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Unit 2 · On the pull

Walk it round

Sing a capstan shanty with no pull at all, the crew walking the bars round, then two verses of the last song of a voyage, every chorus on the beat. Free.

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Walk it round

Leave Her, Johnny was a capstan shanty: no pull, the crew walked the capstan bars round and round, so the beat is your feet. It was sung coming into port.

A steady walk. Every answer in on the beat

No pull here. Just walking, round and round; stop if anything tightens or hurts

Headphones or a speaker. The calls sound in your rests either way

What you sing

  1. Find the chorus's notes: "Leave her, Johnny, leave her".
  2. A verse: the shantyman sings, you answer each chorus on the beat.

Challenge: Into port

Two verses of Leave Her, Johnny, the last song of a voyage: every chorus on the beat, walked round the capstan.

Every answer on the beat. Walk it round

Breathe in the solo. Then answer; stop if anything tightens or hurts

Headphones or a speaker. The calls sound in your rests either way

What you sing

  1. Two verses: you answer every chorus on the beat.

Singing safely

As big as you could keep up for the whole song, never shouted: a shout has no pitch, so it can't be scored. Pull with your body, not your throat. Stop if anything tightens or hurts.

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Stackapella teaches you to sing harmony one part at a time, right in your browser.

Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up.
  • A guide sings your partHear your line over the others, slow it down, then take your turn.
  • Your notes light upEach note shows where you landed, and a hint when to go up or down.
  • Record every part yourselfStack your takes in time until you're the whole choir.
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