Alright, so I’ve been messing around with trying to nail that distinctive Billy Corgan vocal sound, you know, that kinda whiny, nasally thing he does? It’s trickier than it sounds, let me tell you!
First, I listened to a TON of Smashing Pumpkins. Like, really focused on it. Not just jamming out, but paying close attention to how he phrases things, where he puts the emphasis, and how his voice resonates. I picked a few songs that I thought really showcased his style – “Today,” “Cherub Rock,” and “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” were my main go-tos.
Then, I started experimenting. I tried singing along, mimicking his sound as best as I could. At first, it sounded… well, awful. Like a strangled cat. But I kept at it.
My “A-Ha!” Moments
- Nasal Passage is Key: I realized I needed to push a lot of the sound through my nose. It felt weird at first, almost like I was talking through my nose, but it definitely got me closer to that Corgan vibe.
- Vocal Fry (Sometimes): I noticed he uses a bit of vocal fry, that kinda creaky sound, especially at the ends of phrases. I practiced incorporating that, but not overdoing it.
- Emphasis and Emotion: Corgan’s singing is super emotive, even when it’s quiet. I worked on conveying that raw feeling, that slight edge of desperation, in my own voice.
- Mouth position: I started shaping the words the best I could to sound like Corgan, which really helped a lot.
It’s still a work in progress, honestly. I’m not gonna be fronting a Smashing Pumpkins tribute band anytime soon. But, I feel like I’ve made some decent headway. It’s all about practice, practice, practice, and really listening to the source material. And maybe accepting that I’ll never sound exactly like Billy Corgan, but I can get close enough to have some fun with it!