Vibrato" article by Singing Carrots provides some great exercises for learning how to incorporate this technique into your singing.
6. Riffs and Runs: Gary Barlow impresses with his mastery of vocal riffs and runs. Practicing these vocal flourishes will allow you to give more impressive performances. Try the "Chest Voice Explained" and "Onsets-offsets" videos provided by Singing Carrots to help you master these techniques.
7. Song Choice: Study his discography and choose songs that showcase his unique vocal style. This will give you an opportunity to practice and refine your technique while learning from one of the finest pop vocalists to ever grace the stage.

Incorporating resources from Singing Carrots, you can learn to sing like Gary Barlow. Exciting, nuanced, and high-energy, singing like him will take your singing to a new level.