How to Sing Covers - 8 Lesson Mini Course for Singers
Posted: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
by Sheena Mackie
Sheena B. Mackie
Introduction
For those of you who dont know what Im referring to... the term covers simply refers to performing a song which has already been made popular by someone else (i.e. not your own original song).
After 20 years of singing in covers bands and interpreting songs for both life and studio performance, there is a lot of I can share with you about the art of ‘covers singing.
Bands, Duos, Solo Acts, Covers Singers...
If you work doing ‘gigs in venues, then unless you already have a name as an original artist, you will most likely be expected to sing some ‘cover versions. The exception to this is if you have been employed on the basis of your original material, (which is called an originals gig). However, we are discussing the ‘covers gig.
When you work in a venue and play famous songs or crowd favorites, the audience will want to hear the songs as they know them. There are several reasons for this, but one of the main reasons is so that the audience can sing, dance or tap along with their favorite tunes. Very few acts can get away with radically changing a classic song (and ever being asked back for another gig).
I recall a " Rock Awards " performance with band " Zone 7 " , where we were totally radical. The audience was mostly just stunned and unsure of how to react. We won the Encouragement Award that year, but we had some awesome musicianship going on to back up our strangeness. Thats probably the only reason we got away with it! However, I would be careful about being so radical in a regular ‘paid gig where there is a level of expectation on professionalism and familiarity of the tunes requested.
Heres the lowdown…
Lesson 1: Respect Your Audience
You need to be aware of the element of sentimentality in the audience you are performing for. How would you like it if your favorite song started playing and then after the first few bars became unrecognizable so you couldnt sing along? You would probably feel somewhat disappointed, confused, disgruntled and perhaps, quite angry about it. Some of you would feel that you had been duped.
So are you with me here? Always respect your audience, above all else. I can guarantee that if you get booed off, you will never work in the place again. You might also get a bad reputation in the industry, and agents or managers do talk.
If youre just hanging out to tear apart a song and do it your way from scratch fine... do it in the studio, but keep it out of your covers gig unless it is something you know with 100% certainty, your audience will love.
Again, there are a few exceptions to the rule. They are these:
1) If you do most of your gig with good replicas of the songs, then as long as you tell the audience you have changed the song and been creative, one of your own versions wont hurt. But it is essential that you inform your audience, so that you do not unwittingly set them up for disappointment. Put them into a state of expectation instead.
2) If you inform the audience that you are a ‘road testing a song, then it should be okay to go ahead with your own version. Make it later in the night, rather than earlier. Once the audience warms up to your act, you will get away with more in general.
Consider it good manners to inform your audience of your intentions.
If you have tried out your own version of a song on several audiences and received a similar reaction each time, then you can gauge to some extent, whether your version is popular. If not, youll need to reconsider your approach.
Lesson 2: Learn the Song Properly
Unless you are at a jam night, always learn the tune that you are playing. Familiarity will lead to a better performance. Lack of it will lead to flat singing, insecure sound, and an unconvincing performance.
Make the song your own, by learning it as originally intended. Understand the timing and chords. Get the phrasing and meaning right. Do not sing it if you dont know what youre singing about.
As a lead singer, you must sell the lyrics and melody convincingly to the audience. If the audience knows that song better than you do, then that puts them in control - not a good thing. As the lead singer and entertainer, you need to remain in control and hold your audiences attention. If you dont know the song properly, audience members will wonder how you got your job! Your ability and integrity will be questioned. Learn and know what you are singing.
Lesson 3: Sing It in Your Own Voice
Sure, you will need to sound like the original as much as possible. However, imitating another singers sound, will put undue strain upon your vocal cords and can lead to vocal damage. Always use your own ‘natural sound.
The way to make the song sounds like the original is to sing the melody as it was written and to learn it that way. Use the same rhythmic phrasing for at least the first half of the song. Acquiring a similar ‘sound can be as simple as working with your vowel shapes and level of emphasis on the consonants. You can have a creative license once you have established the melody and lyric as recognizable to your audience. Keep the important parts of the song the same in structure, phrasing, timing and melody. If you cant sing it, dont sing it.
Avoid pushing your voice into registers and places that it does not want to go or you will run the risk of damaging it permanently. Sing what you can do well. Find material that is popular and suits your range or sound.
Lesson 4: Choose an Appropriate Repertoire
Q. Should you include a song which has just been released onto the charts?
A. If you are a cutting-edge Top 40 band, playing trendy venues, then the answer is most likely " yes " . After all, you do need an up-to-date repertoire. But for other acts, the opposite is often true.
When a song is playing on the radio daily and is climbing the charts, it is normally wise to leave it well alone. Once it has gone back down and has faded in the minds of the general public, then you will not be judged so harshly when playing it. Of course, if you do a near-perfect rendition of the song then it could be great to include in your set-list, BUT if you dont do it extremely well, avoid it. Try including another song by the same artist instead, if you really want to sing their stuff.
Fight it all you like, but this is the reality. Keep in mind, that whilst a song is receiving a great deal of airplay, many people will be tiring of it, some will dislike it with a vengeance, or will only want to hear the real deal. Really, it is completely understandable. There is also a certain respect between artists, which is let the artist shine - dont ‘steal their thunder or any other way that youd like to say it.
Lesson 5: Acoustic Versions
Lets say that you are a soloist - just guitar and vocal. What you will discover is that some songs transfer well to that medium, whereas others do not…
No matter how great you are as a guitarist, sometimes a song needs the keyboards, drums or some other instrument, or it sounds lack-luster as if something is missing. This often means that the vocal part is relatively unsupported by the backing music.
It is generally better to try and add something with your instrumental playing, rather than heighten awareness of something lacking. If a song is not carrying across well to the acoustic setting, you may need to consider more instruments or simply, choose a different song.
Even better, if it doesnt work well, get rid of it - be ruthless! Replace it with something that sounds better and quit wasting your time.
Lesson 6: Use Harmonies to Support Your Performance
Ive worked in situations where no one in the band was able to support my singing with harmonies. This makes your job, as a singer, much harder. You need to have a strong voice and a convincing performance in order to make up for the empty space, where harmonies would have been.
Pre-recorded harmonies bring to mind images of ‘miming or ‘karaoke nights. Remember, this is a paid, professional performance we are discussing. You are being paid to play live and to do it well. Give music and musicians a GOOD name.
If your voice is not a strong one, youll need harmony singers to help out and add color, texture and strength to your performance. Not all front singers have huge voices. Work with what you have.
Practice your harmonies with the band or vocal group. Arrange to get together and figure out firstly, what is going on in the original version of the song. Then see if you can duplicate it with your own voices. Pay attention to the dynamics, vowel sounds and the actual notes sung by each part. If it doesnt sound right, try switching parts with each other until you get the right combination of vocal tones. You may also find that simply adding one harmony above or below, works better for live performance.
Record your harmony practice and play it back, being constructive in your criticism.
Lesson 7: Sing with the Most Appropriate Accent
This is a tricky one too, even if it is rather obvious. If you have a strong accent, then youll need to pay special attention to your vowel sounds, phrasing and emphasis. Listen closely to the original and sing it as it sounds (without attempting to change your vocal texture unnaturally). Record yourself and where you are not matching, try changing your vowel sounds (more open or closed, longer, wider, etc). Listen also to the places in which you accent or emphasize the sound.
Singing a classic song such as ‘Yesterday or ‘Unchained Melody, with a strong accent - for example Indian, Chinese, Texan, etc, - could result in the song becoming comical. Be aware of your accent and how it is transferring to your singing. Likewise, dont sing a Jamaican song with an Oxford British accent. The exception to the rule is of course, if you are a comedian! ;D
! Being true to the origin of a song is one way in which you can ensure you perform a great version.
Lesson 8: Express the Meaning of the Song Convincingly
Another important factor in selling a song is in your expression. Feel it. Allow a scenario, story or theme to play out in your voice and your performance. Hold a thought in your mind, or imagine something relevant to the meaning of the song.
You could think for example: " Im angry and seek justice " or perhaps " my soul is full of joy " – any idea or emotion, which helps you to give greater personal expression to the words and melody of the song.
A single emotion is an easy way to gain expression: such feelings as happy, sad, lonely, mad and so on. Can you draw a stick-figure in 20 seconds which expresses the overall feeling of your song?
Being emotive is one sure way to sell a song! If you have trouble expressing your emotions, then it may help to take an acting class. Acting classes encourage and nurture personal creative expression. It couldnt hurt your career as a performer, to have some skills in acting.
In Conclusion:
Singing Covers is something that 99.9% of singers will do at some time in their career. There are singers who have made careers of it. Even great songwriters often delve into the world of other peoples creations.
Developing your own style and vocal sound is essential in setting you apart from the rest of the crowd. This is why I have emphasized the importance of using your own voice to cover a song.
For an example of this idea, listen to the many versions of ‘When I fall in love. Celine Dion does one, Linda Ronstandt performs quite a different version again, and then there is the wonderful Nat King Cole… There have been many versions of ‘At Last; Etta James, Christina Aquilera, Celine Dion, Cyndi Lauper and probably many, many more.
To be a good ‘covers singer you need to study how others have used their unique qualities to sell a song made famous by another.
Musicals contain many songs which are popular. How many versions of the songs from ‘Jesus Christ Superstar or ‘Cats, have there been for instance? So, it follows suit that if you are performing a lead role in a musical at any point, you also will have to sing a rendition of a song, which was made famous by another singer.
Learn all that you can from the great singers and performers. Study your local scene, find out which acts are getting the most work and why.
And a few last words...
Finally, try your hand at covers singing and decide whether you are primarily a singer of other peoples songs or a songwriter/singer of your own creations.
Both avenues take a great deal of practice and hard work, in order to achieve success. Neither singer is better than the other, simply different. A covers singer can write and perform their own songs and an originals artist can perform cover songs.
Get to know your strengths and weaknesses as a singer and performer. Use your strengths to propel your career. Dont be afraid of who you are - accept it either way.
If you are really bad at singing covers, then write your own material and perhaps youll shine more brightly. On the other hand, be honest if you are trying to write your own songs and really are better at singing someone elses.
There is no ‘right or wrong. When you recognize and emphasize your strengths, then your star will shine much brighter in the competitive world of popular music.
Article written by Sheena B Mackie. Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.
Originally submitted for Vocal Lifestyle Newsletter - VLS - Issue 13, February 2005. Revised for Searchwarp.com Oct 2009 and edited/updated June 30, 2010 by the author.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Fact Digger :) Thanks, and Gidday!
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