Singing Guide: Mary Poppins
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Mary Poppins, also known as Julie Andrews, has one of the most recognizable and beautiful singing voices in Hollywood history. She has a beautiful, crystal-clear soprano voice that is exceptionally well-suited to classic musical theater.
Her unique and desirable vocal technique is the flawless way she performs trills, runs, and other vocal embellishments without sacrificing any of the natural warmth or power of her voice. She has been influenced by a range of musicians and styles, and this is where her talent really shines.
To learn how to sing like Julie Andrews/Mary Poppins, it is important to understand your own voice. You can take the vocal range test on Singing Carrots to discover your own vocal range, compare it with famous singers, and identify the areas you need to work on.
Mary Poppins' most memorable songs are from the famous 1964 movie, and the most iconic of these is undoubtedly "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." Another great example of her perfect singing technique can be found in "A Spoonful of Sugar."
To develop a voice similar to hers, it's essential to focus on proper breathing techniques, enunciation, and staying within your vocal range. One of the ways to learn proper breathing techniques is by reading Singing Carrots' breathing basics article and practicing the Farinelli Breathing exercise. You can also watch the Singing Comfort Zone video to help you understand your chest voice better.
It's important to note that vocal range is not the only element of singing. Vocal registers and vocal breaks are other important areas to focus on as you aim for a voice similar to Julie Andrews/Mary Poppins. Breathing techniques, the proper opening of Troat, and warm-up exercises such as humming and singing in the chest voice, help regulate the voice registers and prevent vocal breaks.
Paying attention to posture and the soft palate will also aid greatly in avoiding nasality, which is another common issue beginners face. You can read about this further in the open mouth and throat and soft palate articles.
Singing Carrots' vocal health and vocal range articles are also crucial resources to refer to as you develop your skills.
In essence, to learn to sing like Mary Poppins, you need to understand your own voice and how it works. By using this knowledge, you can focus on proper breathing and posture, open up the mouth and throat, and learn the proper vocal registers for each song. With the help of Singing Carrots' numerous resources, you'll be on your way to singing like the iconic Julie Andrews in no time!