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[FanimeCon 2012 Karaoke Contest Rules]

FanimeCon 2012 Karaoke Contest Rules

The FanimeCon 2012 Karaoke Contest will take place on Friday, May 25. Up to 40 will vie for the right to be crowned the best singing act of FanimeCon! All finalists will receive prizes, and this year's winner will receive a beautiful microphone trophy.

All contest-related events (signups, check in, and the contest itself) will be in the Karaoke room (Hall C in the San Jose Convention Center).

Schedule

Before Con:
5/6: Online sign ups open and run until full, or until 5/18, whichever comes first.
5/21: Contest Start List posted

At Con:
5/25, 2PM to 5PM: Check-in, warm ups, and at con sign ups.
5/25, 5PM: Deadline for online sign ups to check in.
5/25, 5:30PM: If spots are available, we will add any waiting list people.
5/25, 6PM: Preliminary Round
5/25, 9:00PM: Final Round


Eligibility

You must have a valid FanimeCon badge for Friday.

FanimeCon Karaoke staff, Guests of Honor, and Industry members with professional singing or voice acting experience are ineligible to compete in the contest.

If you compete as a group, all singing members of the group must sing both songs, either as lead or as backup vocals. You may not add or change singing group members between rounds.

Signing Up/Checking In

The online signup link will be posted on this forum on 5/6. To sign up, you must complete the online form completely, including your real name and mailing address, and song IDs, if you are using our library. Incomplete entries will not be accepted.

Contestants who pre-register for the contest must check in with us by 5PM on the day of the contest. To check-in for the contest, you will need your FanimeCon badge and your contest music (either on a CD, or the song numbers from our song library).  If you don't check in, then at 5 your spot may be canceled and given to the entries on the waiting list.

Any at-con sign-ups in excess of 40 will be placed on a waiting list. Waiting list entrants must be present in the Karaoke room at 5:30 to find out if they are in the contest.

Song Selection

Songs must be from the following categories: anime, vocaloid, video game, or J-rock/J-pop.

Songs limits: 2:30 (preliminary), 5:00 (finals). Songs longer than these limits will be faded out when the limit is reached.

You may not use the same song in both rounds of the contest.

English songs which were not originally created for an anime series or video game, or straight covers of such songs (for example, Fly Me To The Moon) are not allowed. Japanese adaptations of such a song are okay.

Original songs created for a localized version of an anime series or game are okay (For example, songs from Robotech or the North American Sailor Moon).

No a cappella singing. a cappella singers are invited to join our Acoustikaraoke! Contest instead.

Acoustic-only instruments (those not using an amp) are allowed if played by the singer(s) themselves. Performers part of a larger group or who desire a more complex musical setup are invited to join our Acoustikaraoke! Contest instead.

You should generally follow the song's original lyrics-this is not a "filk" contest.

If contestants bring their own music, they must provide their own music, preferably karaoke version, on an audio CD. No phones or mp3 players please. Unclaimed CDs will be disposed of at our discretion after the convention.

Contestants may also choose songs from our open mic library. Just tell us the song ID number at signup/check-in. We are not responsible if the song sounds different from your expectations, or does not have lyrics. If you are unsure, you should try it out during the warmup period before the contest.

All contestants who do not use karaoke versions of their songs will perform with vocal dampening turned on. We want to hear you, not the original singer.
Note: Vocal dampening has been known to have unexpected effects with some songs, so if you plan to use vocal dampening, we strongly suggest that you test out your song at home before you sign up.

No song changes are allowed once the contest starts.

Scoring and Judging
Each contestant will be scored by each judge in the following categories:

•   Vocal: musical quality of performance, breath control, pitch and tone (60%)
•   Visual Performance: stage presence; overall entertainment value; style and poise (30%)
•   Song selection/difficulty (10%)

The top 10 scores advance to the Finals.

In the Finals, the winners will be determined by the sum of their preliminary round score and their final round score.

In case of a tie in the preliminary round, the tied acts will advance to the final round. In the event of a tie in the finals, the final round score is the tiebreaker. If the final round scores are the same, then a vote of the judges will determine final placement.

All decisions made by the judges are final.

Conduct
As a convention for anime fans of all ages, FanimeCon has certain standards of behavior which all convention attendees should abide by at all times. Karaoke is no exception.

All aspects of the act, including, but not limited to: costume, conduct on stage, and song lyrics, are to abide by no worse than a PG-13 standard. If you are in doubt as to whether something is suitable, just ask yourself: Would you do this in front of your mother?  If you're still in doubt, please email or post and tell us what you have in mind, and we'll make a decision.

If any violations of this policy occur, FanimeCon Karaoke staff reserves the right to disqualify offenders from the contest and/or terminate the act in mid-song. In extreme cases, offenders may also be subject to convention penalties including loss of badge and removal from the convention.

During the contest, no physical interaction with the judges or the announcer is allowed. Contestants may not leave the stage.

Contestants may not use an audience member in their act. Actions that encourage general audience participation as a whole (such as asking the crowd to sing along) are okay.

The only persons allowed in the performing stage are FanimeCon staff and contestants.

Here are the results of tonight's Karaoke Contest:

1. Patrice Coleman
2. Kyrie Denison, Trisha Hopkins
3. Chi Ieong
4. Caitlin Chang
5. Ashley Parish
6. Christin Tomaschke
7. Emily Chen
8. Diana Tolin
9. Hong Shon, Jae Min Kweon
10. Victoria Nguyen

Thanks to everyone who performed and attended!

[FanimeCon 2012 Acoustikaraoke! Contest Rules]

                                      
FanimeCon 2012 Acoustikaraoke! Contest Rules

Play a musical instrument? Ever wanted to show off your own special arrangement of your favorite anime theme song on stage? Acoustikaraoke! is a chance for solo or small groups with their own instruments to show off their talents through instrumental numbers, original arrangements, and ensemble performances. Don't miss the weekend's most eclectic showcase of live music! The Acoustikaraoke! Contest will be held at 4PM on Saturday, May 26, 2012.

Some examples of things you can do include:

• Vocal performance with live instrument accompaniment
• Solo instrument or small instrument ensemble
• Instrument with accompanying track
• Unique a cappella interpretation of an anime song (also see note below on a cappella performances)

Please note that this contest is intended for individuals or small groups. Full-fledged bands with concert stage setups are beyond the scope of this event.

Signups

Signups for this event will begin when the Karaoke room first opens on Friday. Also, the room will be open one hour early (Saturday 3PM) for last-minute signups. There will be a limit of 15 acts. Contest spots are first come, first serve. If there is enough interest, we will add an "open acoustikaraoke" session after the contest.

This is a completely separate event from the main Karaoke Contest. You are more than welcome to enter the main contest, this event, and any of the other Karaoke events.

Rules
You must have a valid Fanime Con badge for the day of the event (Saturday).

You must bring your own instruments. We will only provide microphones. We're expecting there to be 4 microphones.

If you wish to use an amp, you may bring a standalone personal/practice amp that you can carry yourself onto the stage.

No equipment other than the microphones can be plugged into the PA system.

As the point of this contest is for you to perform the music, our song library will not be available for this contest. Also, you may not use any pre-recorded music such as CDs or mp3s.

For any instruments requiring setup, setup must be done in less than five minutes.

Performances are limited to six minutes per act.

a cappella singers are expected to have a good knowledge of their songs, or at least have a lyrics sheet handy. There is no penalty for having a lyrics sheet on stage. We reserve the right to abbreviate your performance if it becomes obvious that you don't know the lyrics. Also, for a cappella contestants to be competitive, your particular rendition should be more than just a straight singing of the original version of the song.


Awards

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

• Best Overall Performance
• Best Group Performance
• Best Solo Performance

The judges reserve the right to slightly modify these categories depending on the entries received, and to award other prizes at their discretion. All decisions of the judges are final.

[FanimeCon 2011 Gong Show! Rules]

FanimeCon 2011 Gong Show! Rules

So bad...yet so good.

Taking place Sunday night, the Karaoke Gong Show is for those brave and thick-skinned souls who are hellbent on creating the worst, yet most amusing, feats of bad singing imaginable. The goal of this contest is simple: the most uniquely terrible, yet entertaining, karaoke performances.

Although we use the term loosely, "awards" will be given out for particularly infamous performances, with a "Worst of Show" to the contestant who creates the perfect blend of auditory horror and entertainment. But be warned — do you have what it takes to be truly awful? Our performers (and commentators) can be quite imaginative, so we recommend 18 and over for this event!

The contest will take place Sunday night starting at 10 PM. To sign up for this contest, come to the Karaoke room (Ballroom C SJCC) any time starting on Friday. You can bring your own music on a CD, or choose a song from our song library.

Contestants are strongly advised that they will be laughed at by the audience and subject to scathing judge commentary. Our panel of judges for this contest are specially selected for their lack of tact and love of punching below the belt. Thick skin, a good sense of humor, and a strong sense of self-parody are all highly recommended for this event. If your feelings are easily hurt, you should not sign up for this event (but you should still come and watch!)

How It Works
Contestants will compete in single or group karaoke acts with the aim of being both unique and absolutely awful. They will be allowed to perform for at least 30 seconds. After that, when the judges can take no more, the gong may be struck and the contestant escorted off the stage. Once the gong sounds, you must stop performing.

Judging

Contestants are encouraged to be creative, unique, and absolutely awful - a good entry will not only satirize the act of singing itself, but do so in a manner which is interesting enough to prevent their being gonged. This includes, but is not limited to, costumes, dances, group configurations, horrifying vocals, general concept, etc.


Prizes
Awards will be given for Worst of Show, Worst Vocal Performance, and anything else the Judges may deem (un)deserving. Unlike the TV version, prizes are not awarded specifically for staying onstage.

Restrictions
Contestants may not behave in any inappropriate manner that otherwise violates Fanime Con conduct policies, including (but not limited to) the following: nudity, inappropriate costumes, weapons, etc. You must stay on the stage until gonged. You may not throw anything into the audience or make a mess on the stage.

Contestant must stop performing when the fateful gong has been delivered. Then, If they dare, they can stay on stage and face the judges.

[Group 1 (early as possible)]

This will serve as the official order for the FanimeCon 2011 Karaoke Contest.

Group 1 (early as possible)

A. Lan
J. Ko
C. Ieong
A. Parish
M. Lara
C. Chang
T. Gifford
P. COLEMAN
J. Chen
Z. Sperber
M. O'Connor
K. Matsumoto
F. R. Caudillo
K. Ishijima
E. Steimel
M. Silvestre
E. Chen
J. Luc
C. Choi
K. Cunico
E. Muhilly


Group 2 (no preference)

C. Tomaschke
Va. Nguyen
E. Peterson
W. GUI
L. Chang
M. Duran
D. Pham
Vi. Nguyen
J. Galietta
K. Denison and T. Hopkins
N. Ferare, E. Lo
B. Nguyen
R. WANG

Group 3 (waiting list)

K. Mai
M. Paredes

Anyone else added from the waiting list, in the order they signed up.


Group 4 (as late as possible)

N. Aquino
V. Galietta
Y. Ramirez
L. Mar
C. Kelly
A. Pacheco de Sousa


If you wish to request a change, please contact me by email or PM by midnight PDT on Tuesday. No changes after this time. You must have a legitimate reason ("I don't want to go first/last" would not be sufficient)

Also, if you have decided on a song change, and know that for sure now, you can also send me that info. It's not required, but it will speed up your check in time.

[5:30PM]

The following entries are accepted for the FanimeCon 2011 Karaoke Contest. You will need to check in with your music for both rounds (if not using our database) at the karaoke room by 5:30PM (30 minutes before contest start). If you don't check in, you will lose your spot.

This is not the contest order. The contest order will be posted weekend before the convention.

If you wish to change songs, no need to tell us now- just tell us when you check in.

C. Tomaschke
A. Lan
J. Ko
C. Ieong
M. Lara
Va. Nguyen
E. Peterson
C. Chang
T. Gifford
P. COLEMAN
J. Chen
A. Sousa
Z. Sperber
W. GUI
C. Kelly
A. Parish
M. O'Connor
L. Chang
M. Duran
D. Pham
L. Mar
Y. Ramirez
Vi. Nguyen
K. Matsumoto
F. Caudillo
V. Galietta
J. Galietta
K. Denison and T. Hopkins (group)
K. Ishijima
K&A (group)
E. Steimel
M. Silvestre
E. Chen
B. Nguyen
J. Luc
N. Aquino
R. WANG
C. Choi
K. Cunico
E. Muhilly

Due to the extra time it took this year to close signups, the following who signed up online after the 40 spots were filled will be first on the waiting list. Your chances of getting a spot in the contest- though not guaranteed- are very good to excellent. Historically we've taken at least 6 from the waiting list every year.

If you are on this waiting list, you do not need to sign up again at con, but you will need to be present in the karaoke room at 5:30PM when we award the spots from the waiting list. If we call your name and you don't answer, we will move on down the waiting list. Once we add you to the contest, we will then collect your music.

K. Mai
M. Paredes
A. Molina
H. McDonald
S. Cocanour
R. Hughes
D. Tolin
H & J (group)
V. Ukhalkar
S. Stites

Thank you for your patience. Please go to this link to sign up for the contest.

Signups will run until May 20, or when we have received 40 valid entries.

We will post periodic updates on our Twitter on the number of spots remaining.

The subject says it all!

[all the fields]

We are still on target to open signups this Sunday, 5/1, but the exact time is still up in the air. It will be either 1PM or 9PM.

We'll reply to this topic when the time has been confirmed.

We'll also take this opportunity to give a general reminder on online signups- when you sign up, you need to fill in all the fields. If you don't, your entry will not be accepted.

The most common mistakes are:

• Not entering your first and last name (there will be a separate optional space for fan names)
• Only listing one song (you need to have two- one for each round)
• No address or incomplete address

[Fanime Con 2011 Karaoke Contest Rules]

Fanime Con 2011 Karaoke Contest  Rules

The Fanime Con 2011 Karaoke Contest will take place on Friday, May 27. Up to 40 will vie for the right to be crowned the best singing act of Fanime Con! All finalists will receive prizes, and this year's winner will receive a beautiful microphone trophy and a special invitation to perform at the start of the Fanime Con Masquerade on Sunday evening.

Overview

Check-in and warmups for the contest will be Friday afternoon from 2PM to 5:30PM.

The Preliminary round will start at 6PM, and the top 10 will perform in the finals which are at 9:30PM. Contestants do not need to be present for the entire Preliminary round.

At con signups, check in, and the contest itself will be in the Karaoke room (Hall C in the San Jose Convention Center).


Eligibility

You must have a valid Fanime Con badge for Friday.

Fanime Con Karaoke staff, Guests of Honor, and Industry members with professional singing or voice acting experience are ineligible to compete in the contest.

You may compete as an individual or group. If you compete as a group, all singing members of the group must sing during both songs, either as lead or as backup vocals. You may not add or change singing group members between rounds.

Signing Up/Checking In

Online contest signups will start on Sunday, 5/1. Stay tuned to this forum for exact time/details.

Online sign-ups close on 5/15 or when we receive 40 valid entries. Any remaining spots will be reserved for at-con sign-ups.

Any at-con sign-ups in excess of 40 will be placed on a waiting list. Waiting list entrants must be present in the Karaoke room at 5:30 to find out if they are in the contest.

Contestants who pre-register for the convention must check in no later than 5:30PM. To check-in for the contest, you will need your Fanime Con badge and your contest music (either on a CD, or the song numbers from our song library). Check-in starts when the Karaoke room opens on Friday.

If you don't check in, then at 5:30 your spot will be cancelled and given to the entries on the waiting list.

Selecting Songs

Songs must be from the following categories: anime, vocaloid, video game, or J-rock/J-pop.

Songs limits: 2:30 (preliminary), 5:00 (finals). Songs longer than these limits will be faded out when the limit is reached.

You may not use the same song in both rounds of the contest.

English songs which were not originally created for an anime series or video game, or straight covers of such songs (for example, Fly Me To The Moon) are not allowed. Japanese adaptations of such a song are okay.

Original songs created for a localized version of an anime series or game are okay (For example, songs from Robotech or the North American Sailor Moon).

No a cappella singing. a cappella singers are invited to join our Acoustikaraoke! Contest on Sunday afternoon.

Acoustic-only instruments (those not using an amp) are allowed if played by the actual singer(s). Performers part of a larger group or who desire a more complex musical setup are invited to join our Acoustikaraoke! Contest on Sunday afternoon.

You should generally follow the song's original lyrics-this is not a "filk" contest.

If contestants bring their own music, they must provide their own music, preferably karaoke version, on an audio CD. No phones or mp3 players please. Unclaimed CDs will be disposed of at our discretion after the convention.

Contestants may also choose songs from our open mic library. Just tell us the song ID number at signup/check-in. We are not responsible if the song sounds different from your expectations, or does not have lyrics. If you are unsure, you should try it out during the warmup period before the contest.

All contestants who do not use karaoke versions of their songs will perform with vocal dampening turned on. We want to hear you, not the original singer.
Note: Vocal dampening has been known to have unexpected effects with some songs, so if you plan to use vocal dampening, we strongly suggest that you test out your song at home before you sign up.

No song changes are allowed once the contest starts.

Scoring and Judging
Each contestant will be scored by each judge in the following categories:

•   Vocal: musical quality of performance, breath control, pitch and tone (60%)
•   Visual Performance: stage presence; overall entertainment value; style and poise (30%)
•   Song selection/difficulty (10%)

The top 10 scores advance to the Finals.

In the Finals, the winners will be determined by the sum of their preliminary round score and their final round score.

In case of a tie in the preliminary round, the tied acts will advance to the final round. In the event of a tie in the finals, the final round score is the tiebreaker. If the final round scores are the same between the tied contestants, then a vote of the judges will determine final placement.

All decisions made by the judges are final.

Conduct
As a convention for anime fans of all ages, Fanime Con has certain standards of behavior which all convention attendees should abide by at all times. Karaoke is no exception.

All aspects of the act, including, but not limited to: costume, conduct on stage, and song lyrics, are to abide by no worse than a PG-13 standard. If you are in doubt as to whether something is suitable, just ask yourself: Would you do this in front of your mother?  If you're still in doubt, please email or post and tell us what you have in mind, and we'll make a decision.

If any violations of this policy occur, Fanime Con Karaoke staff reserves the right to disqualify offenders from the contest and/or terminate the act in mid-song. In extreme cases, offenders may also be subject to convention penalties including loss of badge and removal from the convention.

During the contest, no physical interaction with the judges or the MC is allowed. Contestants may not leave the stage.

Contestants may not use an audience member in their act. Actions that encourage general audience participation as a whole (such as asking the crowd to sing along) are okay.

The only persons allowed in the performing stage are Fanime Con staff and contestants.

[for 2011 only]

Knowing what you know right now about the Fanime event schedule, , for 2011 only, would you prefer to keep the Karaoke contest on Friday, or move it to Saturday?

Friday format would be similar to past years. (prelims 6PM or 7PM, finals 10PM)

Saturday we'd do prelims in the afternoon (2PM or 3pm) and finals a little earlier in the evening (7PM, 8PM, or 9PM start time)

The results of the poll are non-binding but if there is a decisive result one way or another we'll definitely take it into account.

Here are the results for the Fanime Con 2010 Karaoke Contest:

1. Kimberly Ling
2. Melanie O'Connor
3. Laura Lorenz
4. Remona Ji
5. Yumiko Mori
6. Angel Hearts (Kimberly and Samantha)
7. Emily Chen
8. Caitlin Chang
9. Eric Miller
10. Bruce Mercado

Congratulations to the finalists and thanks to everyone who participated!

And now, I can sleep.

[2PM]

If you are planning to sign up for the karaoke contest at the convention, here is some important info you should read. There are some changes from last year.

• We will start taking signups starting at 2PM on Friday, or when we are fully set up in the room, whichever is later.


• You will need a Fanime Con badge valid for Friday.


• If you are going to line up, form a line by the large "Karaoke Room" sign outside of Hall C. If the sign isn't there, form the line by the doors that are closest to Stage Zero. Do not block any hallways or doors. I trust you are all well-mannered and reasonable people, I expect to see an orderly line if there is one.


• If the room is unlocked but empty, do not go in. When we are ready to let people in, I will come out and direct you into the room. The order in which you lined up outside will be the same order inside the room. If you come by after everyone has gone in, just go inside the room.


• The first three people signed up will be in the contest, and can hand in their music at the same time. After that, we will open a waiting list. Don't be sad if you're on the waiting list- last year we took at least several people from it.


• If you are on the waiting list, you will need to come back to the room at 5PM. At 5PM, we will cancel everyone who signed up online but did not check in, and call that number of people from the waiting list. If you're here when we call your name, you're in the contest and then you can then check in. If you're not here when we call your name, we'll go to the next person on the list.


• When it's your turn for signups, you will need to know the songs you are singing. If you aren't ready with your song choices, we will skip over you to the next person and come back to you when you decide. If you're not bringing your own music, see here for a list of the songs we have. If you're using our music, you will need to know the song IDs.


• Contest starts at 6PM!

We will also be taking signups for Gong Show and Acoustikaraoke, so feel free to sign up for those too!

[Do not post on these forums]

The following is the start list/order of competitors for the Karaoke Contest.

If you have any questions or requests related to your spot in the order, Do not post on these forums- instead, send me a PM or email (karaoke at fanime dot com). There will be no changes to the order (except for withdrawals) after Tuesday, 5/25.

If you have decided not to compete, please let me know so we can make a spot for someone else at con.

Group 1 (Early as possible)

K. Ling
M. Lara
J. Chen
Angel Hearts (group)
F. Caudillo
B. Veale
R. Pengosro
F. Camiloza
J. Ko
A. Lan
M. Nguyen
E. Muhilly
C. Yeh
Y. Mori
L. Castaneda

Group 2 (no preference)

T. Gifford
R. Ji
E. Chen
H. Richardson
R. Hughes
S. Lim
S. Sersecion
B. Mercado
B. Nguyen
A. Molina
S. Blaauw
E. McFarland
L. Lorenz
S. Peng

Group 3 (at con signups)
(anyone we add at the convention)

Group 4 (as late as possible)

E. Mercer
Fairytail Guild Singers
P. Vuong
H. Trang
A. Parish
N. Aquino
P. COLEMAN
M. O'Connor

[It is not the contest order]

The following is the list of accepted entries for the Fanime Con 2010 Karaoke Contest. It is not the contest order. The contest order will be posted in two weekends.

After further review, 39 entries were valid, so instead of re-opening online signups to take just one person, there will be (at least) one open spot for at-con signups.

-Hank

-------------------------
K.Ling
M.Lara
M.O'Connor
J.Chen
P.COLEMAN
M.Silvestre
F.Caudillo
B.Veale
R.Pengosro
T.Gifford
F.Camiloza
R.Ji
J.Ko
A.Lan
M.Nguyen
E.Chen
N.Aquino
E.Muhilly
Angel Hearts (group)
A.Parish
H.Richardson
H.Trang
R.Hughes
S.Lim
P.Vuong
S.Sersecion
B.Mercado
D.Van
C.Yeh
B.Nguyen
A.Molina
S.Blaauw
E.McFarland
Y.Mori
Fairytail Guild Singers (group)
L.Castaneda
L.Lorenz
S.Peng
E.Mercer

The 40 spots have been filled. A list of accepted entries will be posted by the end of the week.

We will still be taking waiting list entries at the convention. More info on that will be posted closer to convention.

Here is the link to sign up for the Fanime Con 2010 Karaoke Contest:

http://www.anime-karaoke.com/contests/fanime/fanimekaraoke2010signup.php3

The link will be up until 5/16, or until 40 valid entries have been received, whichever comes first.

The signup time for the karaoke contest will be most likely be late on Sunday night, between 10PM and midnight.

I am traveling this weekend, so it's possible this could change depending on travel randomness, hotel internet quality, etc. But it won't be earlier than what I stated above.

So enjoy your day Sunday! The link will be posted here on this forum. We'll also post on Twitter when it's live.

[Fanime Con 2010 Gong Show! Rules]

Fanime Con 2010 Gong Show! Rules

The goal of this contest is simple: the most uniquely terrible, yet entertaining, karaoke performances. You'll have to try extra hard to earn that coveted Gong! Anything goes... short of disrespectful, inappropriate, or destructive behavior, of course. You must adhere to convention rules at all times. Both individual and group entries are allowed. Although we use the term loosely, awards will be given out for particularly special de-merits, with a "Worst of Show" offered to the contestant who creates the perfect blend of horror. But be warned - do you have what it takes to be truly awful?

The contest will take place Sunday night starting at 10 PM. To sign up for this contest, come to the Karaoke room (Ballroom C SJCC) any time starting on Friday. You can bring your own music, or choose a song from our song library.

Contestants are strongly advised that they will be laughed at by the audience and subject to scathing judge commentary. Thick skin, a good sense of humor, and a strong sense of self-parody are all highly recommended for this event. If your feelings are easily hurt, you should not sign up for this event.

How It Works
Contestants will compete in single or group karaoke acts with the aim of being both unique and absolutely awful. They will be allowed to perform for at least 30 seconds. After that, when the judges can take no more, the gong may be struck and the contestant escorted off the stage. (Although the gong is employed to end the act in question, unlike the TV version, Gong Show prizes are not awarded specifically for staying onstage.)

Judging
Contestants are encouraged to be creative, unique, and absolutely awful - they should not only satirize the act of singing itself, but do so in a manner which is interesting enough to prevent their being gonged. This includes, but is not limited to, costumes, dances, group configurations, horrifying vocals, general concept, etc.

Prizes
Awards will be given for Worst of Show, Worst Vocal Performance, and anything else the Judges may deem (un)deserving.

Restrictions
Contestants may not behave in any inappropriate manner that otherwise violates Fanime Con conduct policies, including (but not limited to) the following: nudity, inappropriate costumes, weapons, etc.

Contestant must stop performing when the fateful gong has been delivered. If they dare, they can stay on stage and face the commentary from the judges.

[Fanime Con 2010 Acoustikaraoke! Contest Rules]

Fanime Con 2010 Acoustikaraoke! Contest Rules

Play a musical instrument? If you've ever had the desire to show off your music instrumental skills on stage, or just watch your fellow anime fans jam, we've got a contest for you! The Acoustikaraoke! Contest will be held at 3PM on Sunday, May 30, 2009.

We'll provide the microphones- you'll provide the instruments and music. Contestants need not actually sing in the contest to perform (although it is still welcome); this is a chance to play some BGM, do a special arrangement/cover, or even present your own original composition (as long as it is anime/manga/video game inspired). The only limit really is your musical imagination.

Some examples of things you can do include:

• Vocal performance with live instrument accompaniment
• Solo instrument or small instrument ensemble
• Instrument with accompanying track
• Unique a cappella interpretation of an anime song (also see note below on a cappella performances)

Please note that this contest is intended for individuals or small groups. Full bands are beyond the scope of this event.

Signups
This is a completely separate event from the main Karaoke Contest. You are more than welcome to enter the main contest, this event, and any of the other Karaoke events.

Signups for this event will begin when the Karaoke room first opens on Friday. Also, the room will be open one hour early (Sunday 2PM) for last-minute signups. There will be a limit of 15 acts. Contest spots are first come, first serve. If there is enough interest, we will add an "open acoustikaraoke" session after the contest.


Rules
You must have a valid Fanime Con badge for the day of the event (Sunday).

You must bring your own instruments. We will only provide microphones. We might also provide a keyboard (not guaranteed at this time).

If you wish to use an amp, you may bring a standalone personal amp that you can carry yourself onto the stage.

No equipment other than the microphones can be plugged into the PA system.

Any accompanying music must be provided at contest signup in CD or song ID from our library.

For any instruments requiring setup, setup must be done in less than three minutes.

Performances are limited to six minutes per act.

a cappella singers are expected to have a good knowledge of their songs, or at least have a lyrics sheet handy. There is no penalty for having a lyrics sheet on stage. Also, for a cappella contestants to be competitive, your particular rendition should be more than just a straight singing of the original version of the song.

Awards:

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

• Best Overall Performance
• Best Group Performance
• Best Solo Performance

The judges reserve the right to award other prizes at their discretion. All decisions of the judges are final.

[Fanime Con 2010 Karaoke Contest Rules]

Fanime Con 2010 Karaoke Contest  Rules

The Fanime Con 2010 Karaoke Contest will take place on Friday, May 28. Up to 40 Individuals and Groups will vie for the right to be crowned the best singing act of Fanime Con!

The Preliminary round will start at 6PM, and those who qualify will sing in the finals which are at 10PM. Contestants do not need to be present for the entire Preliminary round.

The contest (as well as at-con signups and check-in) will be in the Karaoke room (Hall C in the San Jose Convention Center).


Eligibility
You must have a valid Fanime Con badge for Friday.

Fanime Con Karaoke staff, Guests of Honor, and Industry members are ineligible to compete in the contest.

If you compete as a group, all members of the group must sing during both songs, either as lead or as backup vocals. No backup dancers. You may not add or change group members between rounds.


Signing Up/Checking In

Online contest signups will start on Sunday, 5/2. Stay tuned to the Fanime Con Live Programming forum for exact time/details.

Online sign-ups close on 5/16, or when we receive 40 valid entries. Any remaining spots will be reserved for at-con sign-ups. Any at-con sign-ups in excess of 40 will be placed on a waiting list.

Contestants who pre-register for the convention must check in no later than one hour before the start of the qualifying round. To check-in for the contest, you will need your Fanime Con badge and your contest music (either on a CD, or the song numbers from our song library). Check-in starts when the Karaoke room opens on Friday.

If you don't check in, your spot will be given to any singers on the waiting list. Once the contest starts, the MC will only call the names of those who have checked in.

Selecting Your Songs

Songs must be from the following categories: Anime, video game, or J-rock/J-pop.

Songs limits: 2:30 (preliminary), 5:00 (finals). Songs longer than these limits will be faded out when the limit is reached.

You may not use the same song in both rounds of the contest.

English songs which were not originally created for an anime series or video game, or straight covers of such songs (for example, Fly Me To The Moon) are not allowed. Original songs created for the localized version of an anime series or game are okay (For example, songs from Robotech).

Songs must be in their original format as on the released CD and may not be edited by the contestant or other party in any way. Remixes which have appeared on an official released CD are okay.

No a cappella singing. a cappella singers are invited to join our Acoustikaraoke! Contest on Sunday afternoon.

You should follow the song's original lyrics- this is not a "filk" contest.

If contestants bring their own music, they must provide their own songs on an audio CD. No phones or mp3 players please. Unclaimed CDs will be disposed of at our discretion after the convention.

Contestants may choose songs from our open mic library. Just tell us the song ID number at check-in. We are not responsible if the song sounds different from what the contestant was expecting, and we do not guarantee the availability of any particular song. If you are unsure, you should try it out during the warmup period before the contest.

All contestants who do not use karaoke versions of their songs must perform with vocal dampening turned on. We want to hear you, not the original singer.
Note: Vocal dampening has been known to have unexpected effects with some songs, so if you plan to use vocal dampening, we strongly suggest that you test out your song at home before you sign up. No song changes are allowed once the contest starts.
 
Contestants should provide their own song lyrics, if needed. We will make a reasonable effort, but do not guarantee any lyrics will be available at con.

Scoring and Judging
Each contestant will be scored by each judge in the following categories:

•   Vocal: musical quality of performance, breath control, pitch and tone (60%)
•   Visual Performance: stage presence; overall entertainment value; style and poise (30%)
•   Song selection (10%)

The top 10 scores advance to the Finals.

In the Finals, the winners will be determined by the sum of their preliminary round score and their final round score.

In case of a tie in the preliminary round, the tied acts will advance to the final round. In the event of a tie in the finals, the final round score is the tiebreaker. If the final round scores are the same between the tied contestants, then a vote of the judges will determine final placement.

All decisions made by the judges are final.

Conduct
As a convention for anime fans of all ages, Fanime Con has certain standards of behavior which all convention attendees should abide by at all times. Karaoke is no exception.

All aspects of the act, including, but not limited to: costume, conduct on stage, and song lyrics, are to abide by no worse than a PG-13 standard. If you are in doubt as to whether something is suitable, just ask yourself: Would you do this in front of your mother?  If you're still in doubt, please email or post and tell us what you have in mind, and we'll make a decision.

If any violations of this policy occur, Fanime Con Karaoke staff reserves the right to disqualify offenders from the contest and/or terminate the act in mid-song. In extreme cases, offenders may also be subject to convention penalties including loss of badge and removal from the convention.

During the contest, no interaction with the judges or the MC is allowed. Contestants may not touch or approach the judge's table. Contestants may not go into the audience or use an audience member in their act. Actions that encourage general audience participation as a whole (such as asking the crowd to sing along) are okay.

The only persons allowed in the performing area are Fanime Con staff, contestants.

*awakens from hibernation*

Just a few notes on Karaoke for 2010:

Our hours will be roughly the same as last year: contest on Friday followed by Open Mic, Saturday Open Mic plus Acoustikaraoke, and then Sunday will be Open Mic and the Gong Show!

Contest rules will be posted first week of April. At this time we're not anticipating any major changes.

Main contest signups will be in May. The sign-up and check-in process will (hopefully) be a bit more streamlined this time around, and we expect to have more spots this year.

Acoustikaraoke! and Gong Show signups will be at con only.

That's it for now!

-Hank

These were the most requested songs from our main karaoke library during Open Mic this year.

1. Ready Steady Go
2. Simple and Clean
3(tie). God Knows
3(tie). I'll Make a Man Out of You
5. Still Doll
6. Pokemon Theme Song (English version)
7. Paper Moon
8. Tonight Tonight Tonight (Beat Crusaders/Bleach)
9. Still Alive
10(tie). Cha-La Head Cha-La
10(tie). Cutey Honey

Includes variants. Does not include the separate American popular song library, or music that the attendee provided themselves.

Fanime Con 2009 Karaoke Contest Results

1. Melanie O'Connor
2. Hong Shon
3. Laura Lorenz
4. Kimberly Ling
5. Jenny Chen
6. Valerie Nguyen
7. Diane Ho
8. EMILY CHEN
9. Dana Mirsalis
10. Jackie Ko


Congratulations to our winner, Melanie O'Connor, and all of the finalists!

If you have a mobile device with internet access, you no longer need to wait in the karaoke room to look through our printed song books!

Just go to http://anime-karaoke.net/m any time, and you can view a mobile-optimized version of our online song book. Browse by Artist, Song Title, or Series to find the song you want and its ID number. Bookmark the link now to have easy access to our song list during con!

Then to sign up for open mic, just come to the karaoke signup desk and tell us the ID (or simply show us the ID on your screen).

(if you have a laptop, you can also go to our full site http://anime-karaoke.net/songLists.php to view the full version)

That's not all we will have available via mobile. During the convention, we will be updating our twitter (@fanimekaraoke) with Karaoke event updates, schedule changes, and mabye a surprise or two. So if you use Twitter, follow us at the con!

Note: Accessing these sites may incur data fees from your mobile service provider. Fanime Con and Karaoke are not responsible for any data charges.