Vocal music - Definition and Overview

Vocal music is music intended for performance mainly by singers or other vocalists. Other musical instruments may be involved, but the choir is the main focus of the piece. Examples of vocal music include choral music, yodeling, Sacred Harp, and Barbershop.

Vocal music is probably the oldest form of music, since it does not require any other instruments other than the human voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music. Language and music employ the same basic material, though they differ in primary purpose.

See also: a cappella, voice registers.

External links

• American Choral Directors Association (http://www.acdaonline.org/)
• ChoralNet (http://www.choralnet.org/)
• Early Music Vocal Ensembles (http://www.intr.net/bleissa/lists/choral.html)
• Fasola.Org (http://www.fasola.org/)
• International Barbershop Harmony Society (http://www.spebsqsa.org/web/groups/public/documents/pages/pub_homepage.hcsp)
• Primarily A Cappella (http://www.singers.com/)