Get your pitch pipes ready - it's Barbershop Music Day and we're going to help you write your very own barbershop song via mad lib.

So, what makes barbershop music so unique?

"¢ The presence of overtones, or really high notes produced by sound waves rubbing together

"¢ The melody is in the middle of the harmonies (rather than the top note)

"¢ There are a lot of Secondary Dominant Seventh chords - used so often in this type of music that it's often called the "Barbershop Seventh Chord"

"¢ It's one of the few all-American art forms

Got it?

Whether or not you and your kids are already professional harmonizers, give your vocal chords a whirl on a barbershop song written by your family! Just print out this mad lib, fill it in and get singing!

Make Your Own Barbershop Song

"¢ After filling out your mad lib, you can check out this group singing "Lida Rose" to get a feel for the song.

"¢ While barbershop music is usually sung acapella, you can use this instrumental accompaniment to help you out.