Hey singers! I’m Kristal Cherelle, professional R&B vocal coach and founder of Indie Artist School, and today I’m giving you 9 R&B singing techniques, also known as ‘vocal tricks’, that will make your voice more dynamic, expressive, and unique. Whether in the studio or performing live, these techniques will elevate your singing and help you stand out.
Before diving in, let’s talk about the foundation you NEED to have before attempting these tricks:
✅ Breath support: You must know how to breathe and project from your diaphragm.
✅ Pitch accuracy: These tricks won’t sound polished if you struggle with staying on pitch.
✅ Resonance control: Understanding where to place your sound for the best tone is crucial.
If you need help mastering your vocal foundation, check out my 1:1 coaching program, the R&B Singing Success System, or my online course, The R&B Singer’s Arsenal. Now, let’s get into these 9 vocal tricks!
1. Vocal Trills: Add Texture and Style
A vocal trill is a quick oscillation between two notes (a major or minor second apart). This technique is commonly heard in R&B, soul, and gospel and can make your runs sound more intricate.
How to do it:
- Pick two notes close together.
- Rapidly alternate between them.
- Try adding a trill at the beginning or end of a run.
Want to master R&B trills, riffs, vocal runs, belting and more? Learn step-by-step inside The R&B Singer’s Arsenal.
2. Falsetto & Whistle Register: Beautiful High Notes
Both falsetto and whistle register are light, airy voice placements that add delicate and ethereal tones to your singing. It is a nice R&B singing technique to have in your vocal arsenal.
- Falsetto: Resonates in your nasopharynx (near your nose). Airy, light, and breathy tone.
- Whistle Register: A tiny opening in your vocal cords produces the sound, a bit more bright and bird-like. Most easily produced with notes higher than your head voice and falsetto. Think Mariah Carey or Minnie Riperton! Keep it gentle to avoid strain.
Struggling with falsetto or whistle notes? Book a 1:1 vocal coaching session and let’s perfect it together!
3. Vocal Flip: The Vibey Shift
A vocal flip happens when you suddenly switch from full voice to falsetto. This R&B singing technique is great for emotional, vibey R&B vocals.
Try this:
- Start with a strong full-voice note.
- Quickly flip into falsetto.
- Play around with different interval jumps.
4. Riffs & Runs: The Signature R&B Sound
Riffs and runs are essential for R&B singers! They follow major, minor, or pentatonic scales, but the key is agility. You can use this as sparingly or frequently as you like. Personally, I like them a lot!
How to develop fast & clean runs:
- Break them down slowly before speeding up.
- Sing them ascending and descending.
- Train with pentatonic scales.
Learn Brent Faiyaz, Jazmine Sullivan, and Brandy-style riffs in The R&B Singer’s Arsenal.
5. The Long Belt: Power & Control
Long belts capture attention and add drama to a song. Think Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’. Personally, I love a strong clear belt. There’s nothing quite like it.
How to sustain a strong belt:
- Expand your diaphragm fully before belting.
- Keep your jaw relaxed for resonance.
- Use strong breath support to avoid strain.
6. Crescendo & Decrescendo: Dynamic Contrast
- Crescendo: Start soft and gradually get louder.
- Decrescendo: Start loud and gradually soften.
Pro Tip:
- Use crescendos to build intensity in a phrase.
- Try decrescendos on a long belt to create an emotional effect.
These dynamic R&B singing techniques add interest and emotionality to vocal performances!
7. Growls: Grit & Soul
A controlled growl can add soulful grit to your voice. Think Christina Aguilera or Jazmine Sullivan.
How to do it safely:
- Start with a gentle vocal fry.
- Add a bit of air resistance for grit.
- NEVER force it. If your throat hurts, STOP.
8. Whispering: Smooth, Soft, & Intimate
Adding a whispery tone can make a phrase feel more intimate and emotional.
How to use it effectively:
- Let more air flow through your vocal cords. Think “h” sound before your vowels.
- Contrast whispering with stronger dynamics.
- Use it for breathy, vibey moments in R&B songs.
9. Talking: Conversational Singing
Sometimes, breaking into spoken words over the music adds authenticity and character to your performance.
Example: Usher, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Brandy, and Summer Walker often mix talking with singing for emotional impact.
Want a 1:1 coaching session to help make your singing more dynamic and unique? Book a lesson and let’s work together.
1:1 Live R&B Vocal Coaching
Looking for personalized guidance? Kristal Cherelle’s R&B Singing Success System offers:
- Vocal Diagnosis: Identify your strengths, set goals, and receive tailored feedback.
- Custom Exercises: Improve your voice through exercises proven to create healthy habits for both foundational techniques and R&B singing techniques like belting, breath control, dynamics, agility, resonance, vibrato, and more.
- Progress Tracking: Monitor growth with recorded sessions and mentor support.
- 24 Live Zoom Sessions: Real-time coaching on all the techniques you need to have a resilient, polished, and consistent voice. Kristal Cherelle will guide you in real-time, helping you adjust your techniques and approach to achieve a more polished sound and reach your vocal goals. This covers foundational professional singing techniques to help with breath control, vocal health, power, resonance, pitch accuracy, breath support, vocal range, clarity, ease, and control, as well as R&B singing techniques like rhythmic phrasing, riffs, trills, belting, whistle register, falsetto, dynamics, runs, and emotionality.
Apply now for 1:1 coaching at Indie Artist School
Online Singing Course: The R&B Singer’s Arsenal
For self-paced learning, check out The R&B Singer’s Arsenal. This course covers R&B singing techniques like:
- Exercises for Foundational Techniques: Breath control, range expansion, agility, belting, and performance techniques.
- Exercises for R&B Singing Techniques: Pentatonic melisma, trills, vocal flips, and belting drills.
- Lifetime Access
Start your R&B vocal journey today and improve your R&B singing techniques!