WELCOME TO VIRTUAL SUMMER SING 2020

This is your default landing page for Summer Sing 2020.  It can be accessed any time through the MEMBER AREA drop-down in the menu bar above.

NEW DEADLINE for submitting recordings!  Sunday, August 2 by midnight

PROCEDURE & GUIDELINES

1.  Download two items from this site: a PDF of the Freedom’s Plow sheet music, and an audio/visual guide track.  Each can be downloaded at the links below.

DOWNLOAD/VIEW FREEDOM’S PLOW SHEET MUSIC 

DOWNLOAD/VIEW GUIDE TRACK VIDEO WITH CONDUCTOR

• DOWNLOAD/VIEW GUIDE TRACK VIDEO FOR ALTO
• DOWNLOAD/VIEW GUIDE TRACK VIDEO FOR SOPRANO
• DOWNLOAD/VIEW GUIDE TRACK VIDEO FOR BASS
• DOWNLOAD/VIEW GUIDE TRACK VIDEO FOR TENOR
• DOWNLOAD/VIEW GUIDE TRACK VIDEO (PIANO ONLY)

2.  Practice your part along with the guide track.  Play the video backing track on your device (probably on your computer or iPad) and listen with headphones, either earbuds or standard headphones.  You will see Thomas conduct and you will hear the music as in a live performance. You may want to wear one earbud and not the other if you have trouble hearing yourself when singing.  This adjustment will be up to you.

OPTIONAL REHEARSALS

Join fellow choir members for a virtual rehearsal session via Zoom on Tuesday, July 21 and Tuesday, July 28 from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. for introductions, a review of the virtual process, warmups, and discussion of the work.  On the specified date and time, you can join a virtual rehearsal here:

View the recorded rehearsal session from July 21

View the recorded rehearsal session from July 28

3.  Once you have practiced to your satisfaction, you will record your performance with a device of your choosing (computer/laptop camera, iPad, smart phone, etc).  Be sure that the recording device you choose will capture both audio and visual of your performance.  You may wish to do some tests with the equipment you have, perhaps sing a soft and loud section, go back and listen, and adjust volume settings if necessary.

PREPARATION GUIDELINES: 

• Do anything you can to eliminate background noise, ie. fans, outside noise.
• Be careful not to cough or clear your throat between phrases that you are singing.
• Use a well-lit, simple area so that your face is clearly seen.
• Wear whatever you feel comfortable in, medium to darker solid colors are best.
• Record in landscape (like a movie screen). Be sure the top of your head is very close to the top of the screen, but not cut off.  Your face should take up 50% of the screen with your eyes in the upper third of the screen.  Record no lower than your sternum.

Best practices guide for preparing your video

4.  Record your video.

RECORDING GUIDELINES:

• The guide track should not be heard in your recording, as you will be listening to it through headphones.
• IMPORTANT: Please count “1, 2, 1” beginning exactly on the downbeat of bar 9. Do not count the last beat of bar 10. You will then be at the first vocal entrance which is bar 11. This will allow your recording to be lined up with all others.
• Hold your position at the cut-off for 5 seconds before ending your recording.
• Review your recording to be sure you are happy with your performance.
• Save and name your recording file.

5.  Upload your video ­by Sunday, August 2 via wetransfer.com.  By clicking the link below, you will be taken to the WeTransfer site with a Bach Choir recipient email address already in place (https://bachchoirpittsburgh.wetransfer.com).  Follow the directions to upload/drag-and-drop, and send your file.

UPLOAD AND SEND YOUR VIDEO