Rhythms & syllables (unit 1)

In this introductory course, Bob Stoloff teaches vocal improvisation (Scat) using a variety of musical styles.

This beginner-level scat singing course is for students who have never played music or an instrument before.

Using a progressive learning method, students will become familiar with rhythmic sounds & onomatopoeia, using different interpretations (binary, tertiary, swing) and building on various musical styles (pop, reggae, rap, jazz, shuffle).

Various exercises will be available at three speeds (slow, medium, fast), to help students to apply the rhythmic notions they’ve learned into practice. Don’t be shy and get to learn how to sing with Bob!

LESSON PRESENTATION

Available exclusively at:

View all Bob Stoloff's lessons

Learn how to Sing at imusic-school

A PROGRESSIVE LEARNING METHOD

RECOGNIZED TEACHERS AND ARTISTS

A TEACHING TEAM AT YOUR DISPOSITION

UNLIMITED ACCESS TO ALL COURSES

GUARANTEED PROGRESS

ADAPTED TOOLS AND SUPPORTS

Discover all our singing lessons

The main concepts taught

Syllables

Syncope

Slurs

Sighs

Tempos

Improvisation

Program proposed by Bob Stoloff

Unit 1 begins with a clear explanation of how beats are subdivided into 8th, triplet and 16th pulses. Each beat-pulse relationship is rhythmically interpreted with an even or swing feel that corresponds to a specific musical style. You will enjoy learning an extensive vocabulary of scat by articulating rhythmic patterns embellished with syllables, syncopation, accents, ties and slurs. All exercises have background sing-along tracks in a variety of musical styles including jazz swing, Latin Bossa Nova & Samba, rock, funk, shuffle, Reggae and Cajun.

Chapter	Detailed Notions
My First Sounds In this first chapter of this scat course introduction, you will learn to listen the rhythm and the music beat, then you will discover easy-to-use sounds. You will learn a brand new vocabulary of syllables to use.	Bob Stoloff, multi-instrumentalist gives you his history and his approach of Scat singing. Discover his listening tips and discover new artist names to learn more about scat. Your teacher will also guide you in your scatting practice and training. You will see your first syllable: the “Ba” sound. Practice on a variety of musical styles, with different accents and by using different rhythmic figures. You will then see the sounds “Doo”, “Da”, “Dwe” and “Sqwe” and learn to mix and accentuate their syllables.
The Syncope Here, you discover the syncope, which accentuates the setback. Do a series of exercises with your teacher to better assimilate this new rhythmic figure.	Discover the syncope on eighth notes and sixteenth notes. On still different styles, you will find the exercises seen in the previous chapter for the introduction of syncope. Then learn to work on the syllables by mixing them and using everything you have already seen. You will learn slurs, marcato accents and sighs.
Swing Rhythm Learn how to cut the swing and the syllables who fit the best.	On interactive exercises you will discover in this chapter how to do scat singing on swing rhythm. To do this, you will learn the rhythmic figure: the triplet. Discover the syllables connected with the sound “n” that can only be practiced with the language. You will learn the “va” sound widely used in fast tempos, as well as silences.
Funk Rhythm In this chapter, “scat” on funk music while learning new syllables and beats.	Bob Stoloff now shows you the subdivision into four time parts, which leads you to discover the sixteenth note. Learn the sound “l”, a little more difficult sound, to master for some languages. Apply this new sound to adapted interactive exercises.
Swunky Rhythm The Swunk is a mix of swing and funk, discover the mix of these two styles.	You take the division into 4, but this time you will apply your knowledge in scat by mixing what you saw on the swing part, cut into 3 beats and the funk part, divided into 4. Practice on the exercises proposed by your teacher to finalize your the initiation to scat.
Bob Stoloff’s Conclusion For this last chapter, Bob shares with you some last tips and advices.	You will find all the knowledge acquired in this course mixed on improvisation sessions. Bob Stoloff will guide you first and then it will be up to you to create your own sentences. Improvise on jazz, swing, funk, reggae, RnB and swunk! All with different tempos. If you feel the need, do not hesitate to retrace your steps to review previous lessons and exercises.

Lesson plan

Chapter	Detailed Notions
My First Sounds In this first chapter of this scat course introduction, you will learn to listen the rhythm and the music beat, then you will discover easy-to-use sounds. You will learn a brand new vocabulary of syllables to use.	Bob Stoloff, multi-instrumentalist gives you his history and his approach of Scat singing. Discover his listening tips and discover new artist names to learn more about scat. Your teacher will also guide you in your scatting practice and training. You will see your first syllable: the “Ba” sound. Practice on a variety of musical styles, with different accents and by using different rhythmic figures. You will then see the sounds “Doo”, “Da”, “Dwe” and “Sqwe” and learn to mix and accentuate their syllables.
The Syncope Here, you discover the syncope, which accentuates the setback. Do a series of exercises with your teacher to better assimilate this new rhythmic figure.	Discover the syncope on eighth notes and sixteenth notes. On still different styles, you will find the exercises seen in the previous chapter for the introduction of syncope. Then learn to work on the syllables by mixing them and using everything you have already seen. You will learn slurs, marcato accents and sighs.
Swing Rhythm Learn how to cut the swing and the syllables who fit the best.	On interactive exercises you will discover in this chapter how to do scat singing on swing rhythm. To do this, you will learn the rhythmic figure: the triplet. Discover the syllables connected with the sound “n” that can only be practiced with the language. You will learn the “va” sound widely used in fast tempos, as well as silences.
Funk Rhythm In this chapter, “scat” on funk music while learning new syllables and beats.	Bob Stoloff now shows you the subdivision into four time parts, which leads you to discover the sixteenth note. Learn the sound “l”, a little more difficult sound, to master for some languages. Apply this new sound to adapted interactive exercises.
Swunky Rhythm The Swunk is a mix of swing and funk, discover the mix of these two styles.	You take the division into 4, but this time you will apply your knowledge in scat by mixing what you saw on the swing part, cut into 3 beats and the funk part, divided into 4. Practice on the exercises proposed by your teacher to finalize your the initiation to scat.
Bob Stoloff’s Conclusion For this last chapter, Bob shares with you some last tips and advices.	You will find all the knowledge acquired in this course mixed on improvisation sessions. Bob Stoloff will guide you first and then it will be up to you to create your own sentences. Improvise on jazz, swing, funk, reggae, RnB and swunk! All with different tempos. If you feel the need, do not hesitate to retrace your steps to review previous lessons and exercises.

Get started

A word from your teacher

Students will work with their teacher through imitation. The goal of this course is to assimilate the vocabulary & articulation necessary to practice on the different scales (major, minor, pentatonic, modal) that will be introduced in the second part of this study.