TRUE COLORS FOR GRADUATION
Hello Choral Students of District 228,
We are creating a video performance of True Colors for our district schools to utilize in the graduation ceremonies.
There are two items attached to this post.
One is a link to a Google Drive folder with several resources, including a pdf of the music and click tracks to help you learn your part and to record the video. UPDATE: On you iPad after you click that link it will say unsupported file type. That's okay - just click in the upper right hand corner where there is a share-type button and the folder will open. The files are also attached to this post now.
The second attachment is a link to a performance of the song on the show Glee. THIS IS NOT EXACTLY LIKE OUR ARRANGEMENT! It is pretty similar though. It will be helpful for you to listen to it once or twice, THEN STOP LISTENING TO IT, and only use the click tracks to learn your part.
To ensure that all of the parts can be layered properly, please follow the steps below before recording your video.
1. Open the "True Colors Music" pdf file. I suggest printing your part (however it is 11 pages) if possible, as you will be needing your phone/iPad to record yourself later on. You can also use your iPad for the pdf of the music and your phone to record the video.
2. Practice your part with the appropriate performance source track to ensure that you are performing the rhythms and pitches correctly. It is very important that you adhere to the tempos and count offs/releases so that all of the separate tracks can be layered accurately. There is a two measure count off. The final beat of the count off is subdivided into eighth notes. The click track plays the entire song, but gets a little louder when necessary.
3. Mark your part with the following information:
- Tenors & Basses: although this is an SAB piece, there are a few spots that may get a little high for some of you. In the music there is marked OPT 8vb a few times. There is a separate click track for those of you taking this option. It's totally cool if you do, but be sure to practice with the bass click track then.
- Sopranos: in the beginning and every time that theme appears, the half note in the second measure is only 2 counts! (off on 3, which means, silence on beat 3)
- Altos: in the beginning, and every time that theme appears, should perform their part only for the duration notated. There are rests between each "Ah" - observe the rests!
- Altos/Tenor/Bass: measure 4, and each time it comes up, off on 4 - which means silence on beat 4.
- Measure 12: The words are "I See Your" - DO NOT sing the word "But". That is only for the soloist.
- Everyone: Pay attention to the rests! Observe them. I am only pointing out a few of them. It is your responsibility to observe them all!
- Measure 17: Don't hang on to "afraid"! There needs to be space before "to".
- Measure 31: "bear" is not long - don't hang on to it!
- Measure 59: "fraid" is an eighth tied to a quarter note - sorry about the scribbles there. This was done to make the music more clean here.
- Measure 61: Silence on beat 4!
- Last page: The original had a repeat. We are not taking a repeat. The measures are re-numbered accordingly.
- Measure 62: Silence on beat 4!
- The ending: There is a ritardando during the last two measures. Practice this before recording.
- The ending: NO FERMATA FOR ANY VOICE! The fermatas are for the rests and the piano. Don't hang on to your note.
4. When you are ready to video record yourself:
Be sure that you are in the frame and that the background is school appropriate!
You do not have to dress fancy, but please be dressed in school appropriate clothes.
Place your cellular phone/iPad about two to three feet away from you. Record a couple practice takes to find the best spot to hear your voice clearly.
Sing along with the appropriate performance click track using a pair of headphones on a separate device. You must use headphones.
The performance click track will count you in (there are two measures - you will hear the clicks on beat 1 and 3, and then 1, 2, 3, 4+)
Maintain a consistent performance tempo.
Adhere to all releases.
Listen and watch your video before submitting it.
Once you are done submit it by uploading it to this class under this assignment.
Questions? Ask!
And please, SMILE!!! and have fun!
Want to sing one of the solos? Continue reading:
1. If you are submitting a solo recording it must be a separate video file.
2. You must first record yourself performing your part to the song. Solo submissions will only be accepted if you also record your part.
3. Perform the solos with the written rhythms. We may choose more than three soloists. If we do, you may only end up being heard on half of a solo or the solo may end up being a duet. It will be very important for you to record the solos as written.
4. I highly suggest that you record yourself performing all three solos. You are only allowed to submit 1 solo video. It will be best if you record from the beginning of the song all the way to the end, so please do that.
5. Everything else is pretty much the same as recording your part.
TO be clear, if you are submitting a solo video, then you will be submitting two videos - your part and the solo. Upload them at the same time.
There is no guarantee that you will be featured as a soloist.
Questions? Ask!
And please, seriously, SMILE!!!, and have fun!
We are creating a video performance of True Colors for our district schools to utilize in the graduation ceremonies.
There are two items attached to this post.
One is a link to a Google Drive folder with several resources, including a pdf of the music and click tracks to help you learn your part and to record the video. UPDATE: On you iPad after you click that link it will say unsupported file type. That's okay - just click in the upper right hand corner where there is a share-type button and the folder will open. The files are also attached to this post now.
The second attachment is a link to a performance of the song on the show Glee. THIS IS NOT EXACTLY LIKE OUR ARRANGEMENT! It is pretty similar though. It will be helpful for you to listen to it once or twice, THEN STOP LISTENING TO IT, and only use the click tracks to learn your part.
To ensure that all of the parts can be layered properly, please follow the steps below before recording your video.
1. Open the "True Colors Music" pdf file. I suggest printing your part (however it is 11 pages) if possible, as you will be needing your phone/iPad to record yourself later on. You can also use your iPad for the pdf of the music and your phone to record the video.
2. Practice your part with the appropriate performance source track to ensure that you are performing the rhythms and pitches correctly. It is very important that you adhere to the tempos and count offs/releases so that all of the separate tracks can be layered accurately. There is a two measure count off. The final beat of the count off is subdivided into eighth notes. The click track plays the entire song, but gets a little louder when necessary.
3. Mark your part with the following information:
- Tenors & Basses: although this is an SAB piece, there are a few spots that may get a little high for some of you. In the music there is marked OPT 8vb a few times. There is a separate click track for those of you taking this option. It's totally cool if you do, but be sure to practice with the bass click track then.
- Sopranos: in the beginning and every time that theme appears, the half note in the second measure is only 2 counts! (off on 3, which means, silence on beat 3)
- Altos: in the beginning, and every time that theme appears, should perform their part only for the duration notated. There are rests between each "Ah" - observe the rests!
- Altos/Tenor/Bass: measure 4, and each time it comes up, off on 4 - which means silence on beat 4.
- Measure 12: The words are "I See Your" - DO NOT sing the word "But". That is only for the soloist.
- Everyone: Pay attention to the rests! Observe them. I am only pointing out a few of them. It is your responsibility to observe them all!
- Measure 17: Don't hang on to "afraid"! There needs to be space before "to".
- Measure 31: "bear" is not long - don't hang on to it!
- Measure 59: "fraid" is an eighth tied to a quarter note - sorry about the scribbles there. This was done to make the music more clean here.
- Measure 61: Silence on beat 4!
- Last page: The original had a repeat. We are not taking a repeat. The measures are re-numbered accordingly.
- Measure 62: Silence on beat 4!
- The ending: There is a ritardando during the last two measures. Practice this before recording.
- The ending: NO FERMATA FOR ANY VOICE! The fermatas are for the rests and the piano. Don't hang on to your note.
4. When you are ready to video record yourself:
Be sure that you are in the frame and that the background is school appropriate!
You do not have to dress fancy, but please be dressed in school appropriate clothes.
Place your cellular phone/iPad about two to three feet away from you. Record a couple practice takes to find the best spot to hear your voice clearly.
Sing along with the appropriate performance click track using a pair of headphones on a separate device. You must use headphones.
The performance click track will count you in (there are two measures - you will hear the clicks on beat 1 and 3, and then 1, 2, 3, 4+)
Maintain a consistent performance tempo.
Adhere to all releases.
Listen and watch your video before submitting it.
Once you are done submit it by uploading it to this class under this assignment.
Questions? Ask!
And please, SMILE!!! and have fun!
Want to sing one of the solos? Continue reading:
1. If you are submitting a solo recording it must be a separate video file.
2. You must first record yourself performing your part to the song. Solo submissions will only be accepted if you also record your part.
3. Perform the solos with the written rhythms. We may choose more than three soloists. If we do, you may only end up being heard on half of a solo or the solo may end up being a duet. It will be very important for you to record the solos as written.
4. I highly suggest that you record yourself performing all three solos. You are only allowed to submit 1 solo video. It will be best if you record from the beginning of the song all the way to the end, so please do that.
5. Everything else is pretty much the same as recording your part.
TO be clear, if you are submitting a solo video, then you will be submitting two videos - your part and the solo. Upload them at the same time.
There is no guarantee that you will be featured as a soloist.
Questions? Ask!
And please, seriously, SMILE!!!, and have fun!