The singing of pop songs emphasizes individuality. The voices of singers are so different and the singing styles are so diverse that we cannot divide them into several parts (male) as in "Bel Canto". Soprano, mezzo-soprano, etc.), even using "voice", a very popular but incomprehensible universal term, it is still difficult to describe them one by one. However, we can still summarize several typical "singing methods" based on its origin, vocal characteristics, and singing style.
"Crooning" was formed in the 1930s. At that time, many bars, dance halls, and nightclubs added electronic amplification equipment, and singers began to sing into "microphones" (microphones). "Crooning" was born in this context. Due to the amplification effect of the microphone, singers do not have to shout vertically like opera singers, nor do they have to shout horizontally like some ethnic singers. They only need to hum softly with a speaking volume, which can be heard by many audiences. Really true. Some very delicate artistic processing methods, such as a slight sigh or a small pause, can be displayed in detail.
The early "crooning" singers were baritones or basses with a certain bel canto foundation. Bing Crosby, who is very familiar to Chinese audiences, is the first generation of crooners. Lyrical songs and jazz-style songs sung by "crooning" singers in the 1930s and 1940s were the mainstream of Chedi songs at that time. After the 1950s, with the rise of "rock music" and the revival of folk songs, the pop music world was no longer dominated by "croooners". But the "Crooning Method" did not die out. As a singing method, "Crooning" had a profound impact on the singing of all subsequent pop singers. The use of microphones, voice control, smoothness of melody lines, expression of the tone of lyrics, use of micro vibrato and breathiness and other basic techniques of pop song singing have been developed quite maturely in "Crooning".
Ballads play an important role in popular songs around the world. Folk singers sing with their "native voice". Compared with "whispering", this singing method generally does not deliberately pursue the mellowness and ringing of the voice. The timbre is flat and natural, and it emphasizes clear enunciation and colloquialism. Nasal sound is a taboo problem in both "Bel Canto" and "Croon" singing styles. However, many folk singers (such as John Denver and Bob Dylan) like to use a singing method with a strong nasal sound. This kind of nasal sound has The unique lyrical color, especially when singing gentle narrative songs, will produce a kind of natural and magnetic charm. Folk songs often adopt the form of duet singing. The main melody is often placed in the mid-bass part, while the accompaniment of the high part is often sung in a soft and transparent falsetto. Therefore, falsetto is also an important feature in folk singing.
Folk singing is not limited to folk singers, but also includes some rock singers. For example, most of the songs of the famous "Beatles" are sung in folk style.
Folk singing represents the plain and natural side of pop song singing, while African American singers add a gorgeous color to the singing of pop songs.
The origins of African American songs can be traced back to the field chants during slavery. Since then, vocal genres such as spiritual, gospel, blues, and soul have appeared one after another. form. Black songs often adopt the form of leading the crowd in singing. The leader uses shouting, screaming, sobbing, whimpering, slide, vibrato, falsetto and other decorative singing techniques, and can often improvise and develop some simple melody fragments. It becomes a highly contagious Bicai musical phrase, producing a breathtaking artistic effect.
Passion and improvisation are the soul of the singing art of African American singers. The singing style of many rock singers (especially hard rock and heavy metal rock singers) is also derived from this singing method. It's just that most rock singers emphasize the explosive side of their shouts and lack the delicate decorative skills.
After the emergence of jazz, African American singers created a highly technical singing method. In impromptu communication with the band, they use some liner notes without specific meaning to sing various complex and changeable rhythm patterns (called Scatting) or use human voices to imitate the sounds of various instruments in the jazz band (called Vocalese ).
The rap music that emerged in the 1980s (Rap, speaking lyrics at a rapid rhythm) is also a continuation of these difficult vocal expression methods to a certain extent. The above introduces several typical singing styles of popular songs. In the ever-changing pop music world, most singers do not stick to a certain "singing method", but often use these basic singing styles based on their own vocal conditions and characteristics and combined with the needs of song performance. , change and blend it to form your own unique singing method and artistic style.
Vocal area and timbre
Each part of the human voice has a different color: the treble area is bright, the mid-range area is soft, and the bass area is deep. The singing of popular songs usually follows the natural attributes of each sound range and plays its own expressive role. But sometimes the natural colors of each sound range are changed according to the needs of the song content. For example, the melody of "Nothing" often lingers in the high-pitched range, but the timbre should be made darker when singing. If you blindly emphasize the high pitch and brightness of the treble area, it will be difficult to express the persistence and struggle contained in the song.
Singing in pop songs pursues naturalness, but many beginner singers cannot find their own "nature" at the beginning, and often imitate the voice characteristics of their favorite singers on tapes. and vocalization methods.
There are many singers with hoarse and noisy voices in the pop music world, which leads to the misunderstanding that only those with hoarse voices can become singers. In fact, there are no less sweet and mellow singers in the pop music world than singers with sandy voices. It’s just that singers with sandy voices attract more people’s attention because of their unique timbre.
The admiration for the hoarse voice is not a unique aesthetic orientation in pop song singing. In folk music of various countries, especially Chinese operas, hoarse timbre has long been a common expression method. . The key to the problem is not the hoarseness of the timbre, but the intensity and depth of emotion that the timbre can express. When a person's emotions reach an extreme state, they are often accompanied by a hoarse voice. This kind of timbre is sometimes associated with a specific aesthetic image: rough and powerful masculine beauty, mature beauty that has experienced vicissitudes of life, these are all quite iconic. In addition, common contents such as rebellion, struggle, ridicule and ridicule in popular songs are also suitable to be expressed with hoarse timbre.
When singers with hoarse voices sing different types of songs, they will slightly adjust their timbre to suit the performance needs of the song. For example, when Luo Dayou sang "Super Citizen", his voice was "broken" and "explosive", when he sang "Crazy Waiting", his voice was "dull" and "pressed", while "Silence of Silence" was much cleaner and softer.
Everyone’s voice has its own specific timbre. Although this kind of timbre has a certain degree of flexibility and plasticity, the adjustment and change of the voice is limited. If it exceeds the limit, it will cause fatigue of the vocal organs. Over time, it can cause disease. There are many singers with sweet voices who have damaged their vocal cords by blindly imitating sandy voices. Ruined his artistic future.
False voice and breathy voice
The so-called "false voice" refers to the sound produced by consciously controlling only part of the vocal cords to vibrate during singing. The "real sound" in which the entire vocal cords vibrate is either high or weak, and the timbre has a bright and transparent feeling.
Most pop singers (both male and female) sing with their real voices to achieve a natural, friendly, and colloquial style. Some female singers (such as Qi Yu and Huang Yingying) mainly use falsetto when singing songs with a wider range and stronger artistry. Male singers often use falsetto when singing accompaniment parts, such as Garfunkel in the American "Simon and Garfunkel" duet, and Lin Zhixuan in the Taiwanese "Yuke Li Lin" duet. This is also an important feature of country music style duets. But there are not many male singers who sing purely with a soft falsetto like the lead singer of "Modern Talking".
The key to producing a beautiful falsetto is to have a relatively high vocal position. When using falsetto, pay attention to the smooth transition between the true and false sounds, without any breaks. Generally speaking, the falsetto is less powerful, but when necessary, the falsetto can be converted into a half-truth, half-hoarse, half-hoarse cry. Many heavy metal rock singers like to sing in a hoarse falsetto.
Falsetto can also be used as a way to modify the sound. The "mixed sound" that combines true and false voices can produce a soft, delicate, and slightly ethereal artistic effect. Compare "Passenger of Life" sung by Tong Ange and Tu Honggang. The former uses pure real voice to sing, while the latter uses a timbre between true and false voices. There are also such differences in "About Winter" sung by Liu Huan and Qi Qin.
The sudden switch between true and false voices used in Tong Ange's "Unforgettable" and Wu Sikai's "Special Love for a Special You", and the falsetto singing at the end of Zhu Zheqin's "A True Story" The cadenza is a common falsetto application method in popular songs. In Whitney Houston's "All My Love Is Left to You", she first sings softly in the mid-bass range with a warm mixed voice, and then uses a straight and high-pitched real voice to gradually push the song to a climax, reaching the highest point of the song, and suddenly Switch to a very soft falsetto. This is an excellent example of using the transformation of true and false voices to express the ups and downs of emotions in singing.
There is often the so-called "breath singing method" in China. In fact, "breathing" is not a "singing method", but a sound application technique. There is no distinction between the quality of Qi Sheng and the style of speech. The key is not to abuse it. If you can seize the right opportunity and use it properly, it can play a finishing touch. For example, in "Hello" sung by American singer Lionel Richie, the chorus is first repeated with an passionate voice, and finally he breathes out "I love you" softly, which is very expressive. Taiwan's Teresa Teng is also a singer who is very good at using breath sounds. Similar to breath sounds, there are "crying sound" and "breaking sound". It must also be used with great caution.