A Matter of Style
There are numerous styles of music to choose from when deciding
what you want to sing, so where do you begin. Maybe you already
know the style for you. Maybe you grew up listening to the blues
greats. Maybe you desire opera, or the rich sounds of jazz, or
maybe you haven't identified your niche yet. If you are on the
road to a professional career in singing then it may be
beneficial to examine the different music styles available, such
as jazz, pop, rock, R&B, cabaret, theater, or opera.
Jazz is great for those who have a more narrow vocal range as it
can be sung in any key. It has an extensive repertoire of songs
so there are lots from which to choose. You can really get into
the nuances of the meaning of the words and phrases and have fun
expressing yourself. However, it is a tough market to break
into. Blues and R&B are similar to jazz and can lead into folk
music. They are also great for exploring what can be done with
harmony when you sing with a group.
Pop and rock are very similar. They are far easier to break into
than jazz and the performing opportunities are wide open. You
can join a band or form your own or team up with one or two
other musicians and play parties, weddings, and singing
competitions. Unfortunately, your looks and image are as
important as your singing ability, so in the end you may not be
musically challenged enough or satisfied. Another disadvantage
with rock singing is that it is very hard on your vocal cords
because most singers and bands play at a high volume. Cabaret
singing is more a matter of where you sing and performance style
than the type of music itself. Jazz, R&B, pop, rock, and show
tunes can all fall into this category. Clubs, nightclubs,
television, restaurants are all potential performance venues.
Theatre singing and opera are much more involved and take years
of training. Singing in the theater is very artistically
fulfilling and the expansion of vocal skills can be phenomenal.
It is very technically difficult and, although there are many
performance opportunities for both amateurs and professionals,
it is a very competitive field.
Opera is even more limited, and the opportunities are primarily
for professionals the technical mastery needed is significant as
is the ability to read music and master pronunciation of
English, German, French, and Italian. It is also very
competitive, so you need to be very certain your passion is
strong before considering the operatic journey.
These are the most common styles of music to choose from, but
there are many others that are very enticing. These include
children's music, Celtic, country, bluegrass, or a Latino
flavor. So, think about it, feel it out with your heart, soul,
and body, and experiment with some of the different styles to
find out what resonates with you.