Voice Squad sheet music

Subject: Voice Squad sheet music
From: polaitaly
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:47 AM

I am looking for sheet music of the Voice Squad repertoire of "a cappella " songs. I was not able to find anything on the group Internet site, or in "Sheetmusicplus". Someone can help me?
Paola

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:50 AM

Paola
If you're hoping for notation of the harmonies - I doubt very much that they exist. Words and melodies for most should be easy enough to find - start here with the Digital Tradition.

Regards

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,Alan
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:54 AM

I have their LP (forgotten the title) which has all the words on a fly sheet

Alan

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 13 May 03 - 06:15 AM

The tradition of close harmony singing is largely by ear. Some of us do write down the harmonies when teaching a large group in a formal setting (such as a chorus, as I do) but usually I just listen to a part until I know it and make any changes that suit me and the friends I sing with!

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: bradfordian
Date: 13 May 03 - 06:21 AM

I think folk harmonies tend to be quite personal things. When a small harmony group gets together to to a 3 or 4 part arrangement, it tends to develop on the fly. The final outcome is then practiced, but I think rarely written down because of the time and effort required - and of course there is never the intention to publish for "the market". You can get SATB & TTBB arrangements for some folk songs eg Bushes and Briars, Bhier Me Oh, etc which are usually done for choirs.
See if Coope Boyes & Simpson, or Artizan have published any harmony arrangements. I think the Voice Squad is no more now, am I right?
Probably best to just listen to any recodings you can get hold of.
Brad

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 13 May 03 - 06:30 AM

Just last Sunday I was at a recital by a group called White Raven , consisting of an Irish soprano, an American tenor and a Latvian baritone! Their background is really early choral music but they were singing a mix of traditional "Irish" material, some of Moore's melodies and some international material. Several songs which the Voice Squad did were included. I was a bit apprehensive as to how it would work - but the harmonies were wonderful! No sense of a "drawing room effect" , so to speak - mainly due to the ovoidance of vibrato, I suppose.

Regards

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 13 May 03 - 06:31 AM

Brad

You're right - they're no longer singing together. Great pity. On the other hand, The Press Gang has reformed! You win some, you lose....

Regards

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: polaitaly
Date: 13 May 03 - 06:38 AM

What I was hoping for was exactly the notation of the harmonies....I used to sing "a cappella" and I would have liked to perform some of the traditional songs they sing ,with two friends; I think that the arrangements they use are not too difficult, but obviously it would be a lo easier to learn the harmonisation with the scores. I too was afraid that the written scores could not exist,but I'm been told that with a computer program is possible to change MIDI files in sheet music, and I had a little hope that I could find a web site with some MIDI of them.... ( If I have said something VERY stupid, have mercy on the computer neanderthal....)

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: Noreen
Date: 13 May 03 - 06:56 AM

polaitaly, there are programs which convert a melody line in MIDI to sheet music, simple ones being available free on the internet (ask if you want to know more).

What you're asking for is different though: it would be far more complicated for four-part harmony in MIDI to be deciphered and converted into separate melody lines on a stave, and as far as I know, no-one has written a program to do it (though I'm ready to be amazed...)

I think you will have to make do with using your ear to work out the harmonies, then writing them out if that helps. Try 3rds and 5ths then modify?

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: Wolfgang
Date: 13 May 03 - 07:15 AM

I know now the lyrics have not been asked for but who wants them they are still to be found

here

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 May 03 - 07:55 AM

Noreen, maybe I'm missunderstanding things but I don't see the problem with MIDI. It does support a number of tracks, channels, instrument patches, etc. It's pretty good for making arrangements.

The ABC draft aslo allows for more than one part (V:). I'm pretty sure abcm2ps for example would do that sort of thing for free.

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: 8_Pints
Date: 13 May 03 - 08:27 AM

Guest, Jon

I think you are right about Midi supporting separate channels that can be transcribed as seaparate staves of manuscript.

The problem is how do you convert from MP3 or WAV format where the best you could hope for is stereo separation, to Midi.

Good luck,

Bob vG

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 May 03 - 08:38 AM

Thanks for explaining Bob. That is a problem that to the best of my knowledge hasn't been solved. There was some mention of some software that could at least help - I think it was posted to uk.music.folk by Anahata (also known treewind here I think). A "google groups" search should find it. I could try a search myself but I realy need to get on and sort out a site problem I have. I may try to post back later if no one else comes up with a link.

Jon

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: Noreen
Date: 13 May 03 - 09:25 AM

Bob, thanks for clarifying what I intended to say!

Of course, when parts are put in separately to a MIDI there's no problem.

Jon, I'd be very interested to hear more about Anahata's link, if/when you come across it. How would an electronic system follow a single voice part in a complex harmony, particularly if they overlap? The mind boggles.

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 03 - 10:32 AM

Here you go Noreen here is the last thread on this sort of subject I can remember - I'd got the poster wrong - it was Dominic Cronin who cam up with the suggestion.

I've no idea how much it may help. Like you, I find the idea of trying to analyze various parts and trying to work out how to put that back as music mind-boggling!

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: Marje
Date: 13 May 03 - 12:46 PM

I don't think you're going to find they've written the notation down, nor can I imagine any system that could turn this sort of sound-file into written notation. It's not performed to a strict tempo, and the three parts don't start each chord precisely together. They don't always have the same person singing the melody, either.

But human ear is your most useful asset. If you're really into acappella singing, it shouldn't be too difficult to work out the harmonies for yourself, listening to a recording. Or better still, listen first and then work out broadly similar harmonies that suit your group and the ranges and qualities of your voices.

I'm always astonished at how different a harmony trio sound from any other harmony trio, because of the individual qualities of the voices and the ways they arrange the parts. The Voice Squad always seemed to me to have a style that relied on listening closely and tuning in to the others, a quality that would not have come across the same way if they'd been working from sheet music.

Here's a tip: if you're listening to a recording and trying to pick out which voice does what, use headphones. This enhances the stereo effect and makes it easier to untangle the parts.

I loved the Voice Squad and am sorry they are no more. They applied an English style of singing to mainly Irish songs and it worked wonderfully well.They were a delight to listen to in live performance, too.

Good luck.

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: open mike
Date: 13 May 03 - 01:25 PM

the name voice sqaud sounds familiar--where might i have hearde tham?
perhaps doing vocla work as background for a performer? Anyone know who thye have recorded with?

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: Ed.
Date: 13 May 03 - 01:34 PM

Another trick to try and hear certain parts of a recording better, is to use 'Out of Phase Stereo' (OOPS)

This basically allows you to remove the centre of the 'stereo picture' so that you just hear what's been panned hard left or right. As the lead vocal is normally placed in the centre of the mix, getting rid of it may allow you to hear the other voices more clearly.

I say may as it's a bit of a hit and miss process dependant upon how the recording was mixed, and that it's stereo to begin with.

This page explains a bit more about the theory, and this page (from the same site) explains how to do it.

It's now a very simple thing to do on a PC with audio editing software such as the excellent freeware Audacity program. (If anyone's interested, I'll explain in a bit more detail)

I've had a lot of fun with this over the years, and have used it to pick out what 'minor parts' in a recording are doing far more clearly.

Ed

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: open mike
Date: 13 May 03 - 01:59 PM

ok i see they are an accapella vocal quartet from Australia.
http://www.voicesquad.com.au/

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: Marje
Date: 13 May 03 - 02:14 PM

Well, I think the group most of us are talking about is/was an acapella group from Ireland. I think they've disbanded now.

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: polaitaly
Date: 13 May 03 - 04:12 PM

Martin Ryan and Marje, I think you are probably righ - it's likely that their arrangements have never been put on paper. I was looking for a short cut , but I'll try to sort it out by ear; and thanks to you all for the useful tips!

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,C. Tuck
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 09:39 PM

Does anybody know where I can find an online preview of the Italian song "Alma Del Core" because I am searching for it and am completely unable to find it.

Subject: RE: Voice Squad sheet music
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 05:55 AM

C.Tuck

It's easier for people to see and answer song requests when they are in a separate thread for the song. I've started one for your request at Lyr Req:Alma Del Core, and you should look for follow-up there.

Mick