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What is Barbershop Style?

Barbershop is a form of unaccompanied music sung in four-part harmony.  It's an exciting vocal art form which, when sung accurately and with good breath support and vocal techniques, creates a resonant ring unique to this form of music.​

Barbershop voice parts are different from regular choral parts.  Our four parts are:

  • Lead sings the melody, usually sung in the range between A below middle C and C above middle C.

  • Tenor is the harmony part sung consistently above the lead.

  • Baritone covers approximately the same range as lead and usually (not always) sings harmony below the melody line.

  • Bass singers have a rich, mellow voice and are able to sing the Eâ™­ below middle C easily.

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Characteristics of Barbershop performance

-We sing a harmony part above the melody line

-We use great flexibility in interpreting music

-We place emphasis on showmanship and performance

-We don't hold music while we sing

-We use movement in many of our songs

-We aim for complete unity in the group, vocally and visually

-We can accommodate very low female voices

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