Ringing a chord

Last night we traveled to the Tri Cities to join friends at the Columbia River Chordsmen's Barbershop Extravaganza--themed: Love is in the Air. While most of the show was simply enjoyable and fun, the headliners were extraordinary. Can you tell which of the "3 Outa Four" are related? Since the two boys on the right (Eric and Ian Christensen) grew up singing with their dad Duane (left) you can imagine how well their voices blend. But it takes four for a quartet, and Lowell Smith is the perfect complement to the family. (In fact, he had previously sung with their uncles.) This group from the Portland area won regional competitions last month and will go on to sing in the international barbershop contest in Anaheim. They'll be hard to beat.

"Ringing a chord" -- The program for last night's performance explained: When the four parts each sing a pure note--perfectly on pitch and without vibrato--the chord will actually produce overtones. the listener can hear more than the four notes written in the music. When the voices product this full pure sound, it is called "ringing a chord."