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Subject: A-Cappella Music FAQ, Part 1/6
Date: 10 Sep 1995 22:40:49 GMT
Summary: Information About A Cappella (unaccompianed vocal music)
URL: http://www.best.com/~casa/FAQ1.html
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The rec.music.a-cappella & alt.music.a-cappella Frequently Asked Questions
Part One: General Info. and International/National A Cappella Organizations
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     Since the inception of the alt.music.a-cappella newsgroup in early
April 1993, a cappella singers and fans the world over have been
discussing all manner of topics on both a cappella newsgroups, and as
people come and go, the same questions will no doubt be asked several
times. To make the newsgroup a better place for us all, please read this
file before asking a question that might have been asked before. Of
course, if a topic is not covered within to your satisfaction, feel free
to discuss it on the net.

     The topics are arranged in Q/A form. The questions have been arranged
into six sections: 

     1) General Info. and International/National A Cappella Organizations
     2) Regional and Local A Cappella Organizations & Opportunities
     3) A Cappella Albums, Arrangements, Workshops, Competitions
     4) Arranging, Performing, and Recording A Cappella
     5) Specific A Cappella Groups and Albums
     6) A Cappella Internet Resources

     Album reviews and advertisements for albums aren't included in this
FAQ. Although some may say it isn't fair to include discographies and such
for certain professional groups and not for collegiate groups (for
example), we have included this information because people frequently ask
for it. Album reviews are often posted, but including them in this file
would make it much larger than it is.

     Todd Biske (biske@cs.uiuc.edu) keeps a file of advertisements for
collegiate albums posted on the net, which he posts periodically to the
newsgroup and which is stored on the archive at ftp.casa.org. If you have
anything to add to the list, please email him.

     If you have any ideas for questions to add to this FAQ, please
contact us. We can be emailed by replying to this post, or mail direct to
casa@casa.org. Feel free to ask us any a cappella related questions as
well.
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Questions answered in part 1:

Q. What is a cappella? Is there a standard definition of "a cappella
music", and what makes an "a cappella group"?

Q. How do I learn to sing in an a cappella group? Can just anyone do it?

Q. What is the range of the various vocal parts?

Q. Are there any international or national organizations for a cappella
singers and/or fans?

Q. Are there any a cappella publications?
----------------------------------------------------------------

Q. What is a cappella? Is there a standard definition of "a cappella
music", and what makes an "a cappella group"?

     The phrase "a cappella" is Italian in origin, as are most musical
terms. Literally it translates to "in the style of the chapel", which does
*not* mean "unaccompanied". It refers to choral music without *separate*
instrumental accompaniment. Instruments may be used to double the vocal
parts, such as using an electric bass to strengthen the vocal bass line,
and the piece is still a cappella.

     In light of this, an "a cappella group" is one that sings a cappella
music, with or without instrumental doubling. But does a group such as the
Nylons, who often use synthesized bass and drum machine, or Boyz II Men,
who perform some songs a cappella but are usually accompanied, qualify as
an a cappella group? This question is left to individual discretion and
opinion.

     The spelling of "a cappella" can also get on some people's nerves if
not done properly: a letter to the editor in the CAN commented:

     "In truth, 'a capella' means 'in your hair,' 'a cappello' means
     'in your hat,' and 'A Capella' is an astronomical reference to the
     first planet circling the star Capella in the constellation Auriga."

Q. How do I learn to sing in an a cappella group? Can just anyone do it?

     Sure, but like most things in life, it takes practice to be great. A
good sense of pitch is important, as is a good singing voice (particularly
one that can blend with others). Singing a cappella is much like singing
in a chorus, except there is usually only one person singing each part, so
it demands more from each vocalist. Novices might find more enjoyment (and
less stress) by joining an a cappella chorus initially, rather that a
group that has them alone on their part. Other ways to improve are to take
voice lessons, and to practice singing background parts along with a
cappella recordings. 

Q. What is the range of the various vocal parts?

     The standard range, or compass, of the traditional parts is as follows:
     (with C4 = middle C, C3 = C below middle C, etc.)
     Soprano: C4 - A5       (Also known as treble)
     Alto: G3 - D5       (Also known as contralto)
     Tenor: C3 - G4
     Bass: F2 - D4


         ---
          C     <---- "Really High C"  (2048 Hz, C7, c'''')      
         ---                           B6- one octave higher (B7) is
                                           the top note on the piano.
         ---     
                 
         ---     
  
         -C-    <---- Soprano High C  (1024 Hz, C6, c''') 
                 
         ---                           A5 = typical Sop top (for arrangements)
                                             
--|\------------ 
  | \            
--+/------------                        D5 = typical Alto top
 /|       C      Tenor High C  (512 Hz, C5, c'')  
|-/\------------                        B4
||| |     A                    (440 Hz, A4, c')       
|-\-/-----------                        G4 = typical Tenor top
 \|/            --|\------------ 
--|-------------  | \            
Treble          --+/------------                            D4 = typ. Bass top
Clef     -C-     /|     C <--middle C--->  -C-   (256 Hz, C4, c') typ Sop. btm
(G Clef)  ^     |-/\------------                            B3
          |     ||| |           ----------------            A3 = typ. Alto btm
middle C--/     |-\-/-----------  /--\  *     
                 \|/            -/----|--------- 
                --|-------------      | *                  
                 8va            ------|--------- 
                Tenor Clef           /      C    (128 Hz, C3, c) typ. Tenor btm
                                ----/----------- 
                                   /          
                                ---------------- 
                                Bass             F2=typ. Bass bottom
                                Clef       ---      
                                (F Clef)                 
                                           -C-   Low C (64 Hz, C2, C) 
                                                 
                                           ---               
                                                 
                                           ---   
                                                 
                                           ---   
                                            C    Contra C (32 Hz, C1, C1)
                                           --- 
         bottom note on the piano           A    Sub-Contra A (22.5 Hz, A0?)
                                                 (Can't hear much below this) 


Note that the ranges aren't meant to describe possible capability,
just the vast commonality that arrangers typically use when playing it
"safe."  

Also, Bass/baritone falsetto goes up to at least A5/C6
territory, and with C2 being a low but commonly-reachable Bass note, four
octaves is certainly possible for a fair number of basses or
baritones.  I start getting pretty skeptical or really impressed with
five.  Six seems a little, well,... un-natural, even with the
distinction of "singing" a note versus "making sound" on a pitch. ;-)
The piano has a little over seven octaves range. (thanks to Greg Weiss for
the ascii chart)

     Note for vocalists: If you're wondering what voice part you are,
realize that range is only part of the equation. The "center" or "sweet
part" of your range may tell you more than a laundry list of the notes you
can hit. For example, many male a cappella vocalists are tenors, even
though they can sing all of the bass notes above (or even lower). Also,
some popular musical styles and techniques have challenged these
traditional ranges, as many singers are often singing outside of their
previously accepted range. For example, second altos in female quartets
often sing a "bass line" that pushes the bottom of their range, and many
groups utilize modern or non-western vocal techniques (like vocal
percussion) that aren't as dependent on pitch as they are on timbre.

     Note for arrangers: You should arrange (or transpose) your music so
that your vocalists can stay roughly within these boundaries, unless you
know that a specific vocalist can sing outside them comfortably. These
voice ranges are the standard upon which most traditional choral writing
and arranging is done. However, for example, many a cappella groups
incorporate a man singing in his falsetto voice, which usually adds at
least an octave to the top of his range. Your best bet is to find out the
specific ranges of the voices you're arranging for before hand.


Q. Are there any international or national organizations for a cappella
singers and/or fans?

     Yes! There are several....

     * CASA - The Contemporary A Cappella Society of America *
     is a non-profit membership organization that was formed in 1990 to
foster and promote a cappella music. Members include thousands of fans and
vocalists as well as professional, collegiate, and recreational a cappella
groups from around the US and all over the world. There are a number of
free services for members:

     # The Contemporary A Cappella Newsletter # (the CAN) is published
bi-monthly and includes:
     CURRENT NEWS about what's going on in a cappella 
     in the US and overseas.
     CALENDAR of upcoming a cappella concerts and events 
     all around the country.
     CONCERT REVIEWS of performances by your favorite groups.
     INTERVIEWS with the big names in a cappella like Take 6, 
     the Bobs, Rockapella and the Persuasions.
     ALBUM REVIEWS of new releases by professional and 
     collegiate groups.
     ARTICLES ranging from starting your own group, to music theory, 
     to microphone and recording techniques.
     ADVERTISING including classifieds announcing new albums, 
     groups looking for members, and gig opportunities.
     OTHER ITEMS such as letters to the editor, tips on arranging 
     a cappella, and our annual trivia contest.

     # The A Cappella Directory # is a listing of hundreds of
professional, collegiate, and recreational groups as a well as important
contacts and a cappella affiliated organizations all around the world.

     # The Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards # (CARAs) are the a
cappella equivalent of the Grammies, and are awarded annually for the best
new releases from collegiate and professional groups.

     # The Arrangement Library # is comprised of hundreds of a cappella
arrangements of all styles from doo-wop, gospel and traditional to the
latest pop, rock, and R&B hits. A cappella arrangements for male, female
or mixed voices from three to twelve parts are available free of charge to
members.

     # Telephone Consultation and Help # is available every day of the
year. We offer experience and advice for professional and collegiate
groups, individuals looking to start or join a group, and organizations
looking for a cappella groups. We can help you find a group to perform at
the last minute, help your group make a great recording, and tell you the
best way to make the jump from singing on the weekends to full-time status
as a professional group.

     # The Ambassador Program # consists of regional CASA affiliates (in
the US and abroad) that organize a variety of local a cappella events in
their area, including: discount tickets and backstage passes to local
concerts, monthly a cappella sing-alongs and jam sessions, and
lecture/demonstration workshops with local a cappella groups. (see FAQ #2
for a listing of all ambassadors)

     # The Ultimate A Cappella Arranging Service # is staffed by
experienced arrangers that create custom arrangements in any style for any
combination of voices. UAAS has arranged over 500 songs, from simple
standards for quartets to complex fourteen part medleys. (Although there
is a charge for this service, CASA members receive a 33% discount).

     # Discounts # on a cappella related merchandise and services,
including $100 reduction on album manufacturing at Discmakers, discounts
on recordings, published arrangements, and custom arrangements are
available to all members.

     # Other services # include: songbooks of the most popular a cappella
arrangements in easy to sing versions, a cappella compilation albums like
the Best of College A Cappella CD, the a cappella recording archives, the
national college a cappella competition held each spring, and the
semi-annual A Cappella Summit, which brings groups and fans together for a
weekend of workshops, music, and fun.

     Memberships are $15 for an individual membership and $20 for a group
membership (add $5 for international). New members receive a free
classified ad in the CAN.

          CASA
          1850 Union Street, Suite 1441 
          San Francisco CA  94123.  
          Phone: (415) 563-5224
          Fax: (415) 921-2834
          Email: casa@casa.org
          Web: http://www.casa.org

     * SPEBSQSA *
     SPEBSQSA stands for The Society for the Preservation and
Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America. They are a very
large organization, with over 35,000 members.In addition to sponsoring
educational workshops and competitions from local to international levels,
SPEBSQSA also assists high school music programs through its "Harmony
Explosion" program, and also support a charity called Heartspring, which
helps children with speech defects. 

     They have a number of useful pamphlets on singing and arranging, as
well as an arranger's manual, available for about $30. Note that this
manual only deals with barbershop-style arranging, which deals almost
solely with major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. SPEBSQSA run a
week-long training camp in the first week of August in St. Joseph,
Missouri called Harmony College, and run competitions extensively.

          S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A.
          6315 Third Avenue
          Kenosha, WI 53143-5199
          Phone: 1-800 876-SING (8464)
          or (414) 653-8440
          Fax: (414) 654-4048 or 654-5552
          Email: brian-lynch@genie.gis.com

     There are a number of affiliated (but independent) organizations in
several countries, including:

          Australian Association of Men Barbershop Singers (AAMBS)
          Mell McMichael, President,
          16 Booral Street
          Buderim, Queensland 4556, Australia

          Barbershop in Germany (BinG!)
          Hans-Jurgen Wieneke, President
          Muhlgasse 8-12,
          6000 Frankfurt am Main 90, Germany
          [mit umlauts over the u's in Jurgen and Muhlgasse]
     
          British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS)
          Bob Walker, Chairman
          "St. Catherines", Highfield Road,
          East Grinstead, Sussex RH19 2DX, England

          Dutch Association of Barbershop Singers (DABS)
          Herman Feitsma, President,
          Klavermeen #1
          Harderwyk 3844 BR, The Netherlands

          New Zealand Association of Barbershop Singers (NZABS)
          Ross Gainsford, President
          25 Gordon Street
          Avalon, Lower Hutt, New Zealand

          Society of Nordic Barbershop Singers (SNOBS)
          Kjell Lindberg, President
          Norrangsvagen 54 (two dots over both a's)
          S-141 43 Huddinge, Sweden

          Southern Part of Africa Tonsorial Singers (SPATS)
          Chris Molyneux, President
          P.O. Box 242, Rondebosch 7700
          Cape Province, South Africa

They also maintain a Barbershop FAQ:

          http://www.mcs.com/~toma/www/pages/bbshop.faq.html

If you don't have access to a WWW browser, you can get the latest
version of this FAQ via email:

     send email to: agora@mail.w3.org
     BODY of msg: send http://www.mcs.com/~toma/www/files/FAQ.harmonet

As with all usenet newsgroups and mailing lists, proper "netiquette"
calls you to read the FAQ files before sending questions to the list.
NOTE: The scope of this FAQ does not cover all aspects of barbershop
harmony, or even of SPEBSQSA.  To keep this file relatively short, its
intended scope is to cover the content of the bbshop mailing list so
that new members can come up to speed quickly.  If you want further
details, consult the ftp and web sites listed here.


     * Sweet Adelines International *
     The Sweet Adelines are the female counterpart to SPEBSQSA, with
around 29,000 members around the world. Although they also emphasize the
barbershop style of harmonizing, they don't make as much of an effort to
"preserve the style" as SPEBSQSA.

          Sweet Adelines International
          PO Box 470168
          Tulsa, Oklahoma  74147
          Phone: 1-800 992-SING

     * Harmony Incorporated *
     Another women's barbershop singing organization. Legend has it that a
major schism in the Sweet Adelines lead to the formation of this group
several years ago.

          Harmony Incorporated
          c/o Joanne Rohrer, Editor "Keynote"
          RFD-1 Box 142,
          East Calais, VT, 05650.

     * Sydney A Cappella Association *
     Based in Sydney Australia, they publish a newsletter (the "Oral
Majority"), support local & touring groups, and promote and sponsor
workshops, singing classes, and performances. They are the largest a
cappella organization in Australia, and although they are centered in
Sydney, they have information about a cappella across Australia.

          Sydney A Cappella Association
          PO Box 40
          Broadway NSW 2007
          AUSTRALIA
          Phone: +61 2 692-0969 (Ann Babinard, Secretary)

     * Associated Male Choruses of America *
     They're an organization comprised of professional and recreational
male choruses in the US and Canada. They also publish a newsletter, "The
Chorister." 
     
          Associated Male Choruses of America
          c/o Ron Felsch
          1204 South First St.
          Stillwater, MN 55082

     * Chorus America *
     An organization comprised of the best professional choruses in the US
(Chanticleer, Dale Warland Singers, etc.). They publish a newsletter that
includes information about these groups and the classical choral scene in
general.

          Chorus America
          2111 Sansom Street
          Philadelphia, PA 19103
          (215) 563-2430

     * United Group Harmony Association *
     UGHA is the SPEBSQSA of doo-wop and 50's vocal harmony singing,
although its membership is comprised of a higher percentage of record
collectors and fewer performer/singers than most of the organizations
listed above. They sponsor a large annual convention each year, as well as
a number of concerts (mostly in the New York/New Jersey Area). If you love
doo-wop, this is the organization for you.

          UGHA
          PO Box 185
          Clifton, NJ 07011

     * The American Choral Directors Association *
     One of the largest music organizations in the country, comprised
primarily of directors of elementary, high-school, and college choruses,
as well as professional ensembles. They hold a bi-annual conference each
year (the most recent was in March, 1995). Membership is $45 a year ($15
for students).

          ACDA
          Gene Brooks, Executive Director
          P.O. Box 6310
          Lawton, OK 73506-0310

Q. Are there any a cappella publications?

     There are many a cappella publications. In fact, most of the
organizations listed above have their own publications: SPEBSQSA publishes
"The Harmonizer," the SAA publishes "The Oral Majority," CASA publishes
"The CAN" (Contemporary A Cappella Newsletter), UGHA has a newsletter, the
ACDA publishes a magazine (not solely devoted to a cappella). In addition,
there's:

     * The 4-Part Harmony Newsletter *
     This newsletter distills information from the publications by the
three major barbershop organizations (SPEBSQSA, SAA, and Harmony Inc.),
and a few other sources such as the CAN and the internet. A good
publication if you're primarily interested in the Barbershop style, but
don't want to join all three organizations.

          The 4-Part Harmony Newsletter
          c/o Becky McDuffee
          PO Box 11432
          Champaign, IL 61826-1432
          (217) 356-0531
          email: mcduffbe@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu

     Also, many a cappella groups have mailing lists and distribute
information periodically - see FAQ #5 for more information.

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End of FAQ part 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     _/_/_/    _/_/      _/_/_/    _/_/  THE CONTEMPORARY A CAPPELLA
  _/        _/    _/  _/        _/    _/      SOCIETY OF AMERICA    
 _/        _/_/_/_/    _/_/    _/_/_/_/      email: casa@casa.org  
_/        _/    _/        _/  _/    _/      phone:  (415) 563-5224  
 _/_/_/  _/    _/  _/_/_/    _/    _/      web: http://www.casa.org 
1850 Union Street #1441, San Francisco, CA 94123.  fax:(415) 921-2834
