hey marcie

Transcript

Sal: Hey, Marcie. Just got outta class.
Marcie: Choir?
Sal: Ensemble.
Marcie: CHOIR?

Choir
Posted on May 6, 2026 by David M Willis

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Tags: marcie, sal

124 thoughts on “Choir”

  1. Raulwicke

    Oh shit! Marcie! I was sure she got Mike’d off screen or something!

    1. Steamweed

      Aww, Willis wouldn’t do _that_ to us.
      He would totally do the Mike thing to her _on_ screen.
      Slowly. After building our anxieties and hopes up otherwise.

      1. Doctor_Who

        Please don’t give Willis the ManyDamned ideas.

        1. Steamweed

          Oh, I think The Great Willis has already plotted out the demises of all the cast.
          While cackling and sitting on the throne of skulls.

  2. redcaela

    At last, she returns

    1. Cattleprod

      Wow, it’s been a while. Her first appearance since 2024 and only her third appearance since 2021.

      1. redcaela

        Yup!! It’s been ages. She has my favorite dynamic with Sal (sorry, whitebread) and I’ve been STARVING

      2. Thag Simmons

        Is this her first appearance with dialogue since the arc where she got together with Malaya?

        1. Astariel

          Yes, it looks like this is her most recent previous appearance with dialogue.

          https://www.dumbingofage.com/comic/type/

  3. Dot

    This is delightful. I like this one!

  4. Blume

    That looks an awful lot like choir to me…

    1. Dean

      ENSEMBLE.

    2. Quinn

      I was in choir and had no clue that there was a difference between it and ensemble. Every once in a while we’d get into small groups to practice a song that would be evaluated at a state function entitled “solo & ensemble”

    3. ValdVin

      Choir means something attached to religion, doesn’t it? A chorus, I thought, is anything ekse.

      1. Thag Simmons

        I was in choir as a kid despite being in a public secular school. Like we might have sung Amazing Grace, that’s as religious as I remember it getting

      2. MnstrPoppa

        I think it’s more that a choir is an instituted entity with a standing but replaceable membership, while an ensemble is more of a temporary arrangement of specific vocalists. To wit, some of the members of Madeupville’s Civic Choir formed an a capella ragtime ensemble for this summer’s Madeupville Jazz Concert.

    4. TheScreenJockey

      A choir is vocalists only. Ensemble can include instruments. That said “choir” also has strong religious connotations in most of the Christian-dominated world.

  5. Charlie

    Do these two have different meanings in the USA? Or just one is more “cool”?

    1. Laura

      Choir has more of a religious connotation.

      1. Invisible Bard

        Choral singer here, and I don’t think that’s true at all. Every college (well, every college that hasn’t entirely killed its music program yet…) has a choir. Sal just thinks being in a choir sounds dorkier than being in an “ensemble.”

        1. TCS

          This might be one of those cases where it means something different to people who participate in the activity vs. outsiders? Because to me, “choir” is a group of people who sing at church, and “chorus” is pretty much the same thing outside of church. I don’t think I’ve ever heard “ensemble” used to refer to singers.

        2. clif

          An ensemble has a broader meaning than choir. An ensemble is a performing group of musical instruments which can include the human voice but doesn’t have to. A choir is an ensemble of singers.

    2. M!a

      Choir has that religious connotation.

      1. Needfuldoer

        That might strike a nerve considering where Sal had to spend her high school years.

    3. Owlmirror

      I’m not sure that the religious connotation is salient, so much as the maturity connotation.
       
      That is, “choir” is what helicopter moms encourage their children to join in elementary school. I think middle and high school as well, maybe.
       
      But “ensemble singing” feels more like what a college music course would offer for music credit, even though it’s more or less the same thing as choir.
       
      I could be wrong, and I encourage those with relevant experience to correct me.

      1. Owlmirror

        (It would not surprise me in the least to find that many of the songs used in an ensemble singing course were in fact classical religious works. Hallelujah!)

        1. CainTheConfused

          Former glee club member here. Can confirm many of the pieces we used for warmup were just hymns and we performed plenty of religious music for concert.

          But our director was also religious, so predisposed to pick that stuff.

    4. Steamweed

      Choir is more large-class, intro stuff. Less auditioning. Usually. Ensemble is more small-group, advanced stuff. More auditioning.

    5. Tan

      From https://www.dumbingofage.com/comic/confirmed/ I’m gonna guess that the biggest thing for Sal is that “choir” specifically has associations with the thing she used to do as a kid that her mother approved of, whereas “ensemble” is the thing she has chosen for herself.

    6. elebenty

      I like Clif’s answer. Our uni’s website uses ensemble as the umbrella term for all of the music groups, voice/instrument/mixed, that require auditions to join.

      Student ensembles
      Marching Band, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz bands, Jazz choirs, Concert Choir, Tenor/Bass Ensemble, Treble Choir, Opera workshop

      Faculty ensembles
      Brass Quintet, Wind Quintet, Jazz Project

  6. Laura

    That’s sweet. I recall Sal gave up choir out of grief for the loss of Marcie’s voice. Glad to see Marcie is celebrating the fact that her friend has come back to a practice she loves.

    1. Haz

      I’m so glad you were paying attention and posted that. I had completely forgotten. I’m also glad to see Marcie’s smiling… even if it’s a shit-eating grin!

  7. john lennon

    the caption is foreboding but the flesh is spongy

    1. Rose By Any Other Name

      I read it in the Catra voice.
      “Hey Adora.”
      “Hey Marcie.”

      1. Aura

        And then my cursed brain went “Oh hi Marcie”
        (Can we still add bits of html text formatting here? Gonna try)
        And then my cursed brain went “Oh hi MarkMarcie”

        Oh and the edit function has appeared for me for the first time ever! So I can say EDIT: It does work yay!

  8. Fail Earnhardt

    Oh I need that “Sal starts a band” arc like you wouldn’t believe

    1. Wack'd

      danny on ukelele
      dina on piano
      carla on jawharp
      joe on bass violin

      1. Fail Earnhardt

        Marcie has been learning drums in secret this entire time and her lifelong goal of “band with Sal” is now within reach. Trust the plan.

        1. Wack'd

          she’s heating up the inside of her marty beller mask but she’s really marcie diaz on the drums

      2. deliverything

        Looks like a mysterious ” rel=” snuck into your first and third links. They should be
        dina on piano and joe on bass violin.

        And now I’m mildly terrified I may have messed up the HTML somehow and won’t be able to edit.

      3. Macareux Moine

        Why not Joyce on piano? She’d totally love to be in Sal’s band and I’m not sure you could get Dina to play anything not Dinosaur-themed.

        1. Wack'd

          i don’t remember joyce ever playing piano!

        2. Yumi

          Same comic you linked for Joe playing the bass violin has Joyce saying she learned piano.
          But I like Dina on piano because 1. Dina 2. more time for Dina and Joe to hang out

    2. Thag Simmons

      “In which Sal tries to convince her boyfriend to learn a less dweeby instrument”

      1. RaneDanzer

        Banjolele

        1. Thing 2

          folderol

      2. OttawaTom

        I want Danny to move on to the Banjo. It’s time.

        1. Thag Simmons

          Still an improvement!

    3. Dwampre Scorrigank

      Is it even a comic without a band arc?

  9. Cattail

    I like seeing Sal sign to Marcie. I’m not sure we see that a lot (although I might be forgetting–it’s been a while).

    Anyways, I think Sal is reluctant to call it choir partially to “spare Marcie’s feelings” and primarily because Choir is Cringe.

    1. BYM!

      We’ve seen Sal sign at Marcie a few times, I think behind Malaya’s back usually.

      1. Cbwroses

        They sign openly.
        It’s their main method of conversation.
        Malaya started learning to sign because of it and has even tried to insult Sal using it.

        1. Cattail

          I’m looking back, and I see a lot of comics where Marcie signs and Sal speaks. The “You were my first Malaya” conversation, for example. I think this has actually been *quite* rare, aside from bits where Sal is deliberately trying to be a bit private. It’s nice.

        2. Cattail

          Oh, but in that same convo, Sal started signing when the conversation got emotional. That’s cute.

      2. Macareux Moine

        I don’t remember any signing behind Malaya’s back. I only remember Sal pretending that Marcie was signing insults behind Malaya’s back (or actually in front of her uncomprehending eyes)

    2. Thag Simmons

      It’s pretty common in their conversations, but we haven’t seen a lot of Marcie in general lately

    3. Dwampre Scorrigank

      OK, wow, thanks for pointing that out, I totally misinterpreted this the first, well, all previous read-throughs. I always figured that was part of a “buying her own press” thing, like it would be an unfair advantage to both sing and be hot or something. Total whiff by me lol.

       

      Another component, I assumed, is that choir is (in Sal’s eyes) too much of the type of organized mainstream good-girl activity that her mom would have pushed her into. Her mom would probably be all over that shit, loving the chance to brag about her daughter the singer, unable to stop herself from meddling, and Sal wants to distance herself from that. However, that attitude might have partly developed as a protection to her decision to quit or avoid starting (I wonder if Marcie ever sang or did music or if Sal created this whole punishment from nothing), i.e. sour grapes, and also in response to her relationship with Linda and authority in general worsening after Marcie’s injury.

       

      But it’s pretty cute here see Marcie here needling her about it. I don’t think Marcie was ever the one to want Sal to make that sacrifice, and she seems happy to see Sal doing something she enjoys (and happier still to break her balls about it).

    4. Erk

      I think Sal is just embracing music major jargon

  10. Astariel

    Hey, it’s Marcie! And she’s trolling Sal! Good to see her again.

  11. Amós Batista

    Hey, choir can be kinda of dangerous, too.

    1. CainTheConfused

      Mostly because it is a nexus for drama, especially high sschool choir.

  12. Reltzik

    So is it really called ensemble? Inchoiring minds want to know.

    1. Laura

      Choi-r u asking?

      1. Dwampre Scorrigank

        There’s no harm in he asking is there?

  13. kotarisu

    The next five strips should just be the last panels repeated, with Marcie’s eyebrows ascending, and Sal’s eyebrows descending with each ensemble/choir exchange.

  14. All-Purpose Guru

    Usually choir is a larger group with less skill needed. Ensemble is typically a smaller group with a higher level of aptitude required.

  15. RassilonTDavros

    Always nice to see Marcie!

  16. Amós Batista

    Sal is like E N S E M B L E with emphasis with her hands

    1. deliverything

      I’m guessing the sign is this? https://youtu.be/AfcHnVqF0pQ

  17. Stormtide Leviathan

    YAYYYYYYYY MARCIE

    1. Stormtide Leviathan

      Her expression in the final panel is so cutes :3

  18. Steamweed

    Marcie! I love the new look! And panel 4 looks like Sal is doing annoyed boob-grope signs at you! (therefore you clearly must be in the right about ‘choir’)

  19. ZombieKyrik

    Hooray, Sal is back! I don’t know how long it has been, but I’m glad we’re seeing more Sal. Sal is my favorite character in case that wasn’t clear lol. I really like her pairing with Danny, and I hope that relationship is still there when DoA ends.
    .
    How long has it been? Probably not very long, but I’m curious.

    1. Wack'd

      oh my god it’s been like two months

      wild

      1. ZombieKyrik

        Wow, I didn’t realize it had been that long. I suppose that my gravatar helps me get through the “Sal droughts” without me realizing it.

  20. IntangibleMatter

    As someone who was in a choir for several years I agree with Marcie on this one

  21. Laura

    *plays “Choir! Choir! Choir!” on the hacked pipe organ…
    https://m.youtube.com/choirx3

  22. Kelli217

    Was yesterday’s alt text a Tamarian reference? Fry, his eyes narrowed.

    1. turbojet

      Hey, it really COULD be! Nice reference, Kelli.

  23. Cbwroses

    I like Sal’s singing face

  24. Chaucer59

    Tomato toboggan.

  25. Lingo

    MARCIE I DON’T CARE WHAT THE CAST PAGE SAYS, YOU’LL ALWAYS BE A MAIN CHARACTER IN MY HEART <3

    1. Lingo

      Just love that I’m directed to an error page every single time I post. Just love that. A+ web site.

  26. Invisible Bard

    Given that we’ve seen Sal rehearsing pop songs for “ensemble,” my big question that I’ve had for some time is whether this is a regular university choir or a *show* choir. A typical university choir is very unlikely to perform “Mmmbop” or anything like it, but it is hard (albeit funny) to imagine Sal going full Glee and voluntarily wearing a costume while dancing and singing.

    (I’ve assumed so far that it’s probably a standard concert choir performing more typical choral music, and that Willis just really wanted to write that “do wap” joke. Which was a pretty good joke, so, y’know, fair enough!)

  27. Qube

    oh hell yeah they’re talkin’ again :>

    1. Bobby

      I’ve been in choir for most of my schooling, and we definitely did pop songs. For state competitions, even. You’d be blown away by how many of them (pop songs) have been written out for a full a cappella choir.

      1. Bobby

        this reply was for someone else entirely, i have no idea how the website decided nah. imma comment to qube instead

  28. Mel

    I don’t know that I understand this one’s joke but I’m glad they’re talking again

    1. Thag Simmons

      Sal is embarassed about being in choir and is trying to save face

    2. Rimwalker55

      refers back to this strip:
      https://www.dumbingofage.com/comic/garaged/

      1. Mel

        Thanks! Id completely forgotten!

  29. Li

    Wanna give this way of showing Marcie’s dialogue a thumbs up! I think it’s a bit less evocative than the previous method, but it also opens up the possibility for Marcie to get more dialogue in more situations, now that Willis no longer has to worry about making sure the panel is empty enough for semi-transparent outlined text to be legible.
    .
    Also jeez in terms of # of strips, this is only the ninth appearance of Marcie since she told Sal she had feelings for her.

  30. Nick Piers

    Hands of blue! Two by two!

  31. Corey C.

    Okay, correct me if I’m wrong, but Sal didn’t really sing at all until she met Danny, right? One of my favorite strips ever in this series is when she sang “Hurt” while he strummed on his ukulele. And they weren’t even dating at that point.

    Seeing her blossom and take singing classes with other students really makes me smile and shows what a positive impact Danny has had on her creatively.

    1. Unlurking Sentinel

      11 pages before “Hurt”, Sal mentions having a background in singing.
      https://www.dumbingofage.com/comic/tuned/

    2. Rimwalker55

      Wasn’t there a flashback sequence where young Sal responded to the suggestion she join choir again by saying “It wouldn’t be fair.”? Probably to her mom.

      1. Rimwalker55

        Or maybe not. This is closest reference I can find:
        https://www.dumbingofage.com/comic/confirmed/

        1. Thag Simmons

          I think you’re blending this flashback comic with the comic that Unlurking Sentinel linked where answers Danny’s question about whether she sings.

        2. Li

          But your point, I think, very much stands.
          .
          Which is that Sal wasn’t not-singing because she was depressed, she was not-singing out of loyalty to Marcie and misplaced guilt about Marcie losing her voice when they were kids.
          .
          I can only assume that her having joined ensemble is because she finally expressed this to Marcie, who promptly swatted her on the head and told her to go join.
          .
          Danny has encouraged her to sing, for sure, but this is not a simple “Sal was depressed, now she’s not, thanks to her boyfriend” narrative.

        3. Rimwalker55

          You’re quite correct. By an odd quirk of network updating Unlurking’s link didn’t show up on my comments until after I hit ‘post’ on mine.

  32. French

    In French, an «ensemble vocal» is a small group of singers generally singing classical or medieval stuff. Generally very good singers. A choir in a way bigger group. Could be in an artistic institution like an Opera or in a church. Ensemble is more select than choir. Of course in the Paris Opera house, singers in the choir are very good but in little churches it’s often a group of old ladies scorching the ears of God!

    1. ResRam

      Not only in french.
      My mom was a travelling cocnert musician (singer/chellist) and that differentation – choir, 20-100 people singing ideally fully trained pieces under a conductor. Often as accompaniement for solists.
      While an ensemble is more of smallish band who interplay and manage their coordination in collaborative coordination.
      Mum had/lead three choirs upon times, but her heratblood went into her ensebles.

  33. DashWallkick

    I thought it was a really long time since we’d seen Marcie then I clicked her name and it was even longer than I realized. She got an art upgrade, that’s how long it’s been!

  34. Spacie

    I’m glad Sal is allowing herself to sing and taking a fun elective she enjoys.

    Talk about timing and coincidence. Tonight is my daughter’s choir concert.

  35. Chris

    Well, Sal is a declared music major, so if she calls it ensemble, isn’t it?

    1. Invisible Bard

      Nah. It has a name. If we go by the real-world IU, the only vocal group called “ensemble” doesn’t line up at all with what we know of what she’s doing (and likely doesn’t include a lot of freshmen with no formal music training). We know she’s singing pop songs with her “ensemble.” That would appear to limit us to the Singing Hoosiers, which is a show choir (think Glee) with choreography, and the All-Campus Choir. It’s obviously entirely possible (and honestly likely, given that neither of these options quite fit either) that Willis simply invented a fictional pop song choir for Sal to join, but otherwise she’s either in Choir or a show choir. I think she just thinks being in “choir” doesn’t sound very cool or rebellious.

      1. Big Z

        It’s also plausible that she’s enrolled in one of the variants of MUS-X-1 which seems to be IU’s version of the “anyone who wants to do music without audition can do this for some gen-ed arts credits” that most universities in the US seem to have, and which is formally called “All-Campus Ensemble”.

        In my college experience, both non-music majors (wanting to keep up band/choir stuff from high school) and music majors (wanting one group that was more relaxed and not “for a grade”) joined this type of thing.

      2. Thing 2

        Choral ensemble? Looking up “Indiana university choral ensemble”, provides many examples of same in the “real world”, so I don’t see why Sal/Willis wouldn’t use the term.

  36. Big Z

    Marcie demonstrating the most time-honored way to annoy a serious musician — call every musical performing group either a “band” or a “choir” based solely on how many instruments are involved (0-1, choir, >1 band)

    1. Rectilinear Propagation

      Oh, thank you for explaining!

      1. Big Z

        My roommate (also a musician) used to do the same thing to me, back in college.
        Him: “Hey, enjoy choir rehearsal!”
        Me, inside my head: “Jackass, I’m in a fucking barbershop quartet/acapella group, neither of those things are choirs. I will beat you unconscious with your own keyboard.”
        Me: “Thanks, hoser.”

    2. Jennifer

      Oh! Thanks for the explanation! There’s a similar thing in various hand drumming practices. I play a doumbek (and do Middle Eastern rhythms) and there are djembes, tabla, etc. But so many people refer to any sort of hand drum as a “bongo”. Drives all of us nuts. lol

  37. JuanokuG4

    i gotta say it’s funny how the sign language makes them look like they have ghost hands

    1. Rimwalker55

      Jazz hands. Sal’s in an ensemble after all. ;-)

  38. SazV

    As a musician, who mostly knows about IU because of the Jacobs School of Music (the largest music school in the country!!!), I am VERY excited to see if we get more music school content. Please?

  39. Segnosaur

    I have to say, Sal looks very happy in that first panel. Good to see her having things go her way.

  40. beth

    Oh hey, it’s been three years since we saw Marcie and Sal together. Glad to see them.

  41. cyberbubblee

    I’m delighted to see Sal again :D

  42. wug

    yayyy I missed Marcie

  43. Lilith Rose

    Did the one who speak with hands just throw hands?

    1. nadamás

      ☝✌💧❄☜☼

  44. darkoneko

    woah.

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