Four-part, unaccompanied, close-harmony singing,
with melody in the second voice, called the lead.
Tenor (counter-tenor voice) harmonizes above the lead singer;
bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes,
and the baritone provides in-between notes,
to form consonant, pleasing chords.
Barbershop is a "melting pot" product of African-American musical devices, European hymn-singing culture, and an American tradition of recreational music. Melodies are in the vocal and skill range of the average singer, with lyrical emphasis on simple, heartfelt emotions.
(end quote)Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era (1940s ... present), is a style of a cappella, or unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture. Each of the four parts has its own role: generally, the lead sings the melody, the tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes, and the baritone completes the chord, usually below the lead. The melody is not usually sung by the tenor or bass, except for an infrequent note or two to avoid awkward voice leading, in tags or codas, or when some appropriate embellishment can be created. Occasional traveling may be sung by fewer than four voice parts.
According to the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), "Barbershop music features songs with understandable lyrics and easily singable melodies, whose tones clearly define a tonal center and imply major and minor chords and barbershop (dominant and secondary dominant) seventh chords that resolve primarily around the circle of fifths, while making frequent use of other resolutions."[1]
Slower barbershop songs, especially ballads, often eschew a continuous beat, and notes are often held (or sped up) ad libitum.
The voice parts in barbershop singing do not correspond closely to the correspondingly named voice parts in classical music. Barbershop singing is performed both by men's and women's groups; the elements of the barbershop style and the names of the voice parts are the same for both.
The definition of the barbershop style begins with the song, which consists of the melody, the lyric, and the harmonies implied by the melody. The style is unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture. There are also other elements that make up the style.
Melody: The melody needs to be distinguishable from the harmony while clearly defining a tonal center. It should illustrate the inherent implied harmonies, and provide for embellishments. The range should be within the average singer's capability of performance and the rhythms should be natural and uncomplicated. Barbershop melodies feature balanced and symmetrical forms, and standard meters of 2, 3, 4, 6 beats per measure.
Lyrics: The lyrics should be easily understood by both singers and listeners. Ideally they may be reminiscent of earlier times, avoiding modern and contemporary slang, rock and hip-hop usage. They should have rhyming qualities, and be in good taste.Harmony: The harmony should be predominantly consonant, favoring major and minor triads, and seventh chords. Approximately 33% of the total arrangement should consist of barbershop seventh chords that usually resolve around the circle of fifths, with occasional use of other resolutions.
Chord Progressions: Similar to chord progressions found in popular music from the 1900s to the 1930s where the implied harmony of the song is easily heard and easily "woodshedded" by ear.
Embellishments: Appropriate use of swipes, bell chords, echoes, key changes, etc. are encouraged, provided they do not overshadow the song.
Texture: Four voices -- tenor, lead, baritone and bass -- with the melody consistently sung by the lead, with the tenor harmonizing above the melody, the bass singing the lowest harmonizing notes and the baritone completing the chord. For artistic effect the melody may, on occasion, be sung by one of the harmony parts. In addition, the texture may be very briefly reduced to fewer than four voices.
(end quote)Barbershop harmony is a style of unaccompanied vocal music which usually has four-part chords for every melody note. Only occasional brief passages may be sung by fewer than four voices. All four parts should be singing the same words on each chord for most of each song. Fundamentally Barbershop songs should be easy to sing - because of the origin of the style.
The PartsThe four parts are called Tenor, Lead, Baritone and Bass. (Yes, even for the ladies' groups). The melody is usually sung by the lead, and he gets this name because he takes the lead and the other parts "follow", or "fit in" with his lead.
The Tenor harmonizes above the melody. In the men's groups the tenor is sung in falsetto to avoid drowning out the lead. The listener's ear normally hears the highest note most easily, so that is why normally male and female groups are separate. Some mixed groups exist, but it is very difficult to prevent the high female voices drowning out the lower male voices.
The Bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes below the melody. The bass forms the foundation (the base) for the chord structure.
The Baritone completes the chord, with notes below or above the melody.
The melody may be sung occasionally by the Bass, but not by the tenor except for an infrequent few notes to avoid awkward voice leading, and in introductions or tags (codas).
Barbershop singing tries to tune every chord perfectly in relation to the note sung by the Lead, each part adjusting to match the note sung by the lead. When this is successful a fifth note can be heard, that no-one is singing, soaring above the rest. This fifth note is formed by perfectly matched harmonics and the sound is called a "ringing chord".
Barbershop harmony frequently employs the dominant seventh chord - the major triad plus the minor (flatted) seventh. This gives Barbershop its unique, yet recognizable sound.
Barbershop harmony is a style of unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture. The melody is consistently sung by the lead, with the tenor harmonizing above the melody, the bass singing the lowest harmonizing notes, and the baritone completing the chord. Occasional brief passages may be sung by fewer than four voice parts.
Barbershop music features songs with understandable lyrics and easily singable melodies, whose tones clearly define a tonal center and imply major and minor chords and barbershop (dominant and secondary dominant) seventh chords that often resolve around the circle of fifths, while also making use of other resolutions. Barbershop music also features a balanced and symmetrical form, and a standard meter. The basic song and its harmonization are embellished by the arranger to provide appropriate support of the song's theme and to close the song effectively.
Barbershop singers adjust pitches to achieve perfectly tuned chords in just intonation while remaining true to the established tonal center. Artistic singing in the barbershop style exhibits a fullness or expansion of sound, precise intonation, a high degree of vocal skill, and a high level of unity and consistency within the ensemble. Ideally, these elements are natural, unmanufactured, and free from apparent effort.
The presentation of barbershop music uses appropriate musical and visual methods to convey the theme of the song and provide the audience with an emotionally satisfying and entertaining experience. The musical and visual delivery is from the heart, believable, and sensitive to the song and its arrangement throughout. The most stylistic presentation artistically melds together the musical and visual aspects to create and sustain the illusions suggested by the music.