melisma

American  

[mi-liz-muh] / mɪˈlɪz mə /

noun

Music.

plural

melismas, melismata

1. an ornamental phrase of several notes sung to one syllable of text, as in plainsong or blues singing.

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melisma British  

/ mɪˈlɪzmə, ˌmɛlɪzˈmætɪk /

noun

1. music an expressive vocal phrase or passage consisting of several notes sung to one syllable

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Other Word Forms

• melismatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of melisma

First recorded in 1605–15, melisma is from the Greek word mélisma “song, tune”; see melody, -ism

Explanation

Melisma is a musical term used to describe the technique of singing a single text syllable — like "love" — while moving between several different notes in succession. Melisma, often referred to as "riffing," is a common technique in rhythm and blues. You'll hear it in other types of music, too, including pop, opera, and gospel music. Melisma is often used to showcase a singer's agility and range, or to add flair to a song. You'll sometimes hear singers using melisma on words like "brave" and "free" when singing the U.S. national anthem. The opposite of melisma is syllabic singing, where each syllable of a word gets just one note — think "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

Example Sentences

He asked permission to try it out in front of the London audience, before drifting into a wordless, intimate melisma.

From BBC • Aug. 14, 2024

Her singing too strikes a throwback note, with less of the almost-rapping she was doing in songs like the trappy “7 Rings” and more of the fluid R&B melisma she inherited from Mariah Carey.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2020

The arresting opening sounds a high note with a long falling melisma on the syllable “la” and a very sparse bass line.

From New York Times • Dec. 20, 2019

Beyoncé’s proficiencies include the art of publicity, and her messaging is as precise as her melisma.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 18, 2019

The closing words of each Psalm are chanted more 171 slowly and impressively, a long "triad" being substituted for the "melisma," sung piano.

From Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from Italy and Switzerland by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix