There is a lot of confusion for beginner singers when it comes to singing styles, generally speaking, most beginner singers confuse the singing styles with the voice types. Voice types are what kind of voice you are able to sing with, generally speaking, men have a baritone voice type, and women have a tenor voice type. Voice styles are completely different, and simply put it is what kind of music you love to sing to.
The types of singing styles are classical such as opera singing, traditional such as country, and folk singing, religious such as church and gospel singing, and modern singing styles as R&B, Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, Blues, Jazz, Funk, and Disco.
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Everybody is different and even if you are not a singer you still have a preferred singing voice style. No matter if you are a singer or not at some point in time everybody was singing in their mind to their favorite song or music, your preference in song types will impact your singing style. People tend to pick up and identify their singing style at an early age, with some training they either work on perfecting their singing style or simply adopt a new singing style.
If you have read my recent article Famous alto singers ( Top 12 ), you will find that there are not a lot of alto female singers, and the ones that do have the capability to sing alto tend to stick around R&B or church music and this is their singing style. If you have started singing at an early age you have probably already changed your singing style a couple of times already, and this is normal, as time passes by you are shaped by experiences and you pick up whichever singing style you like at that time.
However there are a lot of singers who change their singing styles only to follow a trend and to capitalize on it, this is why we have so many singers who can not sing, not because they are not talented but because they can not sing that style correctly or it simply doesn’t fit them. Which type of singing genres you as a singer pick up during your early stage as a singer will shape your entire career as a singer, although you should not be worried about which singing genre is better than the other as it honestly doesn’t matter.
If you are wondering what genre fits your voice then it is essential that you try out different genres to sing, even those that you do not like or you are unfamiliar with it. You will never know how good of an opera singer you could be if you never try it out and you stick to the same old pop style with which you might even be mediocre. If you are a beginner singer my recommendation is to read my recent article just to get ahead of your competition, How to sing for beginners step by step ( 14 Easy Steps ).
Types Of Singing Styles And Genres
The world of singing encompasses a diverse range of styles and genres, each with its own unique characteristics and techniques. Classical singing, rooted in centuries-old traditions, emphasizes a refined and controlled vocal approach, often showcased in operas, art songs, and choral music. Pop singing embraces a more contemporary and commercial sound, focusing on catchy melodies and expressive performances. Jazz singing thrives on improvisation and syncopation, allowing for personal interpretation and freedom.
Rock and roll singing is characterized by powerful, raw vocals, often accompanied by energetic instrumentation. R&B and soul singing emphasize emotive and soulful performances, highlighting vocal agility and expressive techniques. Country singing embodies storytelling and authenticity, with a focus on twangy vocals and heartfelt lyrics. Additionally, there are various other styles such as gospel, musical theater, folk, reggae, hip-hop, and many more, each offering its own distinct vocal characteristics and expressive possibilities.
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R&B
Although not as popular as it was in the ’90s, the R&B singing style is just like any other singing style with a mix of soul, pop, and even funk. Some artists also take different elements from other singing styles like jazz, and they usually tend to focus on melisma a lot more than other singing styles.
Pop
Pop music is the face of the music industry currently, with thousands of new artists trying to grab a piece of the pie every year and very few succeeding. While the ’80s have been dominated by disco music and rock, our preference has started to change in the late ’90s and thus pop music has become a norm. If you are a 90’s child back when MTV actually had music playing and not reality shows you probably remember that there were a lot of different styles of music playing, some have become more successful than others.
Country
Country music was very popular in the ’70s and ’80s, but for some reason, it started to fade out. Most country singers have been born into this singing style, often having singer parents who lead them onto this path. Most country singers which started singing as children once they grew up trying to switch singing styles, either due to personal preference or due to chasing the trend, some have successfully switched to singing pop, while others are extremely successful in country music as there is fairly small competition in that singing style.
Church
Church singing is not as popular as it once was, mostly as people go less and less to the church thus fewer children can experience the choir singing. Most beginner singers also want to have some individuality and this is not possible in a choir. There are a lot of R&B singers who have started singing at an early age in a choir, although the ones that had become famous switched singing styles but they all tend to follow closely the rules which the choir taught them. If you are a part of a church choir and you want to make it better then read my recent article How to improve a choir? ( In 11 Easy Steps ).
Rock
Singing rock is a lot more difficult than it sounds, the singer has to be able to growl and scream while singing, and oftentimes beginner singers go overboard with either growling or singing. The rock singing style is fairly popular even to this day, although it is mostly dominated by just a handful of artists who can successfully pull off singing rock. Simply put for beginners singing rock is fairly hard without simply screaming out of your lungs as some rock singers tend to do. If you want to know more about scream-singing then check out my recent article How to scream sing? ( In 15 Easy Steps ).
Opera
Opera or classical singing style is an extremely old singing style, hundreds of years ago opera singers were as popular as rock stars in our modern times. The main reason why there are not so many opera singers is that the singer has to be able to sing live in front of an audience, as opera singing is not that popular on TV or Radio. Singing opera gives the singer a lot of freedom on how to convey their emotion, although generally speaking most opera songs are sad and dramatic, which isn’t the best considering today’s trends with upbeat songs.
Hip Hop
Hip Hop emerged somewhere in New York some time ago, it has catchy lyrics and it is often accompanied by beatboxing and rapping. Hip Hop has been extremely popular starting in the late ’80s and even in the early 2000s. Hip Hop gives a lot of flexibility to singers, and there are a lot of beginner singers who have started their careers with either hip hop or a mix of hip hop and rapping.
Blues
Blues singing style originated from the deep south, sometime during the late 1800s, during that time blues was today’s pop or rock. During the past couple of decades singing blues has somewhat gone out of fashion, most singers rather than singing blues tend to either stick with singing R&B or Jazz. Although blues singers do still have massive followings they are not as mainstream as the other more popular singing types.
Jazz
Most people put Jazz and Blues in the same singing styles, however, there are some major differences between the two of them. While both of them do rely heavily on the use of instruments, Blues has also a lot more singing incorporated into the songs than Jazz does.
Key Takeaways
There are various types of singing styles and genres, each with its own distinct characteristics. Classical singing, which includes opera and art songs, focuses on technique, precision, and a rich, resonant tone. Pop singing, on the other hand, encompasses a wide range of contemporary styles and emphasizes catchy melodies, relatable lyrics, and vocal agility. Jazz singing is known for its improvisation, rhythmic complexity, and expressive interpretation, often featuring scat singing and a strong sense of musicality.
Rock singing is characterized by powerful vocals, high energy, and a connection to instrumental accompaniment. R&B and soul singing emphasize vocal control, soulful expression, and melismatic ornamentation. Country singing emphasizes storytelling, clear diction, and a distinct twang. These are just a few examples of the diverse singing styles and genres that allow singers to explore and showcase their unique talents and abilities.
FAQ
What are the different types of singing genres?
There are numerous singing genres, including pop, rock, jazz, classical, R&B, country, hip-hop, gospel, opera, and many more. Each genre has its unique style, vocal techniques, and characteristics.
What are the 4 types of singing?
The four primary types of singing are soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. These categories represent different vocal ranges and are commonly used in classical and choral music.
What are the 6 types of singers?
While there isn’t a definitive list of six types of singers, some common classifications include sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, contraltos, tenors, baritones, and basses. These categories reflect different vocal ranges and are often used in classical and operatic music.
What are different types of singing called?
Different types of singing are often referred to as vocal styles or genres. Some examples include pop singing, classical singing, jazz singing, gospel singing, musical theater singing, and more. Each style has its own techniques, expressions, and characteristics.