Vocal R&B Workshop

Beyonce, Babyface, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan y Stevie Wonder all share the fact that they are R&B music icons. Surely you’ve noticed that this style is present in much of the music industry, but, what you might not have know, R&B has roots in blues and gospel.

This workshop is an intense journey from traditional R&B to doo-wop, Ray Charles, Motown, the soul of James Brown and Aretha Franklin, the funk of Prince, the impulse of New Jack Swing, Hip Hop Soul, and the latest trends of today.

Improvisation is very important in R&B. You will learn how to perform shouts and riffs while working with pentatonic and blues scales. Falsetto and belting also play a major role. We address these techniques from a healthy vocal viewpoint.

Delve into the textures, the syncopation, and realize how the “call and response” structure works in gospel and is also embodied in modern R&B.

With these techniques, students who come to Gershwin will learn how to interpret a classical/contemporary song and to turn a pop song into a R&B song. Continued practice will make you fully aware of integrating certain aspects, such as breath, pitch, articulation, phrasing your own style, and rhythmic sense. This will give authenticity to your performance and give you the confidence to convey ease and freedom onstage.

Objectives of this workshop:- Learn techniques of this style in relation to phrasing, articulation, use of syncopation.

•  Work with improvisation and blues pentatonic scale.
•  Know the terminology of R&B: blue notes, riffs, moans, slurs, shouts, growls, etc.
•  Work vocal technique to achieve belting, falsetto and textures (gritty, hard, light, etc.)
•  Be familiar with the variety of R&B resources through the subgenres and repertoire of greats artists
•  Perform songs depending on style nuances
•  Gain confidence and stage presence
•  Improve gesture and body language
•  Learn to love the stage and make it a place of communication