What Is Barbershop Harmony ?

Barbershop Harmony is four-part, a cappella, close-harmony singing using the names Tenor, Lead, Baritone and Bass. The melody is carried in the second part, called the Lead. The Tenor harmonizes above the melody, the Bass sings the low notes, and the Baritone sings the "other harmony," sometimes above and sometimes below the melody.

Barbershop Harmony can take one of two forms.

A Quartet made up of one voice of each part.

A Chorus made up of many men but singing the same basic four parts.