Karaoke Contest Questions

[YaoiCat]

Hi, I've never participated in the Fanime karaoke contest but I was thinking of trying it this year.  Is there anything a first time participant really needs to know?  Also, I was wondering, do you get to see the lyrics while you perform during the contest, or do you have to memorize your song?

[AkiraxYagami]

You have to memorize your lyrics.

[YaoiCat]

You have to memorize your lyrics.

That's what I was afraid of, lol.  I'm fine memorizing songs in English, but it's a whole different story when the lyrics are in another language! 

[Enkai]

Unless the rules have changed, there's nothing preventing you from taking the lyrics up with you.  That being said, it will cost you stagemanship points.

[AkiraxYagami]

And  word of advice, DON'T ever sing with a friend >_> unless you know for sure that they are willing to provide assistance.  I made that mistake twice with a friend who said they wanted to duet and I ended up singing all of the song by myself while she mumble the lyrics softly.

[YaoiCat]

And  word of advice, DON'T ever sing with a friend >_> unless you know for sure that they are willing to provide assistance.  I made that mistake twice with a friend who said they wanted to duet and I ended up singing all of the song by myself while she mumble the lyrics softly.

Aww, lol.  Do you speak Japanese?  If not, how do you memorize the lyrics, just by sound?

[Hank-KKD]

Hi, I've never participated in the Fanime karaoke contest but I was thinking of trying it this year.  Is there anything a first time participant really needs to know?  Also, I was wondering, do you get to see the lyrics while you perform during the contest, or do you have to memorize your song?

Most competitors memorize their lyrics, but you are not required to memorize lyrics.

If you select a song from our database that has lyrics, then they will be displayed on the screen.

[PinkHairSasuke]

And  word of advice, DON'T ever sing with a friend >_> unless you know for sure that they are willing to provide assistance.  I made that mistake twice with a friend who said they wanted to duet and I ended up singing all of the song by myself while she mumble the lyrics softly.

I did that once during Open Mic Karaoke at Fanime and my friend didn't even sing either. I had to try and sing all 3 parts of the Naruto Ondo lol

You have to memorize your lyrics.

That's what I was afraid of, lol.  I'm fine memorizing songs in English, but it's a whole different story when the lyrics are in another language! 

You can always use a song from an anime that's in English. If I remember correctly, the song has to be a song made originally from the anime or game. An example would be pretty much any American Pokemon song.

[TsukinoUsagiChan]

Hi, I've never participated in the Fanime karaoke contest but I was thinking of trying it this year.  Is there anything a first time participant really needs to know?  Also, I was wondering, do you get to see the lyrics while you perform during the contest, or do you have to memorize your song?

Actually, you don't need to memorize the lyrics, when i watch the karaoke contest at fanime last year, they had a screen with the lyrics of the song one of the participants was singing for them to follow. So don't worry  ;D

[SuperSheba]

As a frequent karaoke contest participant, I can tell you that yes, like Hank, who is in charge of the rules said, you can use lyrics.  However, I would do my best to memorize them.  It is nearly impossible to engage the audience in your performance if you are staring down at lyrics the whole time.  I'm sure with time you can memorize the lyrics.  If you need to take up lyrics in case you forget a word or two, that's not a big deal.  Just do your best to have good stage presence and be confident so that you can have fun with it.  In the end, the karaoke contest exists so that you can have FUN. :D

[Reyak]

Do songs performed have to be in the database? (For open-mic)

[Motoko]

@Reyak - I was wondering the same thing. I think open-mic is for anyone that wants to sing that's not in the contest, right?

Also curious about another thing that I posted in another forum topic/post, but perhaps is more suited here...not contest related though, probably more open-mic and just a general query.
Just a question, what songs are in the database?
Are they primarily J-pop songs (say from all our beloved anime and seiyuu's) or do they comprise of other songs in other languages?
Say like Chinese, Korean, English, etc.
I'm just curious about that.
Thanks helping.

[Reyak]

@Reyak - I was wondering the same thing. I think open-mic is for anyone that wants to sing that's not in the contest, right?

Also curious about another thing that I posted in another forum topic/post, but perhaps is more suited here...not contest related though, probably more open-mic and just a general query.
Just a question, what songs are in the database?
Are they primarily J-pop songs (say from all our beloved anime and seiyuu's) or do they comprise of other songs in other languages?
Say like Chinese, Korean, English, etc.
I'm just curious about that.
Thanks helping.

I believe this is the database they use: http://www.anime-karaoke.com/songLists.php

[Nina Star 9]

Do songs performed have to be in the database? (For open-mic)

For open-mic, you can bring in songs on an mp3 player or CD. When you sign up, just let the staff know what song you are doing and that it is on your personal music device, and when they call you up, you just hand them either your mp3 player with the song already queued up or the CD and tell them the track number.

It's not advisable to stream songs throw a smartphone or other device, since it can (and likely will) stop to buffer in the middle or otherwise mess up, but if you have the song actually downloaded onto your phone and are using it as an mp3 player (so the music is sourced from the phone, not the net), that should work just as well as an mp3 player that can't also call people...though there might be some issues if you get a call in the middle of your song, depending on how the phone works. ;P

I do (open-mic) songs all the time that aren't in the database. Only some of the bizarre things I sing are actually in there!

[Reyak]

Do songs performed have to be in the database? (For open-mic)

For open-mic, you can bring in songs on an mp3 player or CD. When you sign up, just let the staff know what song you are doing and that it is on your personal music device, and when they call you up, you just hand them either your mp3 player with the song already queued up or the CD and tell them the track number.

It's not advisable to stream songs throw a smartphone or other device, since it can (and likely will) stop to buffer in the middle or otherwise mess up, but if you have the song actually downloaded onto your phone and are using it as an mp3 player (so the music is sourced from the phone, not the net), that should work just as well as an mp3 player that can't also call people...though there might be some issues if you get a call in the middle of your song, depending on how the phone works. ;P

I do (open-mic) songs all the time that aren't in the database. Only some of the bizarre things I sing are actually in there!

Thanks very much for the reply

[Enkai]

Since this appears to be where questions are forming...

For those of us planning on groups, how many mics will be on stage this year?  IIRC, last year it was 3, so hopefully this year's number is at least that.

[ga-ko]

Are we allowed to bring our own song to sing for the competition? It is of course a Karaoke version and won't require vocal dampening. If we can, how do we supply this to you guys? Do we need to bring a CD, mp3 player or what not and what format does the song need to be in?

[blkriku]

Are we allowed to bring our own song to sing for the competition? It is of course a Karaoke version and won't require vocal dampening. If we can, how do we supply this to you guys? Do we need to bring a CD, mp3 player or what not and what format does the song need to be in?

If I remember correctly, you bring in a CD for them to play if you bring in your own music. And you can bring in your own songs as long as it's from an Anime of Japanese video game.

[Nina Star 9]

Are we allowed to bring our own song to sing for the competition? It is of course a Karaoke version and won't require vocal dampening. If we can, how do we supply this to you guys? Do we need to bring a CD, mp3 player or what not and what format does the song need to be in?

Not official here, but I've been doing karaoke long enough to know a thing or two about the typical rules, so I'll answer the best I can until the official rules are posted and/or an actual staff member can correct my gaps in knowledge.

Once the official rules are posted, I'm sure this will be addressed, but typically for the Fanime contest, outside songs should be provided on CD, not an mp3 player (though mp3 players are allowed at the SacAnime contest, so idk?). You would need to provide the CD at check-in and inform the staff which track(s) you need, and then pick the CD up at the end of the contest.

Even if it weren't a karaoke version, they provide vocal dampening, but you should experiment with that pre-con to avoid anything unexpected and get used to the feel of it. Self-dampened songs are typically not allowed, however.

As for the appropriateness of songs, as long as it is from an anime/game or is an original song by a Japanese artist, it is allowed. Straight covers of Western music are not allowed (like the Fly Me To The Moon cover in Evangelion), though music originally written in English by a Japanese artist and dub versions of songs are typically allowed (so the dub of the Sailor Moon OP would be allowed, as would something written and performed by a Japanese band in a language other than Japanese). It doesn't -have- to be actually from a series. I've done Pizzicato 5 and EGO WRAPPIN' music before, non-covers, not from a series of any type, with no problem. If you have any questions about whether a song is allowed or not, be sure to post the question so a staff member can address it, though very few songs that the average karaoke fan would be singing would fall into a grey area, so I can't imagine that you'd have a problem with the typical J-pop and anime music that most fans sing.

Hope that helps some! Again, you'll have to wait for the official rules and official staff responses, but the rules don't usually change -that- much from year to year when it comes to such things, so I hope these answers are adequate. :)

I'm not even participating in the contest and I'm posting in the threads for it more than most other threads. What's wrong with me?



I do have a question for staff, though. When the official rules are posted up, will that also include the rules for the smaller contests, as well? I'm not participating in the main contest, but I'd like to be able to see the Gong Show rules/get the times for that (I'm guessing Sunday night, as it usually is?), and I'm sure that there are people who'd like to see the Accoustikaraoke info, as well. :) Thanks~

[Motoko]

This might seem really odd (maybe stupid to ask...) but I'm wondering about something...
Aside from the Karaoke Contest, which I'm sure has time allocated toward it, but when would open-mic be?
And I assume open-mic is for anyone that would like to sing outside the contest right?
Thanks in advance.