Virtual Choir audio tracks for My Country, 'Tis Of Thee Choral Version or Vocal Solo version.

(Original live premiere video, performed by the US Air Force Academy Wind Ensemble:)

Virtual Choir Accompaniment Product includes these audio downloads which will make your virtual choir (or vocal solo) recording more successful: (Note, if you need a video editor, contact The Music of Dan Forrest for recommendations.)

1. Full wind band accompaniment recording - Full-quality WAV audio file of the wind band accompaniment. Your final performance video will sound great with the added strength, color, and texture of a live recording of a full symphonic wind band!

2. Clicked rehearsal/recording tracks - Six mp3 audio files to share with all singers in your choir, for use while rehearsing and recording: four part-dominant vocal tracks with the wind band accompaniment, a balanced voices track with all vocals, and an instrumental-only track. In all six tracks, a "metronome" sounds on each beat, and subdivides into eighth notes where helpful. This helps keep singers together (they can "hear" the conducting while still looking at their music), which improves your final video and also makes video editing easier. (Conductors are still welcome to create their own conductor's video for their ensembles, either for singers to watch as they sing, and/or to be added to the final video, but it's not required). 

Note: this product does not include choral scores. Please purchase a copy of the choral score for every singer who will participate/perform: Choral or Vocal Solo. Singer Tips: Use good-fitting headphones or earbuds to listen to the click while recording your video; start your recording at the beginning of the click track. Conductor/coordinator, ask your video editor whether they prefer all participants to clap precisely on the beat before the wind band begins playing, or whether they prefer to sync the first vocal entrance (preferences vary). 

Performance suggestions:

• First stanza: control and pace your breath carefully; don’t over-sing; for cutoffs, put the final consonant of long notes “on the rest that follows", but don’t overdo them; observe the < > so each vocal phrase fades in and out.
• Mm. 33-39 are mf, stronger than stanza one; sing with confidence.
• Mm. 40-63, most breaths are not marked, so “sneak” breaths where you need them and otherwise sing seamlessly (unless your conductor asks for specific breaths)
• Mm. 64-72 gradual crescendo the whole way- pace carefully.
• Final stanza- triumphant! Manage your breath carefully; don’t over-sing. Sopranos and Tenors sneak a breath in m87 before beat 4. Everyone, add a quarter note rest in measure 90 beat 2, to breathe.  

Available products include choral score, vocal solo score, and numerous printed accompaniment options linked on those pages.