Judy Garland was an American singer and actress considered to be one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century. Her unique vocal style, emotional delivery, and powerful presence on stage made her a legend of the Golden Age of Hollywood. In this article, we will explore the vocal techniques that made Judy Garland a star and how you can learn to sing like her too.

Firstly, let’s examine Garland’s breathing technique. Garland’s breathing was controlled and supported, which allowed her to effortlessly sustain long phrases. Learning proper breathing technique will help you achieve this same endurance and control in your singing. Our article on Breath support will help you better understand the importance of breathing in singing. You can also watch the Farinelli Breathing video for an exercise to improve your breath control.

Another key aspect of Garland’s singing style was her use of vibrato. Vibrato is the slight variation of pitch in a sustained note, which creates a pleasing and dynamic effect. Garland had a natural vibrato that was smooth and even, which added to her emotional delivery. Study our guide to Vibrato to learn how to control your vibrato, as well as to watch singing exercises to help you develop your vibrato.

Garland’s vocal registers were also a key element of her singing style. She effortlessly transitioned between her chest voice and her mixed voice, creating a smooth and connected sound. Our article on Voice Registers & Vocal Break will help you better understand the different registers of your voice and how to transition between them. The videos, Chest Voice Explained and Mixed Voice, provide additional explanations and demonstrations.

In terms of songs that showcase Garland's vocal talents, "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz is a classic example of her emotional delivery and use of vibrato. "The Trolley Song" from Meet Me in St. Louis is another example of her impressive range and ability to sustain long phrases. To learn how to sing these songs, you may want to start with our article on How to Learn a Song Effectively.

Singing Carrots also offers many resources to help you develop and refine your singing technique. Our Vocal Range Test will determine your vocal range and compare it with that of famous singers, including Judy Garland. The Pitch Accuracy Test will help you assess your pitch accuracy, while the Vocal Pitch Monitor will allow you to see your sung notes on a virtual piano. Use our Search Songs by Vocal Range to help you find songs that match your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference.

Our singing course, Singing for Beginners, offers 21-lessons covering singing theory and practical tips. For contemporary singing techniques, explore our article on Contemporary Vocal Techniques: Heavy Modal, Twang, Belting, as well as our videos on Twang and Growling.

For more advice on singing and vocal technique, explore our many articles and videos on the Singing Carrots website, including those on singing with intuition, skills, emotion and thinking, articulation, and resonance in singing. You can also review our recommendations for vocal health, and how posture affects your singing.

In conclusion, Judy Garland remains one of the most influential and celebrated singers and actresses of the century, due to her unique vocal techniques, her emotional delivery, and powerful stage presence. By studying her vocal style and using the tools and resources available on Singing Carrots, you can improve your vocal technique and develop the skills needed to sing like Judy Garland.