Good Lighting

While a cappella is, first and foremost, an auditory art, the visual presentation can certainly add or subtract from the efficacy of any group’s performance. Blocking, choreography, and transitions all go a long way toward making a song, but when the technology is available and the right person is at the controls, lighting can truly function as the final piece of the puzzle to maximize dramatic effect. Whether it’s a cool shade of blue setting the melancholy mood, red lights creating a fiery atmosphere or abrupt changes selling the volatility of the story, the lighting impacts how we understand and interpret a performance. And fancy lighting variations aren’t available, effects as simple as turning off the lights and bringing them back gradually or at a key moment can, just the same add a lot of dramatic flair to a piece.

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