How to put an acapella over an instrumental?

How do you become good in acapella?

• I auditioned for probably every acapella group in my college and i didnt get into all of them, even callbacks. I think the problem I have is I can't read music at all. So if they ask me to sight read I'm doomed. Also tonal memory is bad for me because I get really nervous and I have short memory. But it's funny because I'm not trying to be cocky or anything but I auditioned for university choir group and I actually got in. The instructor told me though I cant read music really I have a good natural voice so she put me in. I'm basically one of the three baritones out of the entire group and I gotta say I feel proud. but then I've been into acapella since High School and I'm taking choir to improve my singing for acapella. Im not sure what acapella groups look for when selecting possible candidates but I keep getting rejected so what would be the problem besides tonal memory and sight reading? Some of the groups I auditioned for didn't even require me to sight read or tonal memory they just wanted me to sing a song of my choice for a minute of two. Even that I failed. Competition is pretty tough. I really really, REALLY want to get into an acapella group next quarter, which is in 3 weeks, so how should I practice? Thanks (by the way I can go down really low sometimes the instructor lets me take some base parts because most of them can't go that low and sometimes I take tenor part. Problem is I cant read music so I sort of try to "blend in" and use pure memorization if you know what I'm saying.)

• Answer:

  you should really really practice sightreading and work on that. if you've ever taken piano or guitar or really any instrument, you should review that because that can really help you. for example, my choir in elementary school never did any sightreading, then i switched districts and they were really competitive in sightreading. i had never ever done sightreading before, but i had taken piano since i was 5, and i realized that was really easy and now my choir instructor thinks im a musical genius. so yeah. just really practice sightreading.