Pitch pipe thoughts

Here is my question to the UUMN and their answer.  Read from bottom to top


There are tons of apps out there that will give you a pitch--I find the "piano" sound is pretty awful on all of them.  (Synthesized versions of piano, guitar, etc. tend to add all kinds of decay, detuning, and other effects, which make it hard for the ear to center on the fundament of the pitch, and the tiny speakers on your iPhone don't help at all.)

The best "patch" for communicating a pitch to the human ear is a consistent waveform--either a sine wave, a saw wave, or a square wave will work.  Look for "flute," "oboe," or other similar patch names, as those tend to be pretty un-messed-with waveforms.  (Unless they try to add vibrato.  Run.  Run fast.)

Or, spend 8 bucks on a tuning fork from Amazon and teach your choir to find intervals away from it: "Here's an A; let's sing a G Major triad, please."  ;-)

D.

On Aug 22, 2012, at 10:24 AM, Elaine Fredendall wrote:

> We like to sing away from the piano and  I have been using an app called Real Piano to get our pitch.  Last night a singer mentioned that she had difficulty hearing the pitch from this app because of the electronic  sound  ( in spite of the app name,  it is Not the same sound as a piano).  What apps do you all  use?  Is there an app that  produces a vocal sound?  I'm using an iphone.

Hi,  

Here’s a  few ideas from Barbara Miller in New Jersey who has done this 3 times  (!)  with her UU choir.  She  has a SATB choir-- but is really envious of me cause we have more experienced singers!

To help advertise the event:

Teach congregation   ( including the kids  so do it before they leave) the audience participation songs in weeks leading up to event

1.     Carry it Home

2.     Round and Round

3.     We Are a Circle

4.     This Little Light of Mine

5.     We’ve got the Power

Involve others in congregation as much as possible singing or not;

People not in choir might sing 1 song  - all  joining for the same song – so that  rehearsal is minimal.  The more that  are involved either singing or supporting, the  more word of mouth we get  Maybe  Imani?  We could use some low voices for the harmony

Involve teens and kids

Teens:  usher—important to fill in every seat because might be very crowded

Kids  pass out(unlit) candles

Kids:  after some advance prep—invited to dance during  We’ve Got the Power.  She  had a congr. member choreograph a dance-- not sure if it was this or another. 

Setting:

They did it in the round

For Processional:  Pair each adult singer with a child and they walk in and stand together facing each quadrant.  The adult in back with child standing directly in front – I imagine  it evoking the feeling of the adults sheltering the child and also symbolizing the circle of life.  After processional,  kids then go back and sit with parents.

Ask Susie  Smith re asking Nettie—religious dancer? 

Anyone else?   Who is the retired CU  dance professor who attends occasionally? 

 On Round and Round:    drum really  helps us stay together, especially because we are walking in and singing

Let the Spirit Come to You:

She had the 3 lines sung from different corners of the room  - something like that  -- said it was really powerful-- 

She didn't say -- but I notice there is a baritone solo written by the UU Minister of Music in Nashville  ( no kidding, he's ordained and everything), Jason Shelton.  It goes with the reading  Longest Night   ( p. 38)    I'll  write to him and see if we can get it.  I think he's on sabbatical-- not sure if he's reachable.     NATE? 

Advertising

Newspaper story and in the events section

Program:  Barbara will send me hers if she can

Entrance Fee:  free will donation on food table: “ Keep the UU fires Burning”

Question:  provide childcare? Posters at uu or anywhere else?

This little Light of Mine  add  drums and shakers

That's it for now folks.   I am getting really immersed in this and hate to miss our next rehearsal.

 I love this:

Clay  wrote:

 We have NINE members! It's a good thing more people are coming to services now so it won't look out of balance when we get up to sing.

rehearsals 8/6, 8/13, 8/20

Thanks all who could come last night - we welcomed yet another new member (not entirely new of course as she joined us a bit last year :)  Inge! Imagine! We have NINE members! It's a good thing more people are coming to services now so it won't look out of balance when we get up to sing.

So here's some scoop

• please anyone who can attend service this Sunday look over these hymns beforehand and be ready to sing out strong (and not too wrong :)  - 
• all from the grey hymnal: #'s 1, 83, 108, 192
• #'s 192 and 83 are not both going to be on the list: when SS tried 192 and found it Quite Challenging, Paula said she will suggest 83 be substituted for it instead
• #'s 1 and 108 are for sure (108 is probably in the running for She Sings' personal fave?)
• next week's rehearsal 8/13 will be Elaine-less :( but anyone able and willing is encouraged please to come anyway and we can just dig in on whatever anyone would like to work on - chiefly Solstice material, and "Keep the Fire" will almost certainly be on the list for practice*
• please mark calendars now for the 8/20 rehearsal - we would like please to have everyone at this rehearsal - we will: 
• discuss/review the Covenant plus relevant questions/issues which might be on people's minds
• take stock on digging back in to normal rehearsals and services for fall
• gauge where we are with the Solstice ritual

FYI re blog - everyone is on the list to receive email alerts of new posts. Please let Sherri or me know if you would like to be removed from this list or if you would like also to be on the list to receive email alerts of _comments_ to posts.

*Just had another thought re 8/13 - maybe go over _Kore_? it would be a good chance for newbies to catch up on it.