I have recently observed, on Youtube, a very interesting method of turning any barbershop tag into a jazzy eight part tag: simply double each part a perfect fifth higher. Or, said another way, have a second quartet simultaneously sing the same tag a fifth above.
Despite everything I was taught in college, I have been curious to try this myself. However, due to sound bleed-through from my upstairs neighbors, I can’t really record in my apartment these days. So I multitracked this one tonight in my car on my Zoom H4. Although I am sure I looked quite suspicious, I think it was worth it.
You can hear the original four part arrangement here.
I present to you “In Dixie Land Where I Was Born” from David Wright’s collection: Classic Tags for Men’s Voices in parallel fifths:
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I recorded this song as a surprise for my wonderful girlfriend Chelsea.
As far as I can tell, this song is originally by one of my very favorite musical groups: The Flamingos. I heard it on their album I Only Have Eyes For You and thought it would be the perfect one to try to record. After hours and hours of transcription, recording, rerecording and level-twiddling, it’s finally presentable.
For Chelsea: An a cappella version of “That’s Why I Love You” by the Flamingos:
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For my parents 30th wedding anniversary on Tuesday I recorded them a little audio drama featuring characters and musical excerpts from the hilarious musical Forever Plaid.
Congratulations:
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As well as turning 28, last month my brother graduated from UCSD with is PhD(!) in mathematics. So, as a combined gift, I got the family and Chelsea together to record a math themed song for him. We recorded “That’s Mathematics” by Tom Lehrer.
Happy birthday and congratulation Nathaniel. You are the best source of pride and inspiration a little brother cold ask for.
Tom Lehrer’s “That’s Mathematics” for Nathaniel:
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With Chelsea (my girlfriend) out of town, I decided to treat myself to a movie for the Fourth of July. After the movie, I sat in my car in the parking garage and decided to improvise/record a little song on my portable multitracking device. In my typical fashion it ended up being 5 tracks, only 16 seconds long, and about it’s self. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to write real songs. Hopefully.
For Chelsea: “Parking Garage”
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Yesterday, I was at Donut World drinking a coffee, eating a buttermilk-bar and missing my girlfriend, when this little love song popped into my head. I quickly scrawled it on the back of a piece of paper I found in my pocket, went home and recorded it.
For Chelsea: “Our Love Will Last As Long”
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The other day I was sitting on the couch with my girlfriend, and for a moment I felt completely at peace. I wrote and recorded this tag for that simple moment, and the the company in which I spent it.
“Lazy Afternoon” for Chelsea:
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Inspired by the recording I made with my friends, I decided to record a non-barbershop song. I decided on “Were Going To Be Friends” by the White Stripes. I recorded in four passes, each of which required several takes. First the ukulele track, which almost gave me carpel tunnel, then the melody, and then two different harmony tracks. The harmonies were based on a harmony I remember my friend Rosie Steffy singing when she first introduced me to this song many years ago.
Have a listen to this cover of the White Stripe’s “Were Going To Be Friends”:
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