Soul-Training: Riffs, Runs, & R&B Singing
Tuesday 2nd September 2025, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
In this interactive workshop, participants will have an opportunity to explore soul singing and R&B vocal styles with deep roots in the African American musical tradition (Rhythm & Blues).
After a brief history detailing how African-American music laid the foundations of soul and R&B vocal techniques, we’ll be focusing on the R&B styles that emerged from the 1960s through early 2000s. Lisa Popeil will share insights gained from her years of study and practice, with singers, voice teachers, and anyone interested, guiding participants through the techniques of this style. And no discussion of Soul-Singing would be complete without exploring the art of “vocal runs, riffs or licks”, which are a core improvisational language within the tradition.
Other vital topics related to singing soulfully regard having a particular relationship to “the beat”, compared to how classically trained singers might consider core beats and rhythms in general. R&B singing exhibits rapid dynamic, adduction, and resonance shifts as well as specific resonator shapes that help produce the most authentic sound.
The movement of the body and how that relates to soulfulness in singing will be explored, so dress comfortably!
Finally, we’ll be studying many great artists and their methods such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, James Brown, Luther Vandross, and Aretha Franklin to see what we can learn and model from their individual approaches to this vocal style.
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available
Lisa Popeil
Lisa Popeil, MFA in Voice, has studied voice for 60 years and has taught professionally in a variety of styles of singing for over 40 years. Based in Los Angeles, California, Lisa is the creator of the Voiceworks® Method, the Total Singer DVD and the Total Singer Workshop.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
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Join Kevin Wilson for this six-part certificated course, offering an in‑depth, practical exploration of contemporary voice teaching for musical theatre. Across six focused classes, participants develop a systematic approach to vocal technique, diagnosis, and repertoire selection that reflects the stylistic, physical, and emotional demands of the genre. The curriculum integrates vocal science, embodied voice work, registration theory, and stylistic awareness across the five major sub‑genres of musical theatre.
Thursday 20th August 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Join John Henny as he builds on the foundations of AI for voice educators by focusing on practical applications for running and growing a teaching studio. Designed specifically for voice teachers, the session shows how AI can support studio operations, content creation, research, and business development, with one foundational skill at its core: training AI in your own teaching voice, pedagogy, and communication style.
Wednesday 26th August 2026
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Fine control of the vocal tract shape is important for producing acoustic characteristics that may be targeted in singing. Join Dr Brad Story as he focuses on how the vocal tract shape can be tuned (i.e. modified) in both large and subtle ways to enhance the signal radiated from a singer to an audience. The session will include the vocal tract shape contributions to the ‘singing formant’, enhancement of vibrato, and harmonic/formant alignment.