Karaoke Lurv

Do you love singing? Do you love anime and game songs? Do you enjoy competitions? Do you possess a thick skin? Do you have no shame whatsoever?

If you answer yes to all five questions, be a member of semi-sane individuals who enjoy the age-old tradition of karaoke stylings. Even without the getting plastered part. You may want to enter Animesuki’s 7th semi-annual solo competition.

It will only take you four easy steps to join.

1. Pick an anime/game track.

Easy, right?

Okay, so it’s not exactly simple. There’s the thing about picking songs suitable for your voice. For a female, I have this low singing voice. In fact, when I once tried to sing a Gackt song just a couple of pitches above the original key, I was thought to be a dude. Ouch.

I have always dreamt of singing in a cutesy little voice. I tried. I failed. I got laughed at. By my supposedly good friend. And she managed to snag the recording and to send it to other former buddies. That traitor.

So yeah, pick a song that you can actually sing the notes to. In a non-embarrassing fashion.

2. Grab a mic and record your beautiful or not-so-beautiful voice.

Even when I was a kid, I would use whatever mic available and tape my singing with a blank cassette. More often that not, I would run out of tapes and I would take out some of my mom’s old albums and record over it. I know, I know it was naughty of me. Believe me, I had to pay penance for it.

The advancement of digital technology changes my primitive recording beginnings to an only-slightly-primitive techniques. Instead of a crappy tape recorder, I now use a crappy USB microphone directly connected to the PC. Unfortunately, the latter is only slightly better than the former. I want a fancy mic but I want a better voice first. I have dreams of stealing Cheyenne’s vocal prowess (last year’s AS karacom winner). I have plans of contacting Little Mermaid’s Ursula.

Anyhow, if you want a better mic. You need to pay the corresponding price. Kinda sucky, but reasonable. Maybe.

3. Mix your tracks.

I use Audacity for my all-around mixing needs. All I do is click on the ‘Export selection to mp3′. You know those options where you can tweak equalization settings or whatever. I cannot comprehend them. I cannot do effects to save my life.

Thank gawd, AS karacom rules require you not to add effects.

4. Register.

The fourth step, like the first three steps, is self explanatory. Go directly to the AS karacom site and upload your winning entry.

The deadline is on the 21st of April. So you have five days more to procrastinate.

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I have always said that karaoke is good for the soul. So go ahead, record you songs. Ignore the nasty looks you’ll receive from fellow housemates. Or even from neighbors. Ignore the smirks cast your way by friends who think you are crazy. Grow a think skin and sing to your heart’s content. Unless. of course, you begin to hear threats of men in little white coats and straitjackets.

P.S. Let me know if you’ll try to warble your way for the AS karacom. I’ll look out for your entry.