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Instruments & Voices

Choir

Pronounced KWY-er

Definition

A choir is a group of singers performing together, usually with several voices on each part. A mixed choir most often sings in four parts, soprano, alto, tenor and bass (SATB), with or without accompaniment.

A choir (or chorus) is a group of people singing together, with several singers on each part. Choirs sing in churches, schools, concert halls and community centers, in styles from Renaissance polyphony to gospel music, pop arrangements and musical theater. "Choir" and "chorus" mean much the same thing; "chorus" is often used for large groups and for the singers in an opera or musical.

The four voice parts

Most mixed choirs sing in four parts, abbreviated SATB:

  • Soprano: the highest part, usually with the melody.
  • Alto: the lower women's part, often in harmony just below the sopranos.
  • Tenor: the higher men's part.
  • Bass (bass): the lowest part and the foundation of the harmony.

Baritones and mezzo-sopranos join the part that suits their range best. Parts can split further (divisi) into first and second sopranos, for example, for six or eight parts. Choirs of one kind of voice are common too: treble and children's choirs, women's choirs (SSAA) and men's choirs (TTBB).

How choral music is written

Choral music is written in one of two ways:

  • Closed score: two staves, like piano music. Soprano and alto share the treble staff (soprano stems up, alto stems down); tenor and bass share the bass staff. Hymnals use this layout.
  • Open score: one staff per part. Here the tenor usually reads a treble clef with a small 8 below it, meaning the notes sound an octave lower.
A grand staff in 4/4 with two bars of half notes. Treble staff: soprano G4, A4, G4, G4 over alto E4, F4, D4, E4. Bass staff: tenor C4, C4, B3, C4 over bass C3, F2, G2, C3.
A four-part phrase in closed score (C, F, G, C). On the treble staff the soprano has stems up and the alto stems down; on the bass staff the tenor has stems up and the bass stems down. Press play to hear all four parts together on piano.

Singing in a choir

A choir sings A cappella (unaccompanied) or with piano, organ, a band or an orchestra. The conductor sets the tempo, shapes the phrasing and balances the parts, while singers work on blend: matching vowels, intonation, breathing places and the endings of words, so the group sounds like one instrument. Learning your part means hearing it against the others, so choir singing is excellent ear training.

Tips for new choir singers

  • Mark your music in pencil: breaths, dynamics and the notes your section finds tricky.
  • Listen across the choir as much as to yourself; if you can't hear the singers next to you, you are probably too loud.
  • Warm up before rehearsal and drink water; a relaxed, well-supported voice blends best.
  • Practicing solfège and sight-reading makes learning new music much faster.

Common questions

What is the difference between a choir and a chorus?

Very little: both are groups of singers with several voices per part. "Chorus" is often used for large groups and for the singing ensemble of an opera or musical; "choir" is often used for church, school and chamber groups.

What does SATB mean?

Soprano, alto, tenor, bass: the four standard parts of a mixed choir, from highest to lowest. Music written for these four parts is called SATB music.

Practice it: free worksheets