| What
Makes Barbershop Music Unique? In simple terms,
barbershop harmony is vocal harmony produced by four parts: lead,
tenor, baritone, and bass. Barbershop harmony is different
from any other kind of choral or group singing. Finding the
right part for your voice is the initial step. Any woman of
average singing ability with or without vocal training will find a
part that fits her range.
- Lead is the melody and is mostly sung in the range between A
below middle C and above middle C.
- Tenor is a harmony part sun consistenly above the lead.
Although tenor is the highest voice in barbershop harmony, tenor
should not be confused with the soprano of conventional singing
groups. The tenor should have a light, sweet, pure tone
that will complement the lead voice.
- Baritone covers the same range as lead and fills in the
chord. Baritone range crosses the lead notes, sometimes
sung below and sometimes above.
- Bass singers should have a rich, mellow voice and be able to
easily sing the E flat below middle C. Bass should not be
confused with the alto of conventional groups.
Barbershop is a style of a capella harmony characterized by a
cone-shaped sound and specific chord structures (arrangement),
delivery and interpretation. These integral factors contribute
to the lock-and-ring sound in which a perffectly sung chord creates
unsung harmonic overtones. In simple terms, barbershop harmony
is vocal harmony produced by four parts: tenor, lead, baritone, and
bass. Singing barbershop is different from any other kind of
choral or group singing.
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