Singing Guide: The Contours
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
If you want to learn to sing like The Contours, you will need to focus on mastering their signature Motown sound. This involves a combination of different techniques, including strong breath control, intricate rhythm, and a soulful delivery that is both emotional and precise at the same time.
One of the most important aspects of learning to sing like The Contours is developing your breath control. This will allow you to sing with power and precision, particularly during longer phrases where you need to sustain your notes in order to create that signature sound. Start by practicing simple breathing exercises, such as the Farinelli Breathing technique, which will help you control your breath and build up your lung capacity over time.
Another key element of The Contours' sound is their rhythmic precision, which is especially evident in their uptempo tracks. To get this right, it's important to develop your sense of timing and rhythm. Pitch Training is an excellent resource for this, as it provides interactive vocal warm-ups, pitch visualizers, and exercises for range and agility.
One of the most distinctive aspects of The Contours' sound is their ability to evoke emotions through their singing. To capture this spirit, you may find it helpful to focus on some of the techniques used in pop/jazz versus classical singing, such as the use of vocal distortion and vibrato. You can explore vocal distortion and growling and singing with vibrato to experiment with these elements.
The Contours also used a mixture of different vocals to create their unique style. They often fused their chest voices with their falsettos to create that soulful sound. This can be achieved through developing your chest voice and understanding voice registers and the vocal break.
Of course, the best way to learn to sing like The Contours is to listen to their music. Some of their most well-known songs include "Do You Love Me," "First I Look at the Purse," and "Can You Jerk Like Me?" Study these songs closely, paying attention to the way the vocals are phrased and the emotions evoked. Try to emulate these techniques when singing yourself.
Overall, learning to sing like The Contours requires a combination of breath control, rhythmic precision, emotional depth, and a skilled mix of chest voice and falsetto. By mastering these techniques and using the Singing Carrots resources at your fingertips, you can develop the same soulful sound that made The Contours - and the broader Motown sound - so legendary.