4 Rock Singers With Great Vocal Technique - And 4 Without

4 Rock Singers With Great Vocal Technique - And 4 Without Suzy S. Do you love singing rock? Here, voice teacher Molly R. shares her recommendations for four singers to check out for how to sing rock and four more you can learn from! When you think about impeccable vocal technique, it’s not often that a rocker comes to mind, is it? Usually we’re praising the beautiful tone quality, high notes, and volume of an opera singer, or perhaps a jazz or musical theatre vocalist. Rock singers are usually known for their larger-than-life personalities and stage presence over anything else. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t rock singers out there with amazing, healthy voices. Au contraire! Some of the singers listed below are on par with many opera divas and divos as far as technique is concerned; their style just happens to be totally different! Here is a list of vocalists  with great rock singing technique: Ann Wilson Now here is my absolute favorite singer of all time Ann Wilson of the rock band Heart. Yes, I may have studied classical singing but let me tell you, if I had a choice to sound like Renée Fleming or Ann Wilson, I’d definitely  choose to sound like Ann! There’s a reason why they call her the “female Robert Plant.” What a powerhouse she is! First of all, this dynamic performer is in her 60s  and sounding better than ever. This is an indication that she has been using reliable vocal technique for decades. She can let loose with killer forte phrases and it sounds powerful, never forced. Why? She connects with her body  and doesn’t squeeze her throat! Ms. Wilson has also studied voice formally to keep herself in good vocal shape. Obviously it’s worked as she has enjoyed a very long career and is still going strong with absolutely no signs of slowing down. Here she is in 1977, performing live: Chris Cornell Mr. Cornell has a rich baritone rock voice that is the envy of many male singers! Although there is only one Chris, male rockers can take a cue from him by taking voice lessons  (he studied with the same teacher than Ann Wilson did, in fact!). In the video below, listen to him  singing something fairly unexpected a ballad! With great vocal technique, a rocker should be able to switch gears and sing something like this with more sensitive phrasing. If you push and scream your way through your rock singing career, you’ll simply shred your voice. Don’t you want longevity, like Chris? Pat Benatar Pat Benatar is another rocker still going strong in her 60s! Fun fact: She studied classical singing as a young woman and was even offered a spot at Juilliard. Although she chose the rock route, having a reliable vocal technique has kept her singing big rock songs for more than  30  years. Here she is singing “Heartbreaker” fairly recently. Notice she still has a very clear and powerful tone, especially through her middle range. Long phrases and big notes are no problem for this lady: with her classical training she knows how to support! Ronnie James Dio He may no longer be with us, but his amazing rock voice lives on! Frontman Dio never actually had any formal vocal training. However, he did  study as an instrumentalist, and has claimed that his time as a trumpet player gave him excellent breath technique. Not only that, but he loved to listen to opera from an early age. Clearly the breathing he learned as a trumpet player built up his lung capacity and allowed him to hit full, high notes with ease again and again. He was known as one of the best metal singers ever, and I think you can hear why. This song requires lots of stamina he’s staying in his upper register for most of it! Now, what about rock singers who well dont have the greatest technique? There are a few that stand out. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day has an extremely  nasal sound. It always sounds like he is singing completely congested! This is due to the fact that he is not singing with any sort of open throat technique to make a more pleasing, ringing tone. This happens when the soft palate is not raised. Listen here: Lita Ford had better success as a top guitarist, and to me it’s clear why. Although her big hit Kiss Me Deadly” is a great song, I can’t help but wonder what it would sound like if she sang it out a bit more fully, rather than yelling or talking-singing most of it. Remember, there ARE healthy ways to “scream” in rock   but you better find a teacher who  specializes in this technique to guide you through it! In the video below, Sheryl Crow is lacking some serious support, putting out a wimpier, airier sound that’s fairly common in pop and rock. If Sheryl trained with good old-fashioned staccato vocal exercises to strengthen her diaphragm, she’d be sounding a LOT more powerful! She needs to sing with more lower body. Eddie Vedder has what I’d call an…. interesting sound. More specifically, he is covering! This means he is manufacturing his sound to make it sound darker in tone (usually this happens when the tongue is in the way). In reality, the audience just hears garbled, muddy sound. If one of his main articulators (tongue) is always in the way, no wonder we don’t understand a word he’s singing! Learn How to Sing Rock Do you have aspirations to be a strong rock vocalist? There are many teachers on TakeLessons who  can help you achieve your goals! Find a  singing teacher near your or online, and he or she will work with you to  build a solid and reliable vocal technique no matter what style it is that speaks to you! Want to learn more about rock singing  techniques? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Singing Styles and Genres! Post Author:  Molly R. Molly R. teaches online and in-person singing lessons in Hayward, CA. Her specialties include teaching beginner vocalists, shy singers, children, teens, lapsed singers, and older beginners. She joined TakeLessons in November 2013.  Learn more about Molly  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher