Pop and Rock Vocals – Didi Stewart

Starting with the blues and country roots of 1950s rock ‘n roll, Pop and Rock Vocals proceeds chronologically through instruction in important subgenres, including pre-Beatles pop, folk-rock, punk/New Wave, and 1980s dance pop/mainstream rock, concluding with the modern-day indie rock influenced by these earlier styles. Through guided study using video demonstrations, audio clips, and informative historical narrative, you will learn the technical and interpretive vocal skills necessary to master the styles of pop/rock greats, such as John Lennon / Paul McCartney, Janis Joplin, Robert Plant, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Madonna, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, Tori Amos, Gwen Stefani, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, and many others.

The course explores breath support and management to facilitate pop and rock “belting,” interpretive and “storytelling” techniques to heighten a song’s emotional impact, and ways to increase flexibility and create a balanced tone. The course also addresses the visual as well as vocal aspects of pop/rock performance, focusing on audience communication and effective use of the stage area. Throughout the course, you will record sing-along track assignments for instructor feedback. High and low keys for both male and female vocalists will be provided. You will learn to perform everything from “classic hits” pop and rock to singer-songwriter styles to contemporary indie rock in an authentic way.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Use breathing, projection, and articulation to achieve a more powerful, dynamic pop/rock sound with less effort
• Perform an impressive variety of vocal styles ranging from lyrical pop to hard rock
• Use communication devices such as eye contact, hand gestures, and point-to-point onstage traveling
• Utilize devices specific to pop and rock vocalizing, including the concept of “sung speech,” the minimizing of vibrato, and the use of tension/release to create exciting verse-chorus transitions
• Preserve vocal health while singing more challenging forms of rock and pop

Syllabus

Lesson 1 Belting Techniques: 1950s Pop/Rock Roots

Lesson 2 Flexibility, Melisma, and Vibrato: Early 1960s Pop/Rock

Lesson 3 Dynamics, Attitude, and Rock ‘n Roll Role-Playing: The British Invasion

Lesson 4 Communication in Performance: Folk-Rock

Lesson 5 Vocal Stylizations, Phrasing, and Hand Gestures: Motown, Stax, and Muscle Shoals

Lesson 6 Projection and Enunciation: Psychedelia, Progressive Rock, and Art Rock

Lesson 7 Breath Management and Resonance: Country/Roots Rock, Soft Rock, and Power Pop

Lesson 8 Interpretation: 1970s Singer-Songwriters

Lesson 9 Register Balancing and Singing with the Whole Body: 1970s Hard Rock, Glam, Punk, and New Wave

Lesson 10 Syncopation, Emphasis, Movement: 1980s Rock and Dance Pop

Lesson 11 Unconventional and Virtuoso Vocal Sounds: Alternative Rock and Diva Pop