Over the last few years a cappella music has hit a high point, thanks to movies and TV shows like Pitch Perfect and Glee, and musical groups like, Pentatonix. 

The term a cappella means “singing without instrumental accompaniment”; a capella music uses only the human voice to produce the sounds they sing. 

This type of singing started back when barbershop music was popular. Just a small group of four men singing songs in four-part harmony — no instruments and, no background music, just their voices in beautiful and perfect harmony. Think The Music Man. 

We as musicians are grateful for these movies and music groups for bringing this awesome type of singing back into the limelight. If you’re interested in a cappella, contact us today and set up a voice and singing lesson.

 

Advantages of Learning A Cappella

Though a cappella is a great skill, a cappella music is not as easy as these TV and movie stars make it out to be when showing their musical rehearsals and prep work prior to a performance. It requires hard work, lots of practice, a great ear, and the ability to collaborate with others, with no backup instruments to help you out. But the results, however, are well worth the effort. 

There are so many benefits of singing a capella. Some of the most recognized benefits are: 

Ear Training: 

A capella singing also helps singers learn how to rely on their ear rather than an accompanist/pianist/background instrumentalist. They have to rely on their ear to tell them whether they are in tune or not and, which note to start on. Further, they use the muscle memory of their vocal cords to find those pitches. This type of muscle memory is more difficult than finding a note on the flute or piano, since that is a physical movement you can see, and your vocal cords are not visible.   

Promotes Musical Independence and Collaboration: 

This sounds contradictory, but it’s funny how these go hand in hand. A cappella music creates more musical independence by relying on your own ear. Yet, at the same time, it teaches the singers how to rely on each other. Just like a sports team where everyone has their part in a specific play, so does each a cappella member: Each member must think about their particular vocal part that they are responsible for, because. If they don’t come in when they are supposed to, the whole group may get messed up. Just like if the quarterback doesn’t say the right play, the team will be all messed up. 

 

It’s Versatile 

You can sing things from Bach to Bartok, from do-op to pop, and really anything else! A cappella is a way to sing, so it can be easily transferred to any genre of music.  In turn, this creates a more well-rounded singer and musician, elevating their level of musicianship.

Speaking of versatility, it’s really cool how singing a song a cappella can transform some of our favorite songs into something so different and awesome. For example, Frozen 2 has some really great music…but sing it a cappella, and it’s a whole new piece.

 

Helps Build New Musical Skills: 

Often times, a cappella music requires the singers to create the sounds of instruments to be the backtrack of the song, which would typically be played by a band or piano. With a cappella, the singer has to make those sounds with their own voice. The human voice is an amazing instrument, that when given the opportunity, can do unique awesome things. The way these a cappella singers are able to manipulate their voices to create the sounds of a drum set or the sounds of a bass line are incredible. It may take a lot of practice, but it’s definitely worth it.  

The skills and benefits these singers gain from being in a group, needing to use their ear to hear the notes without any accompaniment, and gaining skills of musical independence and collaboration help build a holistic appreciation for the skill. It is truly amazing when an a cappella group is able to become one voice.  

All of these benefits of a cappella singing are truly great, but the absolute best part is that it is FUN!! Fun music, new skills, new friends, and awesome experiences! 

It really is for everyone. 

Check it out for yourself! At The International School of Music we offer ensembles for our students. You can make your own a capella group! 

Contact us to learn more, or call us at 301-320-4400 to reach our Bethesda location or 301-365-5888 to reach out  Potomac location.