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Whats a Barbershop Song?

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A barbershop arrangement, well written and artistically performed is MUSIC; it is

music of a special type, with unique stylistic features that set it apart from all
other styles of MUSIC. As a style of MUSICal expression, barbershop MUSIC is
just as valid as the Baroque musicalstyle of a Bach cantata, a Gesualdo
madrigal, or a Mozart piano sonata. Dr. Burt Szabo"

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The Barbershop Arranging Manual was prepared under the supervision of the
Department of Music Education and Services of the Society for the Preservation and
Encouragement of Barber Shop Quart Singing in America, Inc. and was printed in 1981.!

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Dr. RobertJohnson, Director of Music Education and Services credits the following
contributors: Dennis Driscoll, Russ Foris, Tom Gentil, Ed Gentry, Don Gray, Dr. Val
Hicks, Mac Huff, Joe Liles, Dr. Greg Lyne, Lou Perry, Dr. Jim Richards along with
Dave Stevens and Dr. Burt Szabo who compiled and edited the material presented.!

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The 7 Elements of a good Barbershop Song:!

" 1." Melody"
" 2." Lyric"
" 3." Harmony (suggested or implied by the melody)."
" 4." Rhythm"
" 5." Meter"
" 6." Form"
" 7." Harmonic Rhythm"

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Whats a Barbershop Song?

! 1.! Melody"
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1." Should be within the range of the average, male lead singer.
(Generally agreed to be Eb or D below middle C to F a fourth
above)."
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2." Should lie primarily on the scale line of the songs key, and be more
conjunctive than disjunctive. (Anintervalis the distance between any
two pitches. A melody that moves in small, connected intervals
isconjunct, while one that moves by leaps isdisjunct.)"
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3." Should use a minimum of chromatically altered notes on stress
beats (the raising or lowering of a musical tone by a half step on a
stress beat)."
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4." Should probably have more ascending phrases thandefending
phrases."
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5." Sol to Sol melodies are better vehicles for barbershopthat Do to Do."
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6." Should not use a lot of low tonics, thirds, or sevenths."

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! 2.! Lyric"
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1." It should be in good taste by any standard."
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2." It should be language generally associated with the period 1890 to
1930. Archaic or pre-period songs, and those which are freely
modern, hippie, or over-sophisticated do not relate well to
barbershop."
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3." It should be a lyric which reflects an ingenuous quality sincere,
simple, and straightforward, universal, and unsophisticated."

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! 3.! Harmony(suggested or implied by the melody)"

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1." A good barbershop melody implies chords based on the Barbershop
Chord Vocabulary and the melodic line suggests harmonies that
follow the Circle-of-fifths progression."
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2." The most characteristic harmonic structure is the barbershop
seventh. Melodies which do not suggest frequent barbershop
sevenths are not good barbershop melodies,"
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3." Inappropriate use of the barbershop seventh, or forcing nonbarbershop song types into barbershop harmony inevitably results in
a flagrant case of stylistic incompatibility."
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4." Many melodies do not suggest enough variety of chords for good
barbershop, while others demand complex sounds out of the scope
of barbershop."

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Whats a Barbershop Song?

5." Minor chords and harmony are part of the barbershop style, but
songs which are predominantly minor are not good barbershop
songs."
6." Songs clearly recognizable as being in other styles are going to
sound out of place when forced into barbershop."

! 4.! Rhythm"
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1." Rhythmicpatterns generally "in vogue from the turn of the century
into the 20s are characteristic of good barbershop. The influences of
early Jazz, Dixieland, and Ragtime are found in songs of this period
and are part of the barbershop tradition. Songs written since,
including now, which utilize representative rhythmic patterns qualify
as barbershop songs at least in the area of rhythm."
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2." The more complex rhythm devices which developed after the 20s
and are characteristic of the large, sophisticated instrumental bands,
or of more jazz/swing groups are not consistent with our style. The
exotic rhythms, and those rhythms which developed largely from
other cultures are not representative of barbershop."
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3." Many songs turn out to be good vehicles for barbershop if some of
the rhythmic camouflage can be appropriately simplified."
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4." The rhythmic structures of good barbershop melodies offer
opportunities for interpretive liberties and room for embellishing
devices."

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! 5.! Meter"
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1." Barbershop songs are usually insimple meter of two-four, four-four,
three-four, and cut time."
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2." Most compound meters are not representative of the style, and
complex or constantly changing meters are inconsistent with good
barbershop."
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3." Many good barbershop songs were written in a certain meter
because of what was popular at the moment. The discerning
arranger looks for the true feel of the song, and may decide, if
appropriate, that it can be more effective in a different meter."

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! 6.! Form"
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1." Song form refers to horizontal rather than vertical structure, and is
the division of the duration of the song into progressively smaller
units of time. A verse and chorus istwo-part form. Further, each
part is divided into phrases and sub-phrases."

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Whats a Barbershop Song?

2." Good songs for barbershop generally have verses of two (or four)
phrases, and a chorus of four (or eight) phrases, and the phrases
are usually four or eight in length, never three, five, or seven. The
most appropriate form of the chorus is ABAB or ABAC, and AABA,
the letters representing like or unlike thematic material. A good
refrain reveals a balance betweenthese phrases of unity and
contrast."

! 7.! Harmonic Rhythm"

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1." The term HARMONIC RHYTHM may be misleading because
rhythm is expressed by using notes of various durational values
(half, quarter, and eight notes) and has nothing to do with harmonic
rhythm. "

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The piano man who plays by ear and who plays the RIGHT
chords at the RIGHT time has the perception of primary harmony
He may embellish the basic harmony called for by the melody, but
he never fails to make the essential chord changes at the right
places. "

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The barbershop ear singer who seems to feel whats coming next
has the perception of the correct harmonic rhythm. He too may add
other chords to the basic chord changes called for by the melody,
but he always makes the right move at the right time. "

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So understanding harmonic rhythm how OFTEN chord changes

occur-we must at the same time be aware that some harmonic
changes are required while some are added to increase interest or
excitement. "
2." Since required harmonic changes are chord root changes, it is the
PERCEPTION of these primary pillars or harmonic signposts that
is essential to the arranger."

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TO SUM IT ALL UP"

The best BARBERSHOP SONG is simple!
and ingenuous, with an air of sophisticated innocence. !

Most of all, it is meant to be sung with affection and an understanding heart."