D&D&A

Recently, I’ve been spending my time in quarantine learning all sorts of new things; how to play the ukulele, how to draw (for realz), more close-up card magic (yes, really), and as the title suggests, how to play Dungeons and Dragons.

 Now full disclosure, I already knew how to play Dungeons and Dragons from a player perspective. However, now I was learning how to be a dungeon master.

 

Quick definition for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term: A dungeon master is the person who designs, writes, and leads a game of Dungeons and Dragons. You can’t play without one, and they can’t be computerized, because a computer could not possibly predict your every choice. Also, that’s called a video game.

 

Anyway, as I began designing my first D&D quest, my mind drifted to a cappella (of COURSE it did) and what practical applications my D&D knowledge would have for a burgeoning a cappella group, especially a burgeoning a cappella group whose members are most likely in quarantine.

 

In my opinion, the biggest challenge any a cappella group faces is staying on task and maintaining an active role in their group, especially when their group doesn’t meet in-person anymore or as regularly as they used to. The simplest solution, of course, would be to drop rehearsals altogether and consider this year a wash. But what if you could maintain interest across your group, AND have fun doing it, AND have it relate to Dungeons and Dragons?

 

Disclaimer: These rules might be a little difficult to understand if you have little-to-no experience will dungeons and dragons. If that’s the case, scroll to the bottom and read the example to better grasp the order of events.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

1) Each member of your group gets a character sheet. This sheet is where you can keep track of your character’s skills and experience points, as well as any rewards he or she earns over the course of the year. The director of your group ( or the president, or just the most responsible member) plays the role of Dungeon Master and determines who has earned experience points or rewards.

 

2) Every character in Dungeons and Dragons is defined by 6 attributes:

Strength- Natural athleticism, bodily power

Dexterity- Physical agility, reflexes, balance, poise

Constitution- Health, stamina, vital force

Intelligence- Mental acuity, information recall, analytical skill

Wisdom- Awareness, intuition, insight

Charisma- Confidence, eloquence, leadership

 

In our a cappella version of the game, these 6 attributes will represent different areas of expertise:

 

Strength- Ability to hold your part, how long can you stay focused in rehearsals

Dexterity- How good are you with technology, how well can you move/dance, can you create dances?

Constitution- How much time do you have to devote, are you always on time, do you attend every rehearsal?

Intelligence- sight reading ability, how fast can you learn your part?

Wisdom- how well are your skills behind the scenes (arranging, directing, editing, etc)

Charisma- how much of a team player are you, motivational skills, behavioral management

 

Each member of your group (character) starts out with a 10 in all 6 attributes. Then, they are given 6 extra attribute points which they can distribute how they see fit. For example, Melvin decides that his best attributes are Strength, because he knows he can hold his part, Wisdom because he’s an arranger, and Constitution because he has a lot of time to devote to the group, on account of his complete lack of friends (not because he’s named Melvin, but because he’s kind of a jerk). He distributes 3 points to strength, 2 to wisdom, and 1 to constitution. His attributes now look like this:

 

Strength- 13 (+3)

Dexterity- 10

Constitution- 11 (+1)

Intelligence- 10

Wisdom- 12 (+2)

Charisma- 10

 

Based on the numbers determined, certain bonuses apply to any rolls of the dice. In D&D, these are called modifiers.

 

If your attribute score is    Your modifier is

10                                      +0

11-12                                 +1

13-14                                 +2

15-16                                 +3

17-18                                 +4

19                                      +5

20 or higher                       +6                              

 

3) The purpose of the game is to complete skills related to your a cappella group so that you can earn experience points. Experience points can then be used to earn rewards.

 

To earn experience points, members complete skills as designated by the dungeon master. Accompanying each skill is a list of attributes the skill enhances. For example:

 

Organize online meeting (Charisma, Wisdom)

In this example, if Melvin organizes the next online meeting, he will earn experience points based on either his charisma attribute score or his wisdom attribute score (he gets to choose).

 

Skills can be added or subtracted from the example list below- it should be tailored for your specific group.

 

Create arrangement (Wisdom, Constitution)

Create learning tracks (Dexterity, Intelligence)

Set up MIDI files in notation software (Dexterity, Intelligence)

Organize online meeting (Charisma, Wisdom)

Send out group email (Charisma, Wisdom)

Update the group calendar (Dexterity)

Remain active throughout the rehearsal (Strength)

Choreograph a dance (Strength, Dexterity)

Set up equipment for recording/filming (Wisdom, Dexterity)

Design an instruction manual to help others with technology (Constitution, Charisma)

Learn and memorize your part (Strength, Intelligence)

Help someone else learn and memorize their part (Intelligence, Constitution)

Make a solo recording that stays 90% or more in tune (Strength, Wisdom)

Be on time to 5 rehearsals in a row (Constitution)

Take on an added responsibility (Constitution, Charisma)

Direct a sectional (Strength, Intelligence)

Manage the behavior of a group in rehearsal (Charisma)

 

Rewards are what members aim to earn, based on the number of experience points they receive. 

As usual, rewards can be added, subtracted, or adjusted from this list. It should be tailored to your specific group.

 

Choose 1 song for the group to sing next semester- 200 XP

Veto one song choice for the next semester- 300 XP

Miss one rehearsal without penalty- 100 XP

Get a solo- 500 XP

Choose a warm-up exercise- 50 XP

Direct the group for 10 minutes- 75 XP

Choose the location of the afterparty- 200 XP

Choose the next activity as part of your bonding time- 150 XP

Add 1 attribute point- 100 XP

 

4) Here’s how the game works:

 

First, the player/member of your group distributes their attribute points.

 

Next, the player/member of your group completes 1 or more skills. Every time they complete a skill, they earn the right to roll for experience points.

 

Besides each skill is 1 or 2 attributes that the skill best exemplifies. If there is only one attribute, then the success of the roll will depend on only that attribute’s number. If there is two attributes, then the player can choose which attribute will represent their success.

 

For this game to work, you will need only one die: a 20-sided die known as a d20. If you don’t have one, never fear, there are thousands of free online websites that can roll d20s for free.

 

When the skill is complete, the player rolls a d20 to determine how many points they earn. Whatever the number is, they add their attribute modifier and the total is how many points they earn. 

 

When the player reaches a specific number of experience points that is equal to or greater than a reward they want, they earn that reward.

 

Okay, that was A LOT of rules. Let me simplify with an example:

 

Melvin (remember Melvin?) has distributed his 6 attribute points like so:

 

Strength- 13 (+3)

Dexterity- 10

Constitution- 11 (+1)

Intelligence- 10

Wisdom- 12 (+2)

Charisma- 10

 

According to the modifier list, if Melvin completes a skill related to the strength attribute, he will get +2 experience points. This means whatever he rolls will add 2, and the total will be the number of experience points he earns. The constitution and wisdom attributes earn him a +1 modifier, and since the rest are 10, Melvin earns no modifiers for those attributes.

 

In the skills list, Melvin notices that a skill (Learn and memorize your part) has a strength attribute and an intelligence attribute attached. This means that after Melvin completes this skill by learning and memorizing his part, he will earn experience points and use one of the two attributes (strength or intelligence) to help boost that total number. Obviously, since strength is a 13 and intelligence is a 10, Melvin chooses the strength attribute, which gives him a modifier of +2. 

 

Melvin now rolls a d20 (20-sided die) to determine how many experience points he gets. He rolls a 12. Because he is using his strength attribute modifier, he adds 2 and gets 14. In total, Melvin has earned 14 experience points for having learned and memorized his part.

 

Because he completed other skills beforehand, Melvin has 200 experience points in total. He chooses to use these points to grant him a reward: “choose the location of the afterparty.” If he wants this reward again, he will have to earn 200 more experience points.

 

Confused? Email me: docacappella@gmail.com

 

Happy adventuring!

Marc Silverberg

 

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COVID Killed the A cappella Star

Hello dear reader.

How are you?

It’s been a while.

 

14 months to be exact.

 

A lot has changed in that time. 

 

Let’s see…where should I begin? Oh right. The board game Pandemic is no longer fun to play.

 

Chances are, as of today, you fall into one of these categories:

1) Your a cappella group has decided to rehearse, COVID be damned. And…then someone gets COVID.

2) Your a cappella group meets online and you spend the majority of time figuring out how to film your next virtual choir video.

3) You’re trying to rehearse with your group/choir live, but everyone is so far apart that tuning is nigh impossible. And forget about matching vowels…you can’t even see what shapes each mouth is making.

4) Your group is on hiatus until further notice.

 

You probably think that with all that’s going on today regarding health and safety, that these are your only options. Risk singing together or turn up the stress dial to 11 trying to work through online technical difficulties.

 

Well, I’m here to tell you, there’s another way to get your a cappella cake and eat it too. The cake is NOT a lie.

 

Here are some options you may not have thought of…

 

Option 1- LEARN!

 

Look, the ICCA is virtual this year, so there’s no need to spend hours rehearsing your pinwheel choreography. You’ve got some time on your hands, so why not spend it learning more about a cappella? Trust me, when the world reboots and the ICCA is back to its regularly scheduled program, you will most likely have to focus all of your time on that pinwheel.

 

It just so happens (shameless plug) that a school is currently open, where you can learn so much more about a cappella than you ever thought possible. Plus, the classes are live, so you’re getting direct, immediate feedback as if this were college.

 

To learn more, go here: www.vocaversity.org

 

But wait! What if you HATE direct and immediate feedback? What if you’d rather have access to videos that you play on your own time? Well, there’s a website for that as well: www.acappellamasterclass.com

 

Option 2- LISTEN!

 

Ever see that movie Pay it Forward? Yeah, neither did I, but it did give me an idea about how we, as an a cappella community, can increase the number of people who listen to our stuff while simultaneously supporting other content creators. (I mean, I assume the movie is about selfishly helping yourself as much as you help others. Again, I did not see it)

 

I’m calling this the Aca-Swap (final name pending…)

 

Here’s how it works:

-You contact a friend in another a cappella group. They agree to participate in an aca-swap.

-You watch/listen to something (ONE THING) of theirs and give feedback/opinons/compliments. 

-Then, they listen to something (ONE THING) of yours and do the same. This way, both of you have now experienced something new.

 

That (ONE THING) disclaimer is there to ensure that it’s fair. I mean, don’t make your friend listen to an entire album then agree to only listen to one song. That makes you a jerk. By limiting each Aca-Swap to only one thing (ONE THING), you keep the exchange short and sweet.

 

Try it!

 

Option 3- IMPROVISE AND COLLABORATE!!!

 

So, for this one, you need the Acapella app. I’ll admit, I resisted using it for a long time, because the videos looked kinda cheesy. (Okay, full disclosure- I resisted using it because they spelled a cappella wrong and it REALLY ANNOYED ME)

 

Anyway, once I discovered that you can actually use it to collaborate with friends, I started using it on a daily basis.

 

Then, this morning (THIS. VERY. MORNING.) I thought of something (ONE THING). While we might not be able to improvise circle songs and arrangements online [shakes fist at computer latency], we CAN collaborate one part at a time. Here’s what you do:

-Start an acapella video (HATE. THAT. SPELLING.) and sing one part over and over for a minute or so.

-Send that video to a friend who has the app, and they add one part.

-They send it to a different friend, who adds another part.

And so on.

And so on.

And so on. (WAYNE’S WORLD!)

 

The catch is that this is supposed to be improvised, so the person receiving the video should have no idea what the song sounds like until they record for the first time.

 

This can be used for a number of clever improvisation games. (More on that in a future blog)

 

Option 4- LOOK LIKE A DUCK!

 

“The Singer’s Mask” is probably the most widely used right now by my choral educator friends. The only drawback is, of course, it makes you look like a duck. (Also it’s not exactly cheap). But if your group is small and everyone buys one, then you can rehearse in person safely.

You can buy it here: https://www.broadwayreliefproject.com/singersmask

 

Option 5- EXPERIMENT

 

Now is the BEST time to try building a new a cappella skill, like recording, arranging, improvising, making videos, etc. I myself have re-discovered my love of looping, and now I put out weekly improvised looping videos. (Bonus, I’m getting better at Final Cut Pro).

 

The thing is, if you are going to compete this year in ICCA, ICHSA, ACA-OPEN, etc., you’re going to have to make a video, which can be expensive.

 

Take it from me, unless you’re in a group that has made it to the finals any year or won, you are not going to have enough money to make a video worthy of winning the ICCA and therefore, have little-to-no chance of winning. 

 

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enter. On the contrary. You should ABSOLUTELY enter, but make the video yourself. Knowing that you have NO CHANCE of winning allows you the freedom to get creative, to experiment, to master a new skill.

 

It just so happens that a friend of mine (and by friend, I mean a group of friends who work for a registered LLC) have reasonably priced classes that will help you get started. You can see these classes here: https://www.viridianmusic.com/elevate

 

Option 6- FIGHT COVID

 

Look, as much as I make fun of our situation, the reality is, this is serious. People are dying and every time I see a friend of mine on Facebook say they have COVID, I genuinely get scared.

 

Now, I’m not trying to get political, but it seems that our fortunes might be turning in this situation, because the government is going to take COVID seriously.

 

Why does this affect you? Because you can use your a cappella powers to raise money for organizations who need supplies, man power, and medicine to fight this disease. You have the power to fight back, and you have the power to brighten someone’s day. Use the aca-force for good.

 

If you wonder why your virtual choir video isn’t going viral, it’s because everyone and their mom (even my mom) are making virtual choir videos. If you want to stand out in this unknown territory we call online learning, you need to think outside the box.

 

But don’t actually go outside the box. You might catch COVID.

 

Marc Silverberg

 

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Running From Krueger

Before I start…

This post is the combination of two things: 1) A phenomenon I have witnessed many times throughout my life, often with me as the gullible subject, and 2) A post on Facebook, asking for someone to invent terminology for said phenomenon, which I had hoped would cure the writer’s block I had.

So, special thanks to Alex Green for making me aware of this actual, real, psychological term that I can totally make fun of now. (P.S. If you’re wondering why I had never heard of this before, it’s because I failed psychology in college. And by fail, I mean I never showed up because it was early and I needed my sleep)

Does this scenario apply to you? 

It’s the first rehearsal of the new year, and your group sounds AMAZING! Like, they sound as good as Pentatonix and you suddenly believe all your dreams are possible! I mean, sure, you’ve only heard them sing one chord in the warm-up procedure, but who cares?! They sound incredible and you really feel like this is the year you will win the ICCA. 

Later that night, you go home, happy and exhausted. You fall asleep dreaming of all the wonderful possibilities your new group can achieve and then all of a sudden Freddy Krueger enters your dreams and stabs you in the eye.

Okay…maybe not the last part, but the first part for sure. We’ve all been there. Hell, this happened to me two weeks ago, and I’ve got a doctorate in music education. I should know better. 

Let me explain..

It was the first rehearsal of my Beginning Contemporary A cappella Ensemble (college-level). Every semester brings a new crop of students, with only a handful returning. The students quickly learned the first half of an arrangement and sounded pretty good singing it for the first time. It was here that I became the victim of a horror movie. I went home with more cheerful optimism than I should have had; my brain whirring around deciding how much the ensemble could handle and how difficult I could make the arrangements. I believed this group could accomplish anything with enough time and dedication, so I began to arrange our second song with the difficulty scale ramped up to 11. The next rehearsal, we read through the new, much more difficult arrangement and it was a complete disaster. That was when Freddy stabbed me in the eye.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s great to have optimism, especially if you’re an extreme pessimist like me. But there’s a difference between optimism and misplaced optimism. That’s where Freddy Krueger comes in.

This cognitive bias is known as the “Dunning-Kruger Effect.” (See where I’m going with this?) In a nutshell, the Dunning-Kruger effect is a bias in which people mistakenly assess their cognitive ability as greater than it is. According to verywellmind.com:

“The effect is a type of cognitive bias in which people believe that they are smarter and more capable than they really are. Essentially, low ability people do not possess the skills needed to recognize their own incompetence. The combination of poor self-awareness and low cognitive ability leads them to overestimate their own capabilities.” -Kendra Cherry

Okay, readers (all 4 of you) put away your pitchforks, because I’m not saying any of you are incompetent. But it is time to assess whether or not you have enough information to accurately judge your group’s ability. One good chord? No. Six rehearsals? Maybe.

I’m sure when Alex Green (Hi Alex!) first mentioned the scientific explanation for this scenario, he probably didn’t expect me to misread the first word, and then immediately think how I could compare a cappella rehearsals to 80s horror movies. But here we are.

So how do you combat this Dunning-Kruger effect? Simple. You run from Krueger.

Imagine that Freddy Krueger is stalking your a cappella ensemble and of course, you are unaware this is happening. Freddy represents “reality,” or the actual ability of your ensemble. The less you believe in him (and overestimate your group’s ability based on insufficient evidence) the closer he gets to “stabby-stabby-town.” To keep him at a distance, you have to believe he is real, keep an eye out for him, and know how to kill him. 

How do you kill him?

-Plan realistic goals that ensure success but also challenge your 

     ensemble to work harder

-If your group is competing this year and you’re not the Socal 

     Vocals, consider you might not win. Instead, strive for a smaller    

     goal, like making it to semi-finals. Or placing top 3 in the 

     quarter finals. (I just know I’m going to get flak for that Socal 

     Vocals joke…)

-Test the waters- Maybe break out an arrangement that you think is 

     probably above your group’s skill level and see if they can learn 

     it and/or how long it takes them to learn it.

-If you’re the music director, stay firmly in the land of reality. Be 

     the voice of reason if you suspect Freddy Krueger is behind the 

     door.

-Pull Freddy into the real world and stab him in the chest with his 

     own glove.

No matter what you do, DO NOT call Jason Voorhees for help. He does not care about your problems. He only wants to stab you in the eye.

Oh…there is no a cappella equivalent for asking for help from Jason Voorhees. I’m just saying don’t do it.

Marc Silverberg

Follow the Quest

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Special shout-out to Alex! http://plaidacappella.com

Wii Fit Trainer

In the last few days of summer, I’ve been playing a lot of Smash Bros. Like, a lot. Like, a lot a lot. 

Now that the school year has begun, I expect that amount to significantly decrease (and then Borderlands 3 comes out Friday…)

Out of your many choices of playable characters, only one, Wii Fit Trainer, has the ability to heal herself during battle. (I mean, technically Wario can as well, but he needs to eat the opponent to do it)

This got me thinking about a cappella. (BTW, if you’re reading this blog for the first time, I’m terrible at segues)

Lately, I’ve noticed a spike in articles about music therapy. Music therapy has never been something that I took much of an interest in. I mean, the ability to heal yourself through music sounds more like “crystal gems and incense” than “real legitimate medicine.” And this, dear reader, is one of the reasons I don’t use Wii Fit Trainer. To heal yourself in battle is complicated and takes time; and as any Smash Bros. player knows, time is something you absolutely do not have.

Okay, it’s a weird link between Smash Bros. and music. But come on! I haven’t done this in two years. I’m a little rusty.

ANYWAY, let’s get back on topic. Music therapy. What is it and why should we care?

Well, after reading several articles on the topic and learning more information than I already had (which was none), I have now come to understand the purpose of music therapy. My hope is that if you’re someone who feels like I once did, I can change your mind.

No, music therapy is not a magical spell where singing will heal your broken arm. I thought at first that music therapy shared something in common with physical therapy—like if you had damaged your voice and specific coaching could help repair it. True, that is a component of music therapy, but there’s more to it than that. Here is a definition from the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA):

“Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.”

In “Music Therapy for Dummies” terms, that means these trained professionals have evidence to suggest that music can heal you physically, mentally, and emotionally.

So how does it work? Well, like Wii Fit Trainer, it doesn’t mean healing yourself, although music can certainly fix emotional and mental states. And also like Wii Fit Trainer, you can’t shoot giant sun spheres out of your stomach.

Music therapists (according to AMTA) “assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through musical responses…”

Once I began reading these definitions, I realized that, without even knowing it, I had designed music therapy lessons while teaching high school. In one public school, I had a self-contained special needs class. I used my elementary training to design lessons that helped these students work on their issues as designated by their IEPs. That, apparently, was considered music therapy.

So, again, as an a cappella nerd, why should you care? I argue that several facets of a cappella benefit your well-being:

-Going to a cappella rehearsal can simply make you feel good, which alleviates stress. Consequentially, going to rehearsal where everyone in your group is fighting or arguing can create stress.

-Choreography can enhance a person’s motor skills and physical movement. Dancing helps patients feel a deep connection between their minds and bodies. It helps them relax and reduces stress. They feel more comfortable with who they uniquely are.

-Singing and music in general is a “mega-vitamin for the brain” (Wendy Magee, M.D. at London’s Institute of Neuropalliative Rehabilitation)

-Singing can help control chronic pain and repair muscles.

-Writing music allows you to deal with your emotions constructively. It gives you a chance to do mental work that’s not only fun and enjoyable but also improves your mental capabilities. (https://www.regain.us/advice/therapist/music-therapy-techniques-exercises-and-outcomes/)

-A cappella singers drink more water during rehearsals, which hydrates the body. As Brody McDonald says in his book A cappella Pop:“Pee white, sing right.”

The benefits of music therapy are many and varied, but it is important to understand that therapy takes time. None of these outcomes is guaranteed right away. But evidence suggests that the outcomes of music therapy are similar to the arguments made to keep music in schools, so now you have a defense for your music department.

However you use the benefits of music therapy, believe in them and don’t dismiss them, much like I will dismiss Wii Fit Trainer as I play Smash tonight.

Marc Silverberg

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The A cappella Starter Package

Surprise! I’m back!

So…it’s been a little while…(2 years in fact…) since I’ve updated this blog. A lot has happened over that time, and my hope is that once you read this list of things I’ve been doing, you’ll stop being mad at me:

            -I finished my 509-page dissertation, “The A cappella Major” and earned my doctorate in music education.

            -I became the director of vocal music at Five Towns College, which changed my adjunct status to full-time associate professor.

            -I became the director of the FTC Chamber Singers, a traditional choir who recently performed at the Association for Popular Music Education’s National Convention.

            -I co-authored a reference book with Deke Sharon and Dr. J.D. Frizzell (release date: Spring 2020)

            -My wife and I bought a house—a process that was so long and painful that I now suffer from PTSD anytime I try to buy something from a store. 

            -My wife and I had a daughter. That alone should be enough to explain my 2-year absence.

So…yeah. The blog kinda fell off the radar. To be fair, I’m still convinced that only 4 people read this and that the 200+ hits I receive daily are just random bots from Russia (one of my videos was a victim of that—true story BTW).

ANYWAY, enough about me! Let’s talk about a cappella music!

This post is dedicated to the people who want to jump right in the deep end of a cappella but are afraid to swim past the kiddie pool. This post is all about the “A cappella Starter Package!”

Like Dungeons and Dragons (my character is a level 2 chaotic neutral Spanish Rogue), A cappella takes some getting used to. Yes, anyone who plays D&D says that anyone can “Jump right in! It’s just interactive storytelling!” And speaking as a noob, that’s true. Anyone can jump in and start learning. But there comes a moment when you’re ready to go full throttle and really learn the ins and outs of the game. And there’s A LOT of rules. Sooooooo many rules.

In other words, the suggestion that anyone can “jump right in” is…not exactly accurate. You can start, but if you want to be good, you need to know much more.

A cappella is the same way. Deke Sharon’s favorite proclamation is that we’ve been singing a cappella for centuries, and that it’s easier than ever to form a group. And he is absolutely correct. Anyone can form a group. Anyone can sing. 

But let’s think about the future for a moment. You’ve formed your group. Your group has a terrible name based on a music pun. You found a pdf of “Daft Punk” by Pentatonix online. But you want more. You really want to plant your feet firmly in the community.

All the resources are there. (They are…believe me) But they’re scattered in websites you’ve never heard of, books you’ve never read, and most importantly, passed down conversationally from person to person.

How do I get better? Is there ONE place that can tell me EXACTLY what I need to know to get started?

Yes. Yes, there is. Hi. I’m Marc and I’ve created the “A cappella Starter Package.”

STEP 1

Go here and add your name to the list: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACappellaNow/

This is the Facebook group for CASA, the Contemporary A cappella Society of America. More often than not, most breaking a cappella news, announcements, and releases show up on this group. This is your regularly updated newsfeed and your window to other avenues. 

STEP 2

Buy this: A cappella Arranging

AND this: A cappella

These are the most commonly referenced a cappella books. These will answer a majority of your questions and also help you get started arranging.

STEP 3

Now you need some arrangements.

Go here: https://www.noteflight.com

Here: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com

And here: https://www.musicnotes.com

Search “a cappella.”  

Every arrangement sold on these websites is 100% legal. By purchasing arrangements on these websites, you will never be treading the thin grey line of “is this arrangement legal or is this entrapment?”

The majority of a cappella groups commission arrangements or purchase stock arrangements directly from the arranger. But chances are, you probably don’t know the names of those arrangers.

STEP 4

Listen to the following albums:

“Bioluminescence” by ARORA

“Nothing But The Real Group” by The Real Group

“Take 6” by Take 6

“Rockapella Live” by Rockapella

“PTX Vol. 2” by Pentatonix

“Ticket To Ride” by The Swingle Singers

“Postyr Project” by Postyr Project

“Steps” by Cluster

“In This Together” by Accent

VOCALbularies” by Bobby McFerrin

“You’re The Voice” by Club For Five

“Collective” by Duwende

“Twenty for One” by Cadence

The latest volume of Best of College A cappella (BOCA)

The latest volume of Best of High School A cappella (BOHSA)

The latest volume of Voices Only

It’s a long list. I know. But this will give you a good idea of what’s possible with a cappella. Plus, every album is an A+ album. I guarantee it (guarantee not legally binding).

STEP 5

Go here: https://thevocalcompany.com/services/education/

Here: https://acappellaeducators.com

And here: https://www.campacappella.com

Also here:http://team.singstrong.org

Plus here:https://bostonsings.com

Don’t forget here: http://sojam.net

Oh, right…here too: https://varsityvocals.com

These websites will help edu-ma-cate you in all things a cappella. Plus, they have details on all the happening a cappella festivals and competitions. Bookmark these websites.

Hopefully this is enough to get you started. Will it make you an a cappella expert overnight? No, but at least you’ll have the resources you need at your disposal. 

BONUS STEP 6!!!

Subscribe to this: Youtube Page

It’s me! I have a Youtube channel! And since this is MY blog, I’ll post what I want. So there.

Marc Silverberg

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