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Music has been around since the dinosaurs…ok maybe not that far back but it’s a pretty old art form that has been passed down from generation to generation. At the very beginning – before man learnt about beats, chords and melodies – they used their voices to sing.
A Brief History Lesson
Acappella (also spelt ‘a capella’) has first been noted in early religious cultures performed by Christian, Islamic and Jewish practices. The term ‘acapella’ is used to describe a form of music created by people singing without any kind of musical accompaniment and has taken many forms over the centuries. First performed in churches, acapella later transformed into Barbershop quartet performances such as the pop cultural song “Mr Sandman” by the Chordettes.
In recent years, many people have started using their voices to imitate musical instruments – a talented art form in itself. Now this may bring to mind the likes of Michael Winslow and his amazing ability to imitate real life sounds such as sirens and explosions – you may recognise him from Police Academy and Police Academy 2. Well beat boxing isn’t too different from this; the method is simple, though the technique is harder than you might think and can take years of practice to perfect. Beat boxers use their lips and tongue to guide air through their mouths at different rates and pitches in order to imitate instruments and – like Michael Winslow – real life sounds!
Pitch Perfect first graced the big screen in 2012, and with it came a flourish of acapella performances around the world. Taking the once traditional method of singing, the movie mixed it up with beat boxers and music mash ups to create the unique sound of the Barden Bellas – all thanks to music producer wannabe, Beca.
New generations are taking up the musical phenomenon, replicating some of the memorable songs featured on Pitch Perfect, such as ‘The Cup Song’, and coming up with their own spectacular versions. With new and lively wave of musicians appearing every day, we’re constantly looking for spirited artists keen and willing to share their performances with us. Let’s be honest, the talent in the world today is, well, out of this world!
Well, we believe the sky’s the limit! Too cheesy? Perhaps, but it’s so true we just couldn’t help ourselves. Acapella groups are springing up all over YouTube and across the internet. They’re filling our speakers with moving and breathtaking performances. They’re busking in the streets and popping up all over the TV. Yes, it’s very clear that acapella is taking over the world, and we welcome it with opened arms.
So, you have an acapella group and you want to hear your vocals at their very best, right? Perfect. Come and visit our recording studio in London for the chance to record your very own acapella, world-dominating songs! We’d love to hear you, if you’re interested you can either visit our website to find out more about Soho Sonic, or you can call us on +44 (0) 20 7193 4467.
