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Blues run (minor pentatonic)
A darker, R&B version of the run. Seventh and minor third.
The Blues run is the minor pentatonic descending from the octave: octave, minor seventh, perfect fifth, perfect fourth, minor third, root. Compared with the major run, three notes change: the sixth becomes a minor seventh, the major third becomes a perfect fourth, and the major second becomes a minor third, which gives the phrase its darker, R&B color. Quick eighths with a held root at the end. “Noh” offers a soft “n” onset and a warm, rounded vowel that suits the mood and keeps the sound from thinning.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano play the six notes, then sing them on “noh”.
- Hear the minor seventh as a definite step down from the octave, not a slide.
- Watch the minor third block: green, without leaning toward the major third.
- Land the root and hold it warm and steady for the full length.
- Each repetition moves up a semitone, until you're near the top of your range, then the pattern comes back down the same way. Slow the tempo if any block stays red.
Coach's tip: Don't “smooth” the minor third toward major – it gives the mood.
What to watch out for
The minor third is where most singers go wrong; the ear pulls it toward the brighter major third, and the roll shows it slightly sharp. Keep it low and dark; that note is the mood. The minor seventh right after the octave also tends to sit a little high. The fourth gets swallowed at speed; give it its own weight. If the run blurs, drop the tempo before anything else. If anything feels tight, lower the range.
Who it's for
A level 3 exercise for singers who already have Pentatonic run down 8-6-5-3-2-1 clean and want a soulful alternative. Use it in the main block. Practicing Interval: minor third beforehand sharpens the ear for the note that defines this run. Not part of a program, so add it wherever runs fit in your session.
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Related exercises
- Mordent 1-2-1 and 1-7-1 A quick “touch” of the neighboring note and back. Upper and lower mordent.
- Long run 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 The whole scale down at a fast tempo.
- Run in groups of three The minor pentatonic going down in groups of three notes, each group starting one step lower. This is how longer R&B runs are built.
- Gospel run with turns A run from the octave down the minor pentatonic, with two turns on the way. A typical gospel and soul ornament.
- Twang on “nyah” A bright, narrow “nyah” on the first five scale degrees, holding the fifth. Twang is the safe base of rock edge – the voice sounds sharp while the throat stays loose.
- Scat warm-up in swing Root, second, third, fifth and back down – lightly, on “doo-bee”. Swing rhythm: the first note of each pair is longer, the second short, as in jazz.