Singing Guide: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a French musical with music by Michel Legrand and libretto by Jacques Demy. The film is famous for its unique take on songwriting, where every line of dialogue, no matter how mundane, is set to melody. It's a fascinating approach that works perfectly for the musical's bittersweet themes.
If you want to learn how to sing like the characters in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The first thing is that the music relies heavily on Legrand's jazz-influenced harmonies, which give the score a beautiful, melancholic quality. To capture this feeling, you'll need to have a good understanding of jazz harmony, especially seventh chords.
The second thing to keep in mind is the pacing of the dialogue/songs. In The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the music is almost constantly present, with very few moments of pure dialogue. You will need to be able to keep up with the constant tempo changes if you want to perform this musical convincingly.
Finally, you need to be able to convey emotion through your singing. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a story about young love, but it's also about the harsh realities of life and the compromises we make. You need to be able to capture the emotional complexity of the story, not just the sweet romance.
To get started, I recommend taking Singing Carrots' vocal range test to determine your vocal range. Once you know your range, you can search for songs in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg that are suitable for your voice. The vocal pitch monitor is also a useful tool for training your ear to recognize different intervals and harmonies.
For more specific vocal techniques used in the musical, Singing Carrots offers a range of skill-related videos to improve your twang, growling, vibrato, posture, and more.
Additionally, Singing Carrots' singing course is a comprehensive 21-lesson program covering singing theory and practical tips that can help you learn the skills necessary to sing like the characters in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.
In summary, if you want to learn how to sing like the characters in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, you need to have a good understanding of jazz harmony, be able to keep up with the pacing of the music, and be able to convey complex emotions through your singing. Singing Carrots' resources can provide you with the tools and techniques to achieve this.