Melisma
- How it sounds
- Several separate notes on one syllable
- What changes
- Pitch, in steps from note to note
- Where it fits
- Phrase endings and long syllables in pop, soul, R&B and jazz
Vocal runs and riffs: how to sing them
Runs, trills and other vocal ornaments. We’ll teach you to sing them cleanly and in the right places, from your first slow run to riffs in your own songs.
Taught by Polina Mirabeu, Estill teacher and singer
- 60 minutes, one-on-one
- Online via Zoom
- Lessons are taught in Russian
- Once or twice a week, whatever suits you
What you’ll learn
Here’s what you’ll be able to do. How fast you get there depends on your voice and how much you sing between lessons, so we don’t promise timelines.
- Sing clean runsEvery note is distinct, nothing gets smeared.
- Learn riffs from songsHear a run by a singer you love, break it down note by note and sing it: slowly at first, then up to tempo.
- Ornament without losing the wordsThe lyrics stay clear, even with five notes on one syllable.
- Stay in tune on fast notesYour voice doesn’t drift or tire: your throat stays free and the sound light.
- Make up your own riffsIn the style of the song: pop, soul, R&B, jazz, folk.
- Know when less is moreHear where a run fits and where the phrase works better sung straight.
Who these lessons are for
An honest look by level: who’s ready for runs now and who needs the basics first.
BeginnerYou've never had lessons, or it's been years since you sang
It’s probably too early to start with runs. A run relies on clean pitch and a light sound; without them, the notes get smeared. We’ll build the basics first and add simple ornaments as soon as they’re in place.
- Singing in tune: on fast notes, every slip is easier to hear.
- Singing lightly, without tension.
- First ornaments: a grace note and a three-note run.
It’s easier if you listen to a lot of soul, R&B or pop and sing along with the riffs. It’s harder if your pitch still wanders or your voice tires quickly: then the basics will take longer.
Developing singerYou sing for fun
A great time for runs: you already have the basics, and the ornaments will build on them.
- We break down riffs from the songs you sing.
- Slow patterns with a metronome, then up to the original tempo.
- Learning to ornament a phrase without losing the words.
It’s easier if you sing in tune and can sing quietly. It’s harder if you’re used to singing loud and pushing, or your throat tightens on high notes: then we’ll lighten the sound first.
ProfessionalYou perform or record
We work on what you need on stage and in the studio.
- Speed and precision in a full sound and up high.
- Your own riff style and improvisation.
- Runs that don’t wear your voice out by the end of a show.
It’s harder if your background is only classical or choir singing: ornaments are sung differently there, so we’ll need to adjust the sound.
Not sure what your level is? Start with an assessment
- A few questions and your setup
- A chat and a vocal assessment
- Your written plan
What are runs and riffs?
Runs and riffs, also called melismas, are ornaments in a vocal line: instead of one note, the singer moves quickly and cleanly through several neighboring notes. The most common ones in pop are the run (a fast passage on a single syllable), the trill and the grace note. You hear them in pop, soul, R&B, jazz and folk.
Ornaments make a phrase more expressive and instantly signal the style of a song. Singing with lots of ornaments is called melismatic singing. A good run sounds easy: you hear every note, the words stay clear and the pitch doesn’t drift. If a run sounds smeared or off pitch, it’s better to sing the phrase straight.
- RunA fast passage of several notes on one syllable, usually at the end of a phrase.
- TrillA quick alternation between two neighboring notes.
- Grace noteA short lead-in note just above or below the main one.
- TurnA figure around a note: the note above, the main note, the note below and back to the main note.
What runs and riffs sound like
The same phrase, first sung plain, then with ornaments. Listen for what changes.
One phrase, sung by Polina
0:00 / 0:08
Placeholder: Polina’s recording
- Plain. Each syllable on its own note. Remember the melody, next we’ll decorate it.
- Run. Listen to the end of the phrase: several notes on one syllable, each one distinct.
- Trill. A long note alternates quickly and evenly with the one next to it.
- Grace note. A quick lead-in just before the stressed note.
- Vibrato. One note that wavers slightly. No new notes are added, so vibrato isn’t a melisma.
Where you’ve heard them
- Whitney Houston, “I Will Always Love You”The last chorus
- Mariah Carey, “Vision of Love”The ends of phrases
- Pelageya, “Oy, to ne vecher”Ornaments on long vowels
Placeholder: Polina will confirm the song list
What your voice does when you sing a run
In Estill terms, a run rests on three things. If one of them isn’t working, the run gets heavy or goes off pitch.
On fast notes the vocal folds close thinly and lightly. Estill calls this thin folds. A heavy chest sound slows runs down: every note takes effort and the run drags. That’s why we start ornaments on a light sound and add weight later.
Your voice tunes each note of a run separately. Pitch changes when a cartilage in the larynx tilts and stretches the folds. When this tuning is quick and precise, the notes sound clean. When it isn’t, the sound slides from note to note and the run gets smeared.
When the throat tightens, a run sounds sticky and breaks off. Muscles in your torso and neck hold the sound, and Estill calls their work anchoring. They keep the sound steady while the pitch moves fast, so the throat stays free.
How runs differ from vibrato, glissando and coloratura
Vibrato
- How it sounds
- One note wavers slightly
- What changes
- Pitch, just slightly around one note; no new notes
- Where it fits
- Almost any long note in any genre
Slide
- How it sounds
- A smooth slide from note to note
- What changes
- Pitch, smoothly, with no separate steps
- Where it fits
- Sliding into a note and falling off at the end of a phrase
Coloratura
- How it sounds
- Long, virtuosic passages
- What changes
- Pitch, like a run, but with more notes and a classical sound
- Where it fits
- Opera and classical singing
How we teach runs and riffs
Four stages, from the basics to riffs in your own song. The stages aren’t strict: Polina picks exercises for your voice, and they overlap.
Basics: a light sound and clean pitch
We listen to your voice and build what ornaments rest on: singing in tune, a light sound, a free throat.
After this stage: your voice sings in tune and sounds light.
Slow patterns
Three to five notes on one syllable with a metronome, slowly. Every note clean and separate.
After this stage: a short run sounds clean at a slow tempo.
Common ornaments and speed
Pentatonic and scale runs, trills, grace notes, turns. We speed up as long as the notes stay clean; if the sound gets heavy, we go back to a slower tempo.
After this stage: common ornaments work at the tempo of the song.
Runs in your own song
We break down riffs by singers you love, decide where a run fits and make up your own.
After this stage: you add ornaments to a song yourself, in its style.
How long it takes
We don’t promise timelines: it depends on your voice, where you’re starting from and how much you practice between lessons. Your assessment shows which stage to start with.
Book a lessonWhat to expect in a lesson
60 minutes one-on-one on Zoom. Here’s what a typical runs and riffs lesson looks like.
60 minutes
- 5 minCheck-in and goalHow practice went and what we’re working on today.
- 10 minWarm-up for your voiceA light sound and agility before the fast notes.
- 20 minRuns and riffs exercisesPatterns for your stage: slowly, then faster.
- 20 minRuns in a songOrnaments in a song you sing: where and which ones.
- 5 minWrap-up and homeworkWhat went well and what to practice before next time.
After each lesson you get homework and materials, and Polina answers your messages between lessons.
Practice between lessons
Our free vocal trainer has runs and riffs exercises. It listens through your mic and shows whether you hit every note.
- Pentatonic run
- Trill
- Grace note
- Turn
Speed up while it’s clean. Each round gets faster if the last one was clean, just like in a lesson.
Open the trainerFree, no sign-up, and your audio never leaves your device.
Meet your teacher
Polina Mirabeu is a certified Estill teacher and singer. She has formal music training and more than 12 years of experience.
In lessons, Polina explains what your voice is doing in that moment instead of just asking you to copy her. So a riff that works in the lesson will work at home too.
Pricing and policies
Private online sessions: 60 minutes per lesson, 40 for the assessment. Taught in Russian.
Vocal assessment
€45/ 40 min
Counts toward a package if you buy one within 7 days
- A close look at your voice and your goal
- Your first exercises
- A written practice plan
Single lesson
€85/ lesson
60 minutes, one-on-one
- We work on your goal and your songs
- Homework and materials after the lesson
4-lesson package
€320/ package
Valid for 6 weeks
≈ €80 per lessonSave 6%
- Once or twice a week, whatever suits you
- Pick your first lesson time when you book, then schedule the rest through a personal link
Recommended
8-lesson package
€600/ package
Valid for 12 weeks
≈ €75 per lessonSave 12%
- Once or twice a week, whatever suits you
- Pick your first lesson time when you book, then schedule the rest through a personal link
Free rescheduling and cancellation up to 24 hours before your lesson. Every lesson includes homework, materials and support by message between lessons. You can book single lessons anytime, including after a package.
Frequently asked questions
Ask your own questionYes. A stiff voice usually comes from a heavy sound and a tight throat. That’s exactly what we work on: we start with slow patterns on a light sound, and agility grows from lesson to lesson.
Not if your throat is free and the sound is light. Runs on a tight throat tire the voice, so we start slow and quiet. If your throat feels scratchy, you keep wanting to clear it or your voice is worn out after practice, take a break and tell Polina. If hoarseness lasts longer than two weeks or it hurts, see a voice doctor first: a vocal lesson doesn’t replace a doctor.
You need to hear where the melody goes, and that can be trained. If your pitch still wanders, we’ll work on that first: on fast notes, every inaccuracy is easier to hear.
We don’t promise timelines: it depends on your voice, where you’re starting from and how much you practice between lessons. We start with slow patterns, and speed comes with practice.
Yes. Polina demonstrates a pattern, you repeat it, and she listens and corrects: every note of a fast run comes through clearly. And online, you learn from home, at a time that suits you and in Russian, wherever you live.
A computer or phone with a camera, a stable internet connection and headphones, plus a place where you can sing out loud. Lessons are on Zoom.
A run is one kind of melisma: a fast passage on one syllable. In pop, people often say runs and riffs for all of them. Trills, grace notes and turns are melismas too. The word melisma comes from the Greek “melos”, song.
It's a model that breaks the voice down into separate parts you can control. Read more on the Estill method page.
Book a lesson
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More techniques
- VibratoA natural pulse in long notes
- FalsettoA light, airy sound up high
- Mixed voice and high notesConnect your registers, extend your range
- BeltingFor singers who already have the basics
- PitchSinging in tune
On the blog
- Runs and riffs: how to learn to ornament a melodyExercises that take you from slow patterns to fast runs
- How to sing in tuneWhy your voice misses notes and how to train it
- Vocal warm-upsA short warm-up before you sing or start a lesson
Placeholder: the articles will go live with the blog