JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Microphone and Vocalist Forum singing acapello

I enjoy singing acapello during my gigs and the old three-and-outs but don’t run into a lot of others doing any acapello stuff. There were a couple of songs I do because I can’t do them justice on my guitar but I truly like just voice and wish others would give it a go more often.

The proper spelling of the term is
a cappella.

It is an Italian term meaning singing without accompaniment.

I believe that's what you are referring to..?

Emily

I like to hear something a capella sometimes. Especially if the singer has a really good voice and a cool style. --Jean

From

http://www.singers.com/a-cappella.html

...

Acappella
Joining the two Italian words together to make Acappella is a popular variation in the U.S. For many streetcorner singing fans, Acappella means unaccompanied singing of '50s (and early '60s) songs. There were a series of recordings released in the early 1960's of Mid-Atlantic unaccompanied doo-wop groups called "The Best of Acappella." The liner notes on the first LP noted that Acappella means "singing without music." In this matter we do tend towards being picky - instruments do not alone music make! A cappella (or Acappella) singers make music while they are ...


singing without instruments

...but they agree with your preference...

A Cappella, Acappella, Acapella, A Capella, Acapella or A Capela?
The phrase a cappella is among the most butchered and misunderstood musical terms. The predominant, and most "correct" spelling, is ...


a cappella - two words, two "p's", two "l's."

...way to much time on my hands. I started playing the guitar since I was tired of singing everything a cappella. I still do White Rabbit, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Rebel Solder, Strange Fruit and a couple of others exclusively a cappella. I wrote my first a cappella tune a couple of months ago. Anyway…

I hope more consider it as an option.

Of course Emily realized what he was referring to. She simply felt the need to humiliate (just a little).

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Chris

"Acappella" is my favorite "Barney Fife" song.
Nice topic!

"It's all good"

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/kriskarrmusic.htm

Barney Fife song??? --Jean

He Saw, I am very fortunate to live a mile from the ampitheater where Jean Ritchie performs at the Ky Music Weekend most every year. She is a mountain girl(an icon actually),and she always sings a few mountain songs/english ballads a capella.
Believe me, the chatter in the crowd ceases as she sings. This is, IMHO, the most powerful conection a performer can make with an audience.I've seen small children actually listen to her intently.

I agree,more singers should try it if suits the type of song.


[This message has been edited by TonyW (edited 10-08-2004).]

...and I always referred to it as Acapulco. That has a much more fun flair to it...

Hey guys -

I apologize if my "correction" about the spelling offended anyone...I really didn't mean to come off that way...

Sometimes it is hard to tell if people are spelling the term wrong because they don't know it, or they are intentionally making fun of this old Italian term...

Anyway...please forgive me if I offended anyone -

Emily

Emily:

I surely didn't take offense. I find in spelled differently often enough to notice. I usually go with the one word due to lazyness or my public education, not sure which.

I’ve been trying to think of the songs I’ve done a capello, they would include..

White Rabbit
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Rebel Soldier (A 1930’s version)
Pigs are in the Field (A song I wrote in Am but I like it better acapello)
Plain Girls Lament
St. Louis Blues
Strange Fruit
Summertime
Emily’s Lullaby (A song I wrote for my daughter.)
The Star Spangled Banner (through all 4 grueling verses a couple of times and the basic first verse at sports events)
Various Christmas songs which don’t really count
Mercedes Benz (Almost forgot this one, how was that possible Oh Lord)

Anyway, if anyone else does this kind of thing, I’d like to know which songs you do.

I have sung Amazing Grace a cappella-

Emily

Well, I hacked up a song last night but the lights help prevent my seeing the audience.

I have met a person that discribed herself as an a cappella performer.

We are out here. You can't get rid of us.

Long ago the Lettermen sang the song "I Believe" a cappella. The harmony was beautiful. Continue to write and love your music. Remember, the radio listening audience will not be listening to your song with a dictionary in hand.

Did it Once...when the Power Failed & the Emergency Lights came On...& the Mike was Dead. DID Save the Day...& guess I WILL work at least One A Capella song into The Act...'cuz it DOES quiet the Talkin' Down, & Done Well, provides The Singer with one heckova Powerful Moment.

Thanks for joggin' my Memory,
Big Guy-Hug,
Stan

"...And I always referred to it as Acapulco. That has a much more fun flair to it..."

Somehow I had the notion that "Acapulco" was a place in time where the honeymoon/marriage began... you know like

"...The marriage went from Acapulco to Alcatraz in 24; hours, days, weeks, months, or years..."

whatever the case may be...

if anyone manages to use:

Acapulco to Alacatraz...

in a song, remember to add my name to the writers credits for [as always] I need all the help I can get!

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"digging deep in the verbal sludge of society, for the gems of interest"

I use a-cappella pieces in my show, but sparingly. It’s a good way to focus the audience’s attention. It’s especially powerful when there are harmonies available. But I find a little bit goes a long way. The same is true for songs in languages other than English, (with an English-speaking audience), or waltzes; (I never play two waltzes in a row unless as part of a medley).

Songs I perform a-cappella: Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder, Bombow Lane, The Farmer’s Daughter (catch), Adam Catched Eve (catch), Barrett’s Privateers.

There are several pieces we perform in which we will sing parts of the song a-cappella. It is a very effective way to add a degree of dynamics to the performance. We double the final chorus and sing the first one a-cappella in: Ramblin’ Rover and Queen of Argyle, (both by Andrew M. Stewart), Dublin Jack of All Trades.

For my band, a-cappella is a very useful novelty.

Darby

I'm considering a couple of songs to sing a capella in my show because the accompaniment music just does not exist, and I think they're awesome!

Normally, I will practice a capella so I can slow the song down a bit, and fix any problems that may have arisen.

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Rita

http://www.ritamaloney.com

I so LOVE their arrangement of that song. I first heard them sing it at a live performance in the winter of '68-'69 and have heard them sing it live at a couple of live performances since, the latest being in 2000.They never fail to make me cry.

I mostly sing "acapulco" and prefer it when I can be singing with others in two to four part harmony. With the right arrangements, it can sound more beautiful than when instrumentally accompanied. We don't need no steenkin' instruments.

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Jeannie

[This message has been edited by Lady Fitzgerald (edited 09-25-2005).]

I have a lovely old Scottish folk song I often sing a capella... some of my vocal works are totally without instrumental accompaniment... "Alien" and "Caveman" are all mixed voice.

I established and directed a Gospel Choir for beginning singers in Vancouver and we always sang a capella. Singing without accompliment is good ear training -- and fun!!

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Vikki Flawith, Canadian Singer/Songwriter & Voice Teacher

This bird sings at:
Vikki on Soundclick
Vikki on Mixposure
Vikki on MySpace

The Shy Singer-Songwriter's Blog

I grew up in a Church that only sang a cappella. That was where I first learned my sense of harmony and my appreciation for good a cappella music.




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Jeannie

Talk about memory joggin'. A late friend of mine used to sing the old Irish folk song, Red is the Rose, and would sing the chorus once a cappella just before the end of the song. It defintely was one heckuva a powerful moment when he did that.




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Jeannie

i will have two acappella songs on my next album. one i wrote in the car on the way home from the grocery store. when i sat down to add some guitar to it, i realized that i liked it the way it was. another i sing to my cats, its a funny song,but only works with a finger snap and a bit of percussion.
I am incorporating both of them in to the new act and taking it on the road next year.
possibly sing alongs, or audience participation songs.

Best, Liz

My favorite director is Frances Ford Capella.

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bc

And here I've been singing archepelago all this time.