Singing Guide: T-Bone Walker
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
T-Bone Walker was a pioneer bluesman known for his expressive guitar playing and distinctive singing style. His smooth, jazzy approach to the blues was a major influence on many subsequent blues and rock guitarists.
In this article, we'll explore how to learn to sing like T-Bone Walker and incorporate some of his unique techniques into your own singing.
Learning to sing in falsetto
One of T-Bone Walker's most distinctive vocal features was his use of falsetto. He frequently used falsetto to accentuate high notes and to add emotional impact to his songs. To learn to sing like T-Bone Walker, start by practicing singing in falsetto. You can do this by singing high notes and gradually pushing your voice up into falsetto. Check out this singing course on Singing Carrots for more exercises to help you unlock your falsetto.
Adding vibrato to your singing
Another important aspect of T-Bone Walker's singing was his use of vibrato. Vibrato is the subtle oscillation of pitch that gives singing a more emotive quality. To achieve a vibrato similar to T-Bone's, try adding a very slight tremble to your voice when holding sustained notes. The vocal warm-up exercise in this video will help you practice your vibrato.
Learning T-Bone Walker's guitar playing style
In addition to his vocal techniques, T-Bone Walker was renowned for his scorching guitar playing. To get a better sense of his playing style and incorporate it into your own vocal approach, check out his famous song "Call It Stormy Monday". This song features some incredible guitar riffs that you can learn and emulate in your singing.
Developing good breathing habits
Finally, to become a better singer like T-Bone you need to also develop good breathing habits. Proper breathing will allow you to sing in a more relaxed and comfortable manner, while also giving you better control over your voice. Singing Carrots offers many resources to help you develop your breathing technique, including this article about breath support and this video about the Farinelli breathing technique.
In summary, to learn to sing like T-Bone Walker you should practice using falsetto, add vibrato to your sustained notes, learn some of his guitar playing techniques, and develop good breathing habits. With dedication and practice, you can incorporate some of T-Bone Walker's unique vocal style into your own singing and become a better blues vocalist.