R&B

Thea

Video Editing

Hire R&B artists who can create imaginative songs in the 12 bar blues in the keys of key of A, E and G with the 7th barre chords, scales and riffs, put R&B music to your lyrics, or perform your song. Find R&B WFH freelancers on January 21, 2025 who work remotely. Read less

Board & chat Inside your order

Work with talented musicians and artists who can write, arrange,

Singer-Songwriters

From solo vocalists to bands, create contemporary music and mixes

Pop

With an Akai Pro/MPC or Ableton Live (or any comparable

Hip Hop

Rock Music

Hire skilled online DJs (and MCs) to perform on turntables,

Disc Jockeys

Folk

Find skilled online opera singers from soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, countertenor,

Opera / Classical

Freelance experts on Digital Samplers and music synthesizers to create

Electronic Music

Graduates

Verified

Keep exploring

Wikipedia R&B Courses

Top Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

How are R&B songs written?

R&B (Rhythm and Blues) songs are characterized by their soulful melodies, rich harmonies, and a strong rhythmic foundation. Here's how they're typically written and structured based on music theory:

Lyrics and Storytelling:

Themes: R&B lyrics often focus on love, relationships, personal struggles, and empowerment. The storytelling aspect is crucial, with many songs using a narrative to convey emotion.

Rhyme and Flow: While not always strictly rhymed, R&B lyrics often employ rhyme schemes that can be simple (AABB) or more complex, depending on the artist's style. The flow of the lyrics is designed to complement the melody and rhythm, often with a conversational or poetic quality.

Hook: A memorable chorus or hook is central to R&B. It's usually where the main message or emotion of the song is encapsulated, repeated for impact.

Musical Structure:

1. Form:
Verse-Chorus Form: The most common structure in R&B includes verses, choruses, and sometimes pre-choruses or bridges.
Verse: Sets the scene or continues the story, often with new lyrics each time.
Chorus: The emotional or thematic peak, usually repeated.
Pre-Chorus: Builds anticipation for the chorus (not always present but adds dynamic variation).
Bridge: Provides contrast, introduces new material, or resolves tension before returning to the chorus or a final verse.
AABA Form: Sometimes used for classic R&B, where A sections are verses, and B is a contrasting section, often before returning to the A melody.

2. Harmony:
Chord Progressions: R&B often uses soulful, jazz-influenced chord progressions:
Common Progressions:
I - IV - V in major keys, which can be embellished or altered for more complexity (e.g., I - vi - IV - V).
ii - V - I in minor keys, or variations like vi - IV - I - V in major keys for a more melancholy feel.
7th Chords: Extensive use of dominant 7th, minor 7th, and major 7th chords for richness and tension resolution.

Extended and Altered Chords: R&B frequently incorporates 9th, 11th, and 13th chords for color and sophistication. Suspended chords or chords with added tones are also common for a unique harmonic feel.

Modal Interchange: Borrowing chords from parallel keys or modes to add variety, like using minor chords in a major key for emotional depth.

3. Melody:
Melodic Contour: R&B melodies often have a smooth, flowing contour that can mimic the natural inflections of speech or singing, particularly in the use of melisma (singing multiple notes to one syllable).
Scale Use: While major and minor scales are foundational, the pentatonic scale is widely used for its soulful sound. The blues scale, with its flatted 5th, adds that characteristic "bluesy" feel.
Melodic Motifs: Repeated melodic phrases or motifs that evolve throughout the song help in creating cohesion and memorability.

4. Rhythm:
Groove and Swing: The rhythm section (drums, bass) is crucial, providing a groove that often has a "swing" or "feel" that's distinct from straight time, giving R&B its danceable yet laid-back vibe.
Syncopation: Offbeat rhythms and syncopated bass lines are common, contributing to the genre's characteristic bounce.
Tempo: Can vary widely, but R&B often settles in a mid-tempo range that's conducive to both dancing and emotional expression.

5. Instrumentation:
Vocals: The voice is often the star, with techniques like falsetto, vibrato, or runs being highlighted.
Keyboards: Pianos or synthesizers provide chordal backing, bass lines, and sometimes lead melodies.
Guitar: Electric guitars might play rhythmically or add solos with a soulful, sometimes bluesy tone.
Bass: Often plays a melodic role, following or leading the chord changes with a strong rhythmic presence.
Drums: Keep the beat with a focus on the snare and bass drum for a deep, resonant sound.

6. Arrangement:
Build and Dynamics: R&B songs might start with a simple arrangement, building through layers to add emotional intensity, then strip back for effect in choruses or bridges.
Call and Response: A technique borrowed from gospel and blues, where a lead vocal phrase is answered by vocals or instruments.
Outro: Can be a fade-out, a return to the hook, or a unique section that leaves the listener with a final impression.

Music Theory Application:
Modulation: Some R&B songs might modulate to a new key for choruses or bridges to heighten emotional impact.
Harmonic Tension and Release: Using suspended chords, secondary dominants, or chromaticism to create tension that resolves into the chorus or key moments of the song.
Rhythmic and Melodic Variation: Even within the same chord progression, variations in rhythm or melody can keep sections fresh and engaging.

Understanding these elements helps in crafting R&B songs that not only sound good but also evoke the right emotional response, staying true to the genre's roots while allowing for modern evolution.

#JaneIsPowerful

Find people to hire.

Job done or your money back.

Continue with X

Continue with Google

Continue with email

Browse Categories

R&B

Getting services

Singer-Songwriters

Pop

Hip Hop

Rock Music

Disc Jockeys

Folk

Opera / Classical

Electronic Music

Keep exploring

Top Frequently Asked Questions

Find people to hire.

Browse Categories

Highest demand

Featured services

Key services

Highest demand

Featured services

Creative essentials

Highest demand

Featured services

Other bookings

Highest demand

Featured services

Creative essentials

Highest demand

Featured services

Core essentials

R&B

Getting services

Singer-Songwriters

Pop

Hip Hop

Rock Music

Disc Jockeys

Folk

Opera / Classical

Electronic Music

Keep exploring

Top Frequently Asked Questions

Find people to hire.

is available for hire!