# Smooth transition between classical and pop singing



## passionatesinger

Hi everyone! I'm a vocal major student. I started vocal training (bel canto) for 5 years. Recently I was invited to sing some pop songs in an event. So I practised a bit by using the mic. 

I used to sing pop very well but recently as my teacher asked me to sing with more resonance and space, my pop singing goes a little bit weird.

Therefore I practised a bit by singing Karaoke. I finally get back the feeling of pop. However, it seems that my bel canto singing distort a bit so I spent another few hours to get back the right position/space.

I started realise the difference between the two and more understanding on bel canto singing.

I'm just curious if anyone here have similar experience and can share a bit how do you transit from styles in a faster way or is there any "keywords" I'm your mind that can help you change from styles.


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## Nate Miller

I play classical guitar, so I know what you mean. I sing in my Church choir, and I'm a trained baritone. With guitar as my native instrument, I do sometimes get called to play music that people actually like, and so I have to sing.

the two are completely different animals. The vowels are the problem. You can't sing pop with those beautiful open vowels like you do when you sing actual music. Its like pygmalion in reverse.


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## Art Rock

If it's a comfort to you, I only know of one professional classical music singer who can pull off pop interpretations convincingly (Anne-Sofie von Otter).


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## Pugg

Another great opera singer who did it was Eileen Farrell , she made more recording non classical then the whole opera shebang.


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## Siren

This is all very cool. Does anyone know of any professional journal writings about this? If not I'd be willing to explore that more with my amazing voice teacher. She specializes in contemporary singing but is also an incredible Opera Singer to boot. I might encourage her to write if she hasn't already. Hmmmmm. Let me send her an email asking.


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## E Cristobal Poveda

If you can control your vibrato effectively, just turn it off when singing Pop.

Also, sing like you're speaking, avoid those open vowels and the such.

Basically, ignore everything you were trained to do. :lol:


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## Annied

I don't sing and I have no musical training at all, but what always hits me when I hear a classical singer perform pop is that operatic phrasing simply doesn't work and, as Nate Miller commented, nor does operatic pronunciation. It's almost as though you have to take a lazy approach to pop and be less precise, particularly with pronunciation.


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