I wanted to begin my blog with an interesting video. My mom showed me this one a few months ago, and I fell in love with it. I remember back to high school choir class when we were forced to sing songs acapella. We were not very good.
On the other hand, the group in this video--Straight No Chaser--is very good. The fact that they are all guys and cool with being acapella singers makes this video even more special to me.
For those of you who have no idea what I mean by acapella, here's a definition for you: acapella is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment. In other words, it is very difficult.
Take a look, and let me know what you think:
On the other hand, the group in this video--Straight No Chaser--is very good. The fact that they are all guys and cool with being acapella singers makes this video even more special to me.
For those of you who have no idea what I mean by acapella, here's a definition for you: acapella is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment. In other words, it is very difficult.
Take a look, and let me know what you think:
I love the a capella singing. It brings me back to my own high school days when we sang a capella in the special choir, although not as good as these guys. and to sing in public like that??!! Crazy!
ReplyDeleteAwesome video! They were so good they gave me goosebumps!
ReplyDeleteAcapella is always cool!
ReplyDeleteIt takes skill and a whole lot of confidence to put your pure voice on the line without anything for it to hide behind.
I remember me and my two friends singing 3 part harmony christmas carols at random Tim Hortons around the city and through neighbourhoods during the winter months.
Try it some time! You get a lot of smiling faces, pictures taken and almost always they'll invite you in for a couple drinks! Trust me, after singing for half a block, you'll be stumbling up the doorsteps and forgetting who's coming to town.
Daniel Greaves from The Watchmen (originally from Winnipeg, recentl reunited) often performs a song by himself.
ReplyDeleteIm sure you can search in youtube for something from Greaves and find it. He usually does a cover...
In June at the Red River Ex he performed a song acapella mid-set. Can't remember which one it was though...
What draws me to it is how much skill it takes. There's no autotune here and no backing band to compensate for you screwing up by half a tone. You're all on your own. It's really the ultimate test for a vocalist.
Actually now that this has all jogged my memory, at a 60th birthday party I went to, somebody sang "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac acapella. Nearly moved me to tears. It was perfect.
A capella singing is wonderful - it takes real talent to be able to single without accompanyment with all the other singers singing different parts - wish I could do it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the awesome comments everyone! Graham, I will check out Greaves on youtube, and see what I think. I love listening to acapella, and I agree with you Mike, it takes an incredible level of skill and confidence to pull it off effectively. My friends and I attempted to do the christmas carol thing a number of winters ago when I lived in Calgary, but the people we sang to were not as interested as all of you are...
ReplyDeleteThanks again!
Interesting story on the Marconi School. Exploring out of the way places is a great pastime.
ReplyDelete