Karaoke

[schneefink]

As a going-away party for two friends who are leaving for the US for a year we went to a karaoke bar yesterday. (I recently found out that there's a new & apparently better karaoke bar in Vienna, I'm looking forward to trying it out soon.) As always I forgot to prepare songs in advance, so I had my usual problem that I didn't want to sing songs that are "too easy", and the ones that seem interesting are often ones where I only know about 85% of the melody. Sometimes when I tell people what songs I'm thinking of singing they seem surprised; fanvids are the source of many of the songs I listen to the most and the mix can apparently be rather strange, or not what they expect. Last time I sang Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance (SGA vid by kitakatzz) and Starships by Nicki Minaj (multifandom vid by bironic.)

This time I sang Handlebars by Flobots (Doctor Who vid by flummery) (without before thinking about the fact exactly how not easy it is to sing, especially if you don't know the text 100% and the text on the monitor is too slow after every paragraph) and My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark by Fall Out Boy (which I found funny because I thought I only knew the band through bandom fic, turns out they also wrote the song that last season's Pens promos used) and a few easy songs with friends (Mamma Mia, Winds of Change etc. – some of my friends really can't sing btw.) I got a compliment from a stranger about my singing and my song choice, with a comment that the microphone I'd used wasn't working, which I hadn't even noticed because I hardly ever sing with microphones.

I also wanted to sing Parachute by Cheryl Cole (Leverage vid by thingswithwings) but wasn't sure of the whole melody, and How Far We've Come by Matchbox Twenty (Homestuck vid by Alexandra Murphy) but they didn't have it in their catalogue. (There are so many vids set to How Far We've Come: Some I know include a Community vid by purplefringe, CA:WS vid by kaydeefalls, and I could swear there was a specific Doctor Who vid to that song centering on the episode with the Master where the Time Lords came back and I looked for it for way too long until I realized I'm thinking about a twelve-second-clip from the fantastic Tenth Doctor Musical by di_br.) Next time.

I had to leave early because I thought I had a lot to do today, but two of the things were called off so now I unexpectedly actually have some time that is less busy than expected. Still a lot to do, and I'm skipping preparation meetings for EUDC next week, but I can use the break. So much that over the weekend I'm going away with friends for nothing but swimming and barbecue and absolutely no guilt about things I should be doing (at least that's the plan), I'm really looking forward to it.
In conclusion, I should go to Karaoke more often :)

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

I'm delighted your karaoke machine had Starships, and all the other fanvid songs in my head.

I have public singing and mic experience, and I've found karaoke almost impossible––I can't hear myself so I end up hideously off-key.

[yuuago]

It sounds like a great time. And your weekend plans sound great too, guiltless good times are the best. <3

[dhampyresa]

Karaoke sounds like something you enjoy a lot so definitely do more of it if you can!

[naye]

Ahh, karaoke is so much fun! Was this at a place where you sing in front of the crowd? If so I am SUPER IMPRESSED with your guts, because I would be too nervous to do that.

And - YES, music vids are the best for discovering random songs you like to song! (And openings and endings, if you sing in Japanese.)

We have discovered we can use a Japanese karaoke service through our PS3, and for the past month we've almost entirely stopped watching stuff in favor of singing our little hearts out. Mostly Japanese songs, though - I remember when the Handlebars video came out (IT IS SO GOOD), and I was living in Japan and Xparrot and Gnine and I were all really sad they didn't have it (as their Western selection is way smaller compared to the Japanese).

Thank you for linking all these vids - I'd seen a couple (and loved them!), but there's some new ones for me to check out. :D

[schneefink]

They're pretty good there about adding songs to their catalogue when people request them, and ever since I saw that they have "Carry On My Wayward Son" I suspect at least a few fanpeople go there ;) (Or maybe that's a popular song? Idk.)

Now I'm curious what I sound like when I can't hear myself, that doesn't usually happen. I'd definitely be a lot more hesitant than normal.

[schneefink]

It was fantastic! I (almost) managed not to think about uni or other stuff like that at all. One of the other guys tried to study during the weekend and every time he said the words "bachelor thesis" I was tempted to throw something at him *g*

[schneefink]

I hope so! Next time I'll be better prepared too :)

[schneefink]

I didn't know there are karaoke places where you don't sing in front of a crowd? So, yes, with an audience. It's not a big place though, and fortunately the singers wildly differ in quality so I didn't have to be afraid of being worse than anyone else.

I love singing at home, mostly to vids :) Unfortunately the walls in my new apartment aren't that soundproof so I don't think I'll dare to very often, or only very quietly. I used to do it when nobody else was at home, but now I don't know how well my neighbour can hear me.

I'm happy if you found a vid you enjoyed!

[naye]

Yes! That's the Japanese style - they're sometimes called "karaoke boxes"? You get a room with your friends (or alone - that's a okay, too), and the room will have a monitor and two mics and an electronic catalog, plus of course the karaoke machine. So you can sit around the table and take turns putting songs into the system and singing together or separately. Plus there's always a phone, so you can call and order food and drink and never have to leave. XD

You find them in Asia, plus in countries with expat Asian populations - there's a bunch in California, for example. Sadly London only has a handful, and they're super pricey. :(

But yeah, I've never done karaoke in front of strangers! I'd be totally terrified, and am very impressed that you did.

Maybe you could sing on weekend nights before 10pm or so? Or are parties not socially accepted in Austrian flats? (I know Switzerland has very strict noise laws...)

[schneefink]

That sounds very comfortable too, and less pressure which can be nice :) Unfortunately I don't know of anything like this in Vienna, I'd expect people to use their private playstations and similar things (which I don't have...) if they want to do karaoke with friends. No restaurant service though, a definite disadvantage.

I definitely could sing in my flat, especially if it's not in the middle of the night and because on my own I'm not that loud, but I feel more awkward about that than about singing karaoke at the bar. Maybe because at the bar everyone is there to hear amateurs sing, they can leave at any time, and if they're not interested in what you're singing they'll talk with their friends on the table instead. My (new!) neighbour(s)/flatmate(s) however have less of a choice to hear what I sing, and I like to have a good relationship with them, so I'm more worried that they might not like it. Rationally I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind if I sing once in a while, I probably just have to keep telling myself that several more times.