What are we trying to preserve?

(Note: Dave Stevens (1920-1991), was a Society staff Music Specialist and Editor of Music Publications, and a major force in helping define and preserve the barbershop style. In countless presentations to chapters, quartets and schools, Stevens discussed aspects of the barbershop style that make it unique, and worthy of preservation. The following article is by Dave Stevens.)

We're trying to preserve principles. Certain principles, considered together, describe the barbershop style of song. No single one or two of them alone will do it. The higher a song rates on all principles, the better that song is for barbershop singing-and vice versa.

Barbershoppers agree that Principle No. 1 concerns the melody. Does it lie within normal, good quality range of the average lead? Is it free of awkward skips that will make it difficult to sing accurately or tune to? Does it suggest barbershop chords to the ear, and do most of the melody notes fit into those chords?

Principle No. 2 concerns the lyric. A good barbershop lyric is not arty, nor is it too sophisticated or impressionistic. It's down-to-earth, often nostalgic, and uses the kind of language employed by popular songwriters during the barbershop era (turn of the Century into the 1920s), and of course, by any standard, must be in good taste.

Principle No. 3 has to do with chords. Barbershop harmony avoids modern sounds and uses many barbershop seventh chords.

Principle No. 4 has to do with chord progressions, and this can be complicated. But if the song requires a variety of harmonies, and those harmonies are mainly barbershop seventh chords, most Barbershoppers can probably do a pretty fair job of woodshedding the music. When that happens, the music uses barbershop chord progressions.

Principle No. 5 is about embellishments. If a song doesn't offer opportunities for embellishments, it isn't going to sound like the barbershop style. Just imagine music without swipes, echoes, back time, blossom effects, pyramids, cascades, or bell chords. It simply wouldn't be barbershop.

Principle No. 6 might be called mechanics, or form. Elements of rhythm and meter are important considerations in unaccompanied quartet singing. Rhythm which is too complex, meter which is irregular, and song construction which does not employ judicious repetition of melodic ideas are indications that the song may not adapt well to the barbershop style.