The Pretenders are a British-American rock band formed in 1978, led by singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde. Hynde's distinctive vocal style is characterized by her contralto voice, blending elements of rock, pop, and punk rock. Her signature technique includes a rough-edged tone with subtle vibrato and occasional vocal fry. Here are some practical tips and exercises to help you learn to sing like Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders.

Breathing:

Firstly, it's essential to learn proper breathing techniques to sing like Chrissie Hynde. Building breath support is key to maintaining power throughout your performance. Using a Farinelli breathing technique like this one: Farinelli Breathing will help you control your airflow to support notes and phrases.

Vocal Warm-ups:

Before you start singing Pretenders songs, you should warm up your vocal cords with exercises such as humming like this one: Humming Exercise. Another great warm-up for increasing vocal agility is lip trills, like this one: Lip Trills Exercise.

Voice Registers:

Chrissie Hynde's vocal technique is characterized by a mix of chest voice and head voice. Practicing switching between registers with exercises like this one: Mixed Voice will help you master this mixed voice and find your voice's "sweet spot." Other exercises to practice chest voice include this one: Chest Voice Explained. This will help you develop a more powerful and dynamic voice.

Pitch Accuracy:

Developing pitch accuracy is crucial to sounding like The Pretenders. You can check your pitch accuracy with the Singing Carrots Pitch Accuracy Test. To train your pitch further, use the Singing Carrots Pitch Training, which includes a pitch visualizer and exercises for range and agility.

Vocal Distortion:

Some of The Pretenders' songs involve vocal distortion and growling, like "Back on the Chain Gang" and "Middle of the Road." If you want to achieve this vocal style, try exercises like this one: Vocal Distortion & Growling. Practice in moderation until you can achieve the proper technique.

Song Choice:

Choosing songs that showcase Chrissie Hynde's vocal style can help you learn to sing like her. Some of The Pretenders' most iconic songs include "Brass in Pocket," "Back on the Chain Gang," "Kid," and "Tattooed Love Boys." You can find songs matching your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference with the Singing Carrots Song Search.

In conclusion, mastering Chrissie Hynde's unique vocal technique takes time and practice. Utilize the resources at Singing Carrots and the exercises mentioned above to help hone your skills. By practicing breathing techniques, developing vocal registers, working on pitch accuracy, and song choice, you can learn to sing like Chrissie Hynde and rock out like The Pretenders.