Singing Guide: Janis Joplin
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Janis Joplin's Vocal Technique
Janis Joplin was one of the most unique and powerful singers of the 1960s. Her voice was known for its raw and emotional quality, often described as a mix of blues, rock, and soul. In this article, we'll explore Janis Joplin's unique vocal technique and provide some practical advice and Singing Carrots resources to help you learn how to sing like her.
Vocal Technique
One of Janis Joplin's signature vocal techniques was her use of growling. This is a vocal distortion technique that involves adding a raspy, gritty quality to your voice. To learn how to growl like Janis Joplin, see the Singing Carrots video on vocal distortion or this YouTube video on how to growl.
Another important aspect of Janis Joplin's vocal technique was her use of vibrato, which added a wavering, emotional quality to her voice. See the Singing Carrots video on singing with vibrato to learn how to incorporate this into your own singing.
Songs
Janis Joplin's discography includes many great examples of her unique vocal technique. Practicing these songs can help you learn how to sing like her. Some excellent examples include:
- Piece of My Heart
- Me and Bobby McGee
- Cry Baby
- Summertime
- Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)
Practical Advice
In addition to practicing Janis Joplin's vocal techniques and songs, there are some other things you can do to improve your singing. Some Singing Carrots resources that may be helpful include:
- How to analyze your voice
- Breathing basics
- Voice registers & vocal break
- Breath support
- How to learn a song effectively
- Contemporary vocal techniques: Heavy modal, Twang, Belting
- Articulation
- Resonance in singing
- Vocal health
- How posture affects your singing
- How to overcome stage fright
Singing Carrots Resources
Singing Carrots also offers plenty of tools and exercises to help you improve your singing, including:
- Vocal range test
- Pitch accuracy test
- Vocal Pitch Monitor
- Pitch Training
- Search songs by vocal range
- Vocal ranges of famous singers
- Singing course for beginners
By practicing Janis Joplin's unique vocal techniques, working on your singing skills, and using Singing Carrots resources, you'll be well on your way to singing like one of the greatest rock and blues vocalists of all time!