From Chains to Change Virtual Choir
We are so glad you have decided to be a part of this exciting virtual choir project! The following are all the steps you need to participate along with some additional information.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
On September 21, 2020, the Cantors Assembly will release a moving, high-quality music video featuring 200 voices of Black and Jewish spiritual leaders singing Richard Smallwood’s “Total Praise.” Read more...
How to participate? 3 steps... Ready? Ok!
STEP 1
Find your voice part below and use that video only to record your submission! (And scroll down further for the submission form link)
Alto - How to Sing Along:
Soprano 1 - How to Sing Along:
Soprano 2 - How to Sing Along:
Tenor - How to Sing Along:
Bass - How to Sing Along:
STEP 2
Click the button below to submit your video!
Once you have recorded your submission, click on the button below, fill out the form and submit your video!
Submit
Don't forget to label your video file "Choir part_Full Name_City" before uploading.
Also, IMPORTANT: Make sure the video uploads and you get the confirmation from the upload link!
STEP 3
And that's it. You're done!
Reminder
If you have a close association with--or if you yourself are--a Black Church leader in your community, please invite your colleague(s) to join us and pass along the details.
Need some written instructions? Ok! Read on!
Note: This information is also included in each of the instructional videos.
What you need:
1. A computer (with a webcam);
2. Webcam recording software on your computer;
3. A pair of headphones;
4. A solid internet connection;
5. A room with no background noise and good acoustics for recording.
(You can also use a stand alone video camera or cell phone, but watch the instructional videos below for more details on this)
Some tips for setting yourself up:
Camera Position: Make sure you set up your camera so that your face and upper torso are in the shot. And please, don’t tilt the camera up your nose! Aim for the webcam to be eye level. (maybe use some books to prop up the computer!)
Lighting: Make sure no lights or windows are behind you (or the camera might adjust to put you in silhouette)
Sound: Be sure to close all windows, turn off fans and anything else that can make background noise.
How does all this work?
Glad you asked! Ok, here are the steps broken into 3 parts, 10 steps… ready? Great!
Part 1: The Video.
1. Find your choir part from the videos above (Alto, Soprano, Tenor, Bass);
2. Watch the video! (You will see a lot of the same info as here in the video as well);
Recommendation: Practice a few times with the “sing along track” part of the video. This way you get good at it!
Part 2: Recording
3. Set up your camera HORIZONTALLY AT EYE LEVEL and your microphone and get ready to sing;
4. Navigate to roughly 5 minutes on the sing-along video;
5. Unplug your headphones and press play on the video;
6. Follow the video instructions for recording.
Recording Tips
If you're using a phone, your native camera app will provide sufficient recording quality. Feel free to use your phone's built-in mic or any external mic of your choice. Make sure your entire head is visible and your body from the chest up, centered horizontally in the frame. And whether or not you're using a phone or a stand-alone camera, you MUST look into the camera when singing.
One final note, when you press record on the video, do not press pause on the demo video! And DO NOT EDIT tracks together. If you don’t like how it comes out, simply re-record.
Part 3: Submission form and sending us the video
7. Once the recording is complete, look it over. Does it look good? Great! Next step.
8. Label the video in this format: Choir Part_Full Name_City (and yes, use the underscores!);
9. Go to this Google form or use this link: https://forms.gle/UdZgC6AsrjnSSBWa7 to fill out the submission form and submit your video.
10. Once it’s filled out and you press submit, on the confirmation page there is a link to upload your submission.
What do we do with your video?
Good question. Once we receive it, our team will review the video for issues. Next, our team syncs up your submission to everyone else’s. We can’t tell you the rest because it’s top-secret movie magic. But essentially, we make an awesome virtual choir video for you to enjoy. Stay tuned for the finished video!
Need More Help?
Download a complete transcript of the video.
Download the music for Total Praise.
Feel free to reach out to us for technical assistance or with any other questions.
