Singing Guide: Harry Chapin
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Harry Chapin was an American singer-songwriter known for his storytelling and folk rock style. To emulate his unique vocal technique, one must learn to narrate through their singing while maintaining a strong pitch and tone.
One of Chapin's most famous songs, "Cat's in the Cradle," showcases his storytelling ability and emotional depth. To learn this song, start by testing your pitch accuracy with Singing Carrots' Pitch Accuracy Test. From there, utilize Singing Carrots' Pitch Training module to work on nailing difficult notes and ranges.
To master the emotional depth in Chapin's music, try the Singing with Intuition, Skills, Emotion, and Thinking article. In this article, we offer tips on how to connect with the lyrics and create an authentic performance.
Chapin's folk-rock style can also be emulated by practicing basic guitar and incorporating it into your singing. Singing Carrots' Songbook feature can help with this, providing lyrics, sheet music, and chords for countless songs.
Other helpful Singing Carrots' resources for improving singing technique to match Harry Chapin's style include:
- Breath Support
- Open Mouth & Throat while Singing
- Articulation
- Resonance in Singing
- How Posture Affects Your Singing
For added practice on vocal control, try Singing Carrots' video exercises on chest voice, voice registers, mixed voice and voice break.
- Chest Voice/Voice Registers: Singing Comfort Zone
- Voice Registers/Mixed Voice/Voice Break: Voice Break, Mixed Voice
By utilizing these resources, one can learn to emulate Harry Chapin's unique singing style and embark on a journey towards improved storytelling and emotive singing.