Singing Guide: Riverdance
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Riverdance is a unique combination of Irish music and world-class dance. Michael Flatley and Jean Butler performed the first Riverdance in 1994 during the intermission of the Eurovision Song Contest. Since then, it has expanded to an ensemble performance with millions of people watching and enjoying it worldwide.
If you want to learn how to sing like the Riverdance performers, you need to start with understanding the vocal techniques that make their singing stand out. The classic Irish singing style has a lilt or a rise and fall in the melody with lots of ornamentations. They use a lot of vibrato, with a clear and clean tone, and the voice is projected forward.
When you want to learn an Irish song, it is essential to pick a song that suits your voice range. You can use the Vocal range test from Singing Carrots to know your range, and then pick a song accordingly. You can also try the search songs feature to find a suitable song. Crooning like a famous Irish singer can feel refreshing. For example, "Danny Boy" is an all-time classic bitter-sweet song that offers a great example of an Irish lilt.
Breath control is crucial in Irish singing. The sound should be light and bouncy, which requires short, controlled breaths. Deeply engaging diaphragmatic breathing is essential, as it helps sustain brief notes and execute a flowing, steady phrasing technique. To improve your breathing, you can practice using the Farinelli breathing exercise.
Another vital element is the emotional expression of the song. If you want to sing like an Irish singer, you should fully emote in the lyrics. While singing Irish tunes, imagine as if it's a story of your life and tell it to the audience. When your tone aligns with the emotions of the song, it becomes easy to interact with and captivate an audience.
Articulating is also crucial while singing an Irish song. Make sure that the words you sing are understandable, and your articulation is precise. For a singer aiming to acquire an authentic Irish timbre, adopting an open vocal style is vital. Open the mouth and throat while singing and increase the resonance. Learn more from the Open mouth & throat article in Singing Carrots.
Wrapping up, If you want to learn how to sing like an Irish singer, you need to celebrate the ethnicity of the vocal style. Singing with happiness and energy is sure to uplift the audience. Practice regularly; take inspiration from traditional Irish singers and appreciate the delightful music. Check out the songbook feature to create your performance set linking lyrics, sheet music, chords, and karaoke. Get started with the Vocal Pitch Monitor to see your sung notes on a virtual piano and monitor your singing improvement with Progress statistics.
Go ahead, give your best shot, and showcase your talent with an excellent Irish song.