Singing Guide: The Strawbs
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
The Strawbs are a British rock band formed in the 60s and known for their progressive folk sound. The lead singer, Dave Cousins, has a unique voice and vocal technique that sets the band apart.
To learn how to sing like Dave Cousins, it's important to understand the key elements of his style. One signature aspect of his singing is his use of vibrato to add emotion and depth to his vocals. To practice this technique, you can use the Singing Carrots video "Singing with Vibrato" with exercises like "Beggars Bounce" and "Diaphragm Bounce".
Another hallmark of Cousins' style is his use of vocalization and articulation. He often uses glottal stops and aspirates to add interest to the melody and enhance the emotional impact of the lyrics. To learn more about articulation and how to use it effectively, check out the Singing Carrots article "Articulation" and the demo video "Finger Bite".
Cousins is also known for his use of mixed voice and falsetto to achieve a range of different vocal sounds. To learn more about mixed voice and how to transition smoothly between registers, watch the Singing Carrots video "Mixed Voice" and "Voice Break".
To put these techniques into practice, you can use Singing Carrots tools like the Vocal Pitch Monitor to see your sung notes on a virtual piano and the Pitch Training exercises for pitch and range training. The online Songbook is full of songs matching your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference. There's also a singing course covering the basics, titled "Singing for Beginners".
To showcase Cousins' unique singing style, one of the best songs to practice is "Starshine/ Angel Wine" from the album "Nomadness". It features his use of vibrato, vocalization, mixed voice and falsetto singing.
By incorporating these techniques and using relevant Singing Carrots resources, you'll be on your way to singing like Dave Cousins and performing classic Strawbs songs with confidence and skill.