If you’re singing live, in the studio, in your bedroom, or preparing for a music lesson - cover songs are an important part of musical growth as well as an awesome way to bring some attention to your sound! Our voice teacher, Sienna Averett, breaks down 5 ways to make a cover song unique to you!
As a voice teacher, I am constantly assigning music for my students to learn in their voice lessons. Whether the song is their favorite tune to sing along to, or a piece specifically chosen to help them with vowel placement and technique, my students are always listening to different versions of the song. Finding a singer whose rendition they like and singing along is sometimes more inspiring than the original! Here are 5 quick tips to take what you hear and make your own, original cover.
1: Don’t strain! Change the key.
A lot of students come to lessons with a song already in mind, for example, Roar by Katy Perry. The key can be a big problem for singers who want to cover a song like this. Katy Perry’s high belt is not healthy for everyone to copy - adjusting the key so the notes fall in a more comfortable range is very important when a student is determined to perform a song that pushes them to strain their voice. A singer should never suffer through a song that is in a bad key for them, as many pop stars have songwriting teams creating music specifically for the artist’s range, as well as vocal coaches to help them hit the tricky notes.
2: Covering a song doesn’t have to mean copying the artist.
Once the key is worked out, I have my student sing through the entire piece, hearing their take on the song. I often hear them copy these songs, note for note, trying to sound just like the singer who originated the song. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s actually a very necessary step in the process, it shouldn’t always be your final step however. If I wanted to hear Katy Perry’s version of Roar, I would just open up Spotify and play it. I want to hear my student’s version of Roar. Now this takes getting a bit creative. Try some different things like changing the tempo, reimagining the feel, or singing in a different style entirely (think Post Modern Jukebox). The options here are really endless, take your time and don’t be afraid to experiment!
3: Take the song back to it’s roots.
When working on a new song, I ask my students to strip the song down to its original roots - take out all the riffs, runs, and vocal embellishments that the artist sings, and just work with the basic melody. Singing through the basic melody a few times allows the singer’s ear to open up to ideas of their own. This step is very important! Ways of embellishing the vocal lines, doing different runs, and adding your own personal touch to the song will come to light.
4: Find ways you can relate to the song.
Next, it is important for the singer to find some truth to what they are singing, because that keeps the audience engaged and helps them understand the story of the song. Even though songs can be about very specific topics, there is always a general idea that can be extracted. For Roar, a singer can think about rising above and overcoming obstacles, making their performance authentic, and leaving the audience feeling uplifted.
5: Change the instrumentation...
Changing the instrumentation (playing parts of the music on a different instrument or in a different way than the song was recorded) doesn’t have to be difficult! Simply taking a pop song and playing it on acoustic guitar or piano can make a cover of a tune sound like an entirely different song. Typically, pop songs have synths, electronic drums, and vocal effects; removing these elements can drastically change the song. As mentioned earlier, tempo can play a huge role in differentiating your version of the song. Whether it is a slow song that you play quicker, or vice-versa, this can change the feel, the mood, and even the interpreted meaning of the lyrics.
Above all - don’t forget, your voice is unique to you! Be creative, find your own take on the cover, and have fun finding your voice in the song.
If you're interested in a video consultation to work on your cover with one of our teachers, sign up using the link below!
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