If you can sing "Happy Birthday," you can sing with the Arlingtones! We'll teach you how to sing in the barbershop style!
Part of our learning method is listening to vocal tracks for your vocal type. During weekly rehearsals, we blend all our voices together. Don't worry about your voice being too high or too low. All barbershop-style music is arranged to fall comfortably within the voice range of the four parts: Tenor, Lead, Baritone, or Bass. That warm feeling of "close harmony" comes when all the voices adjust to each other's pitch and sound.
The music in the Arlingtones' repertoire is selected because of its ease of learning and popularity. Everyone interested in learning about singing barbershop is encouraged to attend a chorus rehearsal. If you enjoy the music and fellowship, pick-up a sheet of music and join-in with the section that your voice finds most comfortable. You can listen to the chorus member next to you to find the note.
When you join the Arlingtones, you're becoming a part of the 33,000+ members representing the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). There are over 700 chapters in the U.S. and affiliates around the world. The greater DC area has over a dozen barbershop choruses.
The BHS Code of Ethics embraces "... the association of congenial men and women of good character... who aspire to preserve old-fashioned, vocal quartet harmony." To this end, BHS organizes many events and has published ten songs (Polecats) that all members are encouraged to learn.
The Arlingtones welcome anyone sincerely interested in singing barbershop-style, close harmony and is willing to participate in chorus activities. There is no audition required to join and the cost of membership is around $20 per month. If you have questions, feel free to send us a message or stop by a rehearsal.
