Happy New Year from the NLS Music Section to all our readers!! So, what’s your New Year’s resolution? Or, to think about it another way, what do you want to learn this year? With the help of the NLS Music Section, singing can be your resolution! Start by reading my last post, in which I recommend audio courses from the NLS Music collection that will help you begin using your voice and give you a foundation for healthy vocal technique.
Once you have the basics down, you can take your singing in many different directions using the NLS music collection. But don’t keep it all to yourself! One of life’s greatest joys is to make music with other people, so in today’s post I’ll share several courses we have that provide audio instruction in harmony and choral singing. I hope you find these courses helpful and enjoyable, whether you’re singing at your place of worship, in a barbershop quartet, or with friends at a karaoke bar. Why not learn about a vocal style that you haven’t tried before?
- Singing in the African American Tradition (DBM01528): Ysaye Barnwell and George Brandon teach choral and congregational vocal music in this four-hour course.
- Learn to Yodel (DBM01293): The first part of this two-part series “discusses the techniques of yodeling, finding the break in the voice, and the words and syllables used. The second [part] deals with styles of individual singers and the way yodeling is used in songs.”
- Gospel Harmony (DBM01227): Dan Huckabee sings and plays melody and harmony to some favorite gospel tunes. He also teaches the student how to figure out harmony with a guitar. Includes “Farther Along,” “Put Your Hand in the Hand,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and more. Available on digital cartridge only.
- Singing Country Harmony (DBM01228): Dan Huckabee teaches how to sing two-, three-, and four-part harmony in this course. The melody parts are played separately and procedures are given for figuring out parts of songs. Includes “Red River Valley,” “Take Me Back to Tulsa,” “Cryin’ Time,” and others. Available on digital cartridge only.
- Bluegrass Harmony (DBM01221): Dan Huckabee discusses a number of bluegrass standards and gives hints to help the student figure out harmony parts to other songs with the aid of his guitar. Includes “Ain’t Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone,” “Old Home Place,” and others. In part 2 Dan Huckabee shows the student how to construct harmony parts by using the chords of the songs. Includes “Happy Birthday to You,” “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” and others. In part 3 Dan Huckabee presents information about how to arrange three-part songs. Also includes melody and harmony parts to thirty songs, including “I Just Think I’ll Stay Around,” “Love Me Darlin’ Just Tonight,” and others. Available on digital cartridge only.
- How to Sing Pop Harmony (DBM01226): Dan Huckabee teaches two- and three-part harmonizations for some popular songs. The melody and harmony parts are sung separately and together. Some songs included are “Danny’s Song,” “Muskrat Love,” “Bye Bye Love,” and others. Available on digital cartridge only.
In my next post I’ll tell you about the NLS Music collection’s offerings for classical vocal instruction, which are particularly rich. Until then, enjoy raising your voice in song with others!
To borrow these books, you may access BARD or request a copy on digital cartridge by contacting the Music Section by phone at 1-800-424-8567, option 2, or e-mail [email protected].