Learn some turns
Lesson time: (2min 3sec)
Jono McNeil walks you through vocal turns over a backing track, with beginner, intermediate and advanced versions to work up to.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Licks, Riffs & Runs for Pop Singers
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Music Lesson: Learning Turns
Introduction
So we're going to do turns today. We'll be using the backing track for this exercise.
These can take time to learn, so I have three different stages designed to help you through this:
- Beginner Stage
- Intermediate Stage
- Advanced Stage
Let's give this a go!
Beginner Stage
Backing Track: (Play the track)
Start with the beginners:
- Count: 1, 2, 3
- Focus on getting every single note nice and accurate.
Repeat:
- 2, 3
- Whoa.
You might want to even change the vowel up. Here's an R.
Repeat:
- 2, 3, 4
- Great.
Intermediate Stage
Next, a little something for our intermediate learners.
- We're going to do a long note, and then finish with a really fast sound.
Count: 1, 2, 3
Sound: F O.
Try it with me one more time.
Advanced Stage
Now, for our advanced option for those who want to push themselves a little more.
- We're going to do three turns in a row.
Count: 3, 4
- A little break.
Repeat:
- Here we go.
- And again: 2, 3, 4.
Great! You're doing great!
About the instructor
Jono McNeil has provided vocal coaching for professional singers, contemporary artists and vocalists in a range of influential positions within the entertainment industry for over 20 years. He works as a vocal coach across a variety of TV shows including The Voice Kids, The Voice UK, Little Mix The Search, The Masked Singer, Wedding Day Winners and Change Your Tune, and coaches touring acts such as JLS, New Rules and July Jones to name a few. An artist and singer in his own right, Jono has also performed with Michael Buble, Paloma Faith, Josh Groban, Nelly, Jamie Cullum, Lemar, George Ezra and Jocelyn Brown, and has several original albums available on streaming platforms. He combines his experience on stage and in the recording studio with a deep understanding of vocal function to provide effective and inspirational coaching experiences. Previously he worked as the head of vocals at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM), lecturing and designing content for the degree vocal curriculum in popular music, and now continues to work as an external examiner for other academic institutions such as the Leeds Conservatoire. Passionate about the possibilities of popular music and artistry, he pursues innovative research and strategies to see this realised; his academic qualifications include a degree in Jazz and a masters in Vocal Pedagogy. In Licks, Riffs & Runs for Pop Singers, Jono shows you exactly how to add the agile runs, riffs and licks that define modern pop singing, so you can decorate a melody with confidence and make it your own. read more