Spring Valley Chorus

Schaumburg, Illinois

Barbershop Music

Barbershop singing is an American art form. It originated in the late 1800's and was usually sung by men. Since the 1940's, however, many women have discovered the joys of singing a cappella, four-part harmony. Thousands of women worldwide perform and compete in barbershop music contests as part of the Sweet Adelines organization.

Don't be fooled by the stereotype quartet of men with "barbershop" moustaches and vests, crooning sweet melodies! Barbershop songs are sung by men and women across the world. Quartets abound, but you will also find many barbershop choruses, some of which have as many as 150 members.

The barbershop sound is very rich and full, unique in its structure. For women, the melody is carried by the lead in the "first alto" range, with one harmony part above (the tenor), one harmony part below (the bass), and one part that "wraps around" the lead (the baritone). The bass usually consists of strong chord tones, with overtones reinforced by the higher voices. Any kind of music can be arranged and sung in this style of voicing, but songs with a memorable melody and less complex harmonic structure usually work best.

Barbershop singing is very exact. Since the key to barbershop music is its harmony, it is especially important to pay attention to accuracy in tuning and to singing with good breath support. Barbershop singers learn to expand their knowledge of music and vocal production. It's a learning and growth experience, both for novice singers and for singers experienced in other musical styles.

Other barbershop and a capella sites:

• Sweet Adelines is the largest women's singing organization in the world. It is dedicated to providing personal growth opportunities for women through musical performances of four-part harmony, barbershop style singing.
• For men, the principal barbershop organization is Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA).
• There are also a number of organizations devoted to a capella music in general, including the Contemporary A Capella Society (CASA) and the World A Capella Association (WAA).
• A good site to visit if you want to find out more about barbershop is Barbershoppers on the Web.