Riffs and Runs
Riffs and runs are some of the most incredible stylistic embellishments pop singers can have. They are a series of notes hit in quick succession. ... But what exactky is a riff? What's a run? Are they the same thing? And how can you do them correctly so that you aren't missing notes and they aren't too bumpy?
What is a Riff? What is a Run?
A riff is a series of three notes hit in rapid succession. A run is a series of four or more notes. ... INFFERESTING, huh? I use them interchangebably, but, they are different.
Starting with Riffs
It is easier to start with riffs. Riffs require a little less stamina than runs, but all the same, the singer must have a good grip on breath management...
Breath management
Breath control (or managing the airflow) is certainly the number one aspect of riffs and runs, and, I would argue, good singing in general. Using the ribs, abdominals, obliques and back muscles are apart of the breathing process. When these muscles are strong, the singer can learn to develop other skills like belting, mix, riffs and runs ...
Light, but Moving
When I first starting learning to run, I had some issues with using too much air. This made the runs bumpy, and almost hit too hard. And then, I used too little air, missing notes altogether. When my voice finally learned to "manage" the airflow, things really evened out quite nicely! Now, I have them down to a science! But, all to say... It takes work. Before I started studying with my voice teacher, I was only going on what I THOUGHT made a good run by taking YouTube voice lessons ... Nothing wrong at all with that! But, when you don't have someone to say, "maybe you should try this... Start with riffs first." You can't learn how to release the breath if you don't start from scratch...
Other Types of Runs - Pulses and Digs
A pulse is another kind of run that requires a little mor advanced breath work. A series of four notes ... Or more, that means the singer must be able to juggle starting light, going heavy, then ending light. A dig is two notes where the singer moves back and forth between them. The execution is similar to a pulse, but the singer almost stops the breath when moving to the lower note... Not like a glotal, but with the same idea as executing a glotal
I hope this all made sense... It probably would have been easier in video form to demonstrate it so you know what it actually sounds like. ... Well, let me know if this makes sense or not... And thank you so much for your support of this blog! I really enjoy doing it.