Singing Guide: Luther Allison

Singing Guide: Luther Allison

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

Luther Allison was an American blues musician who had a career spanning over four decades. His guitar playing and soulful singing set him apart from other blues artists of his time. Learning to sing like Luther Allison means finding the right balance between power, emotion, and technique. In this article, we’ll explore Luther Allison's unique vocal style, provide practical advice, and suggest relevant Singing Carrots resources to help you learn his songs.

Luther Allison's Vocal Style

Luther Allison's vocal style was both passionate and powerful. He utilized a range of vocal techniques to lend extra emotion and intensity to his songs. One notable technique he used frequently was growling - a vocal style that sounds as if the singer is almost snarling. This technique helps convey intense emotion and adds rawness and grit to the singing. Allison also made extensive use of vibrato, a technique used to add texture and warmth to vocal performances.

Key Songs to Learn

To start learning to sing like Luther Allison, it's important to start with one of his signature tunes. Here are some recommended songs to start with:

  • "It Hurts Me Too"
  • "Living In The House Of The Blues"
  • "Serious"
  • "Cherry Red Wine"

All of these songs showcase Allison's unique vocal style and are great starting points for anyone looking to learn his music.

Practical Advice

As Luther Allison utilized a range of vocal techniques in his performances, it's essential to practice breathing techniques, vocal warm-ups, and exercises to improve your singing. For example, the Farinelli Breathing video can be an excellent starting point for beginners who need to work on their breathing control. The video demonstrates how to do deep breathing exercises to help you use your diaphragm and breath more effectively. Singing Carrots' pitch accuracy test and vocal range test can help you identify the pitch range that suits your voice and improve your pitch accuracy.

To work on your articulation, Singing Carrots offers Finger Bite, a video exercise that demonstrates how to improve your diction by biting your finger and singing words slowly. Finally, to develop your vibrato, perform exercises like the Diaphragm Bounce, focusing on allowing your voice to shake and tremble as you sing.

Singing Carrots Resources

Singing Carrots has many resources that can help you improve your vocal performances and sing like Luther Allison. Some example resources to supplement your learning include:

These resources can help you find songs to sing that suit your vocal range and provide information on famous singers like Luther Allison, so you can learn from their techniques and styles. The course is an ideal tool for learning the fundamentals of singing theory and practical tips to progress your singing.

Conclusion

Luther Allison's vocal style was truly unique and incorporated a range of techniques to deliver an emotionally charged performance. Improved breathing control, articulation, and diction will go a long way towards capturing Allison's style. Practice with Singing Carrots’ resources, and you'll be on your way to singing with the same passion and power as Luther Allison.

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