01.25 - How to Increase Vocal Agility: Improve Your Runs, Licks, and Coloratura Passages

Learn the important techniques for getting better at runs, licks, and coloratura passages. It all comes down to learning how to sing with vocal agility and flexibility. Go to theinsidevoice.org for the full instructional video, targeted vocal exercises, and to sign up for a trial of our Inside Voice program with personalized teacher feedback.
Vocal agility is an important skill to develop, whether you're singing a pop run or a coloratura passage in a classical or musical theatre piece.
We'll give you vocal agility exercises, show you some riffs, and teach you some great vocal techniques.
Learn what to do with your breathing, your larynx, and your onsets, learn how to release tongue tension, and watch TIV student Drew crush an impressive series of vocal runs.
Finally, find out how laughing like Glinda the Good Witch can help improve your riffs, runs, and coloratura work.
Huge credit to Estill Voice Training for the information on aspirate abrupt onsets as it relates to coloratura singing, as well as false fold retraction. Check out their social:
LinkedIn: Estill Voice International
Facebook: @estillvoice
Instagram: @estillvoice
Twitter: @estillvoice
TikTok: @estillvoice
Learn more about Estill Voice: www.estillvoice.com
#EstillVoice #EstillVoiceTraining
If you liked this video, make sure to hit that subscribe button - we bring you a new vocal lesson every week, with instruction on how to sing in any genre!
Working on your own vocal runs? Tell us about how it's going and leave your questions in the comments section.
You'll find much more practice on singing with agility and separate videos for high and low-voiced singers.
Instagram: @the_inside_voice
Facebook: @mollysmusicschool
Website: theinsidevoice.org
#vocalagility #riffsandruns #howtosing #singinglessons

[@Sano.Produced]

Great video!

[@jazlinshai777]

The end exercise with the piano was really helpful !

[@TheInsideVoice]

Just saw this! I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@forthekingandkingdom8148]

I love this... Really helpful video

[@TheInsideVoice]

So glad it was helpful!

[@painless4785]

Hi! I usually find RUclips coaches saying that the larynx should remain low? Is this a myth? Also should I be feeling the larynx moving rapidly when doing runs? These questions I haven't been able to find answers to anywhere. Thanks. Love your content!

[@TheInsideVoice]

Hi! Thanks so much for the question! Yeah, the low larynx thing is a myth. It's a vestigial belief from the Western classical tradition, which did usually call for a relatively low larynx. But your larynx for other genres is all over the place. In case it's helpful, here's a video I put out on larynx height: ruclips.net/video/Yn7YPgV3co8/видео.html. Re the question about your larynx moving rapidly, yes! Even when you're keeping a relatively low or neutral larynx, it'll move up and down with pitch, so if you're doing a run, you'll likely be able to feel it moving quickly, especially if the run spans a longer group of notes.

[@TheInsideVoice]

@Adonister87 thanks so much for the thoughtful comment, and I’m so glad the aspirate onset thing was helpful! Yeah, absolutely! I didn’t mean to imply that the low larynx was just something vestigial we shouldn’t use anymore-just that when teachers say it should *always* be low, the idea is just something that came out of an operatic tradition. I totally agree with you that it depends how you want to sound and that pop artists can use it to great effect for a warmer tone.

[@anakirilova6259]

@@TheInsideVoiceThanks for this clarification, it’s very helpful!

[@nathanconway131]

Hiya, should I feel any particular feeling when riffing or running? Sometimes I feel like Im singing all the notes but when I listen back it sounds too wishy washy and wondering if I should imagine the notes while singing or feel the notes.

[@TheInsideVoice]

Hi Nathan! If the sound is too wishy-washy, you could try imagining the notes as minute puffs of air (like the way laughter feels). You'll also feel a very rapid bouncing movement around where your abdominopelvic area is. Hope that helps!

[@johannessfantinah2090]

How long it takes to sing the best with such exercises

[@TheInsideVoice]

Hi Johanness! It's a tough question to answer without knowing your starting point, and also because you can continue to improve even when you're really advanced, but you can usually hear some very audible improvement within a few months of diligent practice.