Singing Guide: King Crimson
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
To learn singing like King Crimson, one must study the unique style of its frontman and co-founder Greg Lake. Lake has a clear and powerful voice that can evoke emotions while still maintaining a technical precision.
One notable aspect of Lake's singing style is his use of vibrato. Vibrato is a fine oscillation in pitch used to add character and emotion to a note. Lake's vibrato is especially effective in conveying the melancholic, ethereal atmosphere of songs like Epitaph and Court of the Crimson King.
In addition to studying vibrato and its implementation in Lake's singing, aspiring King Crimson vocalists should also delve into the use of dynamics. Dynamics refer to the loudness and softness of singing. Lake expertly employs dynamics to add texture and emotion to his vocal lines. For instance, listen to Lake's alternating use of softer and louder singing in In the Wake of Poseidon's eponymous track.
Finally, it's important to note the complexity and technicality of King Crimson's songs. To successfully emulate Lake's singing, it's essential to master the art of phrasing and to have a strong sense of rhythm and timing. Luckily, Singing Carrots has an extensive vocal training program that covers these topics and more.
For those looking to improve their singing and emulate Greg Lake, Singing Carrots offers various resources, including its Vocal Pitch Monitor, Vocal Range Test, and Pitch Accuracy Test which can be helpful in studying Lake's use of vibrato and dynamics. Singing Carrots also has an advanced singing course program that can aid in refining the necessary vocal techniques.
Additional articles on resonating singing, breath support, vocal health, and singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking can be found on Singing Carrots' blog. Exercises for twang, growling, vibrato, voice registers, mixed voice, and voice break, posture, breath control, nasality, and articulation are also available.
With a combination of diligent study and practical training, it's undoubtedly possible for any aspiring vocalist to learn to sing like King Crimson's Greg Lake.