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Singers do a little vocal song and da-ee-a-ee-ance08:00 PM PST on Sunday, February 26, 2006By PAUL SAITOWITZ / The Press-Enterprise You see them all the time. From Mariah Carey to the latest wannabes jockeying for a spot on "American Idol," everyone seems to be doing it.
You know the drill -- right hand firmly gripped around the microphone, left arm flailing about sporadically and, of course, the plethora of notes flying your way like a machine gun spitting out bullets. Riffing -- turning words like "baby" into "ba-ay-ay-ay-bee-ee-ee-heee" -- has worked for singers like Joss Stone, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson, but many see it as overkill. "It's breathtaking when you hear someone that can really do it well, but that's rare," said Vanessa Jourdan, a Riverside-based singer/songwriter. "I'm more impressed with singers when they move with the song rather than try to blow their lungs out." En Vogue The emulation theory is understandable, considering many of today's pop divas are guilty of riffing, but not everyone is capable of pulling it off. According to Riverside vocal coach Billy Purnell, the technique of riffing makes singers who don't have the chops start over-singing because the style is so popular. Instead, he says, the practice should tastefully enhance a song rather than just show off range. "Some people try to overdo it, and it just doesn't work for them," he said. "There's kind of an unwritten rule that what you don't sing can be just as important as what you do sing."
Still, the method has become so popular that it has branched beyond pop music and found its way into other genres, including the traditionally twangy sounds of country. Carrie Underwood, the latest "American Idol" winner, has been known to riff, as has LeAnn Rimes. The waving hand has even permeated singers who built careers on not over-singing. "I always loved the early Whitney Houston records because of her great style and emotion," Jourdan said. "Her newer releases are totally different, there's a lot of vocal gymnastics going on. ... I guess that's what sells." Kasey Butler, 17, a Corona-based rhythm and blues singer who recently signed a contract with Universal Records, has implemented riffing to enhance her songs. She claims she was influenced by early artists such as Aretha Franklin, and though the style has become commonplace, there are still ways to inject originality into it. "I'm an R&B singer, so I definitely try to do a lot of riffing. The key is to try and make it original," she said. "When I'm in the studio recording, I go back and listen to each song to see where I can add riffing parts." Back to Developing Vocal Riffs - 1 Back to Developing Vocal Riffs - 2 |
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