Singing Guide: The Flying Burrito Brothers
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
The Flying Burrito Brothers were pioneers of country rock, blending traditional country music with rock and roll. Gram Parsons, the founding member and lead vocalist, introduced psychedelic and folk elements to the music, creating a sound that was both innovative and timeless. Parsons' unique vocal technique is characterized by a mellow delivery, heartfelt emotion, and a distinctive twang.
To learn to sing like Gram Parsons, it's essential to develop your breath control, focus on pitch accuracy, and experiment with different vocal registers.
- To understand breath control and how it impacts your singing, read the articles on breath support and breathing basics.
- To improve your pitch accuracy, take the pitch accuracy test and use the vocal pitch monitor to visualize your sung notes.
- To practice different vocal registers and overcome the vocal break, study the articles on voice registers and chest voice.
- To develop your articulation and learn to sing with a twang, do the finger bite exercise and watch the twang exercise video.
- To work on your sustain and vibrato, check out the sustain vocal exercise, the Humming video and the vibrato exercises in the Beggars Bounce video and Diaphragm Bounce video.
- To find country rock songs that showcase Gram Parsons' unique style, use the song search by vocal range and check out the Flying Burrito Brothers' songbook for lyrics, sheet music, and karaoke tracks.
By using these resources and practicing regularly, you can learn to sing like Gram Parsons and add your unique twist to his style. Remember to experiment with different vocal techniques, listen to your performance, and enjoy the process of learning and creating music.