How do barbershop quartets harmonize?
In Barbershop music, the lead part sings the melody line, tenor sings the harmony line above the melody and bass sings the harmony line below the melody, while the baritone sings both above or below the melody line to fill-in the notes needed to complete each chord.
Did barbershop quartets sing in barbershops?
A barbershop quartet is a group of four singers who sing music in the barbershop style, characterized by four-part harmony without instrumental accompaniment, or a cappella. Barbershop music is typified by close harmony— the upper three voices generally remain within one octave of each other.
What are the four voices in a barbershop quartet?
In simple terms, barbershop harmony is vocal harmony produced by four parts: lead, tenor, baritone and bass. Finding the right part for your voice is the initial step. Any woman of average singing ability, with or without vocal training, will find a part that fits her range.
What is a barbershop 7th chord?
This is basically a major-minor seventh chord, or a major chord with a minor seventh above the root. The unique aspect of this chord in barbershop music is that the seventh is sung as a blue note, or slightly lower in pitch than normal.
What chords do barbershop quartets use?
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 …
Why are barbershop singers called that?
Although barbershop quartet singing is associated with the United States, its origins (in the 19th century) are obscure: it may date from an era when American barbershops formed social and musical centres for men, or it may refer back to the British expression “barber’s music,” denoting an extemporized performance by …