echo to a lead vocal. If the lead vocal sings the melody and can be supported by a subset up out of that section will lift the whole song
“Take this moment in time”, for example, of the other singer singing parts above and to another level, even if it’s just a key change
the choir could echo this in-between lead below the melody. This gives a warm, full back to the original key!
vocal phrases, but turn the word “time” choir sound, without the soprano harmony into “taaaah”, creating a warm ‘ah’ that can becoming a new melody.
create a harmonic backdrop to the following
The human voice has so many different textures
• Consider giving different sections of the and colors available to it, particularly in a mixed
choir ‘solos’, particularly early on in the age and gender choir. When you’re working
song. If the song has a large range, give on your next choir arrangement, try using one
SHARING IS CARING the opening verse to the men to sing mid- or more of these ideas and extend yourself
A lot of the time in a choir arrangement, the range, moving the melody to the women beyond your current bag of arranging tricks.
sopranos are the ones that get the joy of the as it gets higher. This is also possible later You know what they say - a change is as good
melody. This is understandable, as the top note in the song - consider opening the bridge as a holiday!
of a chord is the one that is most easily heard with an all-male unison section, or giving the and identified as the melody by the listener. altos a breakdown chorus after the bridge. However, this does not always have to be the A tasteful modulation to a lower key for case. Here are a few exceptions to consider: the breakdown could really give the altos a • When accompanying a soloist, the choir is ‘moment’ to shine, and a key change back
lead vocal phrase. (see figure 2)
no longer required to hold down the melody.
If the lead singer is a tenor or an alto, then
Jared Haschek
Jared has arranged strings and horns for albums
such as Hillsong Worship’s There Is More and
The Peace Project, Hillsong United’s Wonder,
Highlands Worship’s Jesus You Alone and River
Valley Worship’s A Million Lifetimes.
www.JaredHaschek.com
FIGURE 2
there is going to be room above the melody
for a harmony part for the sopranos to
take, and depending on the range of the
song, possibly the altos as well. Freeing the
sopranos from the melody in this scenario is
a blessing for them, as they no longer need
to sing either down in the bottom of their
range with the melody, or screech an octave
above. Giving singers an arrangement that
lets them sing strongly in the sweet spot
for their voice is going to make the whole
choir sound amazing. In the example of a
tenor lead, giving the sopranos and altos
parts above the melody lets the tenors belt
out their part in unison with the lead as well,
resulting in a strong, well balanced choir
sound.
• Parts other than the sopranos can be given
October 2019
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