Looking to sing like Billy Eckstine?

Known for his smooth baritone voice, Eckstine's style is reminiscent of swing and jazz ballads. Here's how to develop a similar singing style, with practical advice from Singing Carrots resources.

Listen to and imitate Eckstine's style

The first step is to familiarize yourself with Eckstine's style. Listen to his songs, such as "Prisoner of Love" and "I Apologize," and pay attention to his phrasing, breath control, and vibrato. Notice how he adds emotion to his interpretation of the lyrics. Try to imitate his style when you practice your own singing. You can use resources like Vocal Pitch Monitor and Vocal Training game to improve your pitch and control. Another great tool is the Vocal Range Test, which will tell you if your vocal range is similar to Eckstine's, so you can pick songs accordingly.

Work on your breath control

Breath control is essential for singing like Eckstine. Eckstine never sounded like he was struggling to reach the notes, and that's because of his excellent breath control. Learn how to breathe properly using Singing Carrots' resources on breathing basics, breath support and respiration. You can then apply these techniques to help you sing with the same ease as Eckstine.

Master the vibrato

Eckstine's vibrato is an essential characteristic of his style. He uses it to add emotion, depth and character to his singing. Learn how to develop your own vibrato with Singing Carrots resources on singing with vibrato. Use the vibrato exercises to practice creating a smooth, controlled vibrato like Eckstine's.

Incorporate some twang

Twang is a key element of jazz singing, and Eckstine's style is no exception. Learn how to add some twang to your singing voice with Singing Carrots' exercise on how to Twang. By adding some twang to specific words, you can add character and style to your singing just like Eckstine.

Sing with emotion

Finally, imitate Eckstine's ability to infuse emotion into his singing. Singing Carrots has resources on singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking, which will help you connect to the lyrics of the song you are singing. You can also check out our warm-up exercises, such as Farinelli Breathing and Sustain Vocal, to prepare your voice for emotional delivery.

So there you have it, follow these steps, use the resources of Singing Carrots, and soon you'll be singing like Billy Eckstine!