Sound and Timbre - Types of A Cappella

What is A Cappella?

A Cappella is a group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment.

1. Religious A Cappella
It was formed because instruments were forbidden in worship in both Judeo-Christian an the Islamic tradition, so they could only use their voices to chant. It then became popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the release of the album "Chant" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.

2. Barbershop A Cappella 

This form of A Cappella is characterised by its taunt, consonant four-part harmonies and ringing overtones.
The roles of the four parts are:

·         The lead sings the melody.

·         The tenor harmonizes above the melody.

·         The bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes.

·         The baritone completes the chord, usually below the lead.

Some famous quartets are:

·The Buffalo Bills

·The Singing Senators

·The Dapper Dans

3. Pop music A Cappella

It began when Bands like the Persuasions and Manhattan Transfer brought A Cappella elements closer to the center of pop music. 

An example of this form of A Cappella is Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday", which became an enormous hit in 1991 and remained on the Billboard charts for 133 weeks

4. Collegiate A Cappella
This form of A Cappella is  also known as ensembles. They are student-run and directed singing groups. Such groups could be found at many colleges and universities in the United States and are increasing worldwide. 

      
Some famous groups are:

·RPI Glee Club – perhaps the world’s earliest group

·The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University – perhaps the longest-continuously singing group

Sound and Timbre - Types of Ensembles

What is an ensemble?
A group of musicians who perform together.

Solo - a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer. Performing a solo is "to solo", and the performer is known as a soloist.

Duet -  a piece of music that is performed by two singers or musicians.

Trio - a piece of music that is performed by three singers or musicians.

Quartet - a piece of music that is performed by four singers or musicians.

String Quartet - a musical group that includes two violins, a viola and a cello.

Quintet - a piece of music that is performed by five singers or musicians.

A cappella - a group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment.

Accompaniment - providing background music for a performance. 

Unaccompanied - performing without supporting harmonies.

Choir (Chorus) - a group of six (6) or more musicians performing choral music (vocal music), usually accompanied by a piano.

Brass band - a group of musicians playing brass instruments and sometimes also percussion.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA DEFENSE FORCE BAND

Steel Band/Orchestra - are groups of musicians who play steelpan instruments including the Single Tenor, Double Tenor, Double Second, Cello, Guitar, Quadrophonic and Bass together as an orchestral ensemble, often with expansive percussion and rhythm section.

Symphony Orchestra - A symphony (or philharmonic) orchestra is an orchestra of 70 - 100 players, who are divided into strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. 

Chamber Orchestra - a small orchestra of about fifty (50) musicians or less.

String Orchestra - A string orchestra is an orchestra consisting solely of a string section. The instruments of such an orchestra are most often the following: the violin, which is divided into first and second violin players, the viola, the cello, and the double bass.

Concert band - a group of musicians that sits down to play brass, woodwind and percussion instruments.

Marching band - is a group in which instrumental musicians perform for entertainment, and prepare for a competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind and percussion instruments, and colour guards.