Larry Shackley was a famous gospel composer, arranger, and keyboardist. He worked on over 150 piano, choral, and vocal collections with music labels across the world. Shackley has a unique style of keyboard accompaniment marked by his major to minor chord shifts in progressions that add a gospel flavor. Shackley's choral arrangements blend influences from classical, pop, and jazz music and often feature syncopated rhythms and rich textures. In this article, we will explore Shackley's vocal technique and offer some practical tips on how to emulate Shackley's style in singing.

Vocal Technique of Larry Shackley

Shackley's music is characterized by his ability to blend rich harmonies with syncopated rhythms. It demands a voice with enough agility and vocal range to handle its various vocal treatments, often moving from alto to tenor registers. Shackley's songs such as "A Joyful Noel," "Heaven's Child," and "Good News, Chariot's a-comin'" require exceptional vocal control.

To emulate Shackley's vocal style, singers should:

• Analyze their voice for its range and type
• Use breathing exercises to develop their breath support
• Focus on good posture to ensure effective breathing and prevent strain on the vocal cords
• Develop the chest and head voice registers for control
• Develop good articulation for clarity of words
• Control their pitch for accuracy and focus on intonation
• Cultivate a sense of emotion/performing for expression

Practical Advice for Achieving Shackley's Vocal Style

1. Warm-up: Singers should warm-up to prepare their voices for demanding gospel songs. Use soft hums to release any tension in the vocal cords and then progress to vowels, scales, and exercises for agility.
2. Breath Support: The breath is the foundation of good gospel singing. To achieve Shackley's style, one must master breath support. Focus on taking deep breaths and releasing them with force in short bursts to produce those syncopated rhythms.
3. Vocal Control: Singers must develop excellent control of their vocal registers. Practice moving from chest to head voice to achieve Shackley's syncopated rhythms.
4. Pitch Accuracy: Shackley's music is filled with hearty grandeur, and mastering pitch is vital to evoke the same effect. Use pitch-training exercises for accuracy and ear-training games to perfect intonation.

Singing Carrots Resources for Achieving Shackley's Vocal Style:

• Take the Vocal Range Test to assess your voice type and range.
• Use Search songs to find Shackley's songs that match your vocal range and genre preference.
• Check out Pitch Training for interactive vocal warm-ups and exercises for range and agility.
• Use Vocal Pitch Monitor to see how you're doing with your pitch.
• Learn the basics of breathing, voice registers and vocal breaks, and breath support through Singing Carrots' singing course, Singing Beginners.
• Study Shackley's unique style through tips for performing on stage and how to overcome stage fright.
• Train your vocal control, intonation, and articulation skills with videos such as Chest Voice Explained, Mixed Voice, Glottal Onset, and Articulation - Finger Bite.

In conclusion, Shackley's music had a vibrant gospel feel achieved through a unique vocal and keyboard style. Emulating his vocal technique requires an agile voice with good range control and pitch accuracy. Use the practical advice and Singing Carrots resources provided to achieve the vocal control and technique needed to replicate Shackley's style convincingly.