Singing Guide: West Side Story
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
West Side Story is a classic musical that was made popular in the 1950s. The show's lyrics were written by the famous composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, and the book was written by Arthur Laurents. The music was composed by Leonard Bernstein and the show was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins.
To learn to sing like the lead actors in West Side Story, it is important to understand the unique vocal techniques used in the score. The music is energetic and often requires a strong belting voice, while also challenging singers with intricate harmonies and quick transitions.
One of the most famous songs from the musical is "Maria". This song showcases the vocal range of the lead male character, Tony, with its dynamic shifts from his lower register to his high falsetto. To learn to sing like Tony, it is important to focus on breath support and have a clear understanding of your vocal breaks.
Another popular song from the musical is "Tonight". This duet between Maria and Tony highlights the blending of two voices and the importance of harmonizing. It is important to practice singing with others to master the art of harmonizing and blending your voice with others.
To improve your singing technique, Singing Carrots offers a variety of resources to help you perfect your skills. Some useful articles include "Voice Types" which explain the different types of voices and how to classify your own. Breathing is essential to singing, and the "Breathing basics" article provides tips on how to breathe correctly while singing.
For practical exercises, Singing Carrots offers a "Pitch Training" game that can help develop your ear for pitch accuracy. When practicing, incorporating the "Farinelli Breathing" exercise and other "Warm-up/Practice-starter" exercises will help develop proper breathing technique.
These vocal exercises will aid in mastering the unique vocal style featured in West Side Story. By taking advantage of the resources available through Singing Carrots, you can improve your singing ability and learn to sing like the lead actors in this classic musical.