If you’ve been stuck at the same level with your voice, it’s not about talent, it’s about technique. These 7 R&B singing techniques will help you instantly level up your voice by unlocking vocal power and emotional expression, cleaning up your runs, and adding that signature R&B flavor to your sound. Whether you’re an R&B artist or just want to infuse R&B styling into your own genre, you’re in the right place.
✅ Plus: these are beginner-friendly, expressive, and instantly effective.
Looking for more R&B singing techniques? Check out the related post, 9 R&B Singing Techniques to Make Your Voice Dynamic.
1. The Whimpered Larynx (aka "The Cry")
This emotional R&B singing technique is rooted in a controlled drop of the larynx, creating that classic “whimper” heard in begging ballads. Cry through your notes, and you’ll be making your fans cry, too (in a good way).
Artists who use it: Trey Songz, KCi (Jodeci), Keith Sweat, Tank, Mario
Try this: Add a whimper on emotional phrases like “please don’t go.” You’ll feel the vocal tug and your listener will, too.
Result: You increase the range and depth of emotions you convey. For example, if you cry softly while singing, it will sound like a whimper and possibly like feeling defeated, but if you belt while using the whimpered larynx, crying may sound like a desperate plea. Add a little grit in there, and now the desperate plea sounds like a command and has a little anger or frustration baked in.
2. The Head Tilt for Effortless High Notes
Forget everything you heard about looking up for high notes. Instead, tilt your chin slightly down and forward while also dropping your jaw significantly. This R&B singing technique helps alleviate tension in your larynx and allows you to sing high notes with ease and power.
Used by: Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Eric Benet
Result: Less tension, better control, and smoother tone on high notes.
3. The Finger Trick for Vocal Runs
Run accuracy is about feeling your way through the notes, not just hearing them.
Place your finger gently on your throat near the base and front of it (don’t press). You just need to feel the vibration while you sing. This helps you feel the work your cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscles are doing, as they are responsible for pitch control. As you sing a riff, feel the pulse change in vibration as you clarify and separate your notes. This will help you master clean riffs and runs and avoid muddy slides.
Great for building muscle memory in your runs.
Result: This R&B singing technique is a great way to practice “feeling” note separation and controlling pitch even more when singing riffs and runs.
4. The Delayed Vibrato
Most singers overdo vibrato, making notes sound wobbly and unsteady. Instead, try holding the note straight first, then add vibrato at the end.
Not sure how to control your vibrato? Watch this video. First, ensure your breath support is consistent and comes from the diaphragm.
Then try the ‘micro bend’ approach: slowly relax into a -30 cent pitch bend below your target pitch and then back to the original pitch. (You’ll want to use a tuner app like OnPitch to see it.) For example, you can sing an A3, hold it, and drop down slightly but never to where it goes to G#3. The purpose of this is so you can feel the pitch control.
Do this with a 60bpm metronome, and do the micro-pitch bend on every beat. Once controlled, gradually increase bpm to 80, then 100, and when you advance to 120 bpm, your muscle memory will take over and it will be automatic.
After establishing control of your vibrato, you can relax and stabilize your pitch to sing straight, then gradually activate those cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscles again. It will feel like a gentle waver or dip near the bottom of your throat internally.
Result: This R&B singing technique gives you polished, professional phrasing that makes you sound more in control during your performance and creates emotional build-up.
5. Lazy Consonants (Intentional Mumbling)
You’ve been told to over-enunciate. In R&B, do the opposite. Soften your consonants for that intimate, vibey sound.
“I don’t want to” becomes “I don’ wanna.”
Artists who use it: Summer Walker, Frank Ocean, Bryson Tiller
Result: This R&B singing technique makes you sound more relatable and often more intimate and conversational for the listener. This is important for listeners to feel emotionally connected to the story and message of your song.
6. The Whitney Vowel Hack
Inspired by the vocal legend herself, Whitney Houston, this trick helps you sing with open, resonant vowels for better tone.
Instead of tight vowels like “oo,” use shapes like ‘ew’. To do this, make the ‘eh’ sound with rounded lips. (see: I Will Always Love You)
Example: “You” becomes “Yew” | “I” becomes “Ah” | “Love” becomes “Luhv”
Even The Weeknd uses this R&B singing technique (see: Crew Love).
Result: Using this R&B singing technique will help you sing even the most difficult words with more clarity and ease while also controlling your tone.
7. The Reverse Slide for Smooth Runs
If your runs sound choppy, add a reverse slide just before you launch into them.
Try this:
- Without slide: “I won’t give it awaaay”
- With reverse slide: “I won’t give it... ah-waaaay”
Result: This R&B singing technique creates smooth, connected phrasing that flows naturally into runs. It makes your melodic choices more seamless.
Want to Master These R&B Singing Techniques With a Coach?
Book a 1:1 Vocal Diagnostic with Kristal Cherelle. At Indie Artist School, Kristal Cherelle helps singers identify strengths, fix vocal issues, and transform their R&B voice with personalized coaching.
- R&B Singing Success System
- Custom Vocal Exercises
- Breath Support & Range Expansion
- Belting & Riff Mastery
- Trills, Flips, and Tone Polishing
- 24 Live Zoom Sessions, Email Support, and Feedback Recordings
Want to Learn At Your Own Pace?
The R&B Singer’s Arsenal is a self-paced online course packed with:
- Skill-building vocal exercises
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Which of These 7 R&B Singing Techniques Was Your Favorite?
Don’t forget to keep watching and learning more R&B singing techniques, the next step in your vocal glow-up.