The human voice is an extremely versatile instrument. It can bend, run and stretch over as many as four octaves. While singing has generally been accompanied by instruments such as the piano and the guitar, some artists have thrown aside instruments in favor of their own voices. Read more...

Photo: Rising to fame on the NBC show “The Sing-Off,” Pentatonix, originating from Arlington, Texas, and now based in Los Angeles, has found a way to transform traditional a cappella music through stretching the limits of beatboxing and vocality.

Folk music has traditionally been the commoner’s music, with the individual having full control over its composition. Whether fusing rock ‘n’ roll with American folk like The Byrds or blending soulful orchestrations into folk like Bon Iver, the ability of innovative artists to meld musical influences into American folk music is tremendous. Read more...

Photo: Just as The Byrds revolutionized folk music by blending it with rock ‘n’ roll, Bon Iver has shaken up the genre by introducing intricate orchestrations to give it a melancholic sound.