Earn the Riff: Why More Vocal Runs Don’t Always Mean Better Singing

Years ago, I sang in an open mic-style cabaret. The singer before me…let’s call him Joe… walked up, took his breath, and started singing. The music sounded familiar. I knew I knew the song. But for the life of me, I could not figure out what it was.

Joe had a great voice. No question. Big sound, confidence, plenty of vocal ability. But he was riffing on everything. Runs, flips, ornaments, extra notes, changed rhythms, melodic detours — the man took one perfectly good melody and sent it on a cross-country road trip without a map.

As an audience member, it was exhausting.

And here’s the part singers need to hear: ornamentation is not the problem. Ornamentation can be fantastic. Riffs, runs, melisma, fast phrasing, back-phrasing, gospel-style turns, R&B runs, pop embellishments. All of these can add personality, emotion, and style…

…when they’re earned.

When they’re not earned, they don’t sound expressive. They sound like vocal glitter thrown at a wall. A riff should never make the audience lose the song. It should make the audience feel the song more deeply.

That’s the difference between style and showing off.

First, Give Us the Melody

Before you start decorating the house, let us see the house.

The melody is the emotional spine of the song. It tells the listener where we are, what the composer intended, and how the story is going to unfold. If you distort the melody too early, the audience has nothing to hold on to.

This is especially important in musical theatre, cabaret, jazz standards, and any song where the lyric matters. The audience needs to understand the thought before you start bending it.

I’m not saying you have to sing everything exactly as written forever. I am not a museum guard standing next to the sheet music with a flashlight. But the first time through, especially in the first verse or first major statement of the song, give us the melody clearly enough that we know what world we’re in. Then, as the song grows emotionally, you can start to play. That’s where riffing becomes powerful.

Technique 1: Sing the Melody Straight First

Before adding a single run, sing the song exactly as written.

No riffing. No “just a little taste.” No surprise vocal gymnastics because you got bored after four measures. Sing the melody cleanly. Find the original shape. Notice where the phrase rises, where it releases, where the lyric lands, and where the composer already gave you emotional information.

Then ask yourself:
Where is the song calm?
Where does it build?
Where does the lyric become more urgent?
Where does the character or singer finally lose control?

Those are the places where ornamentation might belong.
Not every phrase needs extra notes. Some phrases need honesty. Some need stillness. Some need you to get out of your own way and sing the damn song.

Technique 2: Choose One “Money Moment”

Here’s a practical rule: don’t riff everywhere. Choose one or two moments that deserve it.

A great riff should feel like an emotional release. It should happen because the song has reached a point where plain speech is no longer enough.

That might be near the end of the song. It might be on a repeated phrase. It might be after the lyric has already established the story and the singer finally lets loose. But if every phrase is decorated, nothing is special.

Think of it like acting. If an actor pauses after every line, the pause stops meaning anything. But if the actor earns one perfectly placed pause, the whole room leans in.

Singers are the same way. You have to earn the riff. So instead of asking, “Where can I add a run?” ask:

“What moment in this song has earned a bigger vocal choice?”

That question alone will save you from sounding like Joe. Bless his heart...

Technique 3: Practice the Run Intentionally

A lot of singers try to learn riffs by throwing their voice at the notes and hoping confidence will cover the mess.

I promise, It will not.

A riff is not a vocal sneeze. It has notes. It has rhythm. It has direction. It has a vowel. It has a reason. So practice it like an actual piece of music.

Slow it down first. Sing every note clearly. Then speak the lyric or vowel through the rhythm. Then sing it again slowly, making sure the notes are clean and connected. Once it is accurate, gradually speed it up. If the riff falls apart when you make it faster, that usually means you never really knew it slowly.

And please, for the love of Sondheim and basic human decency, record yourself. What feels exciting in your head may sound chaotic out loud. The recording will tell you the truth. 

The Real Test: Does It Serve the Song?

Here’s the question I want every singer to ask before adding a riff:

“Does this choice reveal more emotion, more character, or more story?”

If the answer is yes, keep exploring.
If the answer is, “Well, it proves I can do a run,” take it out.

Your voice is not there to audition for the Olympics. Your voice is there to communicate.

Riffing should come from the lyric, the emotional build, the musical style, and the moment. When it does, it can be thrilling. When it doesn’t, it just becomes noise in a fancy outfit.

So absolutely, play! Explore. Stylize. Back-phrase. Add ornamentation. Make the song your own.

BUT give us the melody first.

Let the song build. Then choose the moment where the emotion actually deserves the vocal fireworks. Because just like an actor must earn a pause, a singer must earn a riff.

Joe, wherever you are, this one’s for you.

If you have questions about how to add riffs, runs, ornamentation, or back-phrasing without turning your song into a melodic crime scene, go to KevinKellyVocalStudio.com and grab a FREE session.

Ask me for details.

Now go enjoy some well-deserved downtime, and celebrate what you accomplished this week. 😎