Choir Practice

Choir Practice provides choir members with immediate internet access to audio files for each song in their choir's repertoire. Choir members can listen to their voice part while connected to the internet, or download audio files and save them to their computer. Choir members can use any audio player (for example, iTunes™, Windows Media Player™, Real Player™, a CD player, an iPod™, or an Mp3 player) to hear their voice part played on a professional quality synthesizer. They will also hear the other voice parts (and accompaniment, if applicable) playing quietly in the background. The singers will not hear text (lyrics), thereby encouraging them to read their music while listening to the audio files.

Choir Practice was founded by professionally trained music educators with extensive experience in choral music education. Our goal is to enhance choral music education through technology, and to help students, composers, publishers, and directors of choral music thrive by providing this service. Choir Practice is a service that significantly reduces the amount of choir rehearsal time devoted to learning individual voice parts. Choir Practice encourages singers to learn their part on their own, outside of rehearsal. This will result in more rehearsal time for making music rather than drilling notes.

Choir Practice recordings use a stylistically appropriate timbre for each piece of music. For example, a legato flute sound may be used for "andante sustenuto" while a percussive piano sound may be used for "allegro vivace." The accompaniment will typically be played using a piano sound.

Our Choir Practice staff will record each vocal line (with accompaniment if applicable), and place the audio files on our website within one week of receiving your order. Choir members will have access to the audio files for two months. Choir Practice will obtain the appropriate digital download licenses from the publishers, and we will provide you with unlimited technical support for downloading and transferring files to various media.

Prices vary according to octavo length and complexity. Below are some sample prices for typical octavos:

Fees above are for choirs with 150 or fewer members. An additional licensing fee of $25.00 will be applied for choirs with more than 150 singers. Each choir member will have unlimited listening time by accessing our website, and will also be allowed to download each of their audio files one time to their computer. These files will play back on any audio player such as iTunes™, Windows Media Player™, Real Player™, a CD player, an iPod™, or an Mp3 player.

Use our convenient online ordering system to place your order. Within 24 hours you will receive an invoice by e-mail detailing the charges for each of your octavos. If you choose to proceed with your order, you will be able to pay by credit card or with an institutional purchase order.

As an added service, we can provide you with a master CD for each octavo. Each CD will contain all of the voice parts for one octavo. Your organization will be licensed to make one copy of each CD for each member of your choir. The charge for each master CD is $49.00 (plus shipping), and this service is only available in addition to the basic services described above. Each octavo will be recorded on a separate master CD, labeled with the title of the song, and a track list for easy navigation.

A $25.00 discount will be applied for all public domain works. Public domain works are generally pieces that were composed more than one-hundred years ago, and do not require licensing.

Terms of Use: Members of Choir Practice are allowed unlimited listening to their audio files by logging on to our website, clicking on an audio file, and choosing the "play" option. However, choosing the "download" option is allowed only once per song, per choir member. Downloading more than one copy of a Choir Practice audio file by the same individual violates Federal copyright laws, and it violates your organization's agreement with Choir Practice. Our website tracks the number of downloads for each audio file and each choir; additional fees will be charged to choirs who exceed their licensed number of downloads.

Sharing downloaded files with others is also an infringement of U.S. Copyright Law, and it violates your organization's agreement with Choir Practice. Each choir member may use these audio files for personal practice only. U.S. Copyright Laws are designed to protect the intellectual property of all creative works, including those of choral composers and arrangers. When your organization purchases audio files from Choir Practice, we pay a royalty to composers, arrangers, and their publishers. When you make illegal copies of the files you are stealing from your fellow musicians.