Lake Erie Sound
Guests - Questions & Answers
What is a Chapter Meeting like?
How do you learn your music (i.e., Should I be able to read music?)
Can I look online for more information about groups like yours, before visiting?
When/where do you meet? Can I just drop by?
What is a Chapter Meeting like?
Our Chapter Meetings begin with a period of socializing and setting up the room for the chorus rehearsal.
The Chorus Rehearsal begins promptly at 7pm with an opening song, followed by warm-ups. In warm-ups, directors reinforce healthy vocal techniques and get our minds "in the zone" to have the most productive rehearsal possible.
We sing through repertoire to keep it fresh, work on learning new music and have sectional rehearsals for the four sections to meet and review trouble areas. Typically we choose two or three songs each week to spend 20 minutes or so fine-tuning.
We also enjoy fun activities throughout the night, involving octetting, quartetting, watching videos of recent performances by other groups like us, and we occassionally bring in coaches - experts in the field of singing and performing a cappella music - from all over the country. Guest groups drop by from time-to-time, too, to entertain us.
Of course, no chapter meeting would be complete without "The Afterglow" - once we've broken down the room and locked up for the night, a group of us convenes at a nearby watering hole for some refreshing beverage and (believe it or not) more singing.
How do you learn your music (i.e., Should I be able to read music?)
As a singing organization, we maintain a simple expectation - learn 100% of your notes and words. To this end, the chapter provides as much support as possible for its members, regardless of their musical background and abilities. The majority of our members are not fluent readers of sheet music.
When we introduce a new song to the chorus, we provide the sheet music and a part-predominant learning track - an MP3 file you can listen to on your computer or burn to a CD to listen to in your car. Your part is audible from one speaker, while the other three parts emit from the other speaker. This way, you can listen to just your part, then sing along with the other three parts when you've learned your part well enough.
We also institute a process of recording ourselves individually, then having a section leader or director review the recording to offer positive, constructive feedback and help with areas in which we may be struggling. To be clear, there are no "qualifications" or system of excluding a chapter member from participating with the chorus. All we ask is for an opportunitiy to help each member contribute to the absolute best of his abilities, through supportive, encouraging feedback.
From time-to-time, we bring in coaches and vocal instructors, to assist members one-on-one with any difficulties they're having.
What part should I sing?
The parts we sing are named similarly to choral voice parts, however the definitions aren't always the same. The four parts, as we define them, are as follows:
Lead |
The Lead sings the melody - the recognizeable tune of the song. Leads should have a good sense of the "key" of a song (and be able to maintain it), and be capable of emoting - telling the story - as he sings. If you have a voice that stands out, like being in the spotlight and connecting with an audience, you'll enjoy singing Lead. If you care to get technical, as far as range, Leads should sing comfortably from a D (below middle-C) up to an F#. |
Bass |
Basses lay down the foundation of our sound, beneath the other three parts. They have the widest range to sing, of the four parts. If you enjoy singing low pitches and providing rhythmic guidance for the group, Bass is for you. Unlike choral bass, no basso profundo is necessary here. Basses in our style of music generally sing down to a low F, comfortably, and as high as middle-C. |
Tenor |
Harmonizing above the Leads are the Tenors. Full-voice Tenors are a rarity; most Tenors use their If you like singing the high harmonies with The Beach Boys, Frankie Valli, and 50's doo-wop, you'll enjoy singing Tenor. Tenors typically live between Bb and high Bb (like we said - falsetto needed). |
Baritone |
And finally - the Baritones. A strange breed, though admittedly without whom we could not ring chords the way we love to. There is no rhyme or reason to the Baritone harmony part in our arrangements, as, literally, he sings "whatever note was leftover to finish the chord". If you have a great ear for harmony and a bit of vocal agility (not to mention thick skin), Baritone is the part for you. The vocal range of a Baritone is the same as a Lead's, though Baritones sing lower in their register slightly more often. |
Can I look online for more information about groups like yours,
before visiting?
Absolutely. Visit Barbershop.org for a wealth of information about what the BHS is all about. As a local chapter, we have our own, unique approach to the experience, but we are heavily influenced by the BHS and its attributes.
When/where do you meet? Can I just drop by?
Yes! Please do! We welcome all visitors, to join us for an evening or simply to observe.
Chapter meetings begin at 6:30pm and run until sometime around 9:30pm.