Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Singing Techniques to Sing Like OMD

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, or OMD, are a British synth-pop band formed in the late 1970s. Known for their catchy and innovative synth sounds, OMD’s music combines the classic elements of rock with the electronic sounds of new age pop. The band’s lead singer, Andy McCluskey, is known for his distinctive high pitched vocal range.

If you are looking to learn singing like OMD, here are some practical tips and Singing Carrots resources to help you get started:

1. Identify Your Vocal Range

   Before you start, it’s important to know your vocal range. You can take Singing Carrots' Vocal Range Test to get a better understanding of your vocal range and compare it to famous singers. Knowing your vocal range can help you improve your pitch by identifying the notes where you may be struggling.

2. Breathing Techniques

   Breathing plays a significant role in singing, so it's crucial to learn some basic breathing techniques. Try Singing Carrots' Breathing Basics to learn more and incorporate techniques to control airflow, which will help you sing without feeling out of breath.

3. Voice Registers & Vocal Break

   Voice Registers & the Vocal Break can be a tricky concept to understand, but Singing Carrots has a great article explaining it. It’s helpful to understand these to enable you to sing notes in your lower and upper ranges without straining your voice. Check out Voice registers & vocal break.

4. It's Not Always About Belting

   OMD’s music uses vocal techniques that requires mixed voices, at times softer and nuanced. Check out the Singing Carrots’ blog that compares Pop/Jazz versus Classical singing so that your voice is not strained and with better technique you can sing in different styles. Insist on singing with your intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking.

5. Practice Your Voice

   The key to singing like a rockstar is persistence! Sing on a regular basis, even if it's only for a few minutes each day. You can start out with Singing Carrots’ Vocal training exercises and Pitch visualizer. It's essential to have a bit of fun too, so don't forget to enjoy singing! Try out Pitch Training - Educational Singing Game to begin with.

6. Learn with Your Body

   OMD’s music requires expressive vocals, which requires arm and body movements. Perfect your posture by following Singing Carrots’ instructions on how to keep your back straight and shoulders back, with your chin up. Check out How posture affects your singing.

Once you have mastered some basic vocal techniques, it's time to start incorporating OMD’s distinctive synth pop-style into your singing. Here are some of OMD’s popular songs for inspiration:

• Enola Gay: This song showcases McCluskey's high-pitched vocals and is an excellent example of OMD's sound.
• Electricity: This track demonstrates OMD’s innovative synth sound and the more creative side of their music.
• Souvenir: This song requires a mix of different vocals, from low to high, demonstrating McCluskey's range while maintaining melody with full range of the voice.
• Joan of Arc: This hit requires a charged, high-energy and expressive performance with a more upbeat tempo and a loud voice!
• Sailing on the Seven Seas: This catchy song that requires lively and vibrant vocals with great tone and hold on notes.

Put the above tips and resources to use, commit to practice, and you can sing like Andy McCluskey in no time!