Singing Guide: Motorhead
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Motorhead's unique brand of heavy metal is marked by its raw energy, power, and aggression. The lead singer and bassist of the band, Lemmy Kilmister, is widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures in rock music history with his gravelly voice and hard-hitting bass lines.
To sing like Lemmy Kilmister, it’s important to develop a throaty, gritty, and raspy timbre. To do this you can start with heavy vocal distortion exercises such as this Vocal distortion & Growling article from Singing Carrots. These exercises help to develop an aggressive singing style that adds character and depth to your tone.
While Motorhead's catalog includes a range of songs, "Ace of Spades" is an iconic classic that remains one of their most popular tracks. When singing this track, focus on using your chest voice to achieve a gritty, rough timbre.
It's also recommended to practice warm-up exercises, such as humming, to loosen up your vocal cords before attempting to sing with this unique style of rock singing. Check out this 3 Minute Warm Up video by Singing Carrots for some simple yet effective warm-ups.
Another essential aspect to singing like Lemmy Kilmister is having great breath support. This is covered in depth in the Breath support article, which provides some useful tips on developing this skill while minimizing the risk of damaging your vocal cords.
In addition to Singing Carrots' articles, you can also develop your skills through Pitch Training, Vocal Pitch Monitor, and Vocal range test tools and exercises.
Remember to take care of your vocal health by following the tips outlined in the Vocal health article, and practice performing with confidence using tips in this article on Tips for performing on stage.
Happy singing and rock on!