Singing Guide: Judy Holliday

Singing Guide: Judy Holliday

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

Judy Holliday was an American actress and singer who was famous for her comedic roles on Broadway, television, and film. She starred in a number of classic musical comedies, including Bells Are Ringing and Born Yesterday. Her distinct vocal quality was marked by charming breathiness and impeccable comedic timing.

If you wish to learn to sing like Judy Holliday, here are some tips and resources to help you:

  • Vocal Range and Warm-ups

Before you start singing, it is important to understand your vocal range. To that end, you can take the Vocal range test to know the high and low limits of your voice. This test will also provide you information on your vocal classification, which is essential to refine your singing.

Once you have identified your vocal range, it is vital to practice vocal warm-ups and stretching exercises before singing. A Farinelli breathing exercise is perfect for building control of your breath, an essential technique in developing the characteristic breathiness of Holliday's voice.

  • Vocal Registers

Holliday had an excellent command of vocal registers, particularly the “head voice,” which is the high-pitched voice that goes beyond the average vocal range. Her voice was marked by smooth transitions among registers.

To understand more about vocal registers and how to sing in them, you can check out Voice registers & vocal break.

  • Phrasing and Articulation

Judy Holliday was a master of comedic timing and unique phrasing that made her vocal delivery stand out. To develop such a style, understanding articulation is essential. A Finger bite exercise is perfect for such practice.

  • How to find your own authentic voice

Judy Holliday had the ability to use her distinct voice to convey unique emotions, characters, and expressions in her acting and singing. It is essential to find your own unique vocal style to do the same.

To learn more about discovering your unique voice, refer to the blog post on how to find your own authentic voice.

  • Usages of Twang

Twang is a technique used by many singers, particularly by jazz and country singers. Judy Holliday was expert in using twang with her distinctive voicing.

To learn how to use twang techniques, check out How to Twang Exercise video.

  • Vibrato

Vibrato is an essential technique for adding depth and nuance to your singing. Holliday's masterful control of vibrato left an unmistakable mark on her music.

To learn more about adding vibrato to your singing, the singing with vibrato blog post is an excellent resource.

  • Singing a Judy Holliday Song

Bringing everything together, learning to sing a Judy Holliday song can help you to develop your characteristic stylings. You can use song search to find a song that matches your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference.

Once you have a song, check out the how to learn a song effectively blog post for tips and guidance in learning it.

  • Conclusion

Learning to sing like Judy Holliday requires a focus on vocal warm-ups, understanding registers, and developing unique phrasing and articulation styles. Use of Twang, Vibrato, and singing of a Judy Holliday song can bring together all these elements. By consulting the resources mentioned in this article, you should be able to improve your powerful and distinct voice, channeling Judy Holliday's spirit to create something new and uniquely yours.

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