OverChoral ReMix: A VG Choral Arrangement Group

[Gario]

Hey there, beautiful OCR people!

OverChoral ReMix!

It's an idea that I've been juggling for many years, and yet I've either never had the time or got too distracted with other projects and such to get it off the ground. Since I've been in pretty solid shape over the last year, though, I've decided to give this a real shot.

There is a LOT of talent on here, and this is something that I can see coming together and really creating some spectacular music that no one in the community has ever heard before, but it's also something that no one can do alone, either. We need an OCR community choir, and I'm here to offer direction to this group.

I will likely be messaging a few people that have shown some form of interest in this effort in the past, but I'm also inviting anyone and everyone to give this a chance, if they have any inclination to do so. If you've ever sung in anything in the past, you will most certainly help. If you can read sheet music to any degree, you will be an absolute asset to this initiative (though I'll work with you if you can't read sheet music). If you can compose and want to supply the group with a VG arrangement, I absolutely insist you send it our way (once we've become established, of course!).

To give you an idea of how this will work: If someone produces a solid choral VG arrangement (score, lyrics, etc.), we will sing it, and I will mix it to make it sound like we're singing in a choir. If needed, I will figure out a way to conduct for everyone (brushin' up on my conducting skills!), and I will help with diction (pronunciation), as necessary.

To make something like this work, we need to have a solid mix of voices. This includes:

    - Sopranos (Presumptive range: Middle "C" to "A" two octaves above)
    - Altos (Presumptive range: "F" below middle C to middle "C" an octave above)
    - Tenors (Presumptive range: "C" below middle C to "G" above middle C)
    - Bass (Presumptive range: "E" an octave and a half below middle C to Middle "C")

This will not work without at least two people per range, though we can use more than that if others decide to participate (and I hope that they do). This sort of thing has been done before (think FF4 album's Fabul's Men's Choir), and I won't lie that this idea was inspired by this, in some sense. It has also been done on a far larger scale by Eric Whitacre (which turned out beautifully, by the way). This will hopefully be somewhere in between those two examples in terms of scope.

I absolutely look forward to working with anyone and everyone that is willing to be involved in this. Currently, I have one arrangement that we can work through, in order to see how well this works in practice (and, let's face it, to make a kick-ass choral VG arrangement, to boot), and I'm hoping that in time we can make more music like it if it works out well. Post in here or PM me if you're at all interested! Be sure to provide your vocal range that you can work comfortably in.

Let's make this happen.

Members so far:

Sopranos:

Peíorele*

Altos:

Rexy*
Wildfire*
Final Kingdom*

Tenors:

Gario*
Flexstyle*
Bowlerhat*
Wiesty*

Basses:

DS394*
The Nikanoru*
Anorax(?)*

Note: Those marked with * have confirmed that they can read sheet music.

[DS394]

Hey, I'd be interested I could do bass down to C2 (Bb2 on a good day) and up to about middle C. I'd also be interested in contributing an epic orchestral choral remix for the group, I think I have the SATB around somewhere...

[The Nikanoru]

I'm in.

I can also do bass and tenor. And a pretty mean Bullwinkle impression.

[Gario]

Well, having the bass section covered is certainly a good start. Once this weekend rolls around I'll start checking out who's still around, who I know, etc., and see how much support I can garner outside of just people who stumble across this post.

By the way, do you guys read scores? @DS394  @The Nikanoru

It's a good thing to know, considering that's the primary way to get people to read the music.

[Wiesty]

Sounds like an awesome idea! If time allows in the future I'd be up for writing something or perhaps singing. I sang in the fabul choir way back in the day though I don't have a credit so maybe @OA never used my files?! Either way, was a lot of fun to collab like that! 

[DS394]

Oh yeah, I can read and write sheets. I've sang in my church choir before and I'm currently writing a choral piece for my senior project (where I'm secretly incorporating "Heroes of Old" from Star Fox Assault, heheh...)

[Rexy]

I'm uo for providing you with an Alto voice and can also read sheet music at a reasonable level.  I have been in school choirs when growing up, so this feels like a great callback to that.  It also sounds like a neat project that can definitely provide a solid community effort

[The Nikanoru]

It's been awhile, but yes, I can read and write scores and sheet music as well.

[Gario]

This is not a bad start at all - definitely have enough to have a male quartet going on here, if we wanted. I'll start delivering some of the music packages soon (very happy to have you guys on here!), and I'll start making contact with at least a few other people to see if they're interested (or still interested, as I've false-started on this once before).

Thanks to you guys who're showing interest so far; here's hoping we get more of the opposite sex to represent!

[Flexstyle]

I'm interested! Should be able to find enough time to do some vocal takes at least, esp if there's sheet music to make things simpler.

[Anorax]

I'm just going to point out that the bass range listed (E3 to C4) is smaller than, and is even inside of the given tenor range (C3 to G4). I assume you meant the E below the C of the bass clef (E2-C4)?

 

And if I were to join I'd be a bass singer (on bad days the E2 won't happen), although I can also hit the Tenor range.

[Gario]

5 hours ago, Anorax said:

And if I were to join I'd be a bass singer (on bad days the E2 won't happen), although I can also hit the Tenor range.

If you joined I would be very happy.

As far as the range, you're right - I mis-typed that part. As it reads now the tenor goes lower than the bass, lol. I'll fix it to make it correct, thank you.

[Gario]

Wow, almost have all the parts covered. All we actually need now is two sopranos and we'll technically have enough to make magic happen. Of course, choirs are better the more people are involved, so please don't shy away just because we technically have enough in your section - bigger sections means better sounding choral music!

Glad to almost see the initial threshold is almost crossed, though. Gets me pumped to get some real work started sooner rather than later.

[Anorax]

2 hours ago, Gario said:

bigger sections means better sounding choral music!

in theory

[Bowlerhat]

This is amazing. I'm definitely up for this. I can read sheets, I've sung in choirs before, I'm a tenor and I also have experience with and a passion for choir arranging. 

[Gario]

To be honest, the group seems to be coming together a little faster than I expected (what a nice problem to have!). I think we need to work on the next few steps of this beast:

First, we all need a place to meet, convene, etc. which would work better than the PM messages on here. OCR's PM system is great for coordinating between a few members at a time, but I'm finding it difficult to actually send messages to groups larger than five on here. I will try to get get an OCR Discord channel established in the next few days, and I will send invites to everyone who agreed to be in this choir to that channel and we'll continue to coordinate there (Meeting times [if any], availability, etc.).

Once that is established, we need to figure out a method of receiving and delegating music. As I said, I have one complete acapella score (A Lufia choral arrangement), and DS394 has another score that he wants assistance with (a Star Fox arrangement, orchestra + choir). With two pieces this is fine, but if we were to receive more we'd need to agree on how we select what we sing. It may or may not be an issue going forward, but it needs to be discussed, at least.

Finally, we need to figure out some basic rules when it comes to how we sing, for the sake of consistency, quality of choral recording, audibility of the lyrics, etc. Unlike solo vocal music, choir requires a great deal of coordination among the members, and if we don't establish some ground rules the choral music will sound like a mass of sound rather than multiple talented voices singing in unison. Let's face it - we can make a "wall of sound" with a sample choir, that's not what this group is about.

On that last note I have some ground rules that I know from the university choir I attended back from 2006-2008 that I'll post when we have , but I'll likely discuss it among you guys as well and tweak it as necessary. There isn't any specific way that's considered the "right" way, as long as we ALL follow the same rules.

It's time to really get the ground work done to make this a reality, now!

[Gario]

Giving this a little bump: it's a bit slow this week (and the next week, most likely), but it isn't forgotten, not by a long shot. Christmas definitely disrupts everyone's plans, and New Years has a few plans that will certainly get in the way too (keep an eye out in the Projects forum!), but come the first week of 2017 I'll get aggressive on finding members again. Just don't want you guys to think I dropped this or anything; getting some of the logistics figured out takes some time, is all.

Alright, I hope y'all had a nice Christmas, and I hope you guys have a happy New Year!

[Peíorele]

Um, hey! I'm new here (to OCR, not the world of choral music), and I'm super interested in this project. I've been searching for a way to improve my vocal skills in a community, and this looks really fun! I can fit into the Alto or Soprano position; my range goes (comfortably) from the F below middle C, up to D two octaves higher than middle C (I'm not quite up to the "A" you've listed as the preferred soprano range, though). I can read sheet music and I'm flexible with filling parts if needed.

[Gario]

Yesssss! I'll sign you up as a Soprano, for sure. 'A' two octaves is more accurately 'A' an octave and a half up (rounded up), so I think you'll be just fine. Welcome to the group! We're about clear, as far as a group is concerned; one more soprano!

[Gario]

Quick post, so people don't think I'm dropping the ball: Magfest is happening this weekend. While I unfortunately will not be attending, I know at least a few of you (and quite a few staff) will be participating there.

I've still got my eye out for volunteers, but this will be going full bore next week after everything settles down again. I hope y'all had a great Holiday!

[Gario]

Alright, everyone: Announcement!

I've set up a Discord page for us to meet, talk shop, and establish how we'll move forward from here. This is where we should plan on really figuring out our house rules, how we can figure out what we want to sing, talk choral composition shop, etc. It's taken me a little while due to increased duties on OCR, things moving out for the Lufia album, SMRPG release, etc., but this IS still on a pretty high priority.

I'll be PM'ing you guys about it, as well as sending invites to people I know are on the list.