Singing Guide: Lucille Ball
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Lucille Ball is a memorable figure in TV history, known for her work in "I Love Lucy" comedy series, which ran from 1951 to 1957.
She was a multifaceted entertainer, performing both dramatic and comedic works before and after the hit show. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of performers. If you want to learn to sing like her, here are some tips:
-
Learn your voice type - Lucille Ball possessed a mezzo-soprano voice, which is similar to some other well-known female singers such as Adele and Beyoncé. Before you start singing like Lucille Ball, it's important to determine your most comfortable vocal range, so you can learn to control your voice properly.
-
Keep practicing breathing - Lucille Ball's voice was characterized by a robust and deep sound. This was in part due to her support of breath, from the diaphragm up to the top of the lungs. Breathing correctly is crucial to producing a rich and clear voice.
-
Focus on diction - Lucille Ball made use of her unique voice to convey emotion through intonation and articulation. By clearly pronouncing the words in her songs and maintaining vocal consistency, her voice cut through the noise and stood out in any mix.
-
Work on vibrato control - A slight tremble in the voice, or vibrato, is a key feature of Lucille Ball's vocal technique. This can be practiced alongside voice warm-up exercises, such as vocal sirens and lip trills.
-
Study Lucille Ball's repertoire - Lucille Ball sang multiple songs during her career, such as "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Hey, Look Me Over." By listening to and studying her unique performances of these songs, budding singers can learn to adopt her technique and style.
These tips will set you on the right path to learning how to sing like Lucille Ball. Start by taking Singing Carrots' vocal range and pitch accuracy tests to get a better understanding of how your voice works, and incorporate the pitch training exercises on Singing Carrots' Pitch Monitor to fine-tune your sound. Remember to practice regularly and don't be afraid to experiment with your voice to make it your own!