How to Sing Like Gerard Way From My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance has become a popular indie rock band. Lead singer Gerard Way's interesting vocal style combine with introspective and macabre lyrics to make the band a hit with both modern alternative crowds and mainstream music lovers. Learn how to sing like Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance and capture the magic of this chart topping band.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Research the music of My Chemical Romance beginning with their first album. Write your impressions of Gerard Way's singing style. Note any emotions that you feel while listening to him sing.
2. Pay attention to the urgency that Way often expresses while singing his music. Listen to songs like "I Don't Love You" and "Helena" to help you understand the often wailing and angsty sound that personifies My Chemical Romance's music.
3. Practice singing along with My Chemical Romance and take note of your intonation and voice control. Notice that Gerard Way has incredible voice control. Take some vocal lessons to learn how to scream without harming your vocal chords.
4. Learn to breathe properly in between phrasings so that each note has depth and distinctive vocal quality. Imitate some of the embellishments that frequently creep into Way's music such as his signature "yeah's" or the repetition of certain words in an urgent tone for emphasis. Listen to his Irish-American accent, which comes out on various words.
5. Write your own lyrics and set it to music, using some imagery that has made My Chemical Romance popular. Themes may include dying, love, angst, hatred and longing. Use those emotions when singing like Gerard Way.
6. Watch recordings of My Chemical Romance live to get a good feel for how Way controls his voice in a live performance. You can see a bit of a different quality than you'll hear on the band's recordings.
7. Work diligently on your soft singing voice. Way has a wonderful piano volume in songs like "I Don't Love You" and "The Cancer Song." Record yourself singing along with your favorite My Chemical Romance song and compare your voice to Way's.