Singing Guide: Opeth

Singing Guide: Opeth

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

Are you interested in learning how to sing like Opeth? Then keep reading!

Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band well known for their complex song structures, heavy riffs, and carefully crafted transitions between heavy and mellow sounds. The band's lead vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt is also recognized for his remarkable range, unique growling, and ability to sing both harsh and clean parts.

If you want to learn how to sing like Akerfeldt, let's dive into some of the techniques that make his singing style unique:

Growling

Akerfeldt's growl is an essential aspect of Opeth's sound. To learn how to do it, you can watch Singing Carrots' video on Vocal distortion & Growling, which explains how to create this sound using your false vocal cords and diaphragm.

Mixed Voice

Another skill that Akerfeldt excels in is the ability to control his mixed voice. This allows him to blend his chest voice with his head voice and produce a more balanced sound when switching between clean and harsh singing. You can improve your mixed voice by practicing vocal warm-ups and exercises such as the ones offered in Singing Carrots' Chest Voice Explained and Mixed Voice videos.

Voice Registers and Transitions

In Opeth's songs, you can hear how Akerfeldt switches back and forth between his chest voice, head voice, and falsetto to create dynamic and expressive melodies. This requires a lot of control over your voice registers and the ability to smoothen your vocal transitions, which can be achieved by studying Singing Carrots' Voice registers & vocal break article and taking Singing Carrots' Pitch Training - Educational Singing Game to improve your pitch accuracy and agility.

Breath Support and Control

Breath support is crucial for both clean and harsh singing, and Akerfeldt is exceptional in controlling his breathing to match the song's emotions and atmospheres. Singing Carrots' videos on Farinelli Breathing and Sustain Vocal can help you build a strong breath support foundation and sustain your vocal notes longer.

Song Suggestions

If you're looking for Opeth songs to practice your singing technique, we recommend "Windowpane," "Harvest," "Bleak," and "Deliverance." These songs display Akerfeldt's unique vocal style and dynamic performance, showing his ability to shift between various vocal techniques.

In conclusion, learning how to sing like Mikael Akerfeldt requires dedication, practice, and a deep understanding of various vocal techniques. Using the resources on Singing Carrots, such as videos, articles, and exercises, can help you build your technical skills and expand your vocal range. With enough practice and effort, you'll soon be singing like Akerfeldt and creating your unique progressive metal sound!

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