MOUTH MUSIC A CAPPELLA

INSTRUCTIONS - Click Each Section Below

• What Song Are We Singing?

  We chose We Are Family for the message of coming together as one and it is also in our current song selection, so it keeps our rehearsals moving forward even if we can’t meet in person. We can all use a little more FAM-ily at this time, don’t you think? The overall message is intended to be that we are all in this together.

  If you forgot where to find the music and rehearsal tracks/even mix tracks, we have added them below. 

  WE ARE FAMILY

  Sheet Music

  Accompaniment Only Rehearsal Track

  Soprano Rehearsal Track

  Alto Rehearsal Track 

  Tenor Rehearsal Track

  Bass Rehearsal Track

  EvenMix Rehearsal Track

• Can I Sing Along To The Rehearsal Track?

  Of course you can sing along with your track! In fact, it’s pretty much required!  You will sing along to your track in order to make sure we are all in the same key and at the same tempo.  We just ask that you follow the steps outlined in How Do I Record Myself  below so the track is not audible on the recording.  We want it so you can hear it but that it won’t come through on the recording.  Imagine 200 people all singing along to practice tracks?  That’s all you would hear and no one would hear anything else. 🙂

• I don't think have a good voice … should I still participate?

  You are part of Rock Choir Colorado!  We don’t care if you have a good voice or not, we don’t care if you sing the song perfectly or not.  We want you to do your best, of course! But remember, being in Rock Choir is not about how you sound all alone.  Not at all!  Rock Choir is about how we sound together!  But we can’t sound good together if everyone isn’t joining in, so we really are hopeful that everyone will be a part of this.  The point of Rock Choir Colorado is that when we sing together, we sound great as a collective, but that only happens when we all sing and we want to show how magical music really is in keeping our community together, even across the social distance.  

• Where Should I record The Video?

  You can record it anywhere, however there are two very important things that need to be kept in mind as best you can:  Wherever you record needs to have good lighting, and QUIET.

  Anywhere that has good lighting will work:  your home, outside, your office, wherever.  The choice is up to you, but good light is important.  Natural light is preferred as it will show better on the video, but anywhere that has good lighting is strongly preferred. 

  Also, try to record it in a quiet location with as little background noise as possible – no pet sounds, family noises, street noises, etc.  Also extremely important!

• How Do I Record/Video Myself?

  Here’s where the fun starts!  To get things started, in addition to your phone or camera, we are asking everyone to do the following: 

  On a piece of 8.5×11 paper, use a marker or some other means of making LARGE, FAT letters   Please write the word TOGETHER as large as you can on the paper.  Try to fill as much of the page as you can.  Get creative if you like!  After you are done singing your part of the song, you will hold this sign up in front of you, so it is best to have it already done and ready to go.  

  Now, let’s get started:

  1. You can use your phone, a camera, whatever you have, to use to record you singing your part of We Are Family. 

  2. Place your phone/camera on a table or stand about two to three feet in front of you. Don’t hold the phone if you can avoid it as it will be shaky, and don’t have the phone right in front of your mouth as that will cause balance problems in the recording levels (plus the video will only be of your nose if you are holding it too close.)   Two to three feet away is ideal or most people.  Also make sure the mic isn’t blocked or covered.

  

  3. If you have earbuds or headphones, you will need to use those and have the track playing in your ear as you sing along, rather than have the track playing. That way you can hear the track better, and it will not come through on the recording. (Hint: most people find it helps to only have one ear covered so they can hear the track and still hear themselves.)

  4. If you can use a digital copy of your sheet music (have it on the screen of your computer, use a tablet, etc.) that would be preferred so the sound of turning pages doesn’t come through on the recording.  If you don’t have anything other than sheet music, please be as quiet as possible when turning pages.

  5. Once you have pushed the button to start recording, let the recording go for 3 seconds before you say anything.

  6. State your full name, the choir location you are representing, and your voice part.

  7. Start your rehearsal track and sing along with it for your voice part.

  8. Are you feeling the groove?  You can dance around a little if you feel so inclined as long as it doesn’t have an adverse impact on your singing!  

  9. Once you are done singing, please take the sign you made earlier that says TOGETHER and hold it up in front of you for 5 seconds. (See fellow Rock Choir member, Traci, as she does a lovely job of showing how to hold the sign.)

  

  10. At the end, do not just shut your device off.  Please wait another 3 seconds before you stop the recording.  These 3-second spaces give us space to work within the videos to line things up.

  11. Once you are happy with your recording, save the file and upload to either YouTube or Vimeo and make sure the settings are public.

  12. Name your video with the word Family, your Last Name, and your Voice Part.  It should look like this:  FamilyDolanTenor

  13. Copy the link to the file, and email it to [email protected]com

  Of course, do the best you can, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.  We just want you to be a part of it. 🙂  If you have problems, please email Diana Dolan at the admin email address for help. Thanks!  We are so excited to see how this turns out!

• Is there anything specific I need to do in the video?

  YES!  At the end of your recording, with the video still recording, please take your sing that you made with the word TOGETHER written as large as you can on a piece of 8.5×11 paper in large, thick letters and hold the sign up in front of you for 5 seconds (not in front of your face, we want to see your face!) Traci is showing how to hold the sing for the video.

  

• Ok, I recorded the video. Now what?

  Once you have the video of yourself singing your part of We Are Family, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo (you may have to create an account if you don’t already have one.)  Be sure the privacy settings are set to PUBLIC, and send the LINK ONLY to the [email protected]com email address. 

• When do I need to submit this?

  The sooner the better so we can start compiling and processing the recordings.  If possible, if everyone can have their video turned in by next Sunday (4/19/20) midnight we can start the process to put this together.  It will take some time, probably a couple of weeks or more, but we can do this!  If anyone needs more time, just email Diana at the admin email and we will give you a new due date.  We really want everyone to be a part of this with us!  Once we get the hang of this one, we may move on to other songs in our repertoire as well, so keep singing!