The Sound of a Pitch Pipe
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #115: The Sound of a Pitch Pipe
For virtually every form of entertainment, there’s a cue that signals the beginning. It may the rev of an engine before a car race, the ring of a bell before a boxing match, the cry of “action!” before a scene is filmed.
While it’s functional—a tuning necessity for most groups—the blow of a pitch pipe is a symbolic kick off to a serious a cappella performances. In addition to giving the group a note, that sound is a trigger—a familiar signal, almost Pavlovian for how it builds anticipation in an audience just as it settles fans into an absolute silence to hear what the performers will sing next.
I love it!