Singing Guide: The Mills Brothers

Singing Guide: The Mills Brothers

Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources

Are you a beginner or advanced singer?

The Mills Brothers were a vocal quartet who had a distinctive sound that combined jazz, swing, and barbershop styles. Their tight harmonies and innovative use of vocal techniques make them one of the most influential vocal groups in history.

If you're looking to learn how to sing like The Mills Brothers, here are some tips:

  • Work on your harmonies: The Mills Brothers were known for their tight vocal harmonies. To achieve this, it is important to work on your control and pitch accuracy.
  • Practice breath control: The Mills Brothers had excellent breath control, which allowed them to sustain notes for long periods. You can improve your breath control by doing regular breathing exercises and practicing your singing technique.
  • Master vocal registers: The Mills Brothers were masters of using different vocal registers, such as their falsetto and whistle tones. Knowing how to use your vocal registers correctly and effectively is essential to achieving the Mills Brothers' unique sound.
  • Experiment with vocal effects: The Mills Brothers' music incorporated a variety of vocal effects, such as mimicking instruments and using scat singing. Experimenting with different vocal effects can add depth and interest to your singing.
  • Choose the right songs: The Mills Brothers had a vast repertoire of music, ranging from jazz and swing to pop and country. Choose songs that showcase your vocal strengths and allow you to experiment with different vocal techniques and styles.

To further hone your Mills Brothers technique, Singing Carrots has a variety of resources that can help:

  • Vocal range test: Take the vocal range test to determine your range and compare it with that of famous singers like the Mills Brothers.
  • Pitch accuracy test: Improve your pitch accuracy with this simple melody test.
  • Vocal Pitch Monitor: With the Vocal Pitch Monitor, you can see your sung notes on a virtual piano and identify areas where you need improvement.
  • Pitch Training: Further develop your pitch accuracy with interactive vocal warm-ups, pitch visualizer, and exercises for range and agility.
  • Song search: Search for songs that match your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference. You may find a song that allows you to experiment with different vocal techniques.
  • Artist vocal ranges: Discover vocal ranges of over 5000 famous singers, including The Mills Brothers.
  • Song-book: Create your performance set and get linked lyrics, sheet music, chords, karaoke, and YouTube audio. You can find some of The Mills Brothers classic tunes here.
  • Singing course: A 21-lesson program covering singing theory and practical tips that will help you improve your overall singing technique.

Singing like The Mills Brothers can be challenging, but with practice and using these Singing Carrots resources, you can improve and develop your own unique vocal style.

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