Singing Guide: Song and Dance
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
If you're interested in learning to sing like a musical theater professional, look no further than Song and Dance legend, Bernadette Peters. With a voice that can whisk you away to a dream world, Peters is known for her precise vocal technique, stunning range, and captivating performance style.
Peters’ vocal technique is marked by the wide range of her voice, her vibrato, and her use of “belt”. According to the description of “belting” from Singing Carrots’ contemporary vocal techniques article, it refers to a method of vocal production in which a singer brings their chest voice much higher than usual, and produces a more powerful and often more piercing sound. Peters is famous for her incredible belt, and any aspiring singer could stand to gain from practicing this invaluable technique.
Like any proper musical theater star, Peters’ singing is always in service of the story she is telling. With that in mind, let's learn a few songs that showcase Peters' range and vocal technique:
- Being Alive from Sondheim's Company. Being Alive is an iconic Broadway tune that will help you develop your belt.
- Broadway Baby from Follies. This song is Peters at her best, and as she sings “I want to be in a show!”, your legs won't be able to keep from dancing.
To start your journey to sing like Bernadette Peters, begin with Singing Carrots’ educational course and read up on Singing with Vibrato. The vocal ranges of famous singers database is invaluable when you’re learning to sing in the style of any musical theater star. Once you’ve had your fill of theory, try out Singing Carrots’ interactive lessons to sharpen up on your belt, vibrato, and range.
Good posture is essential to help you belt and perform other techniques smoothly. Check out Singing Carrots’ article on how posture affects your singing, and also Singing Carrots’ video lessons on breathing, as breath support is fundamental when singing.
Now get to work and start practicing - before you know it, you'll be singing like Bernadette Peters!