There are different types of music around the globe, and they all have unique traits and sounds. There is jazz that is very soothing, very lively rock music, pop music, and more. Acapella is also a type of music, but it is completely different among the other types as it doesn’t have any musical accompaniment. To know more about this vocal type of music, we will dig deeper into the history of acapella and the best songs to sing acapella.
What Is Acapella?
Acapella is a type of vocal music that can be done solo or as a group. This type of singing doesn’t have any musical accompaniment; instead, it only uses voices as the music. If you are going to do it solo, all you need to do is sing a song without its musical accompaniment, you’d already be considered singing an acapella. On the other hand, if you are in a group, there would be singers who will actually sing the lyrics, and others would create music through their vocals.
This type of singing is very popular, as it would highlight the vocals of a particular person.
Since acapella focuses on your singing voice, other people would be able to easily tell if you are good at singing or not.
The History of Acapella
Acapella is actually an Italian phrase meaning “in the style of the chapel.” It was originally a term used to describe the music sung in a small worship space or a chapel. This is because most people who sing on these types of places don’t have musical instruments. Only large churches and places of worship have musical instruments.
The term acapella then became popular worldwide and was used to describe music without musical accompaniment, whether it was sacred or secular. Today, singing acapella became a norm, and there are a lot of groups and individuals who practice this type of singing around the globe.
The Best Acapella Groups in the World (Past and Present)
Most people, especially the teenagers of the new era, only found out about the world of acapella because of the Pitch Perfect movies. Well, in reality, this type of music has been around for a very long time. In fact, there have been a lot of groups that made a huge impact on the music industry by singing without any musical accompaniment.
We listed down some of the best acapella groups below.
1. Pentatonix
The acapella group Pentatonix was formed in 2011, and they released a lot of holidays and mainstream music. The group has a total of five vocalists, and they became popular by covering popular songs around the world. The group focused on songs from the pop genre, but they have performed other types of songs like country, traditional, and R&B, too.
2. Home Free
If you are the type of person who loves country songs, Home Free is a great acapella group to listen to. This group is not focused on pop music; rather, they deliver country-influenced tunes with finesse. The songs of this group are very catchy, and they are very humorous, as well, so the crowd loves them.
3. Peter Hollens
He is only one person, but we included him on the best acapella groups in the world because Peter Hollens is a talented singer who can deliver amazing performances on stage. This guy can sing up to 14 individual parts in a song, which is very mind-blowing. His vocal quality and range are unique and out of this world.
You can check out his classic “Hallelujah” cover with Jacki Evancho and his popular rendition of “Amazing Grace” with Home Free.
If you love movie soundtracks and show tunes, he also has a lot of covers.
4. The Filharmonic
This Filipino-American group is one of the most popular on the list because the group can cover songs in a wide variety of genres. They are extremely versatile, and they gained worldwide fame after they appeared on national television for a competition. The five vocalists are extremely popular around the globe, and they are known for a lot of different covers but especially the song “All of Me” by John Legend.
You might want to listen to their “Monster Mash-up” medley if you wish to see for yourself how talented this group is.
5. Naturally 7
On this list, Naturally 7 has the most members, and it is one of the most successful groups as well. Although most people prefer groups with fewer members, this group is extremely amazing, and they don’t sound too overwhelming even with more members. They perfected this formula with seven talented singers to deliver an amazing and compelling performance. In fact, they are so amazing that you would have a hard time telling the difference between musical instruments and their voices.
It’s like they are singing with musical accompaniments when they are only using their voices.
Best Songs to Sing Acapella
If you have a lovely voice and you want to try something different, doing acapella is definitely a way to challenge your capabilities when it comes to singing. There are a lot of popular songs that you can sing acapella, especially love songs and R&B.
Here are some of the best songs to sing acapella.
1. Hello by Adelle
If you have a powerful voice, Hello by Adelle is a good song to start. It has a slow rhythm, and it allows you to explore the range of your voice. It is also a good way to practice your breathing and focus on how to hit the big notes without forcing your voice.
You can check out this acapella version of Hello.
2. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is known for his singing and music-writing skills. His songs sound amazing even when you sing them without musical accompaniments. He has a lot of songs that you can check out, but Thinking Out Loud is your best choice.
Here is an acapella version of Thinking Out Loud.
3. Rude by Magic!
If your voice is a baritone and is not too high, the best song to try singing acapella is Rude by Magic! This catchy song will test the limits of your voice.
Here is a simple acapella version of Rude.
4. Secret Love Song by Little Mix
Although you can’t consider Little Mix as an acapella group, they had a few songs that they sung in acapella. Secret Love Song is one of their best songs that would be a great choice if you are in an acapella group, and you want to try acapella.
Here are some of the popular acapella songs by Little Mix.
5. Mirrors by Justine Timberlake
This is an amazing pick for both male and female singers who want to try acapella. Justin Timberlake’s voice is extremely versatile that even female singers will not have a hard time singing this song without musical accompaniment.
Here is an acapella version of Mirrors.
FAQs
1. What is acapella in music?
Acapella is a type of music without any musical accompaniment. If you sing a song without music and you are just using your voice, it can be considered as acapella. If you are using your voice to create harmony, then you can treat it as acapella, as well. Basically, as long as you are singing without using musical instruments, it can be called acapella.
2. Can acapella have music?
Yes, acapella can have music as long as the harmony is being done with the use of your voice. You can use a beatbox as background music, and it will be considered as acapella. As long as you are singing without musical instruments or other things that can produce a sound or music, then it is acapella.
3. What is a good acapella song?
Any song is great for acapella, but it would depend on the singer. Some songs would fit the voice that you have, but other songs would not be a good fit for your voice. You will also find that there are songs that are very hard to sing, especially the rap songs that are extremely fast. They are not usually a good fit for acapella unless you plan to make some changes to the song.
4. What are some good songs to harmonize with?
If you are looking for songs that are perfect for harmonization, you should look at the songs of Boys II Men. All of their songs are pretty much amazing because of their harmonization. If you want to practice, their songs would be a great choice.
5. How can I harmonize my voice?
The best way to practice harmonizing is to do it with a partner. Let someone sing the melody, and you should sing the harmony. Then, switch it up. It is also better if you have a teacher who would check your progress and point out the areas you should improve on.
Conclusion
Singing acapella is both a challenge and an opportunity. It allows singers to see the limit of their voices and to improve their quality over time.
It is very challenging because the musical accompaniments cannot hide your mistakes when singing. Still, it is a good way to polish your skills.