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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.
A gospel-style run from the octave: octave, minor seventh, octave, minor seventh, then fifth, minor seventh, fifth, and a plain descent through fourth and minor third to the root. The two turns, small loops around a note before you move on, are a classic gospel and soul ornament. The exercise trains agility and pitch accuracy in quick changes. “Yeah” starts with a relaxed “y” and lets the jaw stay loose.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano play the run once, then sing it back on “yeah” after the two count-in clicks.
- Start light on the octave. Drive each turn with your breath, not your throat.
- Sing it in three parts: the first turn, the second turn, then the run down.
- On the roll, check that every note in the turns is green, not only the landing notes.
- Each repetition moves up a semitone, then the run comes back down through your range.
Coach's tip: Drive the turns with your breath, not your throat – larynx calm, jaw loose. Clean first, fast later.
What to watch out for
The turns are where pitch goes wrong. The quick return to the octave often falls short and sounds flat, and the climb from the fifth back up to the minor seventh in the second turn gets rushed. Keep the larynx calm and the jaw loose, because tension makes runs stiff. Learn it slowly and speed up only when every block is green. Don't push for volume. If your throat scratches or hurts, stop.
Who it's for
A level 3 exercise for singers who already know Run in groups of three and want a more decorated line. Use it in the main block, after Turn 5-6-5-3-1 so the circling shape is familiar. Skip it when you're tired, because runs fall apart quickly on a tired voice. Picking the R&B / soul style gives it extra priority in the daily training.
Opens the app in your browser. Free to start, no account needed. Put on headphones first.
Related exercises
- Blues run (minor pentatonic) A darker, R&B version of the run. Seventh and minor third.
- 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.
- Hum with a blue third Root, second, a minor third that slides smoothly up to the major third, second and root – with lips closed. That slide from the minor to the major third is the “blue third”, a signature sound of soul and R&B.
- Major pentatonic Five notes that almost all pop runs are built from.