What is a Virtual Choir?
A Virtual Choir is an ensemble recorded separately and brought together using digital technology. The individual video and audio tracks are blended in computer software to render the final product. Here are a couple of examples.
The first is Eric Whitacre, who perfected the technique and composes intentionally for this kind of ensemble using thousands of voices worldwide:
The first is Eric Whitacre, who perfected the technique and composes intentionally for this kind of ensemble using thousands of voices worldwide:
The second is from our Pentecost 2020 Project:
What is the plan for the Diocesan Virtual Choir/Ensemble?
We are planning to have the video ready to be used in the diocesan livestream worship for the Diocesan Online Christmas Lessons and Carols on December 27th. The music will be "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" from the collection "A Little Advent Music" by Richard Shephard. It is used under license by Saint James Music Press.
The technical team is The Rev. David Simmons and The Rev. Don Fleischman.
The technical team is The Rev. David Simmons and The Rev. Don Fleischman.
Who can participate?
Anyone! We are open to all who want to contribute. If you are interested in participating, submit a video by Monday, December 14th at 5PM CST following the instructions below.
OK I'M IN! HOW DO I DO THIS?
VOCALISTS:
- Download the page for the anthem. Note the rehearsal articulation marks in red.
- Record yourself on video singing along with your voice part rehearsal track (See video instructions section below).
- Fill out the Google Form here with your info.
- After you complete the form, you will be given a dropbox request link to upload the video.
- Upload the video by Monday, DECEMBER 14th 5PM CST AT THE LATEST. The sooner the better so we can get to work earlier
Q: CAN I SUBMIT MYSELF SINGING MORE THAN ONE PART?
A: YES, PLEASE DO. Fill out a separate Google Form for each submission.
A: YES, PLEASE DO. Fill out a separate Google Form for each submission.
VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS
1. The Rehearsal Track
- Download the rehearsal track below that corresponds with your voice part. The Master has all the voice parts, while the ones for SATB highlights that voice part with a piano note.
- Play the rehearsal track through headphones and practice. It's very difficult to retune or remove bad notes on our end.
1. The Articulation Track & Marks
Note: this is an additional step we are using this time to make final consonants more uniform.
Please download and listen to the articulation track, which has David singing the Soprano part in order to illustrate the desired articulation with final consonants. The articulations are noted in red in the rehearsal score. Note that: 1. David is not a Soprano. 2. David is over-articulating in order to make a point - your consonants should not be quite as prominent. 3. David is typing this, so he is referring to himself in third-person. DO NOT USE THE ARTICULATION TRACK WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR VIDEO. This makes David wroth. DO NOT MOCK THE ARTICULATION TRACK. This also makes David wroth.
3. Your Video
- You are going to need two devices:
- A device to playback the rehearsal track into your headphones. We should not be able to hear any of the reharsal track on your recording. We may not be able to use your recording if we can.
- A device to record your video and audio (your phone, ideally with a microphone attachment, but it's ok without one)
- Setup your phone to record the video on a tripod or balanced so it frames you and has a pleasing background and DOESN’T MOVE while you record. You should have yourself in landscape orientation (That's sideways to the way you hold your phone), and have your phone close enough that your face fills at least 3/4 of the frame vertically. Don’t cut off the top of your head!
- Choose a place with low noise. Turn off fans, blowers, dehumifiers nearby. Please sit in your space and listen intentionally for this. For instance, if you are recording in a basement and the furnace is on, the fan will probably be audible in the recording. We don't need perfect silence, but the less noise removal work we have to do, the better your voice will sound.
- Choose a place with low echo like a small room.
- Give yourself as much light as you can – the video will be much better quality with bright light!
- Do a test recording or two, to make sure the audio you’re recording has a strong level but doesn’t overload at your loudest singing.
- When you start videoing, hold up a white piece of white office paper in front of your face. This will allow us to “white-balance” the videos later.
- In the measure before the choir comes in the first time, The rehearsal track will enunciate "One, Two, Three, Four, Five, six, seven." Count "Five, Six, Seven" clearly out loud with the rehearsal track so it is recorded. That's what we use to synchronize the tracks.
- Sing at a fairly constant volume, from mezzo forte to forte (don't belt) as we will adjust volume on our end.
- Sing/play a COMPLETE take, beginning to end, to the best of your ability. Do not attempt to edit one together. There’s no penalty for doing it more than once until you’re happy!
- Do not attempt any electronic audio or video correction on your video (Color, Reverb, Autotune, etc.) as we will be applying digital correction.
- Title the video with the following formula: lastname+firstinitial_voicepart.fileextension.
- Fill out the Google Form, then you will be provided with a link to the dropbox request.
- Submit the video at FULL resolution.
(These instruction adapted from Jedd Scott Music)
4. Performance Notes
- MAKE SURE you say "Five, Six, Seven" along with the Rehearsal Track.
- MAKE SURE you are not recording the Rehearsal Track along with your voice.
- NOTE that the piece is written mostly in 3/2 and 2/2, but the notes on the score and the metronome beats on the rehearsal track are 6/4 and 4/4 respectively.
- The current organ track is for rehearsal only - it's actually a sampled instrument of the town hall organ in Leeds, England. It will be replaced with a live organ track.