Sing-along, also called community singing or 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, kids' songs, spirituals, campfire songs, nonsense songs, humorous songs,
hymns and
drinking songs. Children around the world usually sing together.
Sing-along can be based on
unison singing, or on singing in
harmony
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
(different parts).
Among animals
Group vocalizing is known in several animal species. For example, a
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
pride and a pack of
wolves are known to vocalize together (supposedly to defend their territory), although some scholars do not characterize their vocalizations as "
singing".
Gibbon
Gibbons () are apes in the family Hylobatidae (). The family historically contained one genus, but now is split into four extant genera and 20 species. Gibbons live in subtropical and tropical rainforest from eastern Bangladesh to Northeast India ...
s sing in family groups (couples sing together, sometimes with their offspring). Various species of birds also sing in duets and choruses, particularly in the tropics.
In human pre-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.
Joseph Jordania
Joseph Jordania (Georgian იოსებ ჟორდანია, born February 12, 1954 and also known under the misspelling of Joseph Zhordania) is an Australian–Georgian ethnomusicologist and evolutionary musicologist and professor. He is ...
. 2006. Who Asked the First Question? Origins of Human Choral Singing, Intelligence, Language and Speech. Logos
Forms of group singing
In human societies, group singing can be limited to certain
sex
Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, oft ...
es, ages, and
social groups. Group singing can be also different in the actual sound, for example, singing in
unison or
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
s, accompanied or a capella or singing in
harmony
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
(in different parts, like canon). Informal group singing can be accompanied by body movements, stomping, or clapping.
Organized, regularly scheduled sing-along sessions are held in both cities and rural areas, often referred to as "song circles" and sometimes organized by formal groups or organizations. 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.
See also
*''
Rise Up Singing''
*''
Hamiltunes'' (a series of sing-alongs of the American musical ''
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
'')
References
{{Reflist
Singing