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Arranging Barbershop: The official reference for the new millennium

Arranging Barbershop: The official reference for the new millennium

The definitive guide for the 21st century, featuring hundreds of examples, video samples, and analysis from top arrangers.

Volume 1 now available from Hal Leonard. Order Volume 1 Now.

Volume 2 now available from Hal Leonard. Order Volume 2 Now.

Volume 3 now available from Hal Leonard. Order Volume 3 Now.

Helping arrangers and Barbershoppers better commission, arrange, and interpret barbershop songs

Over the past 40+ years, barbershop arrangers have looked to the venerable Barbershop Arranging Manual for instruction and insights, shaping generations of arrangers and their contributions to the style.

In revamping the manual for the 21st Century, the goal was to both preserve the core aspects of the style and reflect how the style has evolved in the decades that featured music of The Gas House Gang, Michigan Jake, OC Times, Musical Island Boys, Ringmasters,Forefront, and many others.

Today's version includes:

  • video and audio clips of the examples referenced throughout the manual.

  • a detailed look into the arranging process, and tools (e.g. online blueprints) for planning a successful arrangement.

  • case study examples geared toward different experience and skill levels.

  • videos of arrangers discussing choices made based on the performer and the song.
    examples of the same song arranged by different arrangers and exploration of their choices.

  • an Arrangers Roundtable featuring input from over 30 arrangers, who’ve all answered the same 20 questions.

With input from more than 40 arrangers, more than 1,500 pages of content, pieces of more than 200 different arrangements as examples, and more than 50 hours of video, we believe this new series will have something for everyone who is interested in arranging music in the barbershop style!

Read the full story of Arranging Barbershop in The Harmonizer