How do i audition choir members?

[Fenix]

Well actually, I have been tryin' to hint at a promotion. 

Yeah, i mean, with 20,000+ posts you DO deserve a promotion of some sort.

[sjonathan02]

Yeah, i mean, with 20,000+ posts you DO deserve a promotion of some sort.

Wanna be my agent? 

[Redy2bUsed]

Wanna be my agent? 

Hold on!!
I thought I was your age....
Oh wait!

I'm your armor bearer....thats right,
Ok I'm good....
Proceed.

[cas10a]

Thanks Redy,

I understand that we don't need a choir of soloists.

This past Sunday we had a special number. we had to play the intro like five times cuz the choir members didn't understand that the song had started. I do thank God that the song was nailed eventually, but this cannot keep going on. Choir members cannot be forgetting what part they sing and such.

The fault i guess comes with the fact that us musicians in the church are just plain instrumentalists. Even our bassist, who is the sickest guy on the bass i have ever seen, does not know how to assign choir parts.

So, in essence, what happens is this; all the choir members huddle around the CD player and listen to it. Then arguments start along the vein of what each person THINKS he is hearing. I am sitting there like "There has GOT to be a better way of doing this." Then choir members go home and totally forget how they were to sing the song on Sunday.
I am not even casting blame on anyone. We are not professionals and by God's grace we will get a professional who knows what to do. In the meantime however i need to know how to assign choir parts. 

Fenix...I'm not understanding? If you can play the music by ear and/or read music you should be able to pick out the choir parts...

- Playing by ear, listen to what the choir is singing, the basic chords off the melody will usually give you the choir parts...sometimes as musicians we tend to just listen to what the music is doing, instead of the basic vocals.

- If you read music the harmony is in most cases written in the music...

When I teach a song to a choir I not only write out the basic instrument chords for my purposes...but I write out the notes for the vocals also, broken down by section...soprano/alto/etc.,...It helps if I write all parts down, so when I'm teaching I don't have to fumble trying to find each part again and there is no discussion because the parts are already written.

I usually let the choir hear the entire song 1 time through...

Then I start by teaching the parts just singing and playing the notes that were written for each part...no accompaniment.  I don't bring in the instruments fully until everyone has their parts.  Sure the choir may sometimes forget the parts, but repetition of each section singing the correct notes is what helps them to remember.


 
 

[Fenix]

Fenix...I'm not understanding? If you can play the music by ear and/or read music you should be able to pick out the choir parts...

Thank you so much for your help. Here is my dilemma; i DO read music AND play by ear but i have never been taught what the different choir voices are. I frankly do not know what the soprano is, or what the alto is and all that. So, yeah, i can definitely listen out for the parts if i knew what to listen out for.

I need to probably google what the different choir parts are.

[cas10a]

Thank you so much for your help. Here is my dilemma; i DO read music AND play by ear but i have never been taught what the different choir voices are. I frankly do not know what the soprano is, or what the alto is and all that. So, yeah, i can definitely listen out for the parts if i knew what to listen out for.

I need to probably google what the different choir parts are.

I'll post an example later today...

[sjonathan02]

Hold on!!
I thought I was your age....
Oh wait!

I'm your armor bearer....thats right,
Ok I'm good....
Proceed.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!


STOP IT, MAN!!!! 

[sjonathan02]

Thank you so much for your help. Here is my dilemma; i DO read music AND play by ear but i have never been taught what the different choir voices are. I frankly do not know what the soprano is, or what the alto is and all that. So, yeah, i can definitely listen out for the parts if i knew what to listen out for.

I need to probably google what the different choir parts are.

That's why you need to call me, bruh.

[Fenix]

That's why you need to call me, bruh.

I will PM you later in the day. Despite my many posts today i am REALLY busy. I have the advantage of two screens so i can switch between doing stuff.

[sjonathan02]

I will PM you later in the day. Despite my many posts today i am REALLY busy. I have the advantage of two screens so i can switch between doing stuff.

Aight.

[vtguy84]

In order to give out choir parts, you have to know how to harmonize. I guess you can learn how to harmonize by being a part of a good group, or just sit in on their rehearsals. You also must listen to songs and learn to hear the different alto and tenor parts. If you read music, you can get a hymnal and all the harmony parts will be there

Sadly the part in bold does not work.  They have to be taught....and for some.....they just need to find a new ministry

[under13]

Sadly the part in bold does not work.  They have to be taught....and for some.....they just need to find a new ministry

Didnt mean for the choir to do that, I meant that as a way for him to learn how to hamonize. That is how I'm learning and it is working. once he learns, he can teach them how to find their own part.

[betnich]

Thank you so much for your help. Here is my dilemma; i DO read music AND play by ear but i have never been taught what the different choir voices are. I frankly do not know what the soprano is, or what the alto is and all that. So, yeah, i can definitely listen out for the parts if i knew what to listen out for.

I need to probably google what the different choir parts are.

Soprano - what the higher-pitched women sing. Usually the melody. Wide range, from Middle C up.
If some people in your choir can't/won't sing parts, you can always have them sing the melody.
And you don't have sing the entire song in 3-part harmony. Lots of Gospel songs start with unison melody at a lower range, then break into lead/parts on the chorus. Speaking of lead, you only need a few lead singers - they can take turns, singing before/after the main vocals. Usual for Gospel, much less so in simpler CCM Praise/Worship.

Alto - Harmony part right under the melody, usually a 3rd or 4th lower - the middle note in a 3-note RH chord.
From about G or A below Middle C to the C above that.
Usually sung by the stouter/older ladies (like me - actually I'm 2nd sop.). In Gospel, Altos can get down into Tenor territory. (some Women in your group may be Tenors)

Tenors - The higher Male voices. In a RH 3-note chord, the bottom note.
Your younger guys (and the occasional girl) will be the higher Tenors, while most will sing in the Baritone range (guy equivalent of 2nd Sop. - about Bb2/C3 to Middle C or D - this is where most people in the Congregation sing)
Tenors usually go from the C below Middle C to about F or G above Middle C, though in Gospel they often go above that.
And then there's Falsetto, which can get even higher...

Bass is not often used in contemp. Gospel, but when it is it often doubles the Bass line (lowest note in pedals or LH)

[Fenix]

Soprano - what the higher-pitched women sing. Usually the melody. Wide range, from Middle C up.
If some people in your choir can't/won't sing parts, you can always have them sing the melody.
And you don't have sing the entire song in 3-part harmony. Lots of Gospel songs start with unison melody at a lower range, then break into lead/parts on the chorus. Speaking of lead, you only need a few lead singers - they can take turns, singing before/after the main vocals. Usual for Gospel, much less so in simpler CCM Praise/Worship.

Alto - Harmony part right under the melody, usually a 3rd or 4th lower - the middle note in a 3-note RH chord.
From about G or A below Middle C to the C above that.
Usually sung by the stouter/older ladies (like me - actually I'm 2nd sop.). In Gospel, Altos can get down into Tenor territory. (some Women in your group may be Tenors)

Tenors - The higher Male voices. In a RH 3-note chord, the bottom note.
Your younger guys (and the occasional girl) will be the higher Tenors, while most will sing in the Baritone range (guy equivalent of 2nd Sop. - about Bb2/C3 to Middle C or D - this is where most people in the Congregation sing)
Tenors usually go from the C below Middle C to about F or G above Middle C, though in Gospel they often go above that.
And then there's Falsetto, which can get even higher...

Bass is not often used in contemp. Gospel, but when it is it often doubles the Bass line (lowest note in pedals or LH)

This is excellent. Thank you SO much!!!!

Can you please explain the whole C3, F4, G5 and so on? I think these are octave designations but i am not too sure.

[sjonathan02]

This is excellent. Thank you SO much!!!!

Can you please explain the whole C3, F4, G5 and so on? I think these are octave designations but i am not too sure.

You are correct; it's kind of like calling out moves on a chess board (not that I can do that). You never PM'd me.

[cas10a]

I like the explanation of the parts SJ...

Here is an example...the choir parts for the most part follow the chords of the song, but is not necessarily what the instruments will play...Just thought this might help, it's a pretty basic song thats not to hard to teach also...

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,56155.msg550910.html#msg550910

[betnich]

This is excellent. Thank you SO much!!!!

Can you please explain the whole C3, F4, G5 and so on? I think these are octave designations but i am not too sure.

Yes, they're octaves - sort of like MIDI note numbers. I refer to notes above or below Middle C because sometimes I get the octaves mixed up - I believe C3 is Middle C, someone correct me if I have that wrong...