6 Tips – Backing Vocals

6 Tips – Backing Vocals

 

  1. Blend
    One of the keys to good Backing vocals is learning to blend so however many vocalists your have it sounds like one voice. So watch the lips of the worship leader or lead singer and try to match their starts, stops, phrasing, volume tone and vibrato.
  2. Only sing melody to emphasise phrases or key lyrics
    It goes without saying that the BV’s role is not to sing the melody but to support it with harmony and emphasis on key words and phrases. If you struggle to sing harmonies check out our harmonization and backing vocals DVD
  3. If more than one BV stick to your harmony part
    If you have multiple BV harmonies try not to cross over into another range. So if you are singing lines above the melody don’t go below it if another BV is taking that part.
  4. Riffing
    Vocal riffs are kinda like lead guitar runs. They feel great for the person doing them but can be so easily inappropriate if overdone or used in the wrong place. So choose your moments wisely, maybe use riffs on ‘out there’ moments to encourage abandoned worship. Even if your riffs are great too many of them can get irritating really fast.
  5. Don’t upstage the lead vocal!
    Again the BV’s role is to support the lead vocal. Most people in congregations aren’t that musical and actually get confused if they can’t follow a clear lead so be careful that your BVs don’t do anything to cut across that melody.
  6. You don’t have to close your eyes and adopt the holy pose
    One of the most worshipfully helpful backing vocalists I ever saw used to subtly use sign language as she sang to help her express the lyrics. It wasn’t supposed to be for anyone else’s benefit but her own and the gestures were very discrete but because it was genuine worship it was a very beautiful thing. Whatever gestures you make just be natural and mean it and sincerity will come across.

Other posts you may like:

Learn to sing harmonies in worship

The art of backing vocals

Creating harmony – live video clip

How to become a confident singer

 

Previous posts from the Tips series:

Lead vocals

Worship keys

Acoustic guitar

Worship bass

Worship drums

Communication skills for worship teams

Playing together as a team

Stage placement

Rehearsals

Electric guitarists