I'm with Callie - being in a trio is fab. I initially preferred the idea of being in a quartet, but I'm loving our little trio. Apart from the personal joys of singing with my best girlfriend and my best boyfriend, it's just so much easier to hear and adjust the vocal blend when you can hear one voice in each ear!
As far as gender in groups goes... whether to mix or not - I prefer the mixed-gender thing both as a performer and as an audient. I think the male and female voices together make for a more colourful mix.
One advantage of our particular setup is that Callie's voice extends across the Alto and much of the Tenor range, while the Critter can sing much of the normal Alto range but can also reach down into some Bass parts - so we can play games with the male-female vocal blend anyway.
Good thread!
Cheers
- Chicky