Developing an untraditional singing style wisely

[EJCC]

Not actually about my own career, but I do want to pursue this seriously, and it could be helpful to others who want to go pro.

So - I am a mostly self-taught singer who has a great choral voice. Lyric soprano with a well-developed low range and basically no natural vibrato. I really only know how to sing chorally. But what I WANT to do is sing rock. In a perfect world I’d be a female Dave Grohl in my ability to transition from pretty acoustic to classic rock to screamed metal assault.

So I guess my question is, where do I start? Voice lessons? Even though voice lessons mostly train you to sing pop, opera, choral (which I can already do), or Broadway? Are there rock voice teachers? Can you learn how to scream via YouTube? How disheartened should I be by the fact that the only female rock singer whose timbre is as light as mine is Lacey Sturm from Flyleaf?

 

[Merced]

I would say start with developing a good, extensive warm up routine and then work on performing in front of people. Practice, practice, practice. Etc. I think choir singing in itself should be providing all you need.

Can you read sheet music? That's important, even for singing.

 

[Obfuscate]

there are classes/tutorials on developing a cookie monster like gutteral sound (think morbid angel), so i would guess there are a variety of options...

post script:

classes are ideal, so you don't "shred" your vocal cords...

 

[Peter Deadpan]

+10 for using the word timbre.

Weird question: Have you ever just tried recording yourself singing to whatever rock-ish songs that are within your range and feel natural? I recently started doing this (which was awkward for me at first but I'm glad I did it) to see what I sound like and what I need to work on. Natural vibrato is actually the only thing I have down pat.

Have any tips for working on strength of voice and breath control?! (I have a sort of mild/atypical asthma and I'm not sure if that contributes to my running out of breath or not)

Also, maybe you should just start a band!

 

[Snow as White]

Is there a way to both be your style and singing rock? Does this sound stupid? It probably is.

But I was just thinking of sometimes the most interesting music can be when there is that kind of surprise difference between what you are used to and what someone is. the voice that popped into my head is that evanescence singer with the super high pitch voice.

 

[rav3n]

Found this and consider it a fabulous explanation of vibrato. The singer that comes to mind for excessive, forced vibrato is Ariana Grande who has an excellent voice but applies the 'gospel jaw' technique for vibrato. That said, I'm a shit singer, so take my highly subjective opinion with a boat sized grain of salt. On the other hand, I was raised with a lot of music since my parents had operatic vocal training and were opera and classical (vernacular) music buffs.

Singwise - Singwise - Vibrato: What It Is and How to Develop It

 

[Typh0n]

I am aware of rock voice training out here in Belgium, I think it's gotta exist in the US too.

 

[Peter Deadpan]

Found this and consider it a fabulous explanation of vibrato. The singer that comes to mind for excessive, forced vibrato is Ariana Grande who has an excellent voice but applies the 'gospel jaw' technique for vibrato. That said, I'm a shit singer, so take my highly subjective opinion with a boat sized grain of salt. On the other hand, I was raised with a lot of music since my parents had operatic vocal training and were opera and classical (vernacular) music buffs.

Singwise - Singwise - Vibrato: What It Is and How to Develop It

Interesting read, but I don't have the same hatred for what is apparently false vibrato. I think it sounds lovely. But maybe I just feel that way because I am an untrained singer and therefore my vibrato is probably the shit fake kind.

 

[Icedream]

From my experience, and I've been singing for 14 years, the poor man's solution is imitation, trial and error, and most importantly, practice.