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Contemporary a cappella is a genre in which contemporary popular music is sung a cappella: without accompaniment by instruments. The songs may be original works in a popular style, or may be covers of popular songs, arranged for a cappella voices. There are many professional groups around the world, as well as recreational groups (aka "weekend warriors") and a growing number of contemporary a cappella choruses. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A cappella music is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. ... A cappella music is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. ... In pop music a cover version is a new rendition of a previously recorded song. ...

Contemporary a cappella is increasingly found on college campuses. See collegiate a cappella, and a number of high school (usually "college prep") groups are forming, emulating college groups. The term college (Latin collegium) is most often used today to denote an educational institution. ... Collegiate a cappella (or college a cappella) ensembles are formal, student-run and -directed singing groups that perform entirely without instruments. ...

Contemporary a cappella grew out of the traditions of barbershop and doo-wop, both of which were, at their inception, contemporary a cappella, reflecting the contemporary music of their time. Barbershop harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era (1940s-present), is a style of unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture. ... Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America. ...

Contemporary a cappella can include a number of elements not commonly found in these older styles. The most prominent is probably the use of vocal percussion, in which one or more group members use their mouths to imitate drums and other percussion instruments. These vocal percussionists usually fill the role a drum set or drum machine plays in a more traditional popular music group. In addition, the voice is used to replicate instruments and weave complex textures. Contemporary a cappella recordings and performances often employ production techniques similar to those used in non-a cappella recording and performance, such as digital and analog effects and multi-track recording. Nowadays, there are a cappella groups that sing in every style of music: pop, rock, jazz, classical, bossanova, sea shanty, etc. Vocal percussion is the art of creating sounds with ones mouth that approximate, imitate, or otherwise serve the same purpose as a percussion instrument, whether in a group of singers, an instrumental ensemble, or solo. ... An extended 4-piece drum kit A drum kit (or drum set or trap set - the latter an old-fashioned term) is a collection of drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments arranged for convenient playing by a sole percussionist (drummer), usually for jazz, rock, or other types of contemporary music. ... A Boss DR-202 Drum Machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums and/or other percussion instruments. ... Sea shanties (singular shanty, also spelled chantey; derived from the French word chanter, to sing) were shipboard working songs. ...

Professional groups noted for performances in the contemporary a cappella style include Ball in the House, The Nylons, The Bobs, Da Vinci's Notebook, The House Jacks, m-pact, Naturally Seven, Rockapella, Spiralmouth, and Take 6. Ball in the House is a five-man vocal pop/R&B band from Boston, Massachusetts. ... The Nylons are an a cappella group founded in 1979 in Canada, best known for their covers of The Turtles Happy Together, Steams Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, and The Tokens version of the traditional The Lion Sleeps Tonight. These songs appeared on the bands most... The Bobs are a new wave a cappella group founded in San Francisco, California. ... Da Vincis Notebook (or simply DVN) is a comedic a cappella singing group. ... The House Jacks are the original Rock Band Without Instruments, a vocal band that performs primarily original music with only their voices. ... Naturally Seven (or Naturally7) is a professional contemporary a cappella award-winning gospel, r&b, jazz and soul septet, originally from New York City. ... Rockapella performs as part of the L. L. Bean Summer Concert Series in 2003 Rockapella is a five-man a cappella musical group, known best for their Folgers Coffee commercials and the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? theme song. ... Spiralmouth is a contemporary a cappella band founded in the mid-1990s in Los Angeles. ... Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in 1985 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. ...

External links

• The Contemporary A Cappella Society (of America), aka CASA, is a great place to find out more about contemporary a cappella.
• a-cappella.com is the definitive online source for a cappella recordings and sheet music.
• TotalVocal: a cappella arrangements, coaching, directing, production.
• www.collegiate-acappella.com - directory of college a cappella groups.