Learning to Sing Like Paul Williams

Paul Williams has long been one of the most beloved singer-songwriters in popular music, with a career that spans over 5 decades. His fame stretches from his major hits of the 1970s to his appearances on the big screen in the past few years. With his intuitive melodies, intricate harmonies, and rich vocal range, Williams has truly earned his place in the pantheon of great American songwriters.

If you're interested in learning to sing like Paul Williams, there are a few key elements you can focus on:

Vocal control and range are key to emulating Paul Williams’s distinctive tone. Here are some exercises to improve your vocal ability:

• Breathing: “Farinelli Breathing” is a great breathing exercise that helps you develop control and consistency in your breath. Check out this video tutorial for an example.
• Warm-ups: Humming exercises are ideal for warming up your voice and helping to move beyond your vocal break. This video tutorial guides you through some simple humming exercises.
• Articulation: Finger biting is an effective articulation exercise that helps you to clear your throat and shape your vocal sound. See this video tutorial for a demonstration.
• Chest Voice: For improving chest voice, use the exercise “Singing Comfort Zone” found in Educational singing course.

Williams has a unique tone, utilizing the following techniques:

• Mellow/Velvety Tone: Williams's tone is mellow and has a velvety quality, that can be achieved by softening the palate. Check out these two videos, “Soft Palate” and “Stop Sounding Nasal”, that can help you achieve that goal.
• Mixed Voice: Williams often employs a mixed voice which helps him go through his vocal break. These two videos can help you master the mixed voice technique: “Voice Break”, “Mixed Voice”.
• Onsets/Offsets: The technique of Onsets and Offsets can help you make your phrasing smoother, with some great warm-up exercises such as “Glottal Onset”.

Learning to sing like Paul Williams requires a deep understanding of his style and the types of songs he writes and sings. Here are a few of his most iconic songs to help you get started:

• Rainy Days and Mondays: This hit from The Carpenters, one of Williams’s most famous compositions, features his signature vocal style: rich, melodic, and emotional.
• Evergreen: This song's melody is deceptively simple and perfectly showcases Williams' unique sense of harmony and vocal range. Practice singing along with this version.
• We’ve Only Just Begun: Another classic by Williams and The Carpenters, this classic ballad leans heavily on his lyrical sensibility and warm, inviting vocal tone.
• Rainbow Connection: Sung originally by Kermit the Frog, the song carries Paul William's mark all over it.

Singing Carrots provides students with the tools they need to develop their singing skills and grow their confidence. Here are some of the resources that can help you learn like Paul Williams:

• Vocal Range Test: Determine your range compared to the legendary singers with Singing Carrots’s Vocal Range Test.
• Vocal Pitch Monitor