Singing Guide: Lazarus
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Lazarus, also known by his stage name David Bowie, was an English singer, songwriter, and actor who was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His diverse and innovative music style blended rock, pop, electronic, and soul, and his distinct and wide-ranging vocals showcased his exceptional vocal control and emotional expressivity.
To learn how to sing like David Bowie, it's essential to study his unique vocal techniques, which include:
- Vocal register shifts: Bowie's singing often alternates between a full, resonant chest voice and a clear, falsetto head voice. Achieving this technique requires practicing and mastering a seamless vocal transition between registers.
- Vocal improvisation: Bowie frequently utilized improvisation techniques in his vocals, incorporating non-traditional vocal sounds, such as grunting, shouting, and sighing. One way to incorporate this technique into your singing is by experimenting with different sounds during practice sessions.
- Emotional expressiveness: Bowie's emotive and dramatic vocal delivery was one of the defining elements of his music. To learn this technique, singers should focus on the emotional content of a song and aim to convey that through their vocals.
In addition to these techniques, studying Bowie's music catalog is crucial to see how he applied his unique vocal style to various compositions. Some of his most famous songs that showcase his vocal style include:
- Heroes: Bowie's soaring vocals in this song demonstrate his range and vocal control, especially during the emotive chorus.
- Life on Mars?: This theatrical song highlights Bowie's ability to switch between vocal registers seamlessly, adding an extra depth of emotion to the build-up of the narrative.
- Ziggy Stardust: With its driving beat and explosive vocals, this track shows off Bowie's mastery of improvisation and emotive expressiveness.
To improve your singing skills like Bowie's, Singing Carrots offers effective tools and resources to support singers of all levels. Some of the relevant resources include:
- Educational singing course: This 21-lesson program covers singing theory and practical tips that will help you develop your singing skills holistically, including voice types, breath support, resonance, and more.
- Vocal range test: Sing a few notes and compare your vocal range with famous singers. With an understanding of your vocal range, you can start practicing the registers that Bowie's music demands.
- Pitch accuracy test: This tool assesses your pitch accuracy so you can practice achieving Bowie's unique vocal registers.
- Pitch training: This tool provides interactive vocal warm-ups, pitch visualizer, and exercises for range and agility, allowing you to gain vocal control and expertise that Bowie excelled at.
To improve your singing like Bowie, be sure to utilize these resources to help you enhance specific elements of your singing technique, including vocal registers, improvisation, and emotive expressiveness.