This is an acapella singing group that will teach singers how to use their voices in many different ways. Inspired by groups such as Take 6, Thirdstory, The Cadillacs, Pentatonix, students will learn to sing in all contemporary styles including jazz, rock, pop, R&B, country, doo wop, and blues. Students will sing arrangements by using their voices in the traditional manner (with lyrics) and will also learn how to replicate various instruments using their voices. The arrangements will be broken down into various parts; sung melodies and harmonies with lyrics, electric or synth bass, piano or guitar parts, vocal effects and percussion and/or beat boxing. Arrangements will also include the use of looping and vocal effects pedals. There will be a strong emphasis on melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic accuracy, blending, intonation, reading, and memorization. As an ensemble, singers will work together to recreate recorded performances of songs by using their voices. Through this process students will learn about arranging and production and how to write for instruments, ie. how to make a drum beat, sing a bass line, comp like a piano or guitar, etc. Singers will learn these arrangements by sight singing written out charts in solfege or by ear. This course counts towards vocalists’ Vocal Ensemble requirement.