What can you do to have more control when singing? Especially with those ad libs that lots of pop and r&b singers do. I've practiced and all i do is get frustrated sometimes. I've tried a lot of the voice exercises out there and I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

What's ad libs?

Ummm... Don't really know how to explain. You know how some singers vocalize or improvise(whatever its called), especially at the end of a song mostly in r&b and pop songs. I think they're also called runs. lol. I might be wrong. Maybe someone could correct me. Or laugh at me. lol. Just kidding.

Ok, I think I understand what you mean..

Okay. So, can you help me with it now? lol

There must be someone else certainly for that because I'm more into classical

Oh... How do you gain more control over your singing when you're singing classical music?

How do you practice melisma?

I've been practicing melisma too. I can nail the articulation but can't add the subtle vibrato while changing pitch that makes it sexy.

How have you been practicing melisma?

What is articulation? Could you explain that to me. And, I usually practice by singing along with the singer for a while and then take it slowly from there without the singer. I can usually imitate what the singer does but I can ever make up my own. Pretty frustrating right now. I'm not very good at it but I'm trying to get better. How do you practice? Sounds like I could learn something from ya!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuMz7AWhi2o

At the end of this song [at about 3:21] you hear Wanya of Boyz II Men doing a solo with melisma over the words "I" and "Do"

What you'll notice is that each note that he hits while singing over these two words sounds individual without any slurring. That is, there is no gradual modulation of the pitch between each note. Its like if you play violin each note can be articulated individually without any sliding between notes or positions.

A lot of people think they're doing melisma [In the R&B context, not the gregorian chant context], but all you have to do is play back to them a recording of their singing and they almost immediately hear the differences. Most notably, the sound of each note is rarely as individually articulated and often lacking the speed to "make it sound cool"

Copying the speed at which he(wanya) changes pitches, the individual articulation of each note and the use of vibrato simultaneously poses particular problems for me. I can do simple melisma, but longer faster runs are just plain hard.

Regarding improvisation, R&B artists generally use the same runs which usually are directly based on the scale in which the song is based. For example, you often here artists connecting notes in a melody, say C and G, by hitting all notes between C and G, within the scale of the piece [This is kind of an over simplification].

You're saying that you can't improvise your own runs. Do you mean you can't improvise your own runs at all. Or do you mean you can't improvise the longer more complex ones. Well in either case, I learned to improvise on piano by copying my favorite artists. I would apply their runs in different Keys and get them under my fingers. Eventually they'd start to change and became my own. I can now improvise on all my instruments and on voice as well. For me it was just a matter of learning the different musical Cliche's, runs, riffs, that were characteristic to the style of music I wished to improvise in. After a while, imitation becomes innovation, and you start improvising freely without having to try.


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Don't be frustrated. It wouldn't be worth doing if it weren't a challenge

Wow! That really helps. I really appreciate your help. That really explains a lot!

Ok, one thing you must understand: you dont really need to have control with ad libs coz they're there just to have a bit of fun. working on your vocal range(how high and low you can get) will help but just experiment until u find the right way to do it for urself. i've been singing a bit of jazz lately. if that doesnt help try using ur diaphram a bit. and with the whole vibrato thing just use ur throat for vibrato and diaphram for support to start off then gradually try pulsing ur diaphram slowly until you can work the vibrato properly. hope this helps.

It's important to have an open throat, you can practice that by howling like a wolf
It's best to stand as well.
Practice is the key!

I'm reminded of advice from a talented jazz trumpet player. For success improvising at gigs, he says he makes sure to practice his technique so thoroughly (with scale work, lines, breathing, long notes for endurance, e.g.), that when he goes to improvise, "the improv just falls out of the horn." In other words, get to that warmed-up place where singing along is SO easy, where you've mastered what THEY'RE doing, when you're at that place, the miraculous creative work can happen a lot more easily and naturally.

I'm new to 8Notes, is there a Discussion Thread on Vocal Warm-up Technique? I'm a singer (jazz, blues), and curious how others warm up.

oboe_piano_girly, raised an intresting point. But i'm not totally sure that I agree that diaphragmatic vibrato is the most desirable sound for R&B. In fact, I wonder if diaphragmatic vibrato is even considered vibrato?

I may have misunderstood though. I had always though that a pulsating diaphragm creates a false vibrato. That is real vibrato comes from the oscillation of the vocal cords and corresponding changes of pitch associated with these oscillations. A false vibrato represents a change in volume but not in pitch.

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After reading your post again, Do you mean the addition of a false vibrato(ie. tremolo), to a "real" vibrato.