STOP AND READ THIS NOW!!! :)
FROM NOW ON FOR ALL BLOGS ... You click BELOW the post title (this post's title is "Men's Chorus Blog 1") on the word "comments" (under this paragraph) which is to the right of "Posted by Mr. Williams." There will be a number in front of "comments" like "0 comments." Click THERE ... do NOT click on "New Post"! Click on "COMMENTS"...
DUE WEDNESDAY 9/1/10 BY 8:00 AM! For directions, please visit BLOG 1 at the CBHS Theatrical & Choral Academic Activities website. I look forward to your posts!
1) VIDEO 1: There seems to be a lot of background noise from the audience. None of the boys are focused on singing, or even focused on one thing together. Some of them are trying to see who is in the audience, while others are focused on getting their choreography right. They should be more focused on singing as a group, and not as individuals.
ReplyDelete2) VIDEO 2:This group is very successfully singing in parts, and they are singing loud with good diction and mouth shape. They should improve on standing still, and their facial expression while they are singing. They look like they aren't that interested in what they are doing. The choice they have made is to learn the music that they have to sing because they believe it sounds good and want to sing it well.
3) VIDEO 3: It is a very beautiful rendition of a very beautiful song. They do all the mechanics correct. What really strikes me is how they use the different levels of sound, singing some parts soft and crescendoing into others.
4) VIDEO 4: They are singing with much more power, sharp diction, and long vowels. I think high school groups could sound like this, but they would need a lot of practice, and seriously commited members.
5) VIDEO 5: The pronunciation and vowel sound are very full and sharp. They open their mouths to what I guess would be 4 finger shape, and also use their eyebrows and facial expression to emphasize the notes they are singing. Also, they listen to each other and blend their sounds.
6) REFLECTION: By the end of the week, I want to have a better ear for hearing the tenor part in the music.
1)The first video the boys are using a microphone and they are also snapping their fingers. Also the are moving side to side. They should be standing still, with their hands by their side. Also maybe their teacher has taught them wrong and some of the kids look like they were not interested in signing.
ReplyDelete2)In the second video this group of boys are all singing together. Also the are singing very loud and clear so that you can hear them. I do not think that they have anything to improve on the all sound really good. Yes, they do look as good as they sound. I think that all groups should look the way they do. The internal choices that these young men have made to learn the music of this level and to try this hard, is their hard work and dedication. Also the amount of time that they put into the song. You can tell that all the boys like what they are doing and are trying their hardest.
3) My impressions of this group is that they are really talented. Also you can tell that they have put in a lot of work to come as far as they have. They have great timing with each other and they all are singing loud and clear. The amount of time that they have put into singing is probably way more than any other person.
4)This group has deeper, more controlled voices. Also their timing is perfect and the song they are singing is more difficult than most high school songs. Each one of the boys is dropping their jaws and saying their vowels much clearer than a high school group would. Also they are finishing the way the started,like their energy never stopped. I think that some high school groups can sound more mature like this if they try hard and have the right people to do it.
5)Their vowels are very rich and precise. Their jaws are all dropped and their voice stays strong through the whole performance. What stand out the most to me is the way the men are able to sing their part while the others around them are singing different and in different pitches. Then I like the way they blend it all back in the end.
6)This week I am going to try really hard to learn how to read music and to understand each note, so that I can practice on my on instead of having to look at my teacher all the time to see how its suppose to sound. I think that once i can do that I can better help my group and speed up are process threw the song.
1) I hear a good amount of movement due to the swaying side to side and the snapping of the fingers, which to me makes things sound worse. They should definitely be standing still and not snapping their fingers. This chorus is easily worse than us.. They need to focus more and be taller with their vocals.
ReplyDelete2)The tenors and bass' are staying with the right tone and are using their ears correctly. Yes, they are all in tuxes and are not moving around as much as the last group. Not caring what people think about how they sound and what not.
3) They are doing everything the way that you want us to do it. Like at the beginning there was different timing going around and everybody stayed on track and it sounded great.
4) All of the verses are very sharp and tall and most of the voices are deep. When they hold the notes it gets louder and louder till the end, and they say all of their vowels correctly. Yes if they were as dedicated as they were.
5) All of there sound is tall, on pitch, on time, and they have incredible ears. All of them can hit any pitch which is very impressive. By far the best video tonight.
6) Being more serious in class and listening to myself more. Hopefully everything goes well.
1. Video one was a prefect example of what you don't want us to do: singing with a closed mouth, not elongating the vowels, not singing from the diaphragm, and not singing on pitch. They should be doing everything I just listed they weren't doing. The soloist's singing was very thin and breathy. They seem to be the product of peer oppression; coming from an all boys school, the fear humiliation must have been strong.
ReplyDelete2. The vocal talent for this choir was exceptional. The volume control in their voices was very impressive. Everyone of their mouths were wide and pinched allowing for an adult sound. The group could have worked on being a little more motionless: I noticed many of them squirming around. The look nowhere as good as they sound. Many of them are the stereotypical shaggy-haired teenage boy. Each young man made the choice to commit himself to something higher than him to achieve musical excellence.
3. As I listen to and watch this video, I hear and see a group of young men who clearly want to make music their life. To sing at such a level of excellence shows how committed each individual is to accepting nothing but perfection in singing.
4. In my personal opinion their more mature sound comes from more experience with singing, but their techniques are more refined than the high school groups. This college group is devoting every single hour of their life and school work to refining their skills as singers. Whereas, the high school students have to devout 7 hours to something other than singing. I think high school groups can sound close to this, but I do not believe that they can sound as refined as the college students due to academic time restraints.
5. The most important vocal technique I noticed was an exaggeration of the mouth movement. Emotion in what is being sung, stands out the most to me. Each man is not only singing, but they are acting (comedy) with there facial expressions to what they are singing. The entertainment value is far higher than a group of men standing there motionless singing.
6. My personal focus this week is singing without timidness. Singing in front of your peers is a daunting task, but with practice that will hopefully improve.
1)besides their voices the noice comes from them snapping their fingers. i dont think they should be moving as much and they are not very stong in voice. they are flat and do not carry out very well. i think peer pressure and poor conducting both play a part in thi ok performance. they probably were not singing fully becasue of embarrassment.
ReplyDelete2) you can hear distinct tenor, bass and in between voices. some of them are not singing fully and could sing stronger and pronounce their vowels better. but i do think they sound as good as they look because they seem to be pretty into what they are doing. they have made a commitment that could be very embarrassing to some and they seem pretty dedicated. they did well.
3)i thought they did very well. they have a very distinct sound and sung very fully. it seems as if allwere singing fully but you cant really tell if someone was not singing well because it is a very large group. also they had a very good conductor, or atleast it seemed like it.
4)one reason they sound older and more mature is becasue they are. but also they have probably been singing for a long time and carry out their voices. they have a great sound and used very full voice. they are not holding anything back and giving everything their voices have to offer.
5)their vocal techniques seem perfect. the way they uses the oval shape and wide shape of their mouths. it stand out to me how all of them were almost perfect and how such a small group could sound as large as the choir in video 3. the fullness really stood out alot.
6)i am going to try alot harder and not goof around in class. try to stay on pitch and sing fully.
Video 1. This was a below average men’s chorus. The things that could be improved on were simple issues such as; opening their mouth more, dropping the jaw, and using the diaphragm. Some things that may have affected their singing was; they are probably not quite used to singing in front of a large group of people yet (so they are nervous), they may not have had that good of a choral director, they might have had friends in the audience ready to make fun of every mistake, but what I think is most likely is just the lack of experience.
ReplyDeleteVideo 2. This group was obviously much more experienced then the last group. There were more people in it and they had more confidence in themselves. They looked almost as good as they sounded. The only thing that I would work on if I were them is the fact that a lot of them were swaying the entire time (but I will probably do the same thing so I shouldn’t be talking hahaha). These guys have probably had tremendous support from friends that allowed them to work so hard on what is something I’m sure they love. (They probably all want to be there to)
Video 3. Ok, so there is not much I have to say about this group. Everything they did was great but I personally would hate to be in a chorus that big.
Video 4. Well these guys have most defiantly been singing for years. Their diction was great, they had amazing drive, and they obviously love what they do. With a lot of hard work im sure the CBHS choir can sound this good.
Video 5. These guys where a little silly for my taste but they sounded good. I think some of our guys need to use some of their ideas. They had near perfect blending and phenomenal deduction.
6. My confidence in the group as a whole
1. This high school group doesn’t seem to be giving it their all! Their voices were not loud and lacked the tall and resonating sound that has been proved crucial to our music. I couldn’t help but notice that there was no director, perhaps one off-stage? But even so, most of the guys had a stoic face and look as if they didn’t really want to be there, and wanting to be part of that choir is crucial to improving its sound as well as its strength as a whole.
ReplyDelete2. The second group was ten times stronger than the first, you could see clearly how focus they are in making a talk, resonating sound in order for the entire choir to sound well while performing. Sadly, it appears they lack a sense of emotional connection to their music. Their expressions remained the same through the entirety of the song which made them look rather robotic. Unlike the other choir, these guys chose that if they wanted their choir to sound well, they needed to work extremely hard.
3. Wow. The All-State Mens chorus is like a trump card in poker. They sounded impressive beyond any standards! The blend of voices is amazing and you could pick out each division in the choir. It is awesome seeing that there are choirs like that, and I really hope we can get the Brothers of Faith to be that awe inspiring.
4. The Baylor chorus sounded much stronger and more powerful compared to all three high school groups. Instead of focusing on one thing, the college choir uses elements of volume, strong vowels, strong pitch, and strong sound. It’s obvious they have had a lot of experience. With a lot of work and dedication, a high school chorus can sound just as good!
5. Most vocal techniques that have been taught to us, especially the use of tall sounds and opening the mouth, are clearly seen. The King’s Singers utilize a strong blend of voice (although there are only six of them) into an impressive sound while making a conscious effort of making their words understandable. The dedication to perform on such a high level is more than commendable!
6. I notice that I have trouble constructing a tall sound while improving diction, therefore all this week (as well as all this year) I’ll be uber focused on making a taller sound while making what I’m singing easy to comprehend.
the 1st group seems to be lazy. it seemed like they were not very well prepare for the choir.
ReplyDeletethe 2nd group was way better than the 1st group. when they were singing it seemed to be more in harmony and not out of shape like the 1st group.
the 3rd choir was excellent it was like, they knew what they were supposed to do and performed right.
the next choir was the best so far. they utilize many skills that were learning in choir today
Our choir can be good if we get a better understanding of the tones and pitches of the music
By this week i think that the tenors should sound better than before.
Video 1.)The boys in this video are singing very nasally. Nothing from the diaphragm. The sections are not very seperated, so it's very sterile. The soloist does not seem very confident. The boys are more focused on their snapping and swaying than they are focused on the sound they are making
ReplyDeleteVideo 2.)Powerful. They are singing from their guts and you can tell. The dynamics are very contrasting, meaning the softer parts are very emotional and the loud parts are in your face making for a great effect. Great diction, you can hear every word.
Video 3.) First impression would be to put down the oboe player, but that's just me. The staggered harmonies make for a great effect. Very big sound, the widespread of notes makes for a powerful chord.
Video 4.) You can just tell that these boys are strong voices by themselves, so put into a choir situation they can belt it out. What makes this group stand out is their ability to nail the fundamentals naturally. Their diction, crescendo, breathing, dynamics are professional; probably due to their experience but it is something that must be learned.
Video 5.) Nice English accent, dude. Their breathing patterns provide for a flute, or wind sound. Very good technique. It is almost as if they're imitating classical wind and string instruments but with words which makes for an interesting acapella arrangement. Also, the size of their mouths...woah. They open up wide.
Reflect.)I'm going to focus on technique. Singing is still new to me, and when I started I just did it the way that felt right, but it's an instrument that must be learned. So I'm going to focus on learning m instrument a little bit better.
1.) The first group sounds unexperienced and nervous. they do not sing fully or raise their softg pallets to really project their voice. they also are moving which hurts them to get a clear and full sound. the choir could use some self confidence to help them sing to their full potential.
ReplyDelete2.)the second group does sound much more experienced and better coached. they project their voices more and use their soft pallets. one can still see that they are somewhat nervous to become one with the music but are deffinately trying to sound good. they do not look as good as they sound, but are still ok.
3.)after watching this video i can tell that they have put a lot of time in effort to their choir. they want to be there singing. they sound like a real choir that knows what they are doing. the all state choir is and excellent choir.
4.)This groups voices are deeper. they have matured and their voices are concrete. they really sing with all theyve got and sing to their full potential. i dont think that highschool groups can sound like this because there sound comes with years of experience and good coaching. their voices are more mature and sound deeper and fuller.
5.)in this video they really get into the music. they are singing with their mouths wide open to get a clear and distinct sound. they really know how to blend their vowels and to have one long sausage sound. they are confident in themselves and in their sound. what stands out to me the most is how they really open their mouths and sing clear and loud.
reflect.) i am going to try and have a fuller sound and make sure i have 3 finger space when im singing.
1) In this video the sound of the choir sounds a little slurry and not as crisp. The choir as a whole seemed to not me excited to be up there singing. They seemed like it was something they were forced to do, and because they wanted to. I think they were probably singing in front of their friends and classmates. Boys seem to have this idea that being able to sing well is not cool or enjoying singing is not cool either. I know I felt that way once in my life.
ReplyDelete2) This video was my favorite out of the five videos. I enjoyed the different parts blending together. The soloist was excellent. The outer appearance seemed different than the group before it. They seemed to enjoy what they were doing and sounded well doing it. I can tell they put a lot of heart into this piece.
3) This video was very inspiring it showed me what we could sound like if we tried as hard as these guys noticed the conductor seemed to be crying at the end of the piece; he was that moved by the piece. I enjoyed it and thought it was very good.
4) This group seemed to be more professional than the past groups they stood straight, they spoke clearly and loudly. This group obviously put a lot of time into their music careers.
5) This group was very good too. They all seemed to hear what pitch they were on and stay on it regardless of what the people surrounding them were on. They all had dropped jaws and spoke clearly and cleaner than any other group. They also spoke louder than any other group even though they had fewer members. They seemed to be having fun on the stage and comfortable in front of a crowd.
6) I am focusing on my ability to read music I have tried to teach myself many times but have never finished. I will also work on my pronunciation of the words. I am looking forward to learning this new thing you call singing.
1) The boys in this video seemed nervous; their stage presence made me feel awkward. Some were laughing. Some had their mouths closed. Most were more concentrated on moving in step with the dude next to them than with singing on pitch and staying in rhythm. Everything we've gone over so far in class about tall mouths, loud vowels, and sharp, quick consonants were lacking in this group of teenagers. They had effort, though. Especially the red-haired lad in the back. Also, these boys seemed to be singing from their chin up; there weren't any deep, diaphragmatic sounds, which absolutely alter the sound of a choral group. I give them props for choosing to be in chorus, though.
ReplyDelete2) This group had loud, heavy, resonant vowels, and deep diaphragmatic breathing. They payed attention to their director and sung with clarity and power. Some looked nervous, though. The soloist sounded beautiful, but the man standing next to him swaying back and forth caught more of my attention. The group should work on acting as domineering as they sing. They should listen to each other and work together; these two things can always be improved upon. These men have chosen to forgo feeling trapped inside of their own voice boxes. They stepped out of their comfort zone and sang, even if they new it was wrong. You can tell these boys tried, and practiced, and rehearsed until that sound they produced was performed every single time they sung "Go Down, Moses."
3) This all-state choir sounded immaculate. Each tone was expressed with diction, power, and bravado. You can tell that each individual in this choir is a beautiful singer. They did everything right: their vowels were tall, their breathing was deep and residual, their diction was pristine; I really enjoyed listening to these men perform. -Reminded me of when i went to all-west TN Choir in 7th grade :)
4) This college group sounds outstanding. These men are so good, because of their experience. Just like any other activity-the more you do it, the better you get. Obviously, this choir is made up of men who have been singing in choirs for years. They pronounce their words with stunning clarity and hit their pitches exactly. Each note seems crafted and nurtured to true beauty. Innumerable practice and effort went into this performance. These men deserve applause and recognition.
5) LOL at the introduction. These singers display in every facet how the human voice is a real instrument. By stretching and undulating their soft pallets, facial expression, and mouths, these men produce breathtaking vowels, and pinpoint consonants. Also, these men brought another level to their performance. They introduced acting-which gives attitude and character to the pieces the men sang. It allows the audience to feel more comfortable and relaxed-as shown in their laughter. The men were astonishingly good-and quite humorous! I thought their performance was golden.
6) This week, I am going to concentrate on focusing all of my attention, mindset, and attitude towards producing accurate vocal sounds. Also, I am going to work on my choral diction, reading the music in the pattern we've been working on since Monday, and just improving my overall performance in the class.
1) The people in this film seem to be more worried about swinging side to side and snapping than the actual singing. They are not always together when they sing so their sound is not as clear. They seem like they are not getting into it.
ReplyDelete2) In this video, not only was the soloist a very talented singer, but the backups were a very reliable group of singers. They were extremely clear and had a good sound. The major difference was that they seemed like they enjoyed what the did.
3) When you watch this choir, you can tell they have practiced and played together. They are all on pitch and can tell what level they need to be on. This made their overall sound very good.
4) The main thing that gives this choir a better sound besides practice is, I believe, is their older, more mature sound. They know how to sing from the stomach and raise the throat.
5) Over all, this was my favorite video. They knew how to control their voices so that they could make it sound like they wanted when they wanted. When they were singing, the guys were able to move and still sound good which gave the music more life and kept the crowd into it. Viewers could tell that they loved what they do and gave it their all while doing it.
6) This week, I am going to give it my best to get my voice to have more sound variety so I am able to go back and forth like you need to in order be able to sing well. I am also going to give everything I do one hundred percent now that i have seen how we could sound with practice.
Response to Blog 1
ReplyDelete1. The first group of guys didn't sound like they were even trying to notes. it sounds like they were not mentally focused on what they were doing. to be a successful choral group you need to have discipline the choreography was sub par, the vocals sounded muffled and didn't seem to match up with the other parts and the lead vocals were just terra-bad!!
2. The second group of dudes blew that song sky high. I hear a group of guys who are not afraid to sing and be confident in what there singing. they have a great amount of volume when they sing and they get louder as they hold notes instead of dying off. there posture was bad but they made up for it when they sang. the reason they are able to do this kind of stuff is because they are disciplined
3. They did a great job. they clearly know what there doing. they sound like a professional choir. they are all focused and dictated to the art of singing.
4. The fourth group did a great job of making themselves heard. Because of this they are able to sound mature. I think it is unlikely for a high school chorus to sound like they do but anything is possible i suppose.
5. First off id like to say this group of guys kicked booty and took names. They sang tall used correct vowel pronunciation. they know that technically they are singing alone with no one backing them so they have to sing loud to be heard and to make the piece work.
R. The one thing that im going to focus on is getting louder and fuller as i sing because it is a trait that i saw in all the choral groups cept the first one but there no good anyways.
1. The guys need to be tighter together, it's fairly lose and that kills the entire point of a barbershop doo-wop sound. Seing A'capella in front of a group of people can be nerve-wracking, so I'm going to attribute that to the sound quality. And the boy soloing...bless his heart. You'd think he was up there in his underwear just by hearing the sound. He needs more gusto, so he doesn't sound dweeby and nasally.
ReplyDelete2. The choir is on tempo with each other, and the piece compliments the chorus' good bass to tenor ratio. Multi part harmonies make the song very rich and gives it plenty of depth. They all look really uncomfortable, I can't tell if it's the atmosphere of the room or the monkey suits...maybe a little bit of both. All the guys have gotten rid of any sense of doubt they have in themselves, they're not embarrassed to sing in front of each other like we are.
3. This one is kinda dry at first. They sound like they know what they're doing. There's a very rich sound being produced cause there are so many of them with tall voices.
4.The piece crescendo and decrescendos very fluidly, giving a very wavy tall sound. The timing is also impeccable, both of which lead to the more mature sound. I think it's possible for high school choirs to do this, but this level of expertise takes years and years of practice. Something we as the CBHS choir lack.
5. They are all staying on perfect pitch while all being different, that takes a lot of dedication and self control. They also open their mouths like Paris Hilton, that helps also.
R. I really need to focus on staying on pitch, I need to focus on hearing the note come out of my mouth in my head before it even comes out of my mouth. I can't wander up in pitch when the tenor's begin singing.
1. This first group is out of sync. Their singing is off. Even the motions they are doing are also off. Another thing that I noticed while watching this was they were not lowering their jaws and singing tall. I feel like they haven't had much leadership in the group and they havent been taught how to sing. I feel like that group would be more suited to a two part harmony like us. Clearly our group and that group are not ready for that.
ReplyDelete2. I feel like the boys in this group were taking it more seriously and they had practiced. Their bass sounded very good and it had a good mix with the tenors. One thing that I noticed was that the tenors were not as loud as the bass. It could just be the camera filming it was not picking it up, but they needed to be louder. The kids had no problem with confidence. They all looked spiffy and gave it their best effort.
3. During this video i was impressed with the way that the boys in here sounded. They were very loud, they sounded good, and they also didnt sound choppy. I noticed how elongated their vowels were like you said in class.
4. They sing with such loud tall sounds that it makes them sound much older than high school students. Also all of those boys take it more seriously and really work at what they do. They wouldn't do it in college if they weren't serious about it. It would be difficult to sound like this, but it is possible if everyone works hard which would be hard to accomplish.
5. Wow. The men in this video have perfect vocal skills. They all sounded like they had been doing this for years. They all had their own, complicated parts, but they all meshed together in harmony. That seems like it would take lots of timing to get it right. These men are also incredible at controlling pitch and the volume of their voices.
R. One thing that I need to work on is singing tall. When i make a concious effort to sing tall i can tell i sound so much better than when i am not.
1. I thought this group was out of sync and they need more practice to get this right. They appeared to be more focused on the dancing then anything else.
ReplyDelete2. This is way better than video 1. They group obviously has practiced a lot and they know what to do. They sound in unison and in sync and they know how they need to sound.
3. Wow. This is a group that has definently practiced hard and worked hard on this song. The song seems very difficult and it seems that this group likes that they can do pieces this hard.
4. Obviously the matured voices stand out the most in this piece. Not only are the voices old, but they also have much more experience. A high school group can sound like this but not as good.
5. The entire group knew their pieces and that helped them know their role in the group to help it all come out right.
6. This week I am going to try harder because I think that if everyone buys into the same idea then this could be a very interesting project.
The young men in the first video seem unfocused on what they are singing. They are also competing against a lot of back ground noise. They are also not using much diction. The soloist also nor the backups are not giving the song their all.
ReplyDeleteOn the second video I can hear the rumbling of the basses—I like that sound--. A few of the singers have the three-finger mouth. The soloist is good. I like the coordination of the group’s individual voices. I also was impressed, and perhaps inspired by the power that the soloist put into his voice.
The third one with the state choir sounds good; not just fairly good, but good. I liked it. This is an example of what I hope we will become. Do I think we will make it to that level, I doubt it. “We live in Hope.” We also need a point to strive to achieve.
Wow they drowned out the piano. That is amazing, I mean sure they have years of experience under their belt. But that is no small feat. I thing the David the song gets its namesake would be King David from the Old Testament. I like religious songs perhaps it is just me, but they hold a level of glorification that other songs can only hope to reach.
:^D
This is what I was like watching the last video. I thought I like the other ones. This one blows the other videos out of the water, even the professional men’s choir. I found myself sitting at my desk many times with my mouth hanging open only because I was watching these men. I was blown away. If you did not watch this video you are missing out. Even if you did not do the assignment and do not plan on doing it, watch the last video.
This week and the next, I am going to work on Hitting the notes and sticking to the bass side of the songs.
Part 1 of 2
ReplyDelete1) I admit that I must give these boys at least some credit. What they were performing was a difficult “doo-wop” style song (which also happens to be one of my favorites), and it sounded passable. What really annoyed me, however, was the complete lack of emotion, energy, and enthusiastic involvement that could have made the otherwise bland performance so much better than it was.
The soloist had (at least it seems) absolutely no passion for what he was performing. There were some issues with his pitch, which hurt the overall group. However, this wasn’t entirely his fault. He IS singing solo…and has not only the criticism of the audience to worry about, but also that of his fellow chorus members should he falter.
The group barely opened their mouths to let out their sound, and as a result, the sound was strained and thin. It was like listening to an amateur chorus formed about an hour before the performance.
The group as a whole just needed MORE energy (or ANY energy at all, really), and better instruction. After all, if this choral director were really serious about how his group performed, he would have fixed their pitch, fixed their lackadaisical attitude, and he would have ensured that his students put the goals of the group amongst the highest of their priorities.
2) This group was far easier to listen to than the last one. They nearly blew me away with that first sound. A good first breath may be attributed to that. Their diction is incredible, with more emphasis on vowel sounds than consonant sounds (although the consonants are clearly there to help us determine what words are being sung). The harmonic lines all fit together very nicely, with no deviations in pitch (as far as I could tell).
Music of this caliber is extremely difficult, and understandably so, since there are so many different parts. I admire this group for their ability and obvious great deal of dedication and hard work they have put forth to reach this level of performance. I am envious of the soloist’s voice.
One thing bothered me: They couldn’t keep still while singing. It was a minor distraction from the sound, but I was still extremely moved by this incredible show of skill.
3) This is a very well put together and very passionate group of young men, led by an equally passionate director (we can see him being brought to tears at how well his group is singing).
Watching this video showed me only a drop in the ocean of talented young men willing to throw caution to the wind and participate in something beautiful. I am proud to be a part of Chorus this year, and knowing that thousands of others are doing the exact same thing all over the world is a big morale booster.
4) The level of maturity in this chorus can be attributed to age. These members are men. They are more responsible, more dedicated, and more serious about their work than younger performers. They stood as a tribute to the choral arts. Like statues they stood…solemnly, appropriately, performing their melancholy eulogy to King David.
My first impression was of their incredible sound. They obviously have good control of their diaphragms, and they take good breaths. Vowels outlasted the consonants, and open mouths contributed to the full, rich sound that is heard.
I believe that it is perfectly reasonable to hold this same standard for high school students. Maturity, dedication, and responsibility are all values that are perfectly capable of being instilled in the members of any young men’s chorus.
Part 2 of 2
ReplyDelete5) Watching these gentlemen perform was a treat. Not only was there effective vocalization, but there was also a level of passion, professionalism, and overall performance that was non-existent in the previous videos. I had never seen a professional group like this one prior to watching this video.
I noticed that all of the fundamentals of singing were exaggerated…greatly. Diction was superbly stressed, and everything was right on the money. It was also very impressive to see some actual stage presence that went well with their performance. The piece was meant to be acted as much as sung, and I enjoyed it very much.
6) This week, I am going to dedicate myself to strong vowel enunciation, powerful sound emitted by using an open mouth and a good breath using the diaphragm, and I will try to ensure that facial expressions are as pleasing to watch as the sound is pleasing to hear. I will also focus on group cooperation! We must all work together so that we can be at our very best one hundred percent of the time.
JOHN WALKER - thank you for posting on time - but you do NOT click on NEW POST at the top. You click below the post on COMMENTS per the directions in STOP AND READ THIS NOW!!! Reposting for you below. Good job on getting it done.
ReplyDeleteJohn Walker Blog 1
1) In the first video the group does not really seem to know exactly what they are doing. It seems like they have not been split up and all there different sounds collide not mention the solo singer is not very good. It seems to me that they have not been taught correctly in that they sound rough and do not drop there jaws along with other mistakes.
2) The second choir group is better in that they produce a more grown up and full sound. They dropped there jaws and sounded a lot better than the first group. One thing I noticed that I think they could have changed was that they seemed to not be as loud when they were singing lower notes. You can tell that they are a lot more confortable singing then the first group because I think they know they sound good.
3) My impressions on the third video are that they are very good. They are loud and full and sound good together. They follow the harmony or melody almost perfectly.
4) This group sounds more mature because it does not sound like they are singing in there normal voices. They seem deeper probably because of age though I do not think that this group was much better than the one in the fourth video.
5) The techniques i see are that they keep there mouths fully dropped the entire time and take deep breaths during breaks. The men look to be trying their hardest with full dedication and blend in the different sounds each of them produce.
6) In conclusion to hearing all these different groups and sounds I think I have learned that if you want a good sound the group as a whole has to sound full and flow good together. I want to try to be more dedicated and get out of my confort zone.
1. The kids in this choir are not fully committed to it. It sounds like they aren't enjoying the music and also it's like something they have to do instead of taking pride in their work and enjoying it. They should be more enthusiastic about their performance. There is background noise which would lead to a fear of failing and of the audience not paying full attention, then that would lead to a worse performance.
ReplyDelete2. The different vocal aspects of this video are that the boys have mastered their voices in a way that allows them to get a full sound and richer version of the song. They should improve on their enthusiasm. They sound better than they look, they look professional but sound even better. The boys in this choir have made the decision to pursue singing and not care what others think.
3. My impressions about this video are that there are that there are many kids out there that have a passion for singing and these kids have taken their passion to the next level. They aren't holding anything back in this performance and our choir should be as enthusiastic as them.
4. The college choir has a more mature sound because of the level of training that they have had and their voices are fully developed. This college group also seems more proud and less afraid to sing and let loose their true and full sound. I think that high school groups can be this good to an extent, but their voices limit them, the college men have fully developed voices and know how to use them to their fullest.
5. The men in this video are using all of the techniques that you are showing us to the fullest extent, they use a full open mouth and can keep a constant pitch while others are changing theirs. The thing that stands out to me the most is the lack of music but their voices make up for it and create a different environment that the other groups didn't have. They also aren't holding anything back like some of the students out there, they also have a strong passion and love for singing and they use this to perform at the highest level.
6. From all these videos I have learned not to hold back anything and to let my voice be used to its fullest extent. I will stop caring what others think and take pride in our choir to help bring it to the next level.
1)They have each section singing at a different pace than the others while the others are still singing and while the soloist is singing. They should rearrange some of the voices to make it sound more professional. Some of them could probably just not want to sing this part because they think it’s their worst song or because one of them might be doing drugs (NOT SAYING THEY DO!) and had some before singing because they were nervous.
ReplyDelete2)They have good pitch, they’re confident about their singing, they sing full-voiced, they make sure everyone hears them, and they can crescendo. I can’t hear what they can improve on but that’s because I’m still inexperienced. The picture is kind of blurred, Not really but they sound good and that’s pretty much all you need. They’ve decided that they want to sing and that they want to sound as good as possible. Some people don’t treat chorus seriously but these guys are devoted all their time for this passion.
3)That they have worked very hard to achieve this level of music. This is in no way lazy work because they would not have gotten to an all-state without doing the best they can and practicing every second they get. These guys are the real deal, no strings attached.
4)They way the crescendo up and down and the way they get their voices to reverberate. The way they crescendo with full-voices and synced pitches. Only if they can really learn how to believe in those around them to sing with all seriousness and dedication.
5)To be honest, I don’t know many, if any, vocal techniques but blending is definitely being used. What stands out the most to me is the vowels, the diction, and the mouth shape.
6)I will try to improve on my diction and my vowels during this week because I didn’t understand the importance of diction till I heard some of these other choruses. Now I know that if I want to sing better, I need to pronounce vowels better and improve my diction as much as possible.
1) my opinion of this choir is that it is simply awful. it hurts my ears to listen to a bunch of people this bad at singing. The background noise is deafening. from that, you can deduce that the audience agrees with me, otherwise they would shut up. On top of that, they dance like an eighty five year old Jewish lady.
ReplyDelete2) despite the fact that they appear to look like what Richard Dunlap describes as "scraggly retards, they can sing very well. they are not perfect. I'm sure they can definately improve on some things, they did a very good job. The main difference between this group and the first one is that they respect them selves enough to try to sing and the audience clearly does not wish any sort of muteness upon them.
3) This choir is GREAT! They truly make vocal art. This is what every choir should strive to be. Some may not enjoy this, but none can deny the art, talent, and skill that have gone into this piece to make it this great. There is not a single voice out of line. They crescendo like champs and they just sound extremely good. There is only one thing i can make fun of them for, and that is the fat kid in the front that left his white shirt at home and wore a red on.
4) Alright, well i did think it didnt get better than the last one, but i guess it does. This group was phenomenal! They sound like a choir of celestial beings showering me with their heavenly voices in a triumphal praise that is both beautiful and awe inspiring. That was a hell of a sentence. These guys are really good and only lack the acoustic thingy that the last one did. that dome thing looked like it helped.
5) These guys are cool. Their mouth shaping is very good, even if it makes them look odd and somewhat sloppy. And HOLY CRAP go back and look at the guy in the beginning's eyes. He has super crazy eyes! Sorry, i just started the video back from the beginning and had to tell someone that. Despite the crazy eyes, they are very good. This is the singing that we all wish we could do, but none of us can. They are very dedicated, They pronounce the words beautifully and really have dedication. The gnome on the left is really good.
5) This week, im gong to focus on my pitch. I know that im not too good at singing on pitch. I never have been. However, i know that with some help i can master it.
1) the first group seems to be a little lacking on the talent side. They use movement and other things to try and distract us from how they are not very strong vocally.
ReplyDelete2) the second group is a vast improvement from where the first group was. This group down right has more talent and it seems that they have more confidence to go out there and give it there all because of that, this group is very strong in my opinion.
3) this group understands how to use emotion and how to sing full and clear to where the listener can understand the words while keeping the beauty of the sound. This group is what i hope cbhs can get to in the future.
4) this group blew me away they were fantastic, their delivery and pitch were flawless. i can not find a single fault that they made. This is definantly the best group hands down the sound is so pure and beautiful.
5) this last group is very technical. they do not change from there dropped jaw that they have while singing. This group sounds great this would have to be my second favorite group. Their skills are showcased well even individually.
6) these videos taught me that i need to have the technique down first. The first couple of groups could have more talented voices but there technique was off so they didnt sound as good. I will try to do that and work on just going for it flat out. I am not going to hold anything back.
1. I hear a lot of changing voices. I was able to hear the bass’s more than I was able to here the tenors. They should take deeper breaths that way they can elaborate of their vowels and come in strong instead of starting off soft and coming strong.They should stop all of the movements until they are really confident in their singing because their running out of breath because of all the movement. I think over they were okay but extremely nervous.
ReplyDelete2. I hear every one harmonizing together. I’m sure if they should work on anything because to me it sounded good. They look okay and they sound okay. They most likely have to practice a lot in order to get this song on the level that they delivered it on. I wouldn’t say this is hard but I would say it takes a lot of effort and certainly won’t come over night.
3. I liked the Harmony. That’s what stood out for me.
4.I think these guys sounded so mature is because their in college and have probably been in some type of choral program at their school or have had some type of vocal lessons. The college group is taking this more seriously than I think a High school chorus would. Their taking deep breaths and making sure all of their words are sung clearly. I think a high school choir could get this could if they put the time and effort into it like they did.
5. I see everyone opening their mouths so their giving the best sound they can give. The way they open their mouths for the O vowel as we did in class stood out to me the most.
6.I’m going to try and open my mouth more so that way I can get a fresher sound. I’m also going to try and hear my pitch so I sing everything right.
MARK JACKSON YOU DID THIS WRONG!
ReplyDeleteMARK JACKSON: Part 1 of 2
The cause of the group’s sound is the number of young students. I personally don’t like the soloist’s voice. He doesn’t have that great of a vocal range, which was a poor decision on the choir director’s part. Also, the room in which they sing in will dramatically change their sound. I do give the group props, however, for the four part harmony; it is very difficult for me to do the two part harmony in class. If I had to give advice to this group of young men, I would tell them to practice more harmonizing and finding a new soloist. They have the potential to sound really good and just need better directions to achieve their musical aspirations. I would even try to add more members to the group so that would automatically amplify their sound.
I hear harmonizing, vibrato, and strong loud voices. I really don’t think they have that much room for improvement. I was captivated by their performance. I think they look sharp and they have their voices to back up. The soloist has chosen internally to sing in his head voice in some parts, which takes a lot of confidence to pull of by himself. This was my favorite of all the videos. I’m really excited about singing this year if this is our goal for our final performance. I think we can pull it off with a lot of hard practice and dedication to learning our music. Our sound should be a little bit louder, due to our numbers, and we should try to match their harmony skills.
First off by just looking at them, I noticed the huge number and the tuxedos. I think their sound is phenomenal. They are loud and the harmonies are beautiful. This was enjoyable to watch and listen to these young men’s voices. I noticed their room that they are performing in must have great acoustics. I noticed this by the arched ceiling. Also, I really enjoyed the grand piano in the center of the stage; it added a great decoration and sound to the performance. I hope that we get to look this sharp and sing.
Their age makes this group sound more mature, they have fully developed vocal ranges. Their sound is clearer because they are spread out, so you so can hear individually and in unison simultaneously. I don’t think it’s possible to pull of this sound with a high school group simply because of age. Overtime, our voices will max out in range, thus creating the deep and manly voice that we hear in the video. I can tell this is a college group just by hearing only a few seconds of their singing. I have been to a college choir performance before, and I have found it unfathomable to hear all the men’s strong voices in unison. Only a male choir can pull this off, I think women are great singers, but men’s choir is just stronger and more beautiful.
MARK JACKSON 2 OF 2
ReplyDeleteI hear the many harmonies going on by the staggered singing of “Johan Sebastian Bach.” Vibrato and head voice is used in this video very strategically. The part in the video that is the most musical is the “Frederick” part. The pace of their singing seems to speed up, as well as their harmony. This was the most entertaining part of their performance. I have noticed the suites these men are wearing and I can see that they have dedicated their life to the music that they are performing. Judging by the age of these men they have been doing this all their lives and still love to perform every time. These men were comical and professional, and I think that added a twist to their performance that none of the other groups had. I admire their head voice, at some parts I really thought it was a group of women singing.
I think for my own improvement, I need to become more comfortable singing in my head voice. This is really awkward for me right now and I think only practice will help me get used to it. Since I am a second tenor in the class, this is a crucial stage I have to overcome. I could also practice more at home and take Mr. Williams notes he post, more seriously. I could possibly be more serious and less goofing around with my friends, so we could get more work done in class. I am really excited to hear all we have scheduled for us, and I think it is all possible with Mr. Williams’ multitasking talent, for the Christian Brother’s Choral program to be high successful. I plan on coming back a few years from graduating and seeing how all this program has achieved.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI hear some harmony but feel as if they could project more and use their voice more fully and clearly. Body postion and they way they use their body to sing could affect this and i feel that is something we can learn from them because there body language seems that they are holding back their potential.
ReplyDeleteThey seem very dedicated and focusd on the task at hand you can tell they sing deeply and fully with alot of sound and harmony. I only hope that we can have the determination that they project.
I am truly inspired by this video and it really humbles my self when watching this. They seem to be be on perfect pitch and can seem to wield it very majestically. The sheer sound they give off is truly amazing.
I think what makes them sound older and more mature is how well they can annunciate while still not giving up sound quality. I think we can but with alot of work sound like this with the right dedication
The one thing i notice right away is the facial expresions and how well they can make such beautiful sound. They really do seem to enjoy what they are doing while keeping it very masculine.
I think i need to be more focus and take what we do more seriouly. We have a long road ahead and we need to conquer this together as one choir.
The first mens chorus group was ok, I think that they had great number is size which worked in there favor a lot. They didn't have justGreat harmonizing sound at first in the beggining to me. I most deffinately think by the end of the sememster when we get all of our music a Packed we can most definately sound better that the high school group, simply because when we're on a good day we have such a rich and fullFilling sound. The diffrence from the college chorus from the high school chorus is the music seemed more harder and demanding than the high School, the timing of the diffrent parts and pitches was very tricky. They also had a great appearance, and they also had big strong manly voices. The proffesional choir level was basically in a league of their own. They had a great harmonious sound and the piano and tuxedos made The performance 10x better, just on the way they looked. One thing I can say I will do this week to help our chorus go to the next level is Pay attention to mr. Williams when he is trying to get to get us to sing a certain way. I will also sing to the best of my abilities and hope My fellow chorus members to sing to their best potential as well.
ReplyDeleteThe best one was video two. After listening to it I thought that it was much more coordinated and everyone knew what they needed to sing and how to sing it. The first one was not well organized in regards to sound. The one thing that saved it was the sheer number of the chorus. In the mass of people their combined sound was decent but needed a little bit of practice and tuning before the performance
ReplyDelete1)The lead singer isn't that good.they are moving too much and the snapping is throwing them off. I think some of them are depending too much on the guy beside them.
ReplyDelete2) great vowels and volume. Good song, and better singers. their chords are perfectly blended. Their posture probably helps their sound.
3) Great, Almost perfect. One sound.
4)Their ability to sincronize all of those volume changes is awesome
5)every man knew his part. perfect blending. the vowels were all flawless.
6)I need mwork on my vowels and hitting high notes
1.)At first I hear that the boys are not singing to their full extent and I hear the snapping of their fingers which is off at some points during the song. Another reason they are sounding the way they do is because they are moving to the rythm of the song so that could be throwing them off.
ReplyDelete2.)The blending of pitches and the notes the group is the first thing I noticed. What I think the group could improve on is their look, they looked like a bunch of zombies...that can sing well. These guys have made a concious decision to want to excell in chorus.
3.)My impression from the all state group was amazement that the best singers in a state could come together and make a masterpiece sound awesome.
4.)Well for one, the reason the group sounds more mature is because they are older and on the other hand they have probably been singing in a choir for a good time. They are singing in a wide, open room which most high schools don't do and they are more spread out.
5.)I noticed the mouth movements and formations that the men used and the correct breathing techniques. Also they pronounced their vowels and consonants perfectly.
6.)What I am going to focus on this week is my confidence with singing infront of others.