Singing Guide: Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

Singing Guide: Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

If you want to learn to sing like Bob Wills, you have to understand Western swing, a musical style that merges country, blues, jazz, and swing. Unique to Bob Wills' vocal technique was his use of yodels and the western "croon,” which blended a nasal head voice with a laid-back country twang. To develop your western croon, you need to focus on projecting the voice forward, keeping the back of the mouth open, and using a slight lift in the throat.

  • One of the signature techniques of Bob Wills was his great use of ornamentation and bluesy slides on blue notes. To incorporate this sound into your own singing, try slowing down your phrasing and add a slight bluesy fire to it.
  • Bob Wills had a lot of famous hits including "San Antonio Rose," "Faded Love," "Milk Cow Blues," and "Take Me Back to Tulsa." Practicing these songs in particular can help you refine Western swing techniques.

When learning to sing like Bob Wills, it's important to engage in vocal training. Visit Singing Carrots, where you can take courses and access singing tools to improve your singing. In the curriculum, there are relevant articles such as "How posture affects your singing," and videos including "Chest Voice Explained," all aimed at helping you become a better singer.

If you're looking to improve specific areas of your vocal technique, Singing Carrots offers a variety of exercises geared towards helping singers refine their vocal skills. For example, the vocal range test is perfect for helping you identify your strengths and weaknesses and developing your voice. Additionally, Singing Carrots' Pitch Training and Vocal Pitch Monitor are efficient tools for training your pitch accuracy and monitoring your vocal improvement.

By consistently practicing and using relevant resources, you can start to sing like Bob Wills and become more confident in your Western swing abilities.

Learn more about this artist vocal range, voice type and repertoire.