Vocals

Before the availability of microphones, singers had to have a powerful voice in order to be heard when singing with an orchestra. This technique, known as "shouting", is very physically demanding and is most often associated with blues and jump blues. Notable shout singers of the swing era: Jimmy Rushing, Big Joe Turner, Jimmy Witherspoon.

The development of microphones and radio enabled vocalists to use voices closer to the spoken word, giving different types of voices the opportunity to take their place in big bands. Notable crooners of the swing era: Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby.

Classic jazz singing is a broad category for everything else, and is unique to the singer. Notable jazz vocalists of the swing era: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Eckstine.

Some vocalists will mimic musical instruments by using a combination of vowels and consonants which may or may not have any meaning, called vocables, more commonly known as scatting. Although some vocalists did this during the swing era, this type of vocals became most popular with bebop. Notable scat vocalists of the swing era: Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Slam Stewart.