Sing-along
Encyclopedia
Sing-along, community singing, group singing, is an event of singing
together at gatherings or parties, less formally than choir
singing. One can use a songbook. Common genres are folk songs, patriotic songs, hymn
s and drinking song
s. Children across the world usually sing nursery rhyme
s together.
Sing-along can be based on unison
singing, or on singing in harmony
(different parts).
pride and a pack of wolves are known to vocalize together (supposedly to defend their territory), although scholars do not characterize their vocalizations as "singing
". Gibbons
sing in family groups (couple sing together, sometimes with their offspring)
In human
Singing in groups is one of the universal features of human musical cultures, and group singing has been often suggested as the primary form of the early human musical activity. It has been suggested that human group singing was primarily promoting the cohesiveness within human groups, and was possibly used to defend human groups from predators and competitors
es, age
s, social groups. Group singing can be also different in the actual sound, for example, singing in unison
or octave
s, or singing in harmony
(in different parts). Informal group singing can be accompanied by body movements, stomping, or clapping.
Organized, regularly scheduled sing-along sessions are held in some cities, notably Seattle where most of them are known as "song circles". Many of these are organized by formal societies like the Seattle Folklore Society. Sometimes individual musicians will share their own songs with the group, but more often an individual will request a song that the whole group will sing together.
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
together at gatherings or parties, less formally than choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
singing. One can use a songbook. Common genres are folk songs, patriotic songs, hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s and drinking song
Drinking song
A drinking song is a song sung while drinking alcohol. Most drinking songs are folk songs, and may be varied from person to person and region to region, in both the lyrics and in the music...
s. Children across the world usually sing nursery rhyme
Nursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
s together.
Sing-along can be based on unison
Unison
In music, the word unison can be applied in more than one way. In general terms, it may refer to two notes sounding the same pitch, often but not always at the same time; or to the same musical voice being sounded by several voices or instruments together, either at the same pitch or at a distance...
singing, or on singing in harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
(different parts).
Among animals
Group vocalizing is known from several animal species. For example, a lionLion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
pride and a pack of wolves are known to vocalize together (supposedly to defend their territory), although scholars do not characterize their vocalizations as "singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
". Gibbons
Gibbons
Notable people named Gibbons include:* Alan Gibbons, a British author* Beth Gibbons , a British singer* Billy Gibbons, a guitarist for ZZ Top* Carroll Gibbons , an American-born British bandleader...
sing in family groups (couple sing together, sometimes with their offspring)
In humanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
evolutionary history
Singing in groups is one of the universal features of human musical cultures, and group singing has been often suggested as the primary form of the early human musical activity. It has been suggested that human group singing was primarily promoting the cohesiveness within human groups, and was possibly used to defend human groups from predators and competitors Forms of group singing
In human societies group singing can be limited to certain sexSex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
es, age
Age
Age may refer to:* Age , an aspect of mathematical model theory* Age , an international peer-reviewed journal operated by Springer.* The Age, a daily newspaper published in Melbourne, Australia* Agé, a god* Åge, a given name...
s, social groups. Group singing can be also different in the actual sound, for example, singing in unison
Unison
In music, the word unison can be applied in more than one way. In general terms, it may refer to two notes sounding the same pitch, often but not always at the same time; or to the same musical voice being sounded by several voices or instruments together, either at the same pitch or at a distance...
or octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s, or singing in harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
(in different parts). Informal group singing can be accompanied by body movements, stomping, or clapping.
Organized, regularly scheduled sing-along sessions are held in some cities, notably Seattle where most of them are known as "song circles". Many of these are organized by formal societies like the Seattle Folklore Society. Sometimes individual musicians will share their own songs with the group, but more often an individual will request a song that the whole group will sing together.