Archive-name: music/acappella-faq
Last-modified: 30 Sep 1993
Version: 1.3

 Welcome to the rec.music.a-cappella Frequently Asked Questions list!
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

  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 that and the new rec.music.a-cappella newsgroup,
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 your topic is not covered within to your satisfaction, feel free
to discuss it on the net.

  The topics are arranged in Q/A form. I was going to list the names and
email addresses of people who asked the questions and responded to them,
but this would have made the list too difficult to read and too hard to
organize, so I decided to simply list the facts and only include names
where the opinions of specific people are shown. The names of everyone
whose posts I have used are listed in the "Contributors" section. If you
want to find out who posted about a specific topic, either look in the
archive, or ask me via email.

  The questions have been arranged into three sections: General Questions,
Specific A Cappella Groups and Recordings, and Internet Stuff. The first
part will definitely be broken up into several sections after a few more
topics are included, but for now I thought it would be a bit stupid to have
several sections, each with only one question. Part Two may be put into a
separate file, especially now that we have an FTP site. Part Three was kept
separate so that the first two parts would be relevant to everyone, not
just network users, so you can print out that part and distribute it to
your friends if you want. (By the way, you can do anything you want with
this file - it's fully in the public domain)

  I have kept reviews of, and advertisements for, albums separate from this
file. Although some may say it isn't fair to include discographies and such
for professional groups and not for collegiate groups (for example), I have
included these because people asked about them. Posted reviews are well
received all round, but including them in this file would make it much
larger than it is. Hopefully, a separate list of discographies and of
reviews will be created in the near future. Any takers?

  Todd Biske (biske@cs.uiuc.edu) has volunteered to keep 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
Princeton. If you have anything to add to the list, please email him.

  The topics covered in this file are:

 Part One: General Questions
 ---------------------------
 What is a cappella? Is there a standard definition of "a cappella
 music", and what makes an "a cappella group"?

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

 What is the range of the various vocal parts?

 Are there any organizations of a cappella singers and/or fans?

 Do any mail order catalogues exist for a cappella music and/or
 recordings?

 Can anyone give some tips on transcribing music from a recording?

 Can anyone give some tips on translating an SATB score for use by my
 TTBB/SSAA group?

 Can anyone recommend any books on arranging popular a cappella music?

 What is the best microphone technique for a four part a-cappella group?
 Does one mike work well or should everyone have a mike?

 What types of microphone are best for a quartet?

 What should we do about members missing or being late for rehearsals?

 Questions about Copyright & Legal Issues:
  1) The Berne Convention
  2) Public Domain material
  3) Registering a Copyright
  4) Derivative Works - the Legality of an Arrangement
  5) Legalities of Performance, Distribution, etc.
  6) Fair use

 Does anyone give a cappella workshops?

 Part Two - Specific A Cappella Groups and Recordings
 ----------------------------------------------------
 Are there any compilation-type albums of modern a cappella music?

 Everything you Never Wanted to Know About...
 - The Blenders
 - The Flying Pickets
 - King's Singers
 - Ladysmith Black Mambazo
 - Mint Juleps
 - Rockapella
 - Take 6
 - Zap Mama

 Part Three - Internet Stuff
 ---------------------------
 Is there a rec.music.a-cappella FTP site?

 Can we store arrangements at the FTP site?

 Does anyone have the <lyrics|chords> to <song>?

 Do any CD directories exist over the Internet?

 Do any music tutorials exist for FTP access?

 Are there any music typesetting programs I can use?

 Are there any electronic mailing lists for fans of <group>?

 What's the story with the rec.music.a-cappella newsgroup?


  If you have any ideas for questions to add to the list or information to
add to the answers, then please contact me! I can be emailed by replying to
this post, or mail direct to int127y@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au if for some
reason you can't reply using your news software. You can also ask me
questions concerning the list, a cappella music, or life in general; I
will endeavour to answer them or at least refer you to someone who can.

DISCLAIMER: Most of the information contained in this file I have
gathered from the Internet. I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but I have
interests in keeping it accurate (eg the money I sent off to the CASA
address). If any of it is wrong, it is not my fault! Please tell me
about it if there are any errors or serious omissions in the text, and I
will fix it straight away.

So happy a cappella-ing, and remember to keep the questions pouring in!

Brendan Quinn.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part One: General Questions
---------------------------

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 witghout *separate*
  instrumental accompaniment. Instruments may be used to double the vocal
  parts, eg 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, or Boyz II Men, who perform
  some a cappella but mostly 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 (see below)
  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?

    Like most things in life, it takes practice. Some people are better at
  it than others, but with hard work you can learn how to do it. A good
  sense of pitch is important, as is a good singing voice (particularly one
  that can blend with others). What you might do is try to find a vocal
  teacher in your area who specializes in a cappella music.

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

    The 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

    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.

Q. Are there any organizations of a cappella singers and/or fans?

* CASA - The Contemporary A Cappella Society of America
    Based in San Francisco (with chapters in Illinois, Massachusetts, New
  Jersey and Texas), the CASA was started by ex-collegiate a cappella
  singer Deke Sharon, who now runs the Ultimate A Cappella Arranging
  Service and sings with his own group, the House Jacks. The organization
  was formed three years ago with the intention of advancing a cappella
  music in all shapes and forms.

    CASA offers the following services:

    o  CASA Hotline: Information, News, Concert Calendar, etc.
    o  CASA Arrangement Library
   Members can request up to five arrangements per four months from
     their library of over one thousand songs. They ask that you donate one
     arrangement to the library for each one that you receive.
    o  Contemporary A Cappella Newsletter ("the CAN")
   Published bi-monthly, the CAN is "filled with current news,
     reviews of a cappella concerts and albums, interviews with famous and
     influential individuals, and articles on a wide range of related
     topics, from arranging tips to the mathematical superiority of a
     cappella tuning... advertisements... a classifieds section, and an
     upcoming concerts calendar."
    o  A Cappella Recording Archives
   They are currently collecting recordings, with a view to
     distributing them to interested people when and if they can find a
     legal way of doing so.
    o  Ultimate A Cappella Arranging Service
   A service run by Deke Sharon which arranges songs personally for
     your group, for a fee.
    o  International A Cappella Directories
   Lists of professional groups, collegiate groups and other
     contacts the world over.

    Annual subscriptions are $20 for groups and $15 for individuals
  (international add $5).  They can be contacted at:

     1850 Union St. Suite 1441
     San Francisco, CA 94123

  Phone:(+1) (415) 563-5224
  Fax:  (+1) (415) 921-2834
  email:     casa@netcom.com

 * SPEBSQSA
    Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet
  Singing in America (don't ask me, I didn't name it), I think you can
  guess what they do. 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 over 35,000 members.

    They have a number of useful pamphlets on singing and arranging, as
  well as an arranger's manual, available for about US$30. Note that this
  manual only deals with barbershop-style arranging, which deals almost
  solely with major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. If this is your
  thing, then go for it, but if you're a bit more adventurous, well, it
  can still be used as an introduction to arranging for voices, and you
  can supplement it with information on other techniques (from, say, the
  Jazz Primer mentioned below).

    SPEBSQSA run a week-long training camp in the first week of August
  in St. Joseph, Missouri called Harmony College, and run comptetitions
  extensively.

    You can contact them at:

 S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A.
 6315 Third Avenue
 Kenosha, Wisconsin  53140-5199
 Phone: 1-800 876-SING
       or (414) 653-8440

    There are 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

 * 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 Inc.
    Another women's barbershop singing organization. We're not sure of the
  permanent address, but here's the address of the editor of their
  publication, "Keynote":

 Joanne Rohrer,
 RFD-1 Box 142,
 East Calais, VT, 05650.

 * Sydney Acappella Association (Australia)
    Run a newsletter ("Oral Majority"), support local & touring groups,
  promote and sponsor workshops, singing classes and performances. Too bad
  they can't spell a cappella properly...

    They may be contacted through:

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

 * Harmony Sweepstakes
    An annual a cappella competition throughout the US. Heats are held in
  various parts of the country. They also join forces with CASA to
  present the A Cappella Summit (first one in San Francisco 2-3 October,
  so if you're reading this, you probably missed it!)

    For information contact:
 John Neal
 PO Box D
 San Anselmo, CA, 94979
 Phone: (415) 459-3955

 * A Cappella's
    (An all-a cappella club)
 1336 E 17th Ave.
 Denver, CO 80218
 (303) 832-1479

 * Associated Male Choruses of America
        1204 South First St.
        Stillwater, MN 55082

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

 * 4-Part Harmony Newsletter (first issue at the end of September)
 c/o Becky McDuffee
 PO Box 11432
 Champaign, IL 61826-1432
 (217) 356-0531
 email: mcduffbe@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu

 * Michigan Vocal Jazz Society
        63360 Dequindre Rd.
        Washington, MI 48095

 * Southern California Doo Wop Society
        1077 Pacific Coast Highway #153
        Seal Beach, CA 90740
        (818) 331-4399

 * United Group Harmony Association
    (An East Coast doo-wop club)
        PO Box 185
        Clifton, NJ 07011

Q. Do any mail order catalogues exist for a cappella music and/or
recordings?

    The major source for a cappella recordings is the Primarily A Cappella
  Catalog, run by United Singers International in New Jersey.

    They will send you a free copy if you contact them:

 United Singers International
 PO Box 583, Dept S-2
 Princeton, NJ 08540
 USA
 Phone: (609) 730-1200

    Their ordering company can be reached at:

 Primarily A Cappella
 PO Box 658
 Holmes, PA 19043
 USA
 Phone: 1-800-345-8112

    [ Unfortunately, as of the start of September, this service has
  closed down, hopefully only temporarily. Deke said Don Gooding will
  bring some of their recordings to the A Cappella Summit. Watch the
  newsgroup for up to date information on their status... ]

    Other sources for recordings include:

 DJ Records
 Doug Anderson
 PO Box 95
 McMinnville, OR 97128
 Phone: (503) 472-6971

 Official King's Singers album distributors in the US, who also
      specialize in scholastic choral recordings, and

 Hall of Records
 Dan Jordan
 PO Box 11244
 Glendale, CA 91206-7244
 Phone: (818) 240-4868

 Will send out a catalogue for $5 ($7.50 for Canada and
      Europe). Apparently they have a large range of music, including
      hard-to-find selections.

    As far as sheet music goes, you can contact the CASA, SPEBSQSA etc to
  obtain arrangements, or to obtain sheet music for sale, try contacting a
  large distributor such as Hal Leonard:

 Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation
 7777 West Bluemound Road
 PO Box 13819
 Milwaukee WI 53213
 Phone: (414) 774-3630

    Paul Bartholomew (pdb059@ipl.jpl.nasa.gov) has typed out a list of all
  the titles listed as a cappella in their catalogue, which is posted to
  the group at irregular intervals and is kept at the princeton.edu
  archive (see Part Three) as
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/Hal.Leonard.list

  * Here's one hint on a book of King's Singers Arrangements:

 The King's Singers
 25th Anniversary Jubilee!
 Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation
 HL08602135
 ISBN 0-7935-2135-1
 US $12.95

    Contents: I'm a Train, You Are the New Day, Can't Buy Me Love, Short
 People, Le Baylere. Musik der Nacht (Schlummerlied), Greensleeves,
 Loch Lommond, Eriskay Love Lilt, That Lonesome Road, And So It
 Goes, Shenandoah
      The songs have been (re-)arranged for SATB.

  * Tammy Heinsohn (szheinsn@hamlet.ucdavis.edu) posted about an a cappella
  arrangement service called "Voices Music Publishing":

 Voices
 PO Box 8178
 Tyler, TX 75711-8178
 Phone: (903) 597-3622

    Their brochure claims "our library of simple SATB arrangements is
  written for your group's performance during worship, devotionals, special
  events or weddings." According to Tammy, they have a variety of
  contemporary Christian and pop music in their catalogue.

  * Ken Purchase, k-purchase@uiuc.edu, of the University of Illinois
  Xtension Chords, can email or regular mail a list of arrangements to
  anyone interested. He has men's, women's and mixed music, and sends it
  out for either a small copying fee or a trade:
 Ken Purchase
 705 E Colorado #207
 Urbana, IL 61801-6372

  * Paul Sabourin (paslll@next02wor.wam.umd.edu) kindly posted
  information about arrangements by Derric Johnson for Voices of Liberty,
  a great mixed a cappella group who perform many times a day at EPCOT
  centre in Orlando, Florida and who cause many an a cappella visitor to
  drool on the spot at their arrangements (so I'm told :-)

    Paul's friend Kevin, in VoL, "mentioned this to Derric, and he
  responded that he would be more than willing to make his arrangements
  available to any interested parties.  If you are interested, write to him
  at the following address:

 Derric Johnson
 P.O. Box 2260
 Orlando, FL  32830

    "Now, he made no mention of $$$, but can only assume that there would
  be some sort of fee involved, although I would not begin to guess at the
  amount. It seems (from what Kevin said) that he would deal with this
  individually.

    "These arrangements are SATB (and more complicated iterations of that,
  like SAATBB, etc.), but I know from experience that they can translate
  pretty well to other voicings when done right (my old group did his
  National Anthem TTTBBB, and it still kicked butt).  You might wish to
  discuss this with him; he might be willing to revoice a chart himself, or
  at least make suggestions."

  * Max Ziff (max@tantalus.uchicago.edu) posts "Basic Collections for A
  Cappella Singing" to the rec.music.early newsgroup periodically - this
  lists sources for madrigals, motets, chansons, etc. around the world.

  * Ruth Cross posted information about a book published by Hampton
  Institute Press called "Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro", edited by R.
  Nathaniel Dett. It is available from:

 University Store
 Hampton University
 Hampton, Virginia 23668

    "The book is a hymnal-size hard-cover, containing over 200 spirituals
  collected in the late 1800's at the Hampton Institute, one of the first
  colleges for former slaves. The songs were transcribed as sung by the
  students, with some harmonies added, and are meant to be sung a cappella.
  Almost all are 4-part, often with solo parts; some are solo/tutti. The
  current book is a reprint of the 1927 edition, edited by Nathaniel Dett,
  and includes a new introduction with a history of the music, and copies
  of prefaces from the previous editions.

    "The last time we ordered copies, less than a year ago, the price was
  $10, including postage.  I have heard they may have other books of black
  music available."

Q. Can anyone give some tips on transcribing music from a recording?

   [ These tips were posted by Shawn Pearce ]
    When transcribing a song, listen for the bassline first, then the
  lead, then the harmony parts.  Write these in the same order.  It is to
  my experience that with even the most difficult songs, if you have a
  bassline and a melody, you can usually figure out the rest.

    Know the ability level of the group you're writing for.  This will
  help you make certain decisions in the arranging, i.e. range of parts,
  difficulty level etc.

    Listen for basic chord progressions from one song to the next (eg
  I-vi-IV- V-I) 50's and 60's music are notorius for beating this
  progression to death...  If you know what that progression sounds like,
  it will save time with the arrangement, trust me :)

Q. Can anyone give some tips on translating an SATB score for use by my
 TTBB/SSAA group?

  Noam Elkies (elkies@zariski.harvard.edu) posted some tips:
    For women, have the first sopranos read S, and the seconds read T up an
  octave (not A); the first altos sing A as written, and the seconds sing B
  up an octave.  Same idea, mutatis mutandis, for a men's group: Basses
  read B, Baritones read A down the octave, second tenors read T, firsts
  read S down the octave.  Schematically, then:

 Men         Mixed       Women
 T1 (-8ve)     S           S1
 B1 (-8ve)     A           A1
 T2            T           S2 (+8ve)
 B2            B           A2 (+8ve)

    The point is that this preserves the relation between the outer voices
  and automatically transforms many common open voicings into standard
  closed voicings with the four parts in the natural order; e.g. the open
  D-major chord D-A-F#-D becomes D-F#-A-D.


Q. Can anyone recommend any books on arranging popular a cappella music?

    [ This is basically a straight copy of a post by Chris Hebert: ]

    There is a large manual available from the SPEBSQSA on barbershop
  arranging (Arrangers Manual). It is very thorough, with lots of examples,
  and details three different methodologies for approaching an arrangement.
  It goes into such things as song forms, harmonic progressions, chord
  vocabulary, chord voicings, etc. There is also a smaller manual called
  The Theory of Barbershop Harmony, which you should know first before
  starting to arrange.

    A very good text on SATB arranging is:

 Choral Arranging
 by Hawley Ades
 Shawnee Press, Inc.
 1966

    It is loaded with examples, both classical and popular in nature.
  Tables of contents includes: principles of part writing for voices, 4-,
  3-, 2-, and multi-part writing, contrapuntal techniques, special effects,
  treble voices, male choruses (includes glee and barbershop, but not much
  detail), key and tempo changes, intros and endings, planing arrangements,
  scoring arrangements, chorus with intruments, etc.

    Hawley Ades was the arranger for the Fred Waring's Pensylvanians, and
  in the 60's he did all their radio show music (five 30 minute shows a
  week plus a one hour evening show over 7 years, so he has done a lot of
  arranging). Mr. Ades believes that the techiniques in part writing apply
  to all styles, voices, etc., and a firm foundation in music and harmony
  is necessary as well.

    This has been the only book I have gotten my hands on that discusses
  choral arranging (and was published within the last 30 years). In the
  bibliography section he mentions the normal books on harmony and
  counterpoint that most music students use in their undergraduate work,
  and some more books that I have never found:

  Delamont, Gordon. Modern Arranging Techniques - Kendor Music, NY 1965
  Wilson, Harry. Choral Arranging - Robbins Music, NY 1949

    You also might try to find books on vocal jazz arranging. I believe you
  might have better luck, as this style is currently more popular than
  standard choral stuff.

    If arranging is new to you, I would definitely recommend this book!

Q. What is the best microphone technique for a four part a-cappella group?
 Does one mike work well or should everyone have a mike?

    Four directional mikes are great *if* you have a competent sound
  person, who understands that a properly-balanced quartet does *not* mean
  that all four parts are of equal volume.

    Next best is one omni-directional mike. Here, though, you need to work
  very carefully to keep the singers at equal distances from the mike.
  Some places provide two directional mikes, which is awful. With this set-
  up, try pointing the two at the center of the quartet and cluster your
  group very close together.

    An important consideration is that low voices need to be closer to mikes
  than high voices. Each singer needs to take responsibility of getting
  closer to his/her own mike at bottom of his/her range.

    It's safer to have individual mikes, practise your technique and be
  sure to have an alert sound tech. Or consider the intermediate approach -
  two singers on each of two mics. If the heights are close enough, this
  works pretty well.

Q. What types of microphone are best for a quartet?

    [ From David Boyes ]
    For one mike, you must have strong vocalists, and a *very* good
  omnidirectional. Sennheisers work acceptably well, but it's a lot easier
  to get good sound levels and balances for recording with individual
  mikes.

    One or two PZM-style surface mikes with extension stands work well for
  larger groups; for individuals and studio work, the Sennheisers are
  absolutely a better choice. They don't travel well, and they're
  expensive, but they're worth it in response and sound. The SM58s are a
  good touring mike, but tend to have somewhat uneven spectral response as
  the elements age. SM58s tend also to become more directional with age,
  but that can be both a blessing and a problem if your soundman isn't
  aware of it.

Q. What should we do about members missing or being late for rehearsals?

    [ from Dave Damouth...]
    The first thing that is needed is an objective measure of the impact
  of lateness or absence on the rest of the group.  It's important to get
  it out of the realm of emotion and personal opinion, and establish
  something that is measurable independent of personalities.

    The second key thing is to separate the actual impact of the absence
  from the reason for the absence, and deal with the two separately.  If
  someone is absent a lot, for the best of reasons (car wrecks, command
  performances at the White House, having a baby, whatever), it damages the
  preparedness and quality of the performance just as much as if the
  excuses were bad.  The nature of the excuses is very important too, of
  course, but this is a very different kind of discussion.  When someone is
  missing frequently, the discussion is, first, "how much have you damaged
  the group by not being here?" and, second, quite separately, "is this
  behavior likely to continue in the future and does the group value you
  enough to be willing to tolerate this damage?"

    The attendance policy for Madrigalia, Dave's 16-voice madrigal group,
  is stored at the Princeton archive as
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/Rehearsal-Attendance-Policy

Q. Questions about Copyright & Legal Issues

  [ Much of the following was learned from the Copyright FAQ, maintained by
  Terry Carroll (tjc50@ccc.amdahl.com), posted to the misc.legal newsgroup
  (and others) monthly and available for ftp from rtfm.mit.edu under
  Copyright-FAQ/part[1-6]. Other info came from postings, especially those
  from Jed Hartman.

    There are many detailed facts to be understood about copyright,
  especially in a field such as ours where (for example) arrangements of
  other people's (already copyrighted) works are used frequently. This
  section will not attempt to address all possible factors relevant to us,
  but rather an overview of the laws governing copyright. Perhaps this will
  evolve into a more detailed section, or even a separate FAQ. ]

  1) The Berne Convention

    Created by a group of countries in 1886 and joined by the US on March
  1, 1988, the most recent document specifying the law in the Paris, 1971
  text. The main parts of the Berne Convention are as follows:

  * National treatment: An author's rights are respected in another country
  as though the author were a citizen of that country. Eg for me, in
  Australia, to use material copyrighted in the US, I must adhere to
  Australian copyright law, not Amercian. This is only true if both
  countries are signatories to the Convention. (Most Western countries seem
  to be signatories; check out the list in the Copyright FAQ if you're not
  sure)

  * Preclusion of formalities: The copyright cannot depend upon formalities
  (such as copyright notices or registration) for a copyright to hold; this
  is why all material since 1988 is implicitly copyright, even without a
  copyright message.

  * Minimum terms of protection: The minimum duration for copyright
  protection is the life of the author plus 50 years, but signatory nations
  may choose to provide longer durations.

  * Minimum exclusive rights: A nation must provide for protection of six
  rights: translation, reproduction, public performance, adaptation,
  attribution (paternity) and integrity. Apparently US law differs from
  this by removing translation and adding display and distribution, but
  these points are covered by other laws (trademark, patent etc)

  2) Public Domain material

    A work in the public domain is one that can be freely used by anyone
  for any purpose. A work is public domain if:
  * the copyright has expired
  * the work is a work of the US Government
  * the work can't be copyrighted (short names, slogans etc. - however,
  these can be trademarked)
  * the copyright has been forfeited. This includes publishing without
  copyright notice prior to March 1, 1988 (in the US)
  * the copyright has been abandoned, ie the copyright holder has made an
  unambiguous statement of his or her intent to dedicate the work to the
  public domain.

  3) Registering a Copyright

    First of all, you don't *need* to register your work for it to be
  copyrighted; since the Berne Convention, all works are copyright from the
  moment of their creation. In fact, you don't even need a copyright notice
  (as mentioned above), but it is a good idea: you should include a
  c-in-a-circle, "Copyright", or "Copr.", the year, and your name on the
  work to make an official copyright notice. There have been rulings in the
  past that (c) is *not* an official copyright symbol, so watch out!

    If you *do* want to formalize your copyright by registering it, which
  helps in court, you do it by filing the appropriate form with the US
  Copyright Office, with payment of $20. If you call the Copyright Office
  Information Hotline, and leave your name, address and form number on the
  voicemail, they will send you an information package on copyrighting a
  particular type of work. The number is 202-707-9100, and the packages
  most readers of this group will be interested in are:

 Music (sheet or lyrics): Form PA, Package 105 and
 Music (sound recording): Form SR, Package 121

    You can also write to them at:

 Copyright Office
 LM 455
 Library of Congress
 Washington, DC 20559

  [ From here on, the info starts to come less from the Copyright FAQ and
  more from varied sources and, shock horror, *opinion* :-)
    But don't worry, wherever an opinion creeps in, I'll warn you... ]

  4) Derivative Works - the Legality of an Arrangement

    Apparently an a cappella arrangement is legally a derivative work of
  the original song. The definition of a copyright infringement is for the
  work itself to have actually been copied from (either whoilly or to
  create a derivative work), (etc.) so [from what I can gather,] as far as
  the law is concerned, an arrangement is the same as the original song.

  5) Legalities of Performance, Distribution, etc.

    Andy Isbell, isbell@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu, says about transcribing a
  song:
    If you can all learn your parts just from listening to the album, that
  is legal. If you start writing it down, you are in violation of the
  composer's copyright.
    You are allowed to make one archival copy of any performance without
  paying any fee. An interesting quirk to this rule is that if you have
  several people with tape recorders record you singing a song, all of
  those tapes are legal.  If you make one recording and copy it for all the
  people, you have to pay the licensing fee.

    Dan Wilson, ATDYW@ASUACAD.BITNET, from the Phoenix chapter of the
  SPEBSQSA, says:

    Serious Barbershop arrangers (not the backroom ones) get written
  permission from the copyright holder to arrange a song. Our International
  Office in Kenosha, WI handles the paperwork and gets clearnaces for us.
  The fee is $10, and this allows you to arrange the song and make 4 copies
  - typically for a quartet. More copies may be made up to 200 at $.20 per
  copy. If you want more than 200, you need to get extended permission. We
  went to this formality years ago as the result of a number not-for-profit
  groups (churches, schools, etc.) being sued for copyright infringement.
  The law allows a fine of $50,000 per TITLE, as I recall. I'd rather spend
  the ten bucks and avoid the hassle.

    Performace rights are handled by the performing rights groups such as
  ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, etc. These groups usually work out licenses with
  clubs, theaters, auditoriums, radio stations, etc., and the revenue from
  the license fees is divided among the members of the performing rights
  groups.

    Mechanical license is required to make copies of audio tapes/records,
  and Synchronization Rights license is required for making videos and
  movies. The Harry Fox Agency handles the audio tapes and records, I'm not
  sure about the videos. You send FOX a letter telling them the titles and
  the number of copies you expect to make (not sell), and they'll send you
  a bill.

    Deke Sharon, casa@netcom.com, says "the rate is 6.25 cents per title
  per recording for a song up to 5 minutes long (the price has gone up in
  1993) & 1.2 cents for each additional minute (I feel like a long
  distance operator!)"

    Dan again:
    PERFORMANCE FOR FEE OR FOR FREE is irrelevant when it comes to
  copyright infringement. Money is not the primary issue - control of
  intellectual property is. Irving Berlin was always very careful about
  allowing people to perform, or arrange his music - whether or not it was
  for profit. He felt some groups just didn't do his music justice and
  refused permission to them. It is a common misconception that songs
  performed or arranged without compensation do not need permission from
  the copyright holder. The misconception is a result of assuming MONEY is
  the issue rather than CONTROL.

    After speaking to a knowledgable copyright attorney, Deke posted the
  following:

    Yes, it's legal to transcribe a song off an album for your own use. No
  you don't need permission to arrange a song, perform an arrangement, or
  record an arrangement (that doesn't have altered lyrics or melody),
  though you will need to pay mechanicals on recordings - 6.25 cents/song.

    Yes, you can arrange for money, but you're selling a service & not
  music. You can make copies of an arrangement for fair use - study
  purposes within your group. CASA can give out a few arrangements for
  rehearsal & performance purposes, but they can't be published in any way
  - that right belongs to the composer.

  6) Fair use

    This is a very tricky matter. Fair use governs the extent to which the
  copyright rules may be "bent" if their purpose includes "criticism,
  comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research." (from
  Section 107 of the Copyright Act, as quoted in the Copyright FAQ).

    Four factors are used in determining whether something counts as fair
  use:
 1. Purpose of the use - commercial or nonprofit and educational.
 2. Nature of the work being copied.
 3. How much of the work is copied.
 4. The effect of copying on the potential market for the work.

    Things that have been considered fair use in the past by courts
  include: quotations of brief excerpts of works in reviews and criticism;
  use in a parody; summary with brief quotations; a teacher copying part of
  a work to use in class; and so on.

    Our interest in this area is mainly to see whether we can establish an
  a cappella arrangement archive at the FTP site. This is still being
  looked into.

Q. Does anyone give a cappella workshops?

    Yes, several people (and groups) do.

  * Phil Mattson (of the Phil Mattson Singers) and Steve Zegree (who
  arranges vocal jazz music for Hal Leonard and other publishers), who give
  week-long summer workshops on vocal jazz singing and education. This
  information was posted by Richard Hsu, and is apparently a couple of
  years old:

 Phil Mattson
 Southwestern Community College
 1501 West Townline Road
 Creston, IA 50801
 Phone: (515) 782-7081

 Steve Zegree
 School of Music
 Western Michigan University
 Kalamazoo, Mich 49008
 Phone: (616) 387-4689
 School: (616) 387-4667

  * [ from Dave Damouth: ]
    Western Wind, an a cappella group based in New York City, runs
  workshops several times a year.  You can enroll as a group.  You get
  coaching for your group by real experts, and a chance to prepare and
  perform several works (with the rest of the attendees as audience).  The
  summer workshops are typically a week, and perhaps they've done some that
  are just a long weekend during the school year.

    It is also (or at least was) possible to arrange a private coaching
  session with them, but this starts to get expensive - they are busy
  professionals trying to make a living.

    Several of my friends have attended the summer workshops, and gone back
  year after year, sometimes individually and sometimes as a quartet.
  Madrigalia arranged a private workshop with them a few years ago.  We
  got a lot of benefit, individually and as a group.

    Their performing repertoire spans just about everything - rennaissance,
  folk, jazz, ...

    They announce their concerts, recordings, workshops, etc, in a sporadic
  but free newsletter.  call 1-800-788-2187.  (disclaimer - I've no
  connection with Western Wind other than as a satisfied customer)

  * There will also be several workshops, performances and talks given at
  the A Cappella Summit in San Francisco in October, organized by CASA.
  Present will be (at least) Gene Puerling (genius arranger with the
  Singers Unlimited), Sean Altman (Rockapella), Jimmy Hayes (Persuasions),
  Todd Rundgren, Gerard Brown (Do It A Cappella co-producer) and many other
  "a cappella big-wigs" (to quote Deke).

  * The Melbourne A Cappella Festival (in Australia) is on the 22nd and
  23rd of October, and will include many workshops, on topics from doo wop
  singing to Bulgarian choral harmonies to sea shanties. Email me (Brendan,
  int127y@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au) for a leaflet.

Part Two - Specific A Cappella Groups and Recordings
----------------------------------------------------

Q. Are there any compilation-type albums of modern a cappella music?

    "Modern A Cappella", out on Rhino records.
    Available from the Primarily A Cappella catalog, or phone Rhino direct
  on 1-800-432-0020.

    Tracks, in order:
 National Anthem   En Vogue
 I Feel Good   Bobby McFerrin
 Only You   The Flying Pickets
 Zombie Jamboree   Rockapella
 Higher and Higher  The Mint Juleps
 Caravan of Love   The Housemartins
 Spread Love   Take 6
 Unomathemba   Ladysmith Black Mambazo
 Heaven    Longhouse
 Silhouettes   The Nylons
 My Husband Was A Weatherman The Bobs
 Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow  The Persuasions
 Mighty Love   Todd Rundgren
 Leave It   Yes
 Walk Like An Egyptian  The Bangles
 The Hallelujah Chorus  The Roches

    "Spike & Co. Do It A Cappella", Elektra ELE60953
    Also avalibale from Primarily A Cappella.

    Tracks:
 I Need You   True Image
 Don't Let Your Heart  The Mint Juleps
 Zombie Jamboree   Rockapella
 Looking for an Echo  The Persuasions
 "Down in the Mines"  Ladysmith Black Mambazo
 I Want to Live Easy  The Mint Juleps
 Under the Boardwalk  Rockapella & True Image
 Up on the Roof   The Persuasions
 Higher and Higher  The Mint Juleps
 Get Away Jordan   Take 6
 "God Bless Africa"  Ladysmith Black Mambazo
 Pass on the Love  The Persuasions
 The Lion Sleeps Tonight  Ladysmith Black Mambazo &
      The Mint Juleps

Q. Everything you Never Wanted to Know About...

  [ Well, maybe not *everything*, but a lot. Okay, maybe not a *lot*... ]

- The Blenders

    A four part, Nylons-esque group with tight harmonies and great style.
  They are currently touring the college circuit (schedule available from
  the Princeton FTP site), and their album is called "Totally Whipped".
    Ordering information:
 "Totally Whipped"
 CD - $15.00
      Tape - $10.00
   8-Track - Sorry, out of stock since the mid 70's
  T-shirts - $15.00
   Posters - $5.00
    Add $2.00 per ORDER for shipping/handling/postage/etc.

    Mail orders to:
 The Blenders
 P.O. Box 26037
 Minneapolis, MN 55426

- The Flying Pickets

    The original members of the group were: Rick Lloyd, Ken Gregson, Kareth
  Williams, David Brett, Brian Hibbard, and Red Stripe (no joke - that's
  his name). The group was formed in 1980, and their first single, 'Only
  You', was Number 1 in the UK for six weeks in 1983. After a few years
  Brian and Stripe returned to acting, after which the group disbanded.

    Rex Solomon, of the CASA Texas chapter, has compiled a tape of 22
  different cover versions of 'Only You', mostly by college groups. So if
  you're thinking of covering it, think again to save our sanity.

    Deke found this address, current in 1990:

        The Flying Pickets c/o Judy Totten
        28 Alexander St.
        London W2 5NU, ENGLAND

    Apparently the group reformed with a couple of the original members,
  and since then has undergone changes after which none of the original
  members are still in the group. However they are putting out albums from
  a label in Austria, albeit with a somewhat different style to what we
  are used to.

    DISCOGRAPHY (sort of):

 "The Best of The Flying Pickets", Virgin Records VVIPD 111
 [ Apparently only available in the UK ]

 "Flying Pickets Live", recorded 1984-5

 "Waiting for Trains"

 "Lost Boys", Moving Target MTD 021
 [ The only album directly available in the US ]

 [ This the "new Flying Pickets" ]
 "Blue Money", 1992. From PMF records, 90 637-2

 "The Warning", 1993.

    If you can't get the albums from a local import shop, try writing to
  the following CD mail order company in London:

 HMV UK Limited
 Mail Order Department
 150 Oxford Street
 London, W1N 0DJ
 England

- King's Singers

    A group started by ex-students at King's College, Cambridge 25 years
  ago, now one of the most respected a cappella groups in history. They
  sing mostly madrigal and classical style music, including a cappella
  arrangements of famous classical pieces, and have recently branched out
  into the contemporary scene, making a successful album of Beatles covers
  and, this year, "Good Vibrations" which is full of contemporary tunes.

    Anne Raugh (raugh@astro.umd.edu) posted a list of sources for King's
  Singers arrangements, which is available for FTP from princeton.edu (see
  Part Three below).

- Ladysmith Black Mambazo

   Music Archives, "ftp.uwp.edu (131.210.1.4)", discography:

      /pub/music/artists/l/ladysmith.black.mambazo/discog

   Ladysmith Black Mambazo Fan Club
   Roger Dean, President
   104 Worral Drive
   Newark, Delaware
   19711 U.S.A.

- Mint Juleps

    They've made only one CD, and it's only been released in Japan:

 "One Time", Stiff CECC-00396

    The only way I know how to get this CD is by paying US$35 to have it
  imported (Sound City 2000 - call (503) 654-2196).

    Deke also has a copy of their first album, available in 1987 or
  earlier, and a copy of a live concert that the group sent him.

    If any of you want to get in touch with them, try contacting:

        Rita Ray at Flash Choice Management
        46 Broomwood Rd.
        London, SW11 6HT
 England
 Phone: +44 71 228-1161

- Rockapella

    Rockapella has, so far, recorded three albums on their own, "To N.Y.",
  "From N.Y.", and "Bash!" which were released in Japan only. You can only
  get these on import, so be prepared to pay a lot more than usual.

    One address which was posted to the group is:

 Beastone Records
 24-15-405
 Atsubetsu-chuo 4-2
 Sapporo 004 Japan

    They apparently want US$36 for each CD including shipping, and you must
  pay by cash or international money order.

    All albums can be obtained from Sound City 2000 at (503) 654-2196 for
  more than US$40.

    The soundtrack to the childrens' game show "Where in the World is
  Carmen Sandiego?" features Rockapella and the Persuasions, and is
  available from the Primarily A Cappella catalog.

  [ Much more detailed information is included in the (regular?) posting by
  Steven Coyle (sc4520@csc.albany.edu) and the Rockapella FAQlet by Sharon
  Fenick (fenick1@husc.harvard.edu). The two files are stored at the
  Princeton archive site. ]

- Take 6

    A six-voice male a cappella "Contemporary Christian" (gospel) group,
  with large jazz influences. They started in the late eighties at school
  in Hunstville, Alabama and have gone on to receive critical acclaim,
  including several awards from the Gospel Music Association and I believe
  some Grammies in the Jazz category.

    The following address was posted to the newsgroup by a person named
  Quito from Chile, thanks Quito!

 Club TAKE 6
 c/o Holley ink
 P.O. box 78009
 Nashville,TN 37207

    The good news is that the rumours of a new Take 6 album are true.
    The bad news is that it's accompanied, ie not a cappella. Apparently
  they have decided to try out the waters with accompanied harmony singing,
  and if that doesn't work, they'll go back to a cappella. So let's all
  hope that this album is really unsuccessful ;-)

- Zap Mama

    Their album "Adventures in Afropea" was released in March of this year
  on CD - Warner Brothers WAR45183.

Part Three - Internet Stuff
---------------------------

Q. Is there a rec.music.a-cappella FTP site?

    Yes! Greg Weiss (grweiss@phoenix.princeton.edu) has kindly
  volunteered to maintain an FTP site at princeton.edu.
    It currently holds the following information:

 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/FAQ
  This text file.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/README
  Information on the contents of the directories
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/archive/alt.music.a-cappella
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/archive/alt.music.a-cappella.Z
  Uncompressed and compressed versions of all postings to
      the alt.music.a-cappella newsgroup.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/archive/rec.music.a-cappella
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/archive/rec.music.a-cappella.Z
  As above, for the rec.music.a-cappella newsgroup.

 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/archive/Apr93
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/archive/Apr93.Z
  etc, through to the current month - archives of each
      months's postings to both newsgroups.

 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/README
  Information on the contents of the info directory.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/Hal.Leonard.list
  A list of all songs listed as a cappella in the Hal Leonard
      catalogue.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/Kings.Singers.arrangements
  How to get Kings Singers' arrangements.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/Rockapella.FAQlet
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/Rockapella.history
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/Rockapella.mini-FAQ
  Various information on the group Rockapella.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/TeX.ftp.loc
  Information on how to get MusicTeX.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/blenders.info
  Background information on the Blenders.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/bobs.concerts
  Concert schedule for the Bobs.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/casa.arrangements
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/casa.recordings
  A (nearly) current list of the CASA arrangement and
      recording archives.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/choral.conductors
  Information on a mailing list for choral music.
 pub/rec.music.a-cappella/info/college.cds
  The latest edition of Todd Biske's college CD information
      and ordering list.

    These files are available for anonymous FTP at:
 princeton.edu (128.112.128.1)

    To do this from UNIX, type "ftp princeton.edu", login as "anonymous",
  and use your email address as the password. Typing "HELP" at a prompt
  will describe the available commands. The normal files can be downloaded
  using the standard "get" command, but the compressed files (those which
  end with .Z) must be downloaded using binary mode, and either viewed
  using the "zcat" command, or decompressed by simply typing "decompress
  <filename>.Z" at your UNIX prompt.

    Thanks to Greg for providing this service, which will ensure that
  the worldwide network a cappella community continues to grow.

    If you don't know about FTP (File Transfer Protocol), ask someone at
  your site to find out if you have access to the service. It is possible
  to FTP via email, but the archive file is over a megabyte and most mail
  programs won't handle files that large, so there isn't much point
  explaining it here.

Q. Can we store arrangements at the FTP site?

    This has been a topic of much discussion, nearly since the inception of
  the newsgroup. Most people have said that they would love to see an
  electronic collection of a cappella arrangements on the Internet, but a
  few have raised doubts concerning the legality of such a venture. Until
  such problems are resolved, we can't store arrangements on the network.

    However, this doesn't stop us storing arrangements of *original* songs
  (ie written by the contributor) on the princeton site, and of course we
  can store lists, reviews and other information as well.

Q. Does anyone have the <lyrics|chords> to <song>?

    Before you post a request for lyrics to the newsgroup, please check out
  the archive at:
 ftp.uwp.edu (131.210.1.4)

    in the directory pub/music/lyrics

    A caveat: the lyrics on this site were submitted by people in good
  faith, but do not take their words as gospel. If you are recording or
  performing on a large scale, it would probably be worth checking out the
  lyrics against some sheet music or the lyric sheet from the album, if
  possible.

    The chords to songs can sometimes be gleaned from the entries in the
  guitar tablature archive at:
 nevada.edu

    The songs submitted here are organized according to group name, and a
  comprehensive index can be downloaded. Many songs are written in tab,
  which is harder to work out but will give you individual notes; but other
  songs have the chords written out with the song lyrics, which are
  sometimes all an arranger needs (you can usually work out the melody on
  your own if you have a recording).

Q. Do any CD directories exist over the Internet?

    Recently, a service was started under the Holonet information services
  heirarchy, called the Compact Disc Connection. It is actually a
  commercial venture (you can order the CDs in their catalogue), but it can
  also be used to look up albums by a particular group or artist and obtain
  track listings of most albums.

    To use the service, telnet to:
 holonet.net

    and login as "cdc" (lower case). Menus will take you through the
  directory.

    The ftp.uwp.edu archive also stores discographies for many groups, and
  welcomes additions!

Q. Do any music tutorials exist for FTP access?

  * The Jazz Primer was written by Marc Sabatella for the
  rec.music.bluenote newsgroup (jazz and blues music). It was written
  specifically for those who want to learn more about jazz and blues
  theory, to improve their performing, improvising, or listening ability.

    It assumes a basic knowledge of music and notation, and recommends that
  you have access to a piano and the ability to play simple examples on it.
  The general contents of the primer, as relevant to a cappella musicians,
  is:
 - Structure, form
 - The Creative Process, Improvisation
 - Chord/Scale Relationships:
   Intervals, Scales, Chords, Major/Melodic Minor scale Harmony (in
  all jazz modes), Symmetric, Whole Tone, Diminished, Pentatonic,
  Blues, Minor, Bebop and Synthetic scales, chord/scale chart
 - Improvising over chord progressions
 - Accompanying a melody, chord voicings, bass and rhythm
 - Breaking the rules
 - Bibliography of jazz music, books on harmony and improvisation

    This text file (4064 lines, 29 sheets when printed using a2ps) can be
  read at several levels, depending on your previous knowledge and
  experience. It can be used as a harmony tutorial, improvisation guide,
  or technical discussion of chord/scale relationships.

    Although instrumental jazz music is discussed throughout, the
  techniques can obviously be applied to arranging and composing a cappella
  music. I can recommend this file as an introduction to harmony and
  chord/scale relationships, but if you prefer verbose texts which
  continually emphasize the topics, this isn't for you. It packs a lot of
  information into a small space.

    The file may be obtained via FTP from:
 ftp.njit.edu

    and is called:
 /pub/jazz-primer/primer.asc

  * The GEMS series of articles on music composition were written by
  Matthew Fields, fields@eecs.umich.edu for readers of the newsgroup
  rec.music.compose. It consists of five parts, each dealing with a
  different aspect of music theory and/or composition.

    The files may be obtained via FTP from ftp.hyperion.com, or via gopher
  at gopher.cic.net. Matthew tells me:
 "Gems 5 may have a notice trimmed off.  If so, please splice
 it in on the bottom.  The missing notice is as follows:
 ORCHESTERSTUECK Op.16 No.1
 (Arnold Schoenberg)
 Copr. 1952 by Henmar Music Corp.
 Permission for use granted by C.F. Peters Corp."

Q. Are there any music typesetting programs I can use?

    A program called MuTeX exists which enables users on most operating
  systems to typeset single-staff music and lyrics, but a better option for
  a cappella arrangers/composers is MusicTeX, a polyphonic system written
  by Daniel Taupin (taupin@frups51.bitnet). The latest version is available
  via anonymous FTP from:

 rsovax.ups.circe.fr (130.84.128.100) [.musictex]

  and probably other sites too. If you know of a site in the US which
  stores MusicTeX, please let me know, as the above site runs at 9600 baud
  and so is very slow, and shouldn't be over-used.

    A TeX-and-music mailing list also exists: to join, send a request to
  mutex-request@stolaf.edu.

    Be warned! The MusicTeX output looks nice, but is by no means easy to
  get! You have to type in everything as text, using sometimes convoluted
  commands, and many of these commands are in French. For those with MIDI
  keyboards, a MIDI-to-MusicTeX program can be obtained somewhere, but I
  can't remember where! Try archie if you're interested, and let me know
  what you find!

Q. Are there any electronic mailing lists for fans of <group>?

    Only one at present (as far as I know): Friends of the Bobs.
  Write to fobs-request@netcom.com to subscribe.

    There is also a mailing list for fans and performers of barbershop
  music, which you can subscribe to by emailing

 barbershop-request@bigd.cray.com

Q. What's the story with the rec.music.a-cappella newsgroup?

    Originally, the a cappella newsgroup was called alt.music.a-cappella.
  Recently, a vote was put forward to create a newsgroup
  rec.music.a-cappella which, aside from having better USENET status,
  (supposedly) reaches more network sites than an alt. group. The vote was
  an overwhelming success (342:34 in favour), so the group was created.
  Thanks to Steve Simmons for suggesting the rec group and controlling the
  voting process.

    The charter of the group is as follows:

 rec.music.a-cappella: For a-cappella music of all styles.

 For friends, fans, and singers of all flavors of pure vocal
 music. Barbershop, madrigals, chorales, rockers and folkies
 are all welcome provided the instruments are left home (or
 mostly home).

    Problems have arisen with the newsgroup, the cause of which was
  probably the erroneous newgroup message - the group was originally
  created as rec.music.a-capella, which is *incorrect*. If your site uses
  this name, please *get it changed*, because it hinders the distribution
  of the group to other sites around the world (like mine :-).

Contributors
------------

    Many thanks to the following 'netters who contributed, directly or
  indirectly, to this FAQ list. Everybody's name and email address is
  provided, so they can get at least a little gratification for their
  efforts. If you want to know who contributed to a specific section,
  either ask me or look at the archive at princeton.edu.

    Tom Arneberg toma@cray.com
    Paul Bartholomew pdb059@ipl.jpl.nasa.gov
    Joel Baxter  jbaxter@getalife.stanford.edu
    Gary Bolles  garyb@bbsqtet.EBay.Sun.COM
    David Boyes  dboyes@is.rice.edu
    William Bradley wbradley@thor.ece.uc.EDU
    Joachim Charzinski charzinski@ind.uni-stuttgart.d400.de
    Ruth Cross  norhcr@usht10.hou130.chevron.com
    Dave Damouth damouth@wrc.xerox.com
    Nicole Discenza ndiscenz@bach.helios.nd.edu
    Robert Dover dover@crchh583.bnr.ca
    Hans Dulimarta dulimart@ahmeek.cps.msu.edu
    Bruce Edelstein brucee@mothra.rose.hp.com
    Noam D. Elkies elkies@zariski.harvard.edu
    Mark Engelberg mle@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov
    Sharon Fenick fenick1@husc10.harvard.edu
    Matthew Fields fields@eecs.umich.edu
    Ross Fletcher srgcraf@newshost.grace.cri.nz
    Randy Goldberg guest@nntpxfer.psi.com
    Greg Halbe  ghalbe@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
    Jed Hartman  logos@cathay.esd.sgi.com
    Chris Hebert chebert@mondavi.sanramon.sgi.com
    Tammy Heinsohn szheinsn@hamlet.ucdavis.edu
    Frank Henderson hendefd@mail.auburn.edu
    Doug Henkle  henkle@vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu
    Jesper Holck holck@dat.ruc.dk
    Richard Hsu  m22769@mwunix.mitre.org
    Ping Huang   pshuang@athena.mit.edu
    Will Johnson adric@access.digex.net
    Ari Kahan  akahan@netcom.com
    Ron Knight  rck@med.unc.edu
    Jon Krivitzky jhk1@cec2.wustl.edu
    Mark Maimone mwm+@cs.cmu.edu
    Russ Paden  russ@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
    Shawn Pearce orpheus@nebula.lib.vt.edu
    Jane Peppler jpeppler@acpub.duke.edu
    Andrew Poe  sixycd@umich.edu
    Adam Porter  porter@acapella.rutgers.edu
    George Poynor poynor@david.wheaton.edu
    Ken Purchase k-purchase@uiuc.edu
    Anne Raugh  raugh@astro.umd.edu
    Paul Sabourin paslll@next02wor.wam.umd.edu
    Deke Sharon  casa@netcom.com
    Chris Short  int177c@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au
    Steve Simmons scs@lokkur.dexter.mi.us
    Greg Skinner gds@york.cs.ucla.edu
    David Tamkin dattier@genesis.mcs.com
    Dina Torok  dinushka@ravel.udel.edu
    Dave Wegman  ST000488@brownvm.brown.edu
    Greg Weiss  grweiss@phoenix.Princeton.EDU
    Dan Wilson  ATDYW@ASUACAD.BITNET
    Quito ???  IIC1131@ing.puc.cl

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       End of rec.music.a-cappella Frequently Asked Questions list

    Please send comments, corrections and information to Brendan Quinn:
     int127y@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au, or
 svlad@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au if that's easier to remember.



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