Virtual Season 2020 FAQ
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  • How to start?
  • Using Zoom
  • My Choral Coach
  • Music
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Welcome to Germantown Community Chorus' virtual season!

Would you like to sing with us? Contact us and we will get the rehearsal link to you to join us or answer any of your questions!
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What do I need to have?

To participate in our virtual rehearsals and contribute to performances, you will need the following:
  • an internet connection
  • a camera on a device connected to the internet - for example:
    • the camera on your phone or tablet
    • a camera built into your laptop computer
    • an external webcam connected to your desktop computer
  • a microphone - for example:
    • the microphone on your phone or tablet
    • a microphone built into your laptop computer
    • a microphone that is built into an external webcam
    • a microphone that is connected to a headset or headphones
    • an external microphone that connects via USB or audio cable
  • headphones or earbuds
  • the Zoom client or app (you do not need to create a Zoom account)
    • Android app
    • iPhone or iPad app
    • Computer client (top download button only, OR will download and install when you attend your first rehearsal)
    • using the web client: you can connect to Zoom right in your browser without downloading anything, but there are some limitations - including not being able to see more than one person at a time - and it may not function in all browsers
  • access to the My Choral Coach website or mobile app (an invitation will be sent to your email address)

How will these Zoom rehearsals work? They're not the same as being together, are they?

No, rehearsing over Zoom is not the same as being together in the same room. But right now it's the closest we can get to being together without all having to spread out outside while wearing face masks, or spending a large amount of money on audio equipment or internet servers of our own. But choral directors and organizations the world over have been brain storming, innovating, and collaborating together to all figure out how we can make the best of this situation. How we can still have fun and have a sense of togetherness, even when you're singing by yourself at home. We will also try to break up rehearsals a bit with special guests and fun activities.

Most of the time during actual rehearsing, your microphone will be muted. Technology and internet connections aren't quite advanced enough for us to sing at the same time, unmuted, without delays and latency. It would be a mess to listen to and to try to stay together. You won't always be on mute, though! There will be plenty of opportunities to sing and talk together every week. See the next tab on My Choral Coach to see how we'll be using this to help with the learning process.

What if I need to miss a rehearsal?

Rehearsals will be recorded for members who have to miss due to work conflicts, unstable internet connections, etc. They will be uploaded privately on YouTube the next day, and the link to access them will be emailed to Chorus members. Please do not share rehearsal videos with those outside of the Germantown Community Chorus. Having the rehearsals recorded also allows you to rewatch a rehearsal to get extra instruction on a difficult section.
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Where can I get Zoom?

  • Android app
  • iPhone or iPad app
  • Computer client (top download button only, OR will download and install when you attend your first rehearsal)
  • using the web client: you can connect to Zoom right in your browser without downloading anything, but there are some limitations - including not being able to see more than one person at a time - and it may not function in all browsers
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Is an account necessary?

You do not need to create an account in order to connect to a Zoom meeting or rehearsal scheduled by someone else. Accounts are free, however, if you would like to set up a profile with your photo or if you would like to use it to create meetings of your own.
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How do I connect to a rehearsal on Zoom?

You will be provided with a direct link as well as numerical code assigned to our rehearsal room. You can either click the link in order to be taken to our rehearsal, or you may click "Join a Meeting" in the client or app and type in the numerical code. Be sure to "join audio" once connected. There is also a way to dial in to the room over the phone, like a conference call, should you have internet troubles. We can also provide that information.
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I've never used Zoom before - any tips or guides?

Sure thing! The layout is pretty easy to navigate, but here are some guides and other things to note.​ ​Once you're in Zoom for rehearsal, take a moment to familiarize yourself with some things.
  • There is a text-based chat window that you can open and close.
  • You can mute and unmute your microphone, as well as turn your camera on and off. (If on the computer, a shortcut to unmute yourself only while talking is to push and hold the space bar on your keyboard, much a push-to-talk button on a walkie-talkie.)
  • The "Reactions" button allows you to place a "clap" or a "thumbs up" icon on the video of yourself to express these things even if muted.
  • The "Participants" button opens a window that shows the names of everyone in attendance. This is also where you can find more options for nonverbal communication. Raise your hand, yes/no, go slower or faster, you've stepped away from the computer, and more are all here.
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Adjusting Zoom's audio settings for rehearsals

Zoom has great audio enhancements, which is one reason why it is so popular for video conferencing. However, we aren't always talking in our rehearsals. What's good for hearing discussion in a meeting isn't always good for hearing dynamic changes and musicality in rehearsals. In your audio settings, you need to uncheck "Automatically adjust volume", and then click "Advanced" and make sure that the setting for "Enable original sound" is turned on. Here is a video walk-through to help.

Troubleshooting:

What is My Choral Coach?

My Choral Coach is a home practice tool that was developed in the spring to assist singers during the pandemic and beyond. If you like, here is an introduction video you can watch.

Why are we using it?

There are several benefits to be had from using My Choral Coach to supplement our rehearsals.
  • guide tracks to help you learn your part
  • immediate feedback to see how you did while singing along, and how you can improve
  • submit a practice attempt to the director so that they can see what is going well and what to focus on in the next rehearsal
  • the ability to submit recordings to build a "virtual choir" by piecing all singers together into one whole
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Where can I get it?

Every singer will receive an invite email to sign up for an account with My Choral Coach. There is no cost to you, it is all covered by the Chorus. Once you accept the invite and create an account, you will automatically be added to our roster within the app. If you sing with another choir that is using My Choral Coach, you can use the same account.

Once you have your account set up, you can use My Choral Coach two different ways - as a web app on your computer or as an installed mobile app on your phone or tablet.
NOTE: According to My Choral Coach, the web app runs best in the Chrome browser, which you can install on any operating system. I have also successfully tested it with the new Microsoft Edge (the icon looks like a blue and green wave shaped like an 'e') and Firefox if you have either of those. Edge and Firefox may also be installed on any operating system. I have not tested myself, but I am told that it will likely not work correctly with Internet Explorer, the older Edge (the icon is all blue and only looks like an 'e'), or Safari. When I tried using the Opera browser, it did not record correctly. If you need assistance getting a different browser, please let us know.
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Do I have to use My Choral Coach to join rehearsals?

Honestly, no. You don't even have to submit a recording for our final "performances" in order to be a part of our virtual rehearsals. If all you want is the social connection and to be singing again, please join us. But if you are entirely secure in your ability to practice the music on your own, and you are comfortable creating and submitting a recording using other methods, you are free to do so. (Using My Choral Coach just makes it so easy to line them all up in post-production.)
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I am not a fan of singing at home, by myself - I am not a soloist.

We totally get it! We will still be around after it is safe for us to sing together in the same room again. But give yourself a chance and take on this challenge - you may be pleasantly surprised at what you are able to accomplish! Any practice tracks or final recordings you submit will not be made public until they are incorporated into a whole choir.

In addition, mini voice lessons will be available for those who wish to participate after rehearsals. Since rehearsals will not run the full 2 hours in our Zoom sessions, we can use the time afterwards to make you a more confident singer. They can be done as a group or in breakout room. But always keep this in mind when practicing at home - either during rehearsals or on your own - you are not singing a solo. It is easy for your brain to get tricked into thinking that you are, as you cannot hear other voices singing around you. But you will be one part in a whole choir. For example, if you need to breathe in the middle of a phrase, someone else will cover it up.

And here's a bonus to working with recordings - your final product doesn't have to be perfect, either. A little flat? Cut off a touch too early? We can fix it in post-production. Your job is to sing and, more importantly, to enjoy yourself​. Because don't we all need that right now? Don't we need that always?

Okay! Now how do I use it?

Here is a user guide provided by My Choral Coach that you can use as reference.
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Here are some steps and descriptions to walk you through practicing a piece and submitting am attempt for review. These steps mainly describe what it looks like on the web interface, but it is very similar on the mobile app.
  • When you open up My Choral Coach, you will see the dashboard with an overview of what you have left to work on this week and what attempts you've already submitted.
  • Go to your "Assignments" list or click "Go to repertoire" to view what you need to practice. Here is where you'll see all the pieces assigned to you along with any comments/notes about that piece. 
  • Clicking on a piece opens it up in the viewer. By default, you are looking at the music in scroll view (meaning that it scrolls left to right across your screen). You can zoom in/out or change it to page view in the toolbar to the left. To the top-right of the sheet music is either the part assigned to you which you are viewing or a dropdown menu to switch between individual parts or the entire score (depending on how it was assigned).
  • Under the title of the piece and also in the toolbar on the left is the tempo setting. You can set it to your desired speed for playback. The play button is at the top of the toolbar. You can also click anywhere in the music to move the cursor to where you would like playback to begin.
  • If you wish to loop a more difficult section, use the "mark section" button in the toolbar. First click in the score where you would like the section to begin. Then click "mark section" and adjust where the section should end by dragging the bar at the edge of the highlighted area. You can remove the looped section by clicking the button again (which now says "reset section") or by clicking the X that appears when hovering your mouse over the highlighted area.
  • The "Tracks" button in the toolbar is how you select what you hear when you press the "Play" button. "Demo audio" plays back your part only. "Backing track" will play all parts. "Metronome" only plays metronome clicks and nothing else. After you have recorded yourself singing your part, "Matching recording" will appear in this list. You can use this to sing along with yourself.
  • After you've finished practicing, you can press the "Record" button to get some feedback on how you are doing.
  • The "Backing" button in the toolbar is how you select what you hear when you press the "Record" button. "Follow me" will give you your starting pitch and count you in, but not play anything else, allowing you to go at your own pace. This also means that you're singing a cappella, so you may wish to skip this setting. "Metronome" will give you your starting pitch and count you in, and then only play the metronome tick. You will probably want to use the "Backing track" setting most of the time, which will play the music along with you. "Show cursor" in this menu will enable/disable the cursor bar that follows along as you go.
  • Be sure to use your headphones when you record so that it only picks up your voice and not the rest of what is playing. 
  • When you stop recording, you'll get a popup saying how you did. The top circle is your overall percentage "grade" and the amount that was set as your goal. The bottom ones from left to right are "length played" which is how much of the song you got through, "pitch score" which is how well you did at getting the pitches correct, and the last is "rhythm score" which is how you did on the rhythm. You can then submit your attempt, retry right away, or close the popup to see your feedback.
  • When you close the scores popup, you'll see a colorful bar, that may or may not be a little wavy, below the score with what looks like sound waves behind it. The colors are on a scale from green (you did awesome) to red (you made an error). Hovering your mouse over, or touching if on mobile, an area of the colored bar will give you specific feedback about what mistakes may have been made. There will be a new button in the toolbar called "Simple Graph" which will simplify how the feedback looks.
  • Another new button after recording will be "Download Attempt". This is so you can listen to it later or save a few to pick your favorite from later. (Note: you can only submit the most recent attempt through the app. If you would like to submit a different attempt, you'll need to send it in email.)
  • If you have any questions or comments you can use the "Comments" button in the toolbar. This opens a chat window to send messages to the director. You'll get an email when you receive a reply.
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Where do I get the sheet music?

Sheet music is uploaded to My Choral Coach for you to view while practicing. A link to download and save the music will also be emailed to Chorus members. You can then view the PDF files on your computer or device, or you may print them out either yourself or through a printing business. If you prefer to have the music printed out, but do not have the means to do so, please let us know. Please have access to the sheet music either digitally or printed for rehearsals.

​NOTE: Any music provided that is not in the public domain or licensed for distribution should be removed from your device and any printed copies disposed of upon finishing final production. We will let you know which pieces these are. Please do not share them with others outside of the Germantown Community Chorus.
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Can I also get recordings to listen to for practice away from My Choral Coach?

Sure! A link to these will also be provided in an email to Chorus members. As with the sheet music, please do not share those that are not public domain or licensed for distribution with others outside of the Germantown Community Chorus.