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Triplet flow
Four triplets on the minor pentatonic – three syllables per beat, the signature rhythm of melodic rap – then a long note to land on.
Triplets put three even notes into one beat, and they're the signature rhythm of melodic rap. This phrase strings four triplets together on the minor pentatonic, using the root, minor third, perfect fourth and perfect fifth. It ends on a long root note. It trains evenness and quick pitch changes at a steady pulse, with light “ta ki ta” syllables.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano play the pattern first, and count the three even sounds inside each beat.
- Sing “ta ki ta” with the first syllable landing on the beat. Make all three syllables the same length.
- Keep the pulse in your body with a small nod. Don't wait for a click, because there isn't one during the exercise.
- Check the piano roll: three short, level segments per beat, with no gap after the second one.
- If the rhythm falls apart, lower the tempo with the slider, or accept “Retry slower” when the app offers it.
Coach's tip: The first syllable of each triplet falls on the beat: “TA ki ta”. Keep all three even, with no gap after the second. If the rhythm falls apart, lower the tempo with the slider.
What to watch out for
Triplets tend to collapse into a hurried two-and-a-half. The third syllable gets squeezed, or the second one drags. Keep the syllables small and the consonants quick, not heavy. Notes in the middle of a triplet often come out flat because the voice is racing, so slow down before you chase accuracy. Land the final long note calmly, and stop if your jaw or tongue tenses up.
Who it's for
Best for singers who already feel steady with simple eighth-note phrases and want to sound more fluent in melodic rap. Use it in the main block of a session, after warming up with “Flow warm-up “yo””. Once triplets feel even, try “Flow switch: eighths and triplets” to change rhythm inside a single phrase.
Opens the app in your browser. Free to start, no account needed. Put on headphones first.
Related exercises
- Fast 5-note scale The same scale as in the basics, twice as fast.
- Fast 1-3-5-8-5-3-1 Arpeggio in eighth notes.
- Fast diction “ta ka di mi” Quick syllables on a few neighbouring notes: diction training like a song with a fast lyric.
- Trill 1-2-1-2-1-2-1 A fast alternation between two notes.
- Flow warm-up “yo” A short rhythmic phrase on a few neighbouring notes of the minor pentatonic, like melodic rap. Warms up your voice and your sense of the beat at once.
- Minor pentatonic The minor pentatonic up to the octave and back, the basic scale of R&B and soul runs. The minor third and the seventh give it a darker color than the major pentatonic.