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There Is a Balm in Gilead: alto part

The alto part of There Is a Balm in Gilead in A, from C#4 to F#4. Hear it on its own or with the others, then sing it and watch each note light up.

Rests through both verses and sings Dett's alto in the refrain, mostly on C-sharp and E, up to F-sharp, its top note, on every "wounded" and "whole," and on the first "soul." of each refrain.

Range
C#4 to F#4
Key
A
Guide voice
The app's own voice

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How to learn the alto part

  1. 01 · Your part

    Hear your part on its own until the tune of it is in your ear.

  2. 02 · With the others

    Hear it with the others, so you know where it sits in the chord.

  3. 03 · Sing it

    Sing it with the others under you and watch each note light up as you land it. The mic listens only while it plays, and nothing is recorded.

About There Is a Balm in Gilead

Words: traditional spiritual, as sung by the students of Hampton Institute (printed 1927)

Tune: traditional spiritual, as R. Nathaniel Dett transcribed it from the singing of the Hampton Institute students (printed 1927)

There Is a Balm in Gilead is a spiritual that R. Nathaniel Dett printed in 1927 in his songbook of Hampton Institute's spirituals, headed "Transcribed from the singing of the Hampton Institute students": the four parts were written down as the students sang them, and filed among the "Hymns of Consolation". Our arrangement is read from that page, Dett's own four parts, a whole tone lower, in A. It is for 2 to 4 singers, slow and very expressive: everyone sings the refrain, twice through each time, and between refrains the soprano sings a verse alone, "Sometimes I feel discouraged", then "If you cannot preach like Peter", the first and last of the three printed.

All about There Is a Balm in Gilead More spirituals, part by part

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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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