Singing Guide: Robben Ford
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Robben Ford is a highly skilled blues and jazz guitarist, songwriter, and singer. What makes Ford's music unique is his ability to merge rhythm and blues with sophisticated jazz harmony. He first gained recognition for his soulful, fluid guitar playing as a member of the band L.A. Express, and over the years has collaborated and recorded with a diverse range of artists such as Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, and George Harrison.
To achieve a vocal style similar to Robben Ford's, we suggest the following:
- Analyze your voice:
- Before you begin singing, it's important to understand your vocal range and voice type. Take Singing Carrots' vocal range test and voice type test.
- Practice breathing and breath support:
- Breath control is crucial in singing. Learn the basics of active and passive breathing and breath support.
- Warm-up your voice before singing:
- To avoid hurting your voice, it's important to warm-up your voice before singing. Start with an exercise like the Farinelli breathing exercise or the three-minute warm-up.
- Study Robben Ford's vocal techniques:
- Robben Ford's vocal style is characterized by a deep, rich tone with a laid-back delivery. He uses a combination of chest voice and head voice to achieve his signature sound. Study his music and try to replicate it.
- Work on your chest voice and head voice:
- To achieve Robben Ford's style, work on blending your chest voice and head voice. Check out the Singing Comfort Zone exercises on voice registers and voice break, and the Chest Voice Explained video.
- Practice performing with emotion:
- Robben Ford's music is full of emotion, so it's important to work on singing and performing with emotion. Try the Relaxing Breath exercise to help you relax and connect with your emotions.
- Sing with a band:
- Singing with a band gives you experience and helps you understand how your vocals fit within the music. Search Singing Carrots' song library by searching for Robben Ford's songs. You can also check out Singing Carrots' song search, including linked lyrics, sheet music, chords, karaoke, and YouTube audio.
Incorporating these techniques and Singing Carrots exercises will help you develop a vocal style similar to Robben Ford's. Good luck and happy singing!