In simple terms, barbershop harmony is vocal harmony produced by four parts: lead, tenor, baritone and bass. It is different from any other kind of choral or group singing. It is sung a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment), and is one of the most challenging and satisfying forms of music for the singer.
Lead is the melody; lead singers need to be accurate singers with a full, authoritative sound. All the rest of us match our harmony parts to the lead's melody. Most harmony singers hate to admit it, but the lead really IS the most important part - -after all, it's the melody!
Tenor is a harmony part sung consistently above the lead. Although tenor is the highest voice in barbershop harmony, it should not be confused with soprano of conventional singing groups. The tenor should have a light, clear, pure tone that will compliment, but not overpower, the lead voice.
Baritone covers approximately the same range as lead and is a middle harmony part. The baritone harmony notes cross the lead notes, sometimes sung below and sometimes above. Baritones must constantly adjust their vocal balance to accommodate their position in the chord. The musical line is often quite tricky, like vocal gymnastics.
Bass is our low harmony; a bass singer should have a rich, mellow voice. Because the barbershop style calls for basses to sing notes that are strong components of the chords, the bass part is really the foundation of the barbershop sound.
Barbershop harmony is characterized by a "cone-shaped" sound, with the lower voices singing a wider, more resonant tone. When all four voices are singing the correct notes, tuning them accurately, producing a tone that is appropriate for their placement in the cone, and matching their vowel sounds, a wonderful thing happens! Those four tones produce a ring or overtone -- a fifth tone that nobody is singing, but that we all can hear. To "lock and ring" a chord is the goal of every barbershop group, and it's sure to bring on the goosebumps and the applause!
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Barbershop music features songs with understandable lyrics and easily singable melodies. The basic song is embellished by the arranger to eliminate the "white spaces" that are filled by instrumental accompaniment in other musical styles.
One of the hallmarks of a barbershop performance is a presentation that is natural and heartfelt, and that provides the audience with an emotionally satisfying and entertaining experience.
The style we know as barbershop became popular in the late 1800s as traveling minstrel and vaudeville shows featured singing groups. The popular tunes of the day were simple melodies with sentimental lyrics, and the harmonies were generally improvised. There was very little printed sheet music to instruct singers on the "correct" notes -- they just sang what their ears wanted to hear.
At the turn of the century, amateur singers, usually men, could often be heard singing improvised barbershop harmony at parties and picnics. Minstrel shows often featured barbershop quartets who sang in front of the curtain while performers and stage hands prepared the stage for the next act. It was convenient to use a quartet for this purpose, since no props or instruments were required.
As recording techniques became more sophisticated, the big band sound soared in popularity and barbershop quartets began to fade away. However, the establishment of amateur singing organizations for both men and women guaranteed that this unique American art form would not be forgotten. In 1945, a small group of women wanted to participate in the chord-ringing, fun-filled harmony that the men were singing. So these women organized "Sweet Adelines in America." From its humble beginnings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sweet Adelines International, as it is now called, has grown to a membership of almost 30,000 women in countries all across the globe.
Whether you're a singer looking for a fun and satisfying outlet for your talent, or a music enthusiast looking for a top-notch performance, we're sure barbershop harmony, as sung by our award-winning Spirit of the Gulf Chorus, will be just what you're looking for!
