Updated June 26, 2025
Wernick Method teacher Austin Scelzo has created the best-ever item to learn and practice harmony singing. It’s an app with separate volume controls for the trio harmony parts of many standard choruses. Hear all parts together, then listen to and learn one. Then… remove it from the mix to sing it yourself to complete the trio. You can change the key or speed, or even the “stack”.
Philippe in France writes: hello! Would you recommend a songbook including vocal harmonies (at least 2 voices), covering the most popular songs of your repertoire? Which one ? It would allow me to sing with my wife (I am 70 years, looking for quite quick opportunities). So far, I could not identify such one, despite searching on amazon, etc…
many thanks ! Best regards !
Philippe,
I know of no book such as you describe, sorry to say. Almost no books have ever included vocal harmonies to bluegrass songs.
I think the best you can do is learn the melodies of songs you like, and do as most people do, learn the basics of *how* to harmonize, and apply them to having your wife sing tenor to you once she’s learned the *melody* and words of the song.
My Bluegrass Songbook includes some teaching about how to harmonize, both the “tenor” and “baritone” parts that with the melody create the standard bluegrass trio sound. There is exact instruction on one song, “All the Good Times Are Past and Gone”, and if you can read the simplified tablature in the book (instructions are included), both the melody and harmony parts are given for that one song.
Almost all bluegrass is learned “by ear” and not from books, but it’s good there are many good bluegrass songbooks. As far as I know, mine’s the only one with a fair amount of instruction about singing, but it has only a bit about harmony singing.
You can order the book from the web page I’ve linked to above, but be ready for hefty shipping charges to France.
Many copies of the book were sold in the 1970s and 1980s, and were probably sold in France. The book is still in print but I’d be surprised if it’s offered by any vendor in Europe. You might well be able to find a used copy in Europe, and save considerable money that way. If your only alternative is buying for us, we’ll be glad to send it.
I wish you tres bonne chance with singing with votre femme, a delightful thing. I hope it goes very well.
— Pete
