Singing Guide: Kim Hill
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Kim Hill is one of the most remarkable singers in the Gospel and CCM industry. Her vocal ability, style, and range make her one of the most recognizable voices in Christian music. Here are some tips on how you can sing like Kim Hill:
- Analyze Your Voice
The first step you should take is to analyze your singing voice. Take the Vocal Range Test to determine your vocal range and identify what you do well. Understanding your voice will help you decide what techniques to emphasize or develop.
- Know Your Voice Type
Learning your voice type is important to understand how your voice functions. Knowing your voice type can help you identify your comfortable range, understand how your voice works, and learn how to improve it.
- Breathing Basics
Kim Hill's voice is unique because of her breathing technique. Breathing basics are crucial for singing because they provide stability, energy, and an easy flow of sound. Follow this video to learn the Farinelli breathing method, which is one of the basic warm-up exercises you can use to train and strengthen your breathing muscles.
- Developing Your Technique
One of Kim Hill's strongest abilities is her use of voice registers. Voice registers are the most fundamental aspect of vocal technique and understanding how to utilize them will enable you to sing songs belonging to various ranges. For a better understanding of registers, watch this video.
- Open Mouth and Throat
Because of the dynamic range of her voice, Kim Hill has perfected the art of keeping her mouth and throat open when singing. Open mouth & throat is vital for keeping good tone, controlling diction, and delivering a faithful rendition of a song.
- Learn a Song
Avoiding constrictions is important when learning a song because it enables you to sing with good tone and delivers the song with ease. How to learn a song effectively provides some tips on how to do this, including how to read sheet music, how to identify important parts of the song, and how to use tempo and vocals to convey the meaning and feeling of your song. Use Search songs to find and accommodate your type of vocal range, and learn how to connect with the lyrics, and convey the emotion and message of the song.
- Get Creative
Kim Hill's unique style is fastened on the blend of contemporary music with ancient religious Christian music. Pop/Jazz vs Classical singing describes the differences between classical, jazz, and pop music. By understanding these differences, you can create an original style that is unique to you. Try some contemporary vocal techniques, always keeping in mind healthy vocal habits.
Check out the following resources from Singing Carrots:
Use Vocal Pitch Monitor as you train your voice, and adjust your pitch with Pitch Training - Educational Singing Game, a fun way to learn & practice vocal techniques