Keely Smith was a legendary jazz and swing singer known for her unique vocal style blending sultry elegance with playful wit. Her vocal technique had distinctive qualities that made her voice stand out. This article will discuss the steps to learn singing like Keely Smith, highlighting her unique vocal technique and using relevant Singing Carrots resources.

Step 1: Analyze Your Voice

Before starting, it's essential to know your voice type and your vocal range. You can take our vocal range test and check your results.

Step 2: Understand Keely’s Vocal Technique

Keely’s singing style is characterized by her wide dynamic range, vibrato, and pitch accuracy. Keely had the ability to blend her chest voice with her head voice while maintaining a consistent tone throughout her range. This technique is known as “mix voice” or "middle voice," which is essential for any jazz singer. A vital aspect of Keely's technique was her attention to the shape of her mouth. She kept her mouth open wide while singing, which helped her produce a full, rich tone.

Step 3: Warm-up Exercises

Start by warming up your voice with Farinelli Breathing. This exercise helps keep your diaphragm engaged while breathing and preparing your voice for singing.

To sing like Keely, make use of the Chest Voice Explained exercise. The exercise will help you produce a rich chest tone essential in jazz music.

Step 4: Practice Keely’s Songs

Learning some of Keely's famous songs can help you get better at singing like her. Some of her popular songs include “When Day is Done,” “I Wish You Love,” and "All The Way". Try to study her phrasing and tone and emulate it in your singing.

Use Singing Carrots' song search feature to find more songs that match your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference.

Step 5: Refine Your Style with Contemporary Techniques

Contemporary techniques such as heavy modal, twang, and belting can add a new dimension to your vocal range and style. Learn and implement techniques such as Twang exercise and Vocal Distortion & Growling to add a new layer to your vocal range and improve your timbre.

Step 6: Take Care of Your Voice

Learning how to find your own authentic voice is much more than just acquiring a new vocal technique. It's also essential to take care of your voice. Browse Singing Carrots' vocal health article for tips to prevent damage to your vocal cords.

In conclusion, learning to sing like Keely Smith requires dedication, the right technique, and the resources to hone your skills. With the help of Singing Carrots' educational course, song-search feature, and collection of articles and exercises, anyone can get closer to emulating the great jazz diva.