Singing Guide: Gary Chapman
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Gary Chapman's style of singing has a refreshing and unique clarity that stands out for a lot of people. Understanding some of his techniques and the songs that showcase them will give you a great start in learning to sing like him.
One of the key techniques in Chapman's singing is his range control. He has a unique way of switching from head voice to falsetto and back to head voice. This gives his songs a unique dynamic range that can be hard to replicate. If you want to learn the same technique, check out Singing Carrots' vocal range test, pitch accuracy test, pitch training, and search songs by vocal range. Doing so will help you strengthen your range control skills.
Chapman is also an expert in using dynamics to intensify his singing's emotional depth. To emphasize different parts of his songs, he uses vocal dynamics to modulate changes in volume, pitch, and tone. Singing Carrots' vocal pitch monitor can help in visualizing the changes and how to get the right "feel" of their dynamics.
Chapman's "The Journey" has examples of his technique in the second verse. In the chorus, the song has many vocal dynamics examples. "Hold On (To Jesus)" is an exceptional example of his vocal range around the middle and high registers.
Of course, all these techniques are nothing without the right foundation. Breathing correctly is an essential part of singing. The Farinelli breathing exercise in Singing Carrots' resources is an excellent warm-up exercise to make sure your breathing is correct. Learning how to analyze and record your voice with techniques like phonetics and voice types is also crucial.
Overall, emulating Gary Chapman's style of singing can seem daunting at first, but with the proper techniques, practices, and resources, it can be an enjoyable and rewarding journey. Singing Carrots' voice exercise videos, tips, and instructional articles are an excellent source of material in mastering Chapman's singing techniques.