I have only recently joined this group and have been reading some of
the earlier messages and I guess I'm supposted to introduce myself.
Perhaps I have the distinction of being the oldest man to become a
barbershopper. In fact I only started singing, other than in the
shower, when I was about 68. At that time I joined our church choir.
I quit for a while because of difficulty reading music, but now I
enter the bass notes into a music notation programme on the computer
and that helps a lot, plus I am getting better at reading intervals.
I am now 73 and a two year member of the Men of Accord of the London,
Ontario, Canada chapter. I know I can only get in a few years of
barbershopping [either my voice will go or it will get even tougher
than it is now to get up on the stands for long periods ]. I am no
great shakes as a singer but I am contributing to the chapter by
resurrecting the newsletter the chapter never had for a couple of
years. I should say that I am surely a "bassitone" too and I suspect
most of the basses in my chapter are. I can often get down to the
lowest note of a song but I'm not sure the quality is too good and as
for projection - forget it. I am going to try what they advise for my
saxophone practice - long tones. I am also going to take some advice
I read on this board and try to relax.