Singing Guide: Nanci Griffith
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Nanci Griffith is a highly regarded American singer-songwriter with an unmistakable voice that combines elements of country, folk, and pop music. Learning to sing like her can be a challenging, yet rewarding, process that requires dedication, attention to detail, and a willingness to experiment with new techniques. In this article, we will explore Nanci Griffith's unique vocal style, some of the songs that best showcase her vocal abilities, and provide some useful tips and resources that can help you improve your own singing skills.
Nanci Griffith has a soft and gentle singing voice that is often described as angelic. She typically sings in a high and airy register, occasionally employing falsetto to add emphasis or create a distinct sound. One of the key features of Nanci's vocal style is her use of vibrato. Vibrato is a natural oscillation of the voice that gives the singing a rich and expressive quality. Nanci uses a slow and subtle vibrato that is particularly effective when she sings sustained notes or closes out a verse.
Nanci Griffith's vocal style is perhaps best exemplified in her song "From A Distance". In this song, Nanci's voice soars over a lush arrangement of strings and is given ample room to shine. She uses vibrato to great effect on the word "peace" in the chorus and demonstrates her versatility by switching between a smooth and gentle delivery on the verses and a more powerful approach on the chorus.
Another great example of Nanci's vocal style can be found in "Love at the Five and Dime". In this song, Nanci's voice takes on a slightly folksy quality and is accompanied by a simple acoustic guitar arrangement. Nanci uses her vibrato sparingly on this track but is still able to convey a great deal of emotion and warmth through her singing.
To learn to sing like Nanci Griffith, it's important to focus on developing a smooth and controlled vocal style. You'll want to work on your breath control and focus on producing a clear and accurate sound. Using vibrato can be a great way to add some color to your singing and help you stand out as a vocalist. Consider working with a voice coach who can help you develop a strong foundation of vocal technique and provide targeted feedback on your progress.
Singing Carrots offers a wealth of resources that can help you learn to sing like Nanci Griffith. You can start by taking the vocal range test to determine your vocal range and get some tips on how to extend it. From there, consider trying the pitch accuracy test to gauge your pitch accuracy and explore the vocal pitch monitor to see your sung notes on a virtual piano. The pitch training section provides interactive vocal warm-ups and exercises for range and agility.
If you're looking to add some vibrato to your singing, the "Singing with vibrato" article provides some useful tips and exercises that can help you develop this technique. If you're interested in improving your breath control, be sure to check out the "Breath support" and "Breathing basics" articles, which provide a variety of strategies to help you breathe more easily while singing.
Overall, learning to sing like Nanci Griffith is a rewarding and fulfilling process that can help you develop your own unique vocal style. With the right approach, some hard work, and the help of Singing Carrots resources, you'll be well on your way to becoming a better singer in no time.