A Swingles Moment

My very first experience with a cappella music came when I was in 9^th grade. My choir teacher, Kevin Badanes (the very same Kevin Badanes in the brilliant vocal jazz group Avante) played a recording of the Swingle Singers singing “The Theme From Superman.” That was when my life changed.

I’ve mentioned this story in a previous blog, but chances are you didn’t read that one, so I’m reiterating the point. It was The Swingle Singers who started me on the path I’m on today. Before that moment, all I listened to was Weird Al and Jimi Hendrix. After that moment, it was Weird Al and A cappella (sorry Jimi).

A cappella CD’s were hard to find in 1996. You had to order them from magazines (which seemed sketchy…though I later found out they were just run by Deke and friends of Deke). CD stores (you may not know what those are…) did not have a “contemporary a cappella” section. 

Perhaps if CD stores still existed today…they still wouldn’t have a "contemporary a cappella section."

Anyway, back to the story. So I tried to devour as much a cappella as I could, which was difficult since I didn’t know where to begin or how to find the music. I was able to find “Chameleon” by Vox One and a CD by The Nylons, but not much else. Thanks to the Internet, this problem is now solved…but it’s been eclipsed by a new problem: Now there’s just too much a cappella out there and if you’re new to the a cappella scene, you could be as lost as I was in 1996.

I’ve mentioned that point in a previous blog as well, but chances are you didn’t read that one either. So far, you’re 0 for 2.

I swear, I’m getting to the point.

In 1996, life-changing a cappella music was hard to find. You had to stumble across it accidentally. The same goes for 2017, but now you have too many sources to check and too many opinions to sift through.

In the expanding world of contemporary a cappella, an a cappella nerd like me can be overwhelmed by the amount of new content. When all a cappella starts to sound the same, it can be hard to love the style as much as you once did.

But that’s when I turn to my Swingle Moments.

What is a Swingle moment? Simple. It’s a term I invented just now (yay me!) to describe a personal, life-changing a cappella moment (not necessarily from the Swingle Singers). Hearing or seeing a Swingle moment is like having a nerdy divine intervention where you suddenly know the next step of your a cappella journey. The build-up of fatigue from hearing too much a cappella is released in a glorious puff of smoke, like a big satisfying aca-fart.

Here are my Swingle Moments. (Sorry/Not Sorry for the fart joke):

The moment I realized any song could be arranged a cappella: “Steven’s Last Night In Town” by Pandemonium.

My collegiate a cappella group, Vocal Point, had dug in their heels and refused to sing any music later than 1990. This meant our repertoire consisted of *gasp* “Lion Sleeps Tonight, ” “Day-O,” and “Eleanor Rigby.” And no, we did not sing it well.

For one of our concerts, we invited a group from the University of Maryland, Pandemonium, to sing with us. At the time, I had expanded my listening tastes to Weird Al, Monty Python records, A cappella, and Ben Folds Five. When I heard Pandemonium sing my favorite Ben Folds Five song “Steven’s Last Night In Town,” I suddenly knew that anything was possible. It was at that moment that I realized our tired arrangements of burnt-out oldies were not going to satisfy me as a musician anymore. I wanted to expand our repertoire to include the off-beat songs that no one would think of and original songs that no one would dare to write.

The arrangement that taught me how to write an a cappella original song: “What’s It All About” by Five O’Clock Shadow on Wonders of the World

This song remains my favorite a cappella original of all time, mainly because how it uses so little to rock so hard. When I wrote my first a cappella original “Power A cappella,” I copied the form and style of “What’s It All About,” because I knew if I used the same mechanics that made that song successful, mine would also be successful.

Fun fact: “Power A cappella” was terrible.

The arrangement that taught me how to compose polyphonic a cappella textures: “Everlong” by The Amalgamates on BOCA 2005

That arrangement is still one of the gold standards of polyphonic a cappella arranging (in my opinion). Just listen and try to pick out the numerous intersecting lines within the overall groove. I wish more a cappella groups would create dense, driving textures like this one.

The arrangement that changed my mind about medleys: “Super Mario” by Vocal Point on BOCA 2009

Normally, I hate medleys. The medleys I’ve heard are usually clumsily-arranged song cycles that give you the “greatest hits” without any substance. Plus, they’re sooooooooooooooo long.

My attitude about medleys changed after hearing “Super Mario.” Besides the fact that I was thrilled Vocal Point (different Vocal Point) had dedicated an entire medley to a video game, I loved the concept (moving from level to level), the inclusion of sound effects, the adaptations that added new lyrics, and the seamless change from the “invincibility star” song to “Shining Star” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. If you ever write a medley, please listen to this one first and follow their lead.

The album that shaped my current arranging style: Hold That Thought by Fermata Town.

For a brief few years, a cappella music didn’t thrill me. I felt like the BOCA compilations were churning out the same types of arrangements, and I hadn’t heard anything that I truly “loved.” By complete accident, I found Hold That Thought on iTunes. And then the light bulb turned on.

The group’s merging of radio hits with extremely complicated (and often surprising) jazz harmonies threw me for a loop. And let’s be clear…this is not a jazz album. They can rock as hard as Pentatonix, but with harmonies that are much more complex. Ever since hearing this album, I’ve been trying to model their style and substance. I’ve rekindled my interest in learning jazz theory and I’m constantly trying to shock the audience with interesting chords and dense harmonies.

The performance that set my career in motion: Mister Tim at the Amplify A cappella Festival, 2012

No live a cappella performance has ever had a greater impact on me than seeing Mister Tim perform in 2012. In that performance, I learned how to operate a live looper, I learned that you can be silly in a cappella, and I learned that there was now a way for me to make the a cappella music I had always wanted to make, without interference.

I’m not a professional live looper yet (nor will I probably ever be), but I owe much of my silly Docacappella persona to Mister Tim.

The arrangement that expanded my concept of harmony: “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” performed by The Swingle Singers with Peter Hollens, written by Tom Anderson.

There’s a reason I believe Tom Anderson is the greatest a cappella arranger living today: he sees music, writes music, and hears music in a “Beautiful Mind” like way. Despite his endless portfolio of arrangements, the immediate proof is in “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” where he utilizes chord combinations I haven’t even heard of (and I’m getting a doctorate!) and creates a rich tapestry of sound I didn’t even know was possible.

It’s been 3 years since I bought the arrangement from him, and I’m still combing through it, trying to decipher what the hell he was thinking when he wrote it.

The performances that changed the way I visualize live a cappella: “Titanium” by Voices In Your Head, 2013 and “Mad Hatter” by LARK, 2016

Both of these groups demonstrated what I feared I would never see again in a live a cappella performance: innovation.

Personally, I’m tired of watching the “hey-we’re-trying-to-be-really-cool-and-hip-by-standing-in-a-double-arc-or-adding-sexy-dance-moves-to-our-set” kind of choreography that plagues many inexperienced groups at ICCA and ICHSA competitions. When I wanted someone to show me something new, both of these performances did just that: Voices in Your Head manipulated the position of the microphones to create a sonic pulse and LARK added costumes, makeup, and staging to their performance, enhancing what could have been a tired power ballad into a spectacle.

This is one of the goals of my group, Satellite Lane: To create a show out of a cappella, not a set of songs with individual choreography. We’ve achieved this by writing 10-minute short plays, making “faux a cappella commercials,” or adding thematic dance moves that re-appear throughout all three songs.

For the theatre geek inside of me, I will always prefer “innovative and wacky” over “cool.”

The album that blew my mind:  Bioluminescence by ARORA.

Sure, Pentatonix is credited with bringing a cappella to a current mainstream audience (as they should be). But within the a cappella bubble, the album that essentially "changed the game" was ARORA's masterpiece, Bioluminescence. What makes this album great isn't necessarily the songs themselves (all originals, all incredible), but the way ARORA uses so little to create so much. A group of only five singers, ARORA layers harmonies over harmonies to produce a "wall of sound" set to a tight, rhythmic groove.

My very first thought after listening to this album was that I need to work harder so that I could one day create an album like this one.

Those are my Swingle Moments. What are yours?

Marc Silverberg

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Writing A Dissertation

First, let me address the question on everyone’s mind:

WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?

True, I haven’t written on my blog in three months. Here’s why:

I’ve been busy working on my massive dissertation, the a cappella major, and I’m proud to say that the first draft is FINALLY submitted.

A few friends have mentioned to me that they were thinking about applying for a doctoral program. If you were thinking “maybe one day I’d like to get my doctorate,” please do the following:

1) Go to the nearest hardware store.

2) Buy a hammer.

3) Use said hammer on your face.

All kidding aside, as someone who is only months away from completion, let me give you some real advice about the doctoral program.

Disclaimer: Not all doctoral programs are the same. This advice may not apply to you.

1) Classifications

When you enter a doctoral program, certain terminology is used to describe your progress:

Doctoral Student- Until you physically enter the writing phase, you are classified as a doctoral student. During this phase, you take the necessary classes to complete the program. Some programs (like mine) require you to take a comprehensive exam when the necessary classes are finally completed.

Doctoral Candidate- Assuming you have to write a dissertation (some doctoral programs don’t have that stage), your first task will be to write a proposal that outlines the dissertation (more on this later). At this stage, you become a doctoral candidate.

ABD (All But Dissertation)- In the ABD stage, the only thing you have left to complete is the physical dissertation. You have completed the classes, passed the comprehensive exam, written your proposal, and now it’s time to write the behemoth that is the dissertation. The good news is, many full-time college jobs will hire people in the ABD stage, as the ABD stage implies your doctoral degree is close to completion.

2) Doctoral Proposal- The single most important document you will ever write.

The phrase that was worth repeating at Five Towns College was “The proposal is the hardest part.” Why is the proposal, a 20-30 page document, harder to write than the dissertation, a 150-300 page document?

The dissertation proposal is equivalent to a formal business contract. The members of your committee debate and sign it, and once completed, you are bound to its content. The proposal essentially tells the members of your committee what your dissertation is about, how the dissertation will be organized, and specifically what you will write about.

The proposal is the hardest part of the dissertation process, because once completed, all you have to do to pass the dissertation is follow the proposal. Think of the proposal like a big mind map or outline. All you have to do is follow it to the letter, and your dissertation is complete.

3) Strategies for success

I didn’t write my 844-page dissertation overnight (though if you knew how many sections were written “overnight,” you’d slap me). It took 3 years to complete the draft you saw above.

Writing a dissertation is sometimes known as “the loneliest activity in the world.” Once you begin your dissertation, there is no due date. There is no friendly reminder to keep working. There is no time table, and no one can help you. Your biggest challenge in writing isn’t the writing itself, but the self-motivation to keep working when there is no ticking clock. As someone who has never been good at self-motivation, here’s how I finished:

A) I employed the Pomodoro Technique time management method. (link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique) Work for 25 minutes, break for a few minutes. Though I didn’t follow the technique exactly, setting short bursts of “work time” helped me visualize the task as a series of much shorter goals. I focused on one lesson at a time, rather than “get as many pages done as possible.”

B) There were times I knew that work was not going to get done, even if I forced myself to try. When those times came, I put the computer down and picked it up the next day. Sometimes, you just can’t work.

C) I rarely, if ever, did work at home. Home is a terrible place to complete work. Your stuff is there. The kitchen is there. The bed is there. The television is there. Your wife is there.

The majority of my work was done at my desk at Five Towns, where there was no major distraction.

D) I said “NO” to a few opportunities. I’m typically a guy who says “YES” to everything, and then tries to figure out how to make it work. This year, I had to say “NO.” No, I will not arrange that song for you. No, I will not help you with your musical. No, I do not want to be part of your next project.

E) I knew that my biggest challenge in writing would be the lack of deadlines. I’m a guy who thrives under extreme pressure and makes it a top priority to never miss a deadline. To combat the fact that dissertations have no deadlines, I had to create them.

I told my advisor “I’ll have that chapter done for you by Monday.” Of course, I hadn’t even started that chapter yet, but once the words came out of my mouth, I knew that it had to be done, otherwise I would look like a liar, or incapable of completing tasks on a schedule.

You need to force yourself into a corner, and then get out of it.

Marc Silverberg

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ICCA or ICCA(s)?

 Oh boy…this one is going to get me in trouble…

The ICCA is upon us once again! Soon our social media feeds will be swamped with groups who win, groups who lose, groups who should have won but didn’t, and groups who won but shouldn’t have done so.

Chances are, another ICCA-related matter will probably pop up on our social media feeds…Someone will inevitably say “ICCAs” and someone else will yell at him/her.

But here’s my question…Is it grammatically incorrect to say ICCAs? Your first thought is probably: “Yes. Obviously. Why are we even discussing this matter? Your blog is stupid.”

Let’s put aside personal opinions and hatred of me for a moment, and let’s take a serious, analytical look at this issue:

The case for “S”

While writing my dissertation, I came across the very issue I am analyzing now: Do I write the “ICCAs” or “ICCA competitions,” or something entirely different. I decided to ask the style guides, (APA, Chicago Style, MLA) for help.

Unsurprisingly, the amount of information they had on pluralizing acronyms was small or non-existent. But I was able to find the following:

“In APA, abbreviations should be limited to instances when a) the abbreviation is standard and will not interfere with the reader’s understanding and b) if space and repetition can be greatly avoided through abbreviation.”

-Purdue Online Writing Lab

“To form the plural of most abbreviations and statistical symbols, add s alone, but not italicized and without an apostrophe.”

-Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, pgs. 44 and 110

“If you can stop thinking of the spelled-out meaning of the acronym and just treat the acronym itself as a word with its own meaning, you should be able to add that little s without fretting.”

-Chicagomanualofstyle.org

“Write the plural form of an acronym without an apostrophe”

-MLA Style Sheet

The information gathered from this research draws no formal conclusion as to whether pluralizing an abbreviation of an acronym is correct, but style guides tend to agree that it is generally okay to do so.

During further research, I found this example on the American Journal Experts webpage:

“Regarding pluralization, abbreviations should reflect the meaning you wish to convey.”

-American Journal Experts

In this case, the intent of the writer is valued above the accepted rules. It really depends on how a writer uses the ICCA acronym.

Usually, when we say ICCAs, we are probably trying to say this: “The International Championships of Collegiate A cappella.” We are, in effect, pluralizing the correct word as our intent, but by writing the ICCAs, the reader chooses to think we are pluralizing the A, which is not a word that has a plural form.

This is the main reason why we are split on whether or not the ICCA can have a plural form. Technically, when we use the acronym, we are using it as a noun and we are referring to the “C,” or championships.

A concrete piece of evidence, however, can be found in the nonfiction book Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin:

“Now, back in competition with a near all-new roster of girls, could they return to the ICCAs and avenge their good name?”

-Pitch Perfect, pg. 14

Not only does Mickey Rapkin, senior editor at GQ magazine, use the pluralized acronym in the above quote, the term “ICCAs” appears 50 times within the book.

The book A cappella, by Deke Sharon, Brody McDonald, and Ben Spalding also uses the pluralized acronym 13 times.

To provide a contrary argument, take a look at Powerful Voices: The Musical and Social World of Collegiate A cappella, based on the dissertation by Dr. Joshua Duchan. In the 20 or so times that ICCA is mentioned, never once does he use the plural acronym, but he does mention it when quoting a contributor of RARB:

“…cause I haven’t heard their recordings or heard about them winning in ICCAs or anything.”

-Powerful Voices, pg. 177

Now I know what you’re thinking, and I agree: Just because a few people do it, does that make it right? If that argument were always true, I could hypothetically jump off a bridge and all you blog readers would say “Oh. I guess all bloggers should jump off bridges to emphatically prove their point.”

But the pedigree of the authors should count for something. I’m not saying that because they said it, it automatically means it is correct. But if they can do it and no one raises a big fuss, it should be okay to do it as well.

The case for no “S”

The way I see it, there are two main reasons why opponents of “ICCAs” have valid arguments:

1) The “A” in ICCA stands for a cappella, and a cappella has no plural form.

Think about other acronyms you have used in plural form before: VCRs, DVDs, UFOs…These work because the last letter in each acronym stands for an object that does have a plural form. Technically, if everyone wanted to have their cake and eat it too, the ICCA should be re-named the ICACs, or the International Collegiate A cappella Championships, which would allow the plural form to be justified.

2) They don’t want us to.

Okay. Full disclosure: When I set out to write this article, my goal was to prove that ICCAs was and is a viable plural abbreviation and when someone uses it, we should all calm down and let it happen.

But then, I proved myself wrong when I remembered another post I wrote almost 2 years ago: “2 p’s, 2 l’s, and no O.”

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a fan of a cappella. Unless you found this blog by mistake, which would explain my viewership over the last 5 years…

And if you’re a fan of a cappella, chances are you hate when people spell a cappella “A-C-A-P-E-L-L-A.” It’s a sore spot. It’s a pet peeve. We hate it because it doesn’t seem right.

However, groups, especially international groups, have continued to use the word “a capella,” and they have a good argument- when the word was first written, it was spelled “a capella,” not “a cappella,” because it was originally written by Renaissance composers and in Latin:

“The spelling capella is occasionally found; Giovanni Gabrieli marked sections for chorus alone “capella” and J.J. Fux referred to ‘Stilus a Capella.”

-Grove Dictionary of Music, A cappella

Just seeing that version of spelling makes my blood boil, and that’s the very point. The company that runs the ICCA, Varsity Vocals, is made up of very nice people. (I say that because it’s true and also because they all probably hate me right now) They have repeatedly asked in person and on social media to not use ICCAs:

“Your friendly reminder: It is ICCA, NOT ICCAs.”

-Emily Flanders, Facebook

Despite your belief in what is right and what is not, the employees of the company have asked you to not say ICCAs, and their opinions should matter.

The verdict:

In academic writing, the pluralized form of ICCA is probably fine to use, but there is no empirical evidence to suggest that ICCA can be pluralized, so don’t fight the powers that be. If you do use it, I doubt anyone is going to raise a fuss over your choice, but make sure you know what you are referring to, and who your readers are. Ask yourself these questions:

1) What’s the best way to phrase this sentence?

2) Do you ABSOLUTELY have to use “ICCAs?”

3) Will your readers hate you for doing so?

One final thing…

ICCA’s is totally incorrect. Acronyms cannot have possession of anything. No apostrophe. Ever.

Marc Silverberg

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How To Organically Arrange

I’ve been organically arranging songs with my a cappella class for some time now, but just recently, my CAL group, Satellite Lane, began working out arrangements by ear, rather than using sheet music.

If you don’t know what I mean by organic arranging, let me explain: Organic arranging is the process by which your a cappella group, as a whole, creates a new arrangement from scratch, by combining group improvisation with a lot of trial-and-error.

I highly recommend attempting this process for two reasons: First, it gives your group a sense of accomplishment and pride to know that they contributed to the arrangement. Second, it’s a great way to develop everyone’s aural skills.

Here’s what I learned from going through the process multiple times, and maybe you can use this as your how-to guide:

Step 1-Start with a song everyone knows

The best results come from a song that most or all of your members know, especially if this is your first time organically arranging. If the majority of your members don’t know the song, they will have to split their focus between learning the song and listening to an unfamiliar chord progression.

These characteristics work best when choosing a song for organic arrangements:

1- Everyone or almost everyone can sing the solo

2- The chord progression is mostly or entirely repetitive

3- The song does not have a significant a cappella cover that everyone already knows (Like the Pentatonix version of “Somebody That I Used To Know”)

4- The majority of group members seem excited or interested in covering this song and putting in the time to work on it

Step 2- Sing with chords.

I have found that the best way to begin an arrangement by ear is by playing and singing along with the chords. Pull up a lead sheet or sheet music off the internet, and have someone just bang out the chord progression on a piano or guitar while everyone improvises along.

Don’t have anyone sing the solo. Have them hear the solo in their heads.

The first time we approach a new song, I have everyone sing all the way through, even if they don’t know exactly what to sing. This helps outline the form of the song and, since the chorus most likely repeats several times, provides everyone wth multiple chances to improvise and revise their part during the chorus.

Sing the entire song at least twice, with someone playing the underlying chords. Once that’s finished, break the song down by section. Tackle one verse or chorus first, and sing it through a few times until everyone has a general sense of what to do.

Step 3- Know your individual roles

A good a cappella arrangement has many moving parts. If everyone sings something rhythmic, the song sounds too choppy. If everyone sings long whole notes, the arrangement sounds too static. You need a mix of both to fill the space.

You can decide who does what using a couple different ways. Typically, less confident improvisers will want to hold long notes, while more confident improvisers will want to add rhythmic ostinatos. If everyone is shy and/or confident, elect a leader to choose who will do what.

Don’t forget that there is more to an a cappella arrangement than long whole notes and rhythmic ostinatos. Here are some other background variants:

-Bell chords (each voice enters one at a time)

-Duets and Trios with the soloist

-Instrumental impressions like a guitar countermelody

-Changing the style of the song (rock to doo-wop or country to gospel, etc.)

-Countermelodies, canons, and echoes

-Changing the underlying harmony

Step 4- Write it down AND record it

When you agree on something you like, make sure somebody writes it down AND someone records it on his/her phone. Always have a backup memory system, or chances are you will forget what you did then next time you revisit this arrangement.

Step 5- Try Everything

No idea is a bad idea. (unless, of course, this suggestion is a bad idea…) Don’t be afraid to try something that completely fails. Don’t play it safe. Don’t stick to what you think everyone expects.

Step 6-Interject with some direction

Organic arrangements, unless your group is REALLY GOOD, will need some specific guidance to avoid a stale, repetitive arrangement. It’s okay every now and then to suggest a technique that relies on theory or is based on an existing arrangement. If you are having trouble thinking of new ideas, try to include the following items in your organic arrangement, whether by group improvisation or direction from an arranger:

1- Every verse must sound different.

2- The chorus can use some of the same background parts, but every chorus must add something new

3- Change at least 3 chords in the original progression

4- Insert a glissando somewhere in the arrangement

5- Insert a quote from another song

6- Change the musical style of one chorus

7- Everyone sings the lyrics in a homophonic texture for one chorus

8- Change the key

9- Sing one section without a strict tempo

10- Change the meter of a verse

11- Eliminate the bridge, intro, or transitions between verses

Marc Silverberg

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