Hello everyone!

My name is Isabel Van Aalst and I am the composer of Oh Deus Meus and a fellow SMC chorister. This email is going to tell you everything you need to know for contributing to my piece! Warning: this is a long email with a lot of information. Please bear with me and read through everything so we can make this as streamlined of a process as possible!

Score

How to use BandLab:

Link to join the session: https://www.bandlab.com/join/w5f1qcm

Link to sign up for BandLab (free): https://www.bandlab.com/sign-up

I am going to start off by saying that if you are familiar with Sound Trap, navigating BandLab will be easier for you. If you haven't that is ok! BandLab is pretty user-friendly and intuitive, and of course you will be able to contact me with any questions if need be :)

Instructions

  1. Once you get into the session, you are going to want to listen to the track labeled "Note from the Composer". In it, I briefly talk about the piece and specific things to do while making your recording.
  2. After listening to this, you will see there are piano part dominant tracks (provided to us from the amazing Gary Gray!) as well as vocal part dominant tracks. Use these to help learn the piece as well as assist you while making your recordings. You can mute and unmute the tracks that you want to listen to while recording or practicing by clicking on the capital "M" to the left of the tracks. If that M is blue, the track(s) are muted.
  3. Once you are ready to record you will have two options. The first is to record directly in the BandLab session. To do so, you will click on the button that says "+add track" in the upper left hand corner. When you click on that it'll give you options to choose what kind of audio file you want to make (plugging in a device/instrument, mic voice recording, etc.). Select the option that applies to you.
  4. The metronome button is to the left of the green volume bar at the top of the session (set to 47bpm). I highly recommend turning it on while making your recording. However, make sure the metronome volume is quiet enough so it doesn't bleed through into your recording. You can access the metronome settings by clicking on the pointing down arrow button to the right of the metronome button.
  5. Lastly, when you've got everything set up and you feel confident in your part, hit the red circle at the top to record! 6) When you are done, make sure to hit the save button in the upper right hand corner, and label your recording with what part you sing.

Recording option #2

If for whatever reason you do NOT wish to record directly in the session (session is glitching, this way is easier for you, etc.), I recommend selecting the parts you want to listen to while you record and muting all other tracks, and then download that audio (button in the upper left hand corner). Below all the tracks there is a long rectangular dotted line box that gives you the option to drop in an audio file, which is how you will add your track to the session.

Notes for the score

There are a few tricky parts in the score, but mostly everything is pretty straight forward.

Basses

  1. Between measures 9-10, 11-12, and 26-27, go ahead and add in a breath marking.
  2. Watch out for the interval jumps on measure 21, 29 and between m30-31-32!
  3. If you are struggling to find your note in m35 on the word "heart", listen to the altos in m34- they are also singing the f# but up the octave.

Tenors

Scary-looking interval jumps that need a little extra t.l.c.: m14-15, 20-21, 22, 35, and 36-37.

Altos

  1. m14-15 it's just an octave jump but it looks scary.
  2. m30 if you can't find the b listen to the tenors who have been droning on that note for the majority of the song!

Sopranos

  1. you guys have a lot of the counter rhythms, so make sure you pay attention to those eighth rests and attack your entrances with precision.
  2. Between m31-32, I would write in a reminder to take a good breath on that eighth rest before having to hold out those two dotted half notes.
  3. To find that f in m35, listen to the alto line in m34.

Deadline

Make your recording before the night of May 23rd.

Okay! I believe that is everything. If you need help with anything or have any questions, feel free to email me through this email, or my personal one and I will do my best to help you out or direct you to someone who can.

Thank you so much to everyone who is participating by making a recording. This means the world to me!

-Isabel van Aalst

*SMC Chamber choir member and composer*

For Democracy instructions, click here