Westminster Chorus - 2 part warmup exercise (listen for OVERTONES/harmonics)

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Westminster Chorus
2007, 2010, 2015, 2019 International Chorus Champions

There are only two notes being sung at a time. Yet, when the voices line up correctly, you'll hear octaves, fifths, and even and thirds. The final interval is a perfect fifth - (Only two notes being sung!), yet, you'll clearly hear a four part chord. (Keep in mind, this is being sung outside, with the worst acoustics possible!)

These 'extra' notes are naturally occurring "harmonics" that are always being produced by your voice at all times, but are amplified significantly when the voice is completely free of all tension, while maximum space is created in the throat, mouth, and head. You'll also notice no vibrato. This is an intentional effort, as vibrato can create shifting in the pitch and tone, thus disrupting a perfect unison by creating conflict between voices, and prevent harmonics from lining up and being heard.

Instructions for warmup:
Bass and Baritones (in unison): Stay on a G
Leads and Tenors (in unison): Start on a C, and walk down the major scale
Start on an "NG" sound (as in sing), and then open to "AH"

The intervals that occur are:
Perfect 4th, Major 3rd, Major 2nd, Unison, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th

Warm ups by our amazing coach (and previous director), Royce Ferguson

JOIN WESTMINSTER!!!

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There's a great book called "The Physics of Barbershop Sound" by Dr. Jim Richards. It's got a lot of the theory behind which overtones are produced by which intervals and which vowel shapes in it.

Bruin

The third on that last chord is INSANE

CDugan

Please post MORE warm-ups for our listening enjoyment!!! I like listening to this as much as any song.

weredone

Why does clean harmony bring tears to my eyes....

brocksamson

Yes! "ng" and "n" makes a big difference. Connects and opens to the harmonics a lot better than "Mm" does

WestminsterChorus

I've also found some great information on wikipedia under the terms "barbershop music", "harmonic seventh", "beat (acoustics)" and "difference tone".
Although it doesn't clearly give a method to calculate which overtones will be produced at any specific interval, the importance of singing in just tuning recurs in most of these articles.

RobertJonEckhardt

It's a two part exercise in that there are only two notes being sung at the same time, not that there are two halves to a whole exercise.

supersingerdude

My church choir tried it and it was great!!!

wahlaonousernameone

That is totally AMAZING!!! I wish my chorus could do that.

TheBeaniegurl

Thanks 89Bruin!
I see it's not widely available but I've saved the information for future reference.

RobertJonEckhardt

This is really cool guys! I want to thank you especially for including detailed info on how to sing this warm-up and also which harmonies are being produced.
I was wondering if anybody knows where I can find some more info on the theory behind this. That is, why are certain harmonies audible when singing certain intervals? This would come in very handy when trying to reproduce this effect myself. Thanks!

RobertJonEckhardt

Ive been a musician for years and have good ears, but ive never been able to hear these overtones

NevertahnProduction

awesome! How do you guys DO it??? ... plus Outdoor! Incredible!

mukuk

i didn't hewar all the overtones they said were there i just heard a one note overtone it was very strong i dont know if there is something wrong with my hearing that i couldn't hear all of them

Patrickkind

It sounds as if the tenors and leads start the scale off until they get down to G, then the baritones and basses continue down the scale to the low C.

MrKain