The Mariah Carey Masterclass kicks off with the iconic singer and songwriter saying “When we talk about the power of your voice, there can be power in anything from a whisper to a scream…and then there’s the power of self-expression, I want to do this because it’s in my heart.”
This premise is the inspiration for the Mariah Carey Masterclass “The Voice as an Instrument“, where she shares her wisdom and experiences in songwriting and music production.
Through this amazing class, you can learn from Mariah herself how to write melodies, create harmonies, arrange instruments, and so much more.
Sounds exciting for anyone who wants to learn to sing or write better songs, right?
But is the Mariah Carey Masterclass really worth the time and money? Does it live up to the hype?
In this Mariah Carey Masterclass review, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the course, offering our honest impressions of the content, and giving you an unbiased opinion on whether it’s worth your time.
So let’s dive in!
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Overview Of Mariah Carey’s Masterclass
Learn how to develop a powerful, memorable singing voice from the legendary Mariah Carey in this online course.
When Mariah Carey’s Masterclass was announced, it immediately generated a ton of buzz. The idea of learning Carey’s techniques and secrets from the woman herself was a welcome one for many aspiring singers.
Mariah Carey performs at The Butterfly Longue from a mobile studio for the first time to share her music-making methodology with the audience. She covers the fundamentals of songwriting, how to use one’s voice for singing, and techniques for creating beautiful melodies and lyrics.
“I’ve never let cameras in when I am creating…not when I’m writing, and especially not when I’m singing,” Carey said when the course was announced. “But now I’m taking MasterClass members into my studio to show them how they can write and produce music using their voice and become anything they want to be as long as they create, re-create, reimagine, and reinvent.”
The class itself is taught over 9 lessons, with each one covering different topics related to singing and songwriting. Some of these lessons include:
- Producing with Your Voice
- Lyricism: Write about the Realness
- Writing with Samples
- Background Vocals
- Instrumentation and Emotion
- Taking Care of Your Voice
- Surviving in the Music Industry
Students of this MasterClass will be the first to hear the new version of “The Roof,” which features the well-known vocalist and Grammy Award winner Brandy, and they will also get to watch Carey in action as she instructs Brandy on backing vocals.
How Long is the Mariah Carey Masterclass?
It takes 1 hour and 44 minutes to complete Mariah Carey’s MasterClass, which has a total of 9 video lessons.
While this might seem pretty short (and to be fair, we do wish it was longer), the content in the lessons is incredibly thorough and packed with information for aspiring vocalists.
Each lesson is carefully designed to help you develop your vocal skills, including techniques to improve your pitch, control, range, and more.
You can take these classes on demand at your own pace and even repeat lessons as many times as you want.
A Closer Look at the Mariah Carey Masterclass Curriculum
There are 9 video lessons and a 29-page workbook to go along with these lessons. This workbook is very helpful and is loaded with a lot of extra information that you can use for reference.
To help you grasp what you’re about to learn, the lessons have been divided into eight sections, which are as follows.
1. Introduction
Remember that most of the masterclass’s first lessons are solely about the introduction, in which the topic, duration, and members of the lessons are discussed to give the audience an idea of what and how this masterclass will be.
2. Producing With Your Voice
A vocalist with a reputation for having a loud voice, Mariah Carey discusses how she guides her voice to create a song in her classes. Her song The Roof, which has been specially adapted for this MasterClass, will be played for the string section. She outlined her creative process for emphasizing the voice or sounds she wanted to create using only her voice.
3. Lyrics
Mariah Carey is well-known for her wonderful vocals and her string of inspirational song lyrics.
This topic teaches people how she comes up with the lyrics for her songs, and she explains everything very well by giving them the important message that her life experiences and emotions are the best way to describe them in lyrics, including no technical lessons or music jargon that would be difficult to understand.
But she doesn’t teach you how to write a song! She only describes how you can get an idea to write one. Once you’re familiar with the basics, preparing a song is totally up to one’s creativity.
4. Background Vocals Part 1 & 2
The focus of this lesson is backing crucial vocals. All topics related to contemporary music and background vocals are explained in this section. If you’re aiming to start your career as a background singer, pay extra attention to this lesson.
At one point, Carey was also a background singer, but she won’t be teaching it alone. The background vocalists Luther Vandross and Chaka Khan will demonstrate how changing your tone can result in a wonderful, distinctive voice.
This is also a non-technical lesson that refers to background singing. Although both artists don’t teach how to sing as background vocalists, there is still much more to learn and you can also watch them sing, which is super entertaining.
5. Instrumentation And Emotions
A musical instrument is the most important component of music. Using them in the composition of melodies has a significant emotional influence on listeners. Even if Mariah doesn’t play an instrument, her voice is nonetheless regarded as superb.
6. Writing With Sample
Mariah Carey was a brilliant performer who successfully combined two popular music genres, hip-hop and R&B, and achieved widespread recognition.
Through sampling, one musician works on a segment of another musician and reworks it using their originality, which is the secret to Mariah Carey’s success.
This lesson takes a much more technical turn. Here, a musician will explore all the sampling levels, including effects and interpolation, which isolate a particular segment of the sample.
Mariah Carey used this method with famous samples, and you’ll be looking at a few of them in this session.
Some of them include the following:
- Fantasy (which sampled Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club) (which sampled Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club)
- ODB and Bad Boy appear in Fantasy (the same sample but reworked into a hip-hop style)
- The Attic (which sampled Shook One’s Part 2. by Mobb Deep)
After learning all these sampling techniques, you will get a thorough understanding of music production.
7. Taking Care Of Your Voice
The most important aspect of maintaining a singing career is taking care of your voice, which is the subject of this lesson. Mariah explains how we may take care of our voices emotionally and physically and also teaches her the wonderful whistling method, which is one of the main reasons why she is so popular and admired by people worldwide. Her method of preparing the whistling technique is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the entire course.
8. Surviving In The Music Industry
The final and most significant lesson of this MasterClass displays an understanding of how the music industry works and how anyone can survive and succeed. In a nutshell, Mariah believes that the music industry is not as glorious as it seems. She emphasizes prioritizing your goals, mental health, and family when signing up for a brand new contract. She also shared some of her encounters with music production houses that exploited her potential through unjust terms and conditions.
Above all, she instructed all the newcomers to behave sensibly.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Gives you a great look into the songwriting process of a true musical icon
- Covers topics that aren’t frequently discussed, such as backup vocals and the difficulties a person faces in the music industry
- Excellent production value
- Mariah’s personal experiences and tips can help those just starting out in the music industry
Cons
- The course is on the shorter side and leaves us wishing there were more lessons
- Doesn’t go super in-depth on the technical side of things
How Much Does the Mariah Carey Masterclass Cost?
Masterclass doesn’t sell courses individually. Instead, it uses a Netflix-style subscription model that gives members unlimited access to everything that’s on the platform — 180+ courses in all from A-list celebrities like Gordon Ramsay, Bill Clinton, Serena Williams, Samuel L Jackson, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and more.
MasterClass pricing is as follows:
- Individual–$180 per year (average $15 per month)
- Duo–$240 per year (average $20 per month)
- Family–$276 per year (average $23 per month)
How To Enroll
To enroll in Mariah Carey’s MasterClass:
- Visit the Masterclass website
- Look on the left side of the screen where it asks you to put in your email. Fill in a valid email address, and click “Get Started”.
- Complete the short questionnaire or skip it if you don’t want to.
- Choose the plan you want to sign up for.
- Enter your billing info to place your order.
Once you’re all signed up, you can then browse the app or website to take Mariah Carey’s course and any other classes you’re interested in.
Mariah Carey MasterClass FAQ
How much is Mariah Carey’s MasterClass?
Mariah’s MasterClass is part of the MasterClass membership, which costs $180 per year (average $15 per month).
Does Mariah Carey actually teach the lessons?
Yes! Every single lesson is taught by Mariah Carey herself.
What skills will I gain from taking the Mariah Carey MasterClass?
Mariah covers a range of topics, from finding your voice and writing meaningful lyrics to producing music and refining your performance.
How long is the Mariah Carey MasterClass?
Mariah Carey’s course totals 1 hour and 44 minutes and has 9 video lessons.
Is Mariah Carey’s MasterClass worth it?
Yes, we think so! The course serves as a great introduction to the world of music production and songwriting, with Mariah’s famous charisma and personality to guide you along the way.
Does MasterClass have a money-back guarantee?
All MasterClass memberships come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the course, you can get a full refund within 30 days of purchase. Our MasterClass review has more info.
Can I watch the lessons on my mobile device?
Yes, you can watch all MasterClass courses on mobile devices, computers, and even on TV.
A Final Word on Mariah Carey’s MasterClass
Mariah Carey’s MasterClass offers insights into unique approaches and tips for singing, songwriting, developing a song, and surviving industry hurdles.
If you’re someone who has a passion for music and wants to pursue a career in the music industry, this MasterClass is definitely worth considering. The wealth of knowledge Mariah Carey shares can provide you with invaluable tools to help make your dreams come true.
Have any questions about our Chris Voss MasterClass review? Comment below and let us know.
Learn how to develop a powerful, memorable singing voice from the legendary Mariah Carey in this online course.