Learning to sing like Tower of Power

Tower of Power is a band that has been a leading purveyor of rhythm and blues and funk for over 50 years. The band has a unique sound that combines a powerful horn section, tight rhythm, and soulful vocals. The lead vocalists are the face of this band and have contributed to its success by bringing their unique styles. This article provides resourceful guidance on how to learn to sing like Tower of Power.

Vocal Range and Tone

Tower of Power's lead vocalists have a wide vocal range from tenor to baritone. The band's music requires a developed and nuanced technique of pitch control, especially on their unique vibrato style. The tone of the vocals is also very important. The vocals must be soulful, warm, raspy, and gritty.

Breathing and Support

Breathing is essential for any singer, but especially for a Tower of Power-style performer because of the complicated rhythms and high-energy songs. To properly sing their songs, the performer needs to have exceptional breath control and build their breath support using Singing Carrots resources like breath support and active/passive breathing.

Articulation and Enunciation

Tower of Power's vocalists use specific enunciation and articulation techniques to deliver their songs' lyrics in a distinctive, soulful style. Singers looking to learn their style should focus on all aspects of articulation, like pronunciation, word emphasis, and proper mouth placement when singing. In addition to the Singing Carrots resources on articulation, the Finger Bite exercise and Soft Palate exercises from the Skill-related Videos section can also provide useful guidance.

Vibrato and Phrasing

Tower of Power's style requires a special vibrato and phrasing technique that is not easily achieved. However, the vocalists make it look effortless. To learn this technique, singers can use the Ping-Pong Vowel exercise in the Pitch Training – Educational Singing Game to develop their skills.

Range and Agility

Singers looking to learn the Tower of Power style should develop their vocal range and agility, including control over their head voice and falsetto. Using Singing Carrots resources like the Chest Voice Explained video, Singing Comfort Zone, and Heavy Modal and Belting technique articles can be useful for range and agility development.

Resources

Singing alone is not enough; singers need to develop their skills using a variety of resources. In addition to the previously mentioned Singing Carrots resources, the Twang and Growling exercises from Skill-related Videos can help develop specific techniques. The Vocal Pitch Monitor allows singers to see how their pitch compares to a virtual piano, making performance improvements more accessible. Lastly, the Vocal range test and search songs by vocal range can help singers identify which notes suit them best.

Songs featuring Tower of Power's vocal style

Tower of Power's songs are known for their memorable lyrics and catchy tunes. Singers hoping to learn their style should listen to hit songs such as You're Still a Young Man, Souled Out, and So I Got to Groove to understand Tower of Power's unique vocal style better.

In conclusion, Tower of Power has a unique style that is a combination of grittiness, soulfulness, and technical vocal skill. Singers can utilize the appropriate techniques and Singing Carrots resources to develop their vocal range, agility, and tone to learn their style better.