When it comes to finding your own vocal uniqueness, you have to create your own vocal art. Very much like painting your own picture or writing your own novel, you take the color palate and alphabet of other vocal masters and create your own vocal work of art. It's a process; most people start by tracing the vocal masters to gain the vocal 'alphabet' from which unique voices make their own sentences.

This tracing of other voices begins in early childhood. Ask yourself if your speaking voice resembles someone in your family, and unless you've trained to change it (and you can), you'll most probably affirm you have an inherited sound. Some voices begin making their own sentences quite early, some, like me, later in adulthood. I was a club singer, jingle singer and background session singer before I began finding my own voice. That process fast forwarded when I began to write my own songs. You may find that to be true as well. I was able to land a recording artist deal and have some hits, but truly, I feel more like an artist today than ever, because I keep writing, experimenting and performing.

I encourage every singer wanting to find their own unique sound to experiment with writing; at least journaling. If you want to become a true artist, you must tap into the full use of your own instrument (larynx and resonating surfaces) AND your own life experiences, personality and worldview to create your own artist definition. This includes creating uniqueness in...

• sound (tone, rhythm, embellishments)
• message (lyric, presentation)
• style (unique personality within your chosen genre)

There is no shortcut, except that of dedicating time to training and experimentation.
If you are seriously wanting to create a unique vocal sound for a recording artist production, I greatly expand on this training and a ton more in my "Singing In The Studio" multimedia guide. And/or, check into some vocal lessons by a coach who specializes in developing  artist's voices.
 

Labels: finding your voice, Judy Rodman, singing in the studio, vocal uniqueness