The Art of Joining (w/ Jascha & Carla)

Tonight we'll be working on an essential part of vocal jamming: the art of joining.

Joining means merging your voice with an existing part as closely as possible. It is a skill with a technical side (matching pitch, rhythm, etc) and it also has a deep human dimension.

We'll move from a flowing warmup, into small-group practice, toward a form Rhiannon calls "murmuration" that lets a group flock together with a simple repeating part.

All levels welcome. Everything is optional. Come play with us!

Please arrive between 6-6:15 pm for tea and socializing, we'll sing from 6:30-8:30, then wind down and chat until we clear out at 9.

~~~ 💸 Donations

We accept pay-what-you-can donations to The Downbeat to help cover our costs, so please donate what feels good to you! ($10-20 suggested, NOTAFLOF): https://www.venmo.com/u/the-downbeat

~~~ 👥 Volunteer opportunity

We're looking for a GREETER to welcome people to the space on their way in, just from ~6-6:30. The first person to arrive at 6 and claim the role will get it! As greeter you don't need to make a donation for the evening. Thank you for helping us run this community!

~~~ ❔ What is The Downbeat?

The Downbeat is a collaborative vocal improv community in the Bay Area that meets every Monday in the East Bay to sing. Membership is open - anyone can join - but we ask that all members read our orientation guide before joining their first jam (and refresh themselves on it occasionally!) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ch2jdYQR_QKG7idLl__ZuwmuAC6hjr9xHwnzIgtqXp4/edit#heading=h.da4x39w1kj0g

~~~ 🎶 What’s collaborative vocal improv (CVI)?

At its core, collaborative vocal improv (CVI) is when an attuned group of people makes spontaneous music together with their voices and bodies. Listening, responding, and playing; music just happens! A CVI jam can vary from highly structured games to completely spontaneous music emerging from the group.