Singing Guide: James McMurtry

Singing Guide: James McMurtry

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

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How to Learn Singing like James McMurtry

James McMurtry is an American singer-songwriter noted for his storytelling style of singing, a blend of folk, country, and rock. He has a unique style of singing that showcases his intricate and poetic lyrics, vocal resonance, and guitar playing. Here are some tips to learn singing like James McMurtry.

1. Storytelling

McMurtry’s singing style is unique for his capacity to tell vivid stories through his vocals. His songs are a blend of conversational and lyrical that brings a sense of connection to his listeners. To learn how to storytell like James, Singing Carrot's article on how to learn a song effectively can be very helpful. Understanding the lyrics and trying to put oneself in the story will help execute the song more convincingly.

2. Vocal Resonance

McMurtry's vocal approach is incredibly resonant. He avoids straining his voice and instead creates an efficient approach to producing the sound by positioning his mouth and vocal cords in the right way. Singing Carrot's articles on open mouth & throat and resonance in singing will be beneficial as it highlights the importance of vocal resonance and how to achieve it effectively.

3. Guitar Playing

McMurtry is known for his playing technique that balances rhythm and melodious lead playing. In Singing Carrot’s search songs feature, you can search for McMurtry's song and get the chords to practice playing and singing them.

4. Vocal Health

A great singing voice requires a healthy vocal mechanism. McMurtry's singing style demands proper breath support, and avoiding strain. To prevent damage to the vocal cords, learn the basic breathing technique from the Singing Carrot article on breath support and vocal health.

5. Emotion

McMurtry's vocal style is also characterized by his emotive delivery of the music. He sings with a genuine and authentic way that connects to his listeners. The Singing Carrots’ article about singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking will help guide how to incorporate emotion into music with the various tips they provide.

6. Unique McMurtry Songs

McMurtry's unique vocal style is reflected in "Childish Things," "Choctaw Bingo," and "Restless", amongst others. Singing Carrots’ search songs section can be used to find good learning resources for his songs.

By following these techniques and using Singing Carrots' resources, you can take the first steps towards learning to sing like James McMurtry.

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