I usually sing unaccompanied. I find that the solo voice is capable of greater subtleties when not having to compromise with accompaniment. And there is an intensity in the naked voice that gets diluted when instruments join it and draw the focus away the song the voice is singing. That focus and that intensity are too easily lost when instruments join in.

And when in a a group, I enjoy singing a cappella, adding harmonies to a melody, capable of tuning more accurately than a tempered instrument can manage.

One of the great joys of living in the Washington, DC area is that there are many people here who enjoy singing unaccompanied. Most of the occasions when we gather together are opportunities to sing and hear unaccompanied voices. And the Getaway is your chance to join us. Y'all come.

--Charlie Baum