The three areas of coaching

Barbershop singing competitions typically use three judging categories to evaluate quartets and choruses. Each category is typically scored by specialized judges, and the combined scores determine the overall ranking in competitions. The Barbershop Harmony Society and all regional associations but also other groups like Sweet Adelines International use this three-category system for their competitions. In competitions, specialist judges score each category independently, and these scores are combined for the final ranking. Each judge typically provides not only numerical scores but also written feedback and coaching tips, to help groups improve their performance. These three categories are:

Musicality

Evaluates the musical elements of the performance, including arrangement, harmony accuracy, chord quality, and the extent to which the musical choices enhance the emotional impact of the song. Judges look for artistic, barbershop-style arrangements that feature the hallmark expanded sound and ringing chords of the genre. They look for creative and tasteful use of embellishments, swipes, and other barbershop techniques and listen for overall musicianship and artistic interpretation of the arrangement

Performance

Focuses on how effectively the singers communicate the emotional content of the song through visual and vocal expression. This includes stage presence, facial expressions, body language, and the overall believability and entertainment value of the performance. Judges look for unity (How well the group works together visually and expressively), authenticity of emotional connection to the music and the ability to engage and connect with the audience

Singing

Assesses the technical vocal aspects such as accuracy of notes and timing, vocal quality, precision, tuning, intonation, vocal balance between parts, and unity of sound. This category emphasizes the foundation of good barbershop: in-tune singing with proper vocal production. In addition, judges look for synchronization of words, notes, and vocal techniques, consistency of vowel shapes and vocal techniques across the ensemble and proper breath management and support for sustained phrases.

Knowing your chorus strengths and weaknesses, usually means that you want to work on the less developed elements. Finding the right coach and the right specialization can make quite a difference. In addition, an MD knows about its owns areas of development and the best MDs are open to develop themselves as well by finding coaches that will help develop both the MD and the chorus.