Help With Singing High Range Bluegrass Vocals

[Andrew B. Carlson]

Just wondering if anyone knows of any good videos on singing lead bluegrass melodies. I'm talking about the high lonesome style, singing quite high for a man, almost irritating at times if you don't listen to bluegrass. I'm thinking the style/range of Jamie Dailey, Michael Daves, Paul Brewster etc.

I've got a high tenor vocal range, and have sung first tenor in a mens choir, but of course, singing choir style is not proper for bluegrass. I've got great falsetto range and flipping capabilities are pretty good, but I'd still like some direction on the appropriateness of use each voice style in bluegrass music.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

[Bill McCall]

I think your best judgment will come after listening to the classic, first generation singers. I think everyone else is compared to those guys.

[Mark Wilson]

Michael Daves gives an online course on singing bluegrass vocals. The folks I know that have tried it said it helped their ear on playing solos as well

Some songs are easier to hear the parts to. Pick some of the old standards and sing along

[Mark Miller]

I got a lot out of Peter Rowan's video on Homespun. Called Finding Your Bluegrass Voice or something like that. I still can't sing high lonesome, but I'm closer than I was.

[Timmando1]

A few years ago my singing/ picking partner and I decided to study the bluegrass harmonies of Daily and Vincent. After purchasing their instructional DVD we soon learned about the possibility of expanding our range. Specifically developing our middle and head voice. In the Daily and Vincent DVD, Darrin Vincent mentions a vocal instructor by the name of Roger Love (rogerlove.com). We then purchased Roger's instructional book and CD. The process takes a while but eventually you will begin to notice how you can "slide" through the transition phase of chest to middle and head voice. Further to Rogers instruction, after a couple of years I found some instructional material by Per Bristow (https://www.perbristow.com/). This further helped expand our ranges. We both now have a three octave vocal range. Like mandolin playing this process is ongoing but I thought I'd share our experience. Here's a link to our version of an old bill Monroe standard that shows a bit of the range. I sing a baritone line on the verses and jump up to a tenor on the chorus. Hope this helps.
https://www.facebook.com/TimAndDoug/...type=2&theater