So You Want to Sing Barbershop: A Guide for Performers
ONLINE RESOURCES
Chapter 1 Chapters 2, 3 & 4 Chapters 5 & 6 Chapters 7 & 8 Chapter 9
Introduction: Who Sings Barbershop?
Examples of Barbershop Quartets:
- Instant Classic Quartet (BHS)—Cover Photo Quartet
- Speed of Sound Quartet (SAI)
- Livewire Quartet (HI)
- High Priority (BHS Senior Quartet)
- Pratt Street Power (BHS College Quartet)
- The Ladies (SAI Rising Star Quartet)
- Jigsaw Mixed Quartet
- Julien Neel (4-part multitrack)
Examples of Barbershop Choruses:
- Ambassadors of Harmony Chorus (BHS)
- Scottsdale Chorus (SAI)
- Sounds of the Seacoast (HI)
- The Midwinter Youth Men’s Chorus (BHS)
- Young Women in Harmony Chorus (SAI)
Chapter 1 – The Barbershop Family Tree: A Brief History of Barbershop
Examples of Stephen Foster Songs:
- Edison Quartet (1899): My Old Kentucky Home
- Julie Gaulke (4-part multitrack): Beautiful Dreamer
- New MexiChords Chorus (BHS): Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair
- 2015 Fantasy Quartet (BHS): Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair
- Spot On Quartet (HI): My Old Kentucky Home
- The Barbershop Singers Quartet: Old Folks at Home
- Mirko Conti (4-part multitrack): Old Folks at Home
Examples of African-American Roots:
- Keepsake Quartet (BHS): The Entertainer (Joplin)
- Toronto Northern Lights Chorus (BHS): I’m Alabama Bound (Morton)
- Saturday Evening Post Senior Quartet (BHS): Tin Roof Blues (Morton)
- Barbershop 4-part Multitrack: When the Saints Go Marchin’ In (Traditional)
- Fahrenheit Quartet (BHS): Memphis Blues (Handy)
Examples of Early Commercial Quartets:
Examples of Early SPEBSQSA (Barbershop Harmony Society) Quartets:
- Bartlesville Barflies (1939)
- Buffalo Bills (1950)
- Buffalo Bills in The Music Man (1962 film)
- Suntones Quartet (1961)
Examples of Early Sweet Adelines International Quartets:
Examples of Mixed Harmony Quartets:
History of Barbershop links:
Chapter 2 – Singing and Voice Science (Scott McCoy)
- Your Voice: An Inside View
- National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)
- National Center for Voice and Speech (NCVS)
- The Voice Foundation (TVF)
Chapter 3 – Vocal Health and the Singer of Sacred Music (Wendy LeBorgne)
Chapter 4 – The Barbershop Style: “Let’s Bust a Chord!”
Chordbusters March:
Just Intonation versus Equal Temperament:
Examples of the Barbershop Ballad:
- Forefront Quartet (BHS): It Only Takes a Moment
- Vocal Majority Chorus (BHS): When I Fall in Love
- Echo Quartet (SAI): If I Give My Heart to You
- OK City Chorus (SAI): Beware, My Foolish Heart
Examples of the Barbershop Uptune:
- Prestige Quartet (BHS): Swanee
- Great Western Chorus (BABS): Oh, You Beautiful Doll
- Lustre Quartet (SAI): The Moment I Saw Those Eyes
- Memphis City Sound Chorus (SAI): This Joint Is Jumpin’
Examples of the Barbershop Swing Tune:
- Michigan Jake Quartet (BHS) Sweet Lorraine, Dinah
- Benchmark Quartet (BHS): Alexander’s Ragtime Band
- 4 for the Show Quartet (SAI): Back in the Old Routine
- Voices United Chorus (SAI): Original Dixieland One-Step
Example of Bell Chords:
Chapter 5 – Barbershop Singing Technique: From Shower to Spotlight
Barbershop Harmony Society
Sweet Adelines International (SAI) Quartets:
Harmony, Inc. (HI) Quartets:
Chapter 6 – Barbershop Ensembles: You Can’t Do It Alone!
Barbershop Ensembles Referenced in This Chapter:
- Kentucky Vocal Union (BHS)
- Vocal FX (Barbershop Harmony New Zealand)
- Zero8 (Nordic Barbershop Singers)
- Women of Note Chorus (SAI)
- Scioto Valley Chorus (SAI)
- Niagara Frontier Chord Authority (HI)
- Amersham A Cappella (Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers)
Purchasing Sheet Music:
- Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS)
- Sweet Adelines International (SAI)
- Sheet Music Plus
- Barbershop Connections
Listings of Arrangers:
Chapter 7 – Singing as One Voice: Techniques for Achieving Unit Sound
Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) Choruses:
Sweet Adelines International (SAI) Choruses:
Harmony, Inc. (HI) Choruses:
Chapter 8 – Standards for Barbershop Singing: Here Comes the Judge
International Champion Quartets (BHS):
- Forefront (2016 BHS Champions)
- Ringmasters (2012 BHS Champions)
- Storm Front (2010 BHS Champions)
- Crossroads (2009 BHS Champions)
- Vocal Spectrum (2006 BHS Champions)
- Power Play (2003 BHS Champions)
- Four Voices (2002 BHS Champions)
- Platinum (2000 BHS Champions)
- FRED (1999 BHS Champions)
- Gas House Gang (1993 BHS Champions)
International Champion Quartets (SAI):
- Frenzy (2017 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Maxx Factor (2011 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Moxie Ladies (2009 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Four Bettys (2008 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Salt (2007 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Spotlight (2006 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- The Buzz (2005 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Rumors (1999 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Weekend Edition (1996 SAI Queens of Harmony)
- Ambiance (1986 SAI Queens of Harmony)
International Champion Quartets (HI):
- Taken 4 Granite (2016 HI Harmony Queens)
- Moonstruck (2014 HI Harmony Queens)
- Epic Quartet (2012 HI Harmony Queens)
- Foreign Exchange Quartet (2011 HI Harmony Queens)
International Champion Choruses (BHS):
- Ambassadors of Harmony (2012 BHS Champions)
- Westminster Chorus (2015 BHS Champions)
- Vocal Majority (2014 BHS Champions)
- Toronto Northern Lights (2013 BHS Champions)
- Masters of Harmony (2011 BHS Champions)
- New Tradition (2001 BHS Champions)
- Alexandria Harmonizers (1989 BHS Champions)
- Southern Gateway Chorus (1992 BHS Champions)
- The Thoroughbreds (1981 BHS Champions)
International Champion Choruses (SAI):
- Rönninge Show Chorus (2017 SAI Champions)
- Scottsdale Chorus (2016 SAI Champions)
- Melodeers Chorus (2015 SAI Champions)
- North Metro Chorus (2013 SAI Champions)
- Rich-Tone Chorus (2010 SAI Champions)
- Harborlites Chorus (2008 SAI Champions)
- San Diego Chorus (2002 SAI Champions)
- Toast of Tampa Show Chorus (1993 SAI Champions)
- Gem City Chorus (1992 SAI Champions)
International Champion Choruses (HI):
- A Cappella Showcase Chorus (2016 HI Champions)
- Village Vocal Chords (2015 HI Champions)
- New England Voices in Harmony (2014 HI Champions)
- Northern Blend (2010 HI Champions)
Chapter 9 – Becoming a Better Barbershopper: Education in the Craft
Barbershop Resources and Websites:
- Barbershop Harmony Society District Schools
- Harmony University (BHS)
- Harmony Brigade
- Sweet Adelines International Certification Programs
- Youth in Harmony (BHS)
- Young Women in Harmony (SAI)
- Harmony for Young Women (HI)
Examples of Youth Barbershop Ensembles:
- Male Quartet: Lemon Squeezy
- Female Quartet: C'est La Vie
- Male Chorus: 52eighty
- Female Chorus: On Q
- Mixed Chorus: The Recruits
