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Melisma 1-2-3-2-1-2-3-2-1
Nine notes on one vowel.
Melisma 1-2-3-2-1-2-3-2-1 moves through the first three degrees of the major scale, root, major second and major third, up and down twice: nine eighth notes at 130 beats per minute on one vowel. That's exactly what a melisma is in singing, several notes on one syllable. The range is tiny, a major third, so the challenge is precision and evenness, not height. 'Oh' is a rounded vowel that stays stable while the pitch moves, a good model for Light pop runs.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano play the nine notes; hear them as one smooth wave, not nine separate dots.
- Start 'oh' on the root and keep lips and jaw still while only the pitch moves.
- Sing through all nine notes in one breath, landing on the final root for a full beat.
- Check the roll: the third degree, the top of each wave, should be green both times.
- Each of the four repetitions begins one semitone higher.
Coach's tip: The vowel doesn't change – only the pitch. Jaw still.
What to watch out for
Two mistakes dominate. First, the vowel changes: 'oh' drifts toward 'ah' at the top and 'oo' at the bottom, which makes the run bumpy and lands the third degree flat. Second, the middle root gets skipped, turning nine notes into a slide. Slow it down and articulate each note mentally with a tiny 'h'. If the tempo feels impossible, sing only the first five notes until they're clean. Stop at any sign of strain.
Who it's for
Singers at an intermediate level who want tidy runs in a pop or soul style. Use it in the main block, after Fast 5-note scale or Trill 1-2-1-2-1-2-1, and before longer runs such as Pentatonic run down 8-6-5-3-2-1. It's tagged Light pop and appears in the Agility and runs program.
Part of programs: Agility and runs
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Related exercises
- Trill 1-2-1-2-1-2-1 A fast alternation between two notes.
- Fast octave scale A full octave in eighth notes.
- 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.
- Major pentatonic Five notes that almost all pop runs are built from.
- “Wee” siren through the passaggio The narrow “ee” vowel helps you ride through the voice “break” (E4–G4 for men) without a flip.