Agent skill

vocal-direction

Create detailed vocal specifications including style, register, techniques, emotional delivery, and influence references for AI music generation

View SKILL.md on GitHub Repository
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Install this agent skill to your Project

npx add-skill https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter/tree/main/library/specializations/domains/social-sciences-humanities/arts-culture/music-album-creation/skills/vocal-direction

SKILL.md

Vocal Direction

Create comprehensive vocal specifications for AI music generation platforms.

Overview

This skill provides frameworks for specifying vocal characteristics that AI music generators can interpret. It covers vocal style, register, techniques, emotional qualities, and artist influence references.

Capabilities

Vocal Style Definition

  • Specify tonal qualities (breathy, raspy, clear, nasal)
  • Define texture characteristics
  • Note brightness/warmth balance
  • Describe unique qualities

Register Specification

  • Identify vocal range requirements
  • Specify typical register usage
  • Note falsetto/head voice use
  • Define chest voice characteristics

Technique Identification

  • List specific techniques (vibrato, runs, growls)
  • Note dynamic approaches
  • Specify articulation style
  • Define phrasing patterns

Emotional Direction

  • Describe emotional quality
  • Note vulnerability levels
  • Specify intensity patterns
  • Define expressiveness type

Influence Referencing

  • Identify vocal influence artists
  • Specify what elements to reference
  • Balance multiple influences
  • Note era-specific vocal styles

Vocal Reference Database

Vocal Styles

Style Description Example Artists
Breathy Airy, intimate, soft attack Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey
Raspy Gritty, textured, worn Tom Waits, Amy Winehouse
Clear Pure, precise, clean Adele, Whitney Houston
Nasal Resonant, distinctive Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson
Husky Deep, warm, smoky Leonard Cohen, Sade
Ethereal Otherworldly, floating Enya, Cocteau Twins
Powerful Big, resonant, belting Celine Dion, Freddie Mercury

Vocal Registers

Register Range Characteristics
Bass E2-E4 Deep, resonant, grounded
Baritone A2-A4 Warm, full, versatile
Tenor C3-C5 Bright, lyrical, high
Alto F3-F5 Rich, warm, mezzo
Mezzo-Soprano A3-A5 Versatile, warm
Soprano C4-C6 High, bright, agile

Vocal Techniques

Technique Description Genre Context
Vibrato Pitch oscillation Classical, Soul, Pop
Runs/Melisma Rapid note sequences R&B, Gospel, Pop
Growl Distorted, aggressive Metal, Blues, Rock
Falsetto Head voice, airy Soul, R&B, Pop
Belt Powerful chest voice Musical Theater, Pop
Whisper Soft, intimate Indie, Pop, Electronic
Yodel Register flips Folk, Country
Fry Low, creaky Pop, Indie
Scream High-intensity shout Punk, Metal

Emotional Qualities

Quality Description Expression
Vulnerable Exposed, fragile Soft dynamics, breaks
Confident Assured, strong Full voice, clear
Anguished Pained, desperate Strained, dynamic
Joyful Happy, uplifting Bright, energetic
Melancholic Sad, longing Minor inflections
Defiant Rebellious, strong Aggressive edge
Intimate Close, personal Quiet, breathy
Passionate Intense, fervent Dynamic range

Usage Guidelines

Vocal Specification Format

markdown
## Vocal Direction

### Style
- **Primary Quality**: [Style descriptor]
- **Texture**: [Smooth/Rough/Warm/Bright]
- **Unique Characteristics**: [Specific qualities]

### Register
- **Range**: [Register name]
- **Primary Zone**: [Where they sit most]
- **Extended Range**: [High/low reaches]

### Techniques
- **Primary**: [Main techniques used]
- **Occasional**: [Sometimes employed]
- **Signature**: [Unique to this artist]

### Emotional Delivery
- **Core Quality**: [Primary emotion]
- **Dynamic Range**: [How much variation]
- **Intensity**: [1-10 baseline]

### Influences
| Artist | What to Reference |
|--------|-------------------|
| [Name] | [Specific quality] |

Quality Checklist

  • Style is clearly defined
  • Register is appropriate for genre
  • Techniques are genre-authentic
  • Emotional direction is specific
  • Influences are relevant and clear

Integration Points

Related Skills

  • SK-MAC-002 (style-specification) - Vocal in full context
  • SK-MAC-004 (persona-development) - Voice as character
  • SK-MAC-010 (music-prompt-engineering) - Platform formatting

Related Agents

  • AG-MAC-002 (music-producer-agent) - Vocal production

References

  • Vocal pedagogy resources
  • Genre-specific vocal traditions
  • AI music platform vocal tags

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