Singing Guide: James C. Marlowe
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
James C. Marlowe was an American singer-songwriter with a unique vocal style. His music was a fusion of jazz, blues, and soul, which he delivered with a husky, emotive, and theatrical voice. To learn singing like James C. Marlowe, one needs to embody his unique vocals and stage presence. Here are a few tips to achieve that:
- Embrace the rasp - Marlowe's voice was gravelly and rough, a result of years of smoking and singing for hours. To achieve a similar rasp, vocalists can try singing with a clenched throat, growls, belting, or screaming. However, such techniques can harm the vocal cords, so care must be taken not to overdo them.
- Get the phrasing right - Marlowe had a unique way of phrasing and delivering his lyrics, often accentuating words and syllables to convey his emotions. Vocalists can improve their phrasing by singing along with Marlowe's songs, focusing on the rhythm, timing, and intonation.
- Work on your breath control - Marlowe's singing often required extended notes and improvisations, which he delivered flawlessly. He achieved such breath control through regular breathing exercises and diaphragmatic breathing techniques. Vocalists can benefit from practicing breathing exercises to improve their breath control and endurance.
- Perform with conviction and emotion - Marlowe's performances were always intense and engaging, with his voice conveying raw emotions that captivated his audience. Vocalists can improve their performance by practicing with emotion, focusing on the feelings they want to express and delivering their lyrics with conviction.
To enhance your James C. Marlowe singing skills, Singing Carrots offers resources that can help. For example, to start, you can use the vocal range test and the pitch accuracy test to determine your vocal range and pitch accuracy.
Once you are familiar with Marlowe's style, you can use the search songs feature to find songs that suit your vocal range and genre preference. Singing Carrots also offers a comprehensive singing course covering singing theory and practical tips that can help sharpen your vocals.
Finally, Singing Carrots offers several videos that can help with Marlowe's unique techniques, such as the Chest Voice Explained video and the Vocal distortion & Growling video.
By following these practical tips and using Singing Carrots resources, you can learn to sing like James C. Marlowe, and maybe even carve out your distinctive style.