Singing Guide: Gordon MacRae

Singing Guide: Gordon MacRae

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

Gordon MacRae was a famous American singer and actor known for his rich baritone voice and his performances in several classic movie musicals. If you want to learn how to sing like Gordon MacRae, you will need to focus on developing a warm, full-bodied tone and a sense of emotional sensitivity that can bring depth and nuance to your performances.

Here are some practical tips and Singing Carrots resources that can help you on your journey towards singing like Gordon MacRae:

  1. Focus on developing your baritone range. Gordon MacRae had a rich, resonant baritone voice that was well-suited to singing ballads and romantic songs. To develop your lower range, check out Singing Carrots' vocal range test.

  2. Work on your breath support and control. Good breath support is essential for producing a rich, full-bodied tone. Check out Singing Carrots' breathing basics and breath support resources for more information.

  3. Pay attention to your phrasing and diction. Gordon MacRae was known for his clear, precise enunciation and his ability to convey emotion through his phrasing. Singing Carrots resources on articulation and onsets and offsets can help you develop these skills.

  4. Practice singing with feeling and sensitivity. To truly capture the essence of Gordon MacRae's singing style, you will need to focus on conveying emotion and feeling through your performances. Singing Carrots resources on resonance in singing and singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking provide useful guidance on this topic.

Here are some classic Gordon MacRae songs that showcase his unique vocal style and technique:

  • "If I Loved You" from the musical Carousel - This soaring ballad showcases MacRae's rich baritone voice and his ability to convey raw emotion through his singing.

  • "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" from the musical Oklahoma! - This upbeat, optimistic song highlights MacRae's clear, precise enunciation and his ability to infuse his performances with a sense of joy and exuberance.

  • "Shall We Dance?" from the musical The King and I - This duet with co-star Deborah Kerr shows off MacRae's ability to blend his voice seamlessly with another performer's and to convey a sense of romantic chemistry through his singing.

To further enhance your singing abilities, Singing Carrots' pitch accuracy test, pitch training program, and singing course can all help you build fundamental skills and develop your ability to sing with style and nuance.

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