BARBERSHOP-GLOSSARY

Typical for Barbershop are among other things…


Afterglow
Casual party after a show or barbershop meeting, usually including impromptu quartet singing

Barbershop seventh
The characteristic barbershop chord, containing the root, the major third, the perfect fifth and the minor seventh as for example in the chord F, A, C, Eb

Echo
Repeat of words or phrases by several voice parts for dramatic effect

Embellishment
Decorative features such as swipes, modulations, echo effects in order to embellish the arrangement

Close-harmony singing
Harmony singing in which the four voice parts are arranged in a narrow range, usually within one octave

Swipe
A chord progression moving on a word/syllable with one or more voice parts changing their pitch while another voice part (usually the lead or tenor) holds its pitch

Tag
An elaborately arranged part of a song, the coda, to create a dramatic effect. Tags are part of the repertoire and an integral part of the afterglow.

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