Smokey Robinson's silky tenor and smooth, emotive delivery have captivated audiences for over 60 years. Robinson was both a powerful songwriter and a masterful performer. He was a key figure in the Motown movement, creating songs that still resonate today. In this article, we will explore how to learn singing like Smokey Robinson.

Vocal Technique

Smokey Robinson's singing style is characterized by his smooth, silky tenor, and his ability to express genuine emotion through his delivery. Robinson's distinct voice was a key part of Motown's signature sound. He was known for his falsetto and his ability to effortlessly transition from his chest voice to his head voice. Here are some key elements of Robinson's vocal technique to keep in mind:

• Robinson emphasizes proper breathing technique. When singing, he focuses on using his diaphragm rather than his chest. Before singing, practicing breathing techniques to breathe from the diaphragm will help you incorporate this technique into your singing.
• Robinson's falsetto is a key part of his singing style. He uses it to convey emotion and add variety to his performances. Practicing head voice exercises can help you achieve this effect and master this vocal register.
• Robinson uses vibrato sparingly and effectively to add depth and emotion to his singing. Practicing vibrato exercises will help you achieve this effect and add richness to your voice.

Songs to Study

Robinson is responsible for some of the most-beloved songs in the American songbook, such as "The Tracks of My Tears" and "Ooh Baby Baby." Here are some of his most famous songs:

• "Tears of a Clown": This upbeat track showcases Robinson's unique falsetto and his ability to convey emotion through his phrasing.
• "Ooo Baby Baby": This soulful ballad highlights Robinson's ability to convey the emotion of the song-making it one of his most famous performances.
• "Tracks of My Tears": This catchy, upbeat song is a classic example of Motown's signature soulful sound.
• "You've Really Got a Hold on Me": This gospel-inspired ballad highlights Robinson's ability to convey genuine emotion through his delivery.

When studying Robinson's songs, listen closely to how he uses his unique vocal technique to convey the mood and emotion of the song.

Practical Advice and Resources

To start singing like Robinson, begin with vocal warmups that focus on breathing exercises and head voice work. The "Farinelli Breathing" exercise will help you focus on breathing from your diaphragm and incorporating proper breathing technique into your singing.

Once you have your warmup routine down, focus on incorporating Robinson's techniques into your singing. Tools such as the vocal range test, pitch accuracy test, and the pitch monitor on Singing Carrots can allow you to track your progress and monitor your vocal range.

Additionally, we offer research on voice types, reading about breathing basics, voice registers and vocal breaks, breath support practices, articulation, intonation, and much more on Singing Carrots blog articles that you can use to complement your practice. Use our search songs tool to find songs that match your range, and practice Robinson's technique with the songs on our songbook feature.

Incorporating practical vocal exercises and using Singing Carrots' tools can provide the needed support to your singing practice to achieve the unique vocal style of Smokey Robinson.