Chorus in pop music
Backstage singers
By Veronica Li
Achorus is essential to make a song harmonic, but the difficulty
and importance are often ne-glected by the audience.
“A chorus is a team. Everyone plays a different part, just like each
performer plays a different instrument in an orchestra,” said Mr. Ken Tsoi,
a part-time choral singer.
To produce a piece of music, two men and two women are usually
| needed for the chorus.
Mr. Lee Ping Man is also a choral singer. He works for Polygram
Music Records and has been a member of the chorus in albums by
Jacky Cheung and Alan Tam for several years.
Said he: “There are two types of chorus. The first one is when four choral
singers sing in the same key throughout a song.
“The second one is four choral singers singing four different keys
simultaneously.”
Mr. Lee said the second type is more harmonic, but also more difficult.
“You can be disturbed easily by the other singers because you can hear them clearly in the headphones,” said Mr. Lee.
“It is really difficult,” agreed Mr. Tsoi. “I once sang the same line 20 times.
“We have to sing continually until the producer is satisfied with the session.”
Moreover, when choruses are singing, they have to pay careful attention to the volume of other singers.
If their own voices are too loud, they have to stand farther from the microphone so as to make the sound more harmonic and soft.
To cope with such problems successfully, one must have good musical sense.
But, of course, there are also some other tips for singing better.
Said Mr. Lee: “Experiences from daily life and sentimentality are very helpful to build up a mood so that you get engaged in the song more easily.”
Mr. Tsoi added that it is important to match the vocalist as well.
“You especially have to follow his mood,” said he. “If his voice is gentle, the chorus cannot be too strong.”
In addition to singing for CDs, some choral singers sing in live shows, too.
“The main difference is that there is no second chance in a live show.
“Therefore, more preparation and concentration are needed. Hence, the pressure is much greater,” said Mr. Lee.
To join the profession, interpersonal relationships are required.
Said Mr. Tsoi: “Denise Ho Wan Sze is my friend. Once she asked me to sing in a chorus for her and after that I became a choral singer.”
Mr. Lee joined the profession in a similar way.
“Two of my friends are choral singers. They asked me to join because they needed more partners at that time,” said Mr. Lee.
They had different feelings about their first songs.
“The voice from the tape was strange. It did not sound like my own voice,” said Mr. Tsoi.
Mr. Lee, however, was honoured and pleased when he first listened to a tape.
“I even bought the CD to keep it as a memory,” said he. “In the future I can show my children that
I once sang with Jacky Cheung.”
Although the chorus appears to sing together with the lead singers on CDs, in fact they usually work separately .
“We seldom meet vocalists because the production for the chorus usually comes after theirs.”
The income is attractive.
“This is a well-paid job,” said Mr. Lee. “Some choral singers are even paid $1,000 per song.”
Mr. Lee plans to make choral singing his lifelong job.
“I enjoy myself while I am singing,” said he. “And I can earn a few hundred dollars within a few minutes.”