Singing Guide: Little Jack Sheppard

Singing Guide: Little Jack Sheppard

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

Little Jack Sheppard was an English thief and jailbreaker of early 18th-century London. Although his criminal career was short, he became a celebrated figure in English folklore. Sheppard is said to have had an exceptional tenor voice. Unfortunately, there are no recordings of his singing, but people who heard him remembered his lustrous voice.

To learn singing like Sheppard, one needs to master a distinct technique known as the English Male Voice. This style of singing is characterized by a resonant, open-throated tone, clear articulation, and moderate volume. Sheppard was known for his ability to belt out songs with a brilliant, full-bodied sound, yet maintain an effortless flow between registers.

To develop this skill requires proper breathing, breath control, and the correct use of vocal registers. The articles on breathing basics, breath support, and open mouth & throat on the Singing Carrots blog are valuable resources for developing these skills.

Little Jack Sheppard had a particular fondness for the ballads, and they were his favorite to sing. When selecting songs to sing in his style, ballads with a clear narrative and a slow tempo are a good place to start. For instance, "The Vicar of Bray or The Devil to Pay" is an excellent song to showcase the English Male Voice technique.

Apart from ballads, Sheppard was also known for singing in pubs and other public places. The article on Tips for Performing on Stage, and the Warm-up/Practice-starter videos about sustaining vocals and diaphragm bounce provide valuable tips for practicing your performance technique.

Finally, if you want to learn singing like Little Jack Sheppard, testing your vocal range and pitch accuracy is crucial. The Vocal Range Test and Pitch Accuracy Test tools on Singing Carrots can assist you in understanding your vocal range and pitch accuracy to select appropriate material that suits your voice.

Learn more about this artist vocal range, voice type and repertoire.