Featured Artist - Gloriae Dei Cantores


Style Guide-Doo Wop


Doo-wop or streetcorner Acapella (their favorite spelling) originated on the city streets of New York and Philadelphia in the 1950s and early 1960s (pre-Beatles), and today doo-wop groups focus their repertoire on popular songs from that era.

Often a soloist is backed up by performers singing simple oos and aahs or fun nonsense syllables like doo-wop diddy and ram-a-lam-a ding dong that provide extra rhythm.

Very often the arrangements are worked out by ear, with nothing written down, in contrast to the sophisticated arrangements typical of contemporary a cappella and modern barbershop (barbershop was originally arranged by ear as well).

Intonation is often sacrificed in favor of soul, the opposite of the trade-off barbershoppers often make. And in many cases, the singers are as old as the songs, leading to heavy vibrato.

Popular groups include The Persuasions (they have a streetcorner sound on an eclectic repertoire), The Alley Cats and The Mighty Echoes.
 
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