VOCALS
WHAT IF I CAN ’ T MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE RECORDING ? | Renée Maranan
I was coaching a singer recently who was hoping to work on “ Firm Foundation ( He Won ’ t )” by Cody Carnes , Chandler Moore , and Austin Davis , covered by Maverick City Music . She was particularly concerned about the chorus , where she felt like she needed to add more embellishment and stylization to make it sound interesting , especially because she would be leading the song all by herself .
“ The chorus is just two words ,” she said . “ And I ’ m not Maverick City .”
It ’ s a perfectly relatable sentiment . There are times when we as singers feel inadequate for the vocal task at hand . When we hear studio recordings or live recordings of songs , we are often listening to fully produced tracks with big arrangements , multi-layered back-up vocals , and big congregations singing along . How is one singer supposed to recreate all of that ? And when the worship team is limited to a few instrumentalists and vocalists , how can we be expected to deliver the same results as what we hear in big budget studio or live recordings ?
Here are a few mindset shifts that might be helpful :
Instead of thinking about what you don ’ t have , start focusing on what you do have .
Don ’ t get hung up on the fact that you can ’ t do riffs and runs like the original singer , or that the original arrangement uses a big choir in the bridge , or that the original recording has a full band . If you don ’ t have those things at your disposal , fixating on them may just be a waste of your energy . Instead , evaluate what you do have . Take stock of how many vocalists are on your team . Learn about your team members ’ musicianship skills – harmonization , falsetto , belting , runs . Work creatively and collaboratively to use the tools at your disposal .
Instead of fixating on replicating the original , create a performance that works for you and your team .
Once you have a better grasp of what you do have available within your team , you can think more creatively about how you can deliver the song in a way that suits your team structure , sound , and vocal abilities . Pick a key that works best for your voices . Internalize the melody , the lyrics , and the meaning expressed through the musicality of the song – its tempo , rhythm , rhyme structure , prosody , chord progressions , and more – and allow this to inform your vocal choices . Build harmony where it works , as your vocalists are able . Create dynamic ebbs and swells wherever they are fitting , as your vocalists are able and as your musicians are able to support through instrumentation . Add ornamentation and embellishments through riffs , runs , vocal effects , and more , as your vocalists are able and as it fits into your community ’ s musical culture .
Resist the urge to fill every nook and cranny with singing .
Remember that in music , the rests are just as important as the notes . In “ Firm Foundation ( He Won ’ t ),” the chorus is made up of two words sung on one beat each with almost two whole measures of rest in between . It might feel awkward to allow for that much space in between sung phrases , especially when you don ’ t have the luxury of a full band or a big vocal team as they do in the original recording . But sometimes , songs are written this way intentionally , to illustrate a message . In this case , the chorus proclaims :
“ He won ’ t .”
The two measures of rest allow the power of this phrase to bloom , while also creating tension for the build that follows when the song further proclaims :
“ He won ’ t fail .”
Proclamations like this need no further explanation . When written so beautifully into music , they also need no further embellishment . In these cases , singers can simply sing the line and allow the power of the song to speak for itself .
The worship singer ’ s work involves so much more than replication .
In order to deliver a song masterfully , singers need to be aware of what skills are available to them and know how to utilize those skills strategically . Singers also need to continuously build on the skills that are under development , and worship teams need to continuously grow together through collaboration , experimentation , and play . It ’ s not necessarily about perfectly replicating what we hear in the recordings . It ’ s about bringing the song to life in a way that is skillful and prayerful , honoring God with the fullness of our hearts , minds , and voices .
Got a singing question ? Send an email to hello @ reneemaranan . com with “ WM Vocals Question ” in the subject line !
Renée Maranan Renée is a vocal instructor , voice teacher trainer , and life coach , with over 20 years of experience working with singers , vocal instructors , and performers from all over the world . For more vocal help , visit her www . reneemaranan . com or follow her on Instagram (@ reneemaranan ) www . ReneeMaranan . com Instagram @ reneemaranan
28 March 2025 Subscribe for Free ...