Singing Guide: John Mayer
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Learning to Sing Like John Mayer
John Mayer is a Grammy-winning singer and songwriter who is known for his soulful voice and unique blend of blues, rock, and pop. If you're hoping to sing like John Mayer, below are some practical tips and techniques you can use:
- Pay attention to Mayer's phrasing: Mayer is a master of phrasing. He often elongates certain notes or sings lines with an almost conversational tone. To sing like Mayer, listen closely to the way he phrases his lyrics and try to mimic that approach.
- Develop breath control: Mayer's vocal control is impressive, and it's a key part of his vocal style. Work on exercises that help you develop breath control and support, such as the Farinelli breathing exercise on Singing Carrots.
- Sing with a relaxed and open throat: Mayer has a smooth, effortless sound. Achieving that requires a relaxed and open throat. Singing Carrots has a great article about how to open your mouth and throat while singing that provides further tips on this topic.
- Build your vocal range: Mayer has a wide vocal range, which is essential since he sings both high and low notes. The Vocal Range Test on Singing Carrots can help you determine where your range currently falls, and the Pitch Training tool can help you build your range over time.
- Maintain good posture: Mayer's singing posture is part of what helps him to achieve his signature sound. Focus on singing with good posture to ensure that you're using your body in the most effective way possible. Singing Carrots has an article about how posture affects your singing and a video on good singing posture to help you get started.
Some of John Mayer's most famous songs include "Gravity," "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room," and "Your Body Is a Wonderland." To fully capture Mayer's style, practice singing along to these songs, paying attention to the important techniques you've learned above.
Singing is not only about techniques and practice but also about intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking. Check out Singing Carrots blog on singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking.
If you're serious about learning to sing like John Mayer, Singing Carrots also offers a comprehensive online singing course for beginners. This course covers singing theory and practical tips and is a great way to build a solid foundation in singing.
Happy singing and keep practicing!