[NeoSaturn]

Hi, I want to thank all those who attended this Years event.

I wanted to make a thread for feedback and suggestions. I am looking for constructive criticism for Karaoke madness, the big event, but also we are in talks of adding a separate 24 hour-type Karaoke room!(Think a karaoke Parlor in Japan!)

Also any song suggestion you want us to add too would help us greatly. We definitely would like to get more songs (especially japanese titles that are karaoke-sytle). You have the option of bringing any type of media device, as long as it has the headphone jack, and we can play your music that way as well.

We want to have fun and we want you all to have fun with us. We support ANY kind of music. Because this is an anime con, we realize that people would like to sing Japanese music. You totally can. But lets face it, when everyone knows the song, everyone gets into it However, if you can sing it, then sing it and have fun with us all!


Join us on Facebook or watch other performances on Youtube

Use this link for Song Requests

This post has been edited by NeoSaturn: 27 May 2011 - 09:43 PM

[Dark Spellmaster]

A suggestion then, since people feel there needs to be more anime music, how about for every 1 english song, there has to be three or four japanese songs sung, either the english version of the song, or the orignal japanese. Could that help out?

[HiroEcks]

Hyatt main ballroom. Nuff said.

[Kikyo_Cat]

Dark Spellmaster, on 27 May 2011 - 10:03 PM, said:

A suggestion then, since people feel there needs to be more anime music, how about for every 1 english song, there has to be three or four japanese songs sung, either the english version of the song, or the orignal japanese. Could that help out?

Going off this, I would suggest rather then one massive line have two lines (one on each side of the stage if possible) one for Non Anime/Game songs and one for Anime/Game songs (whether they be in English or Jap.) which would make it a lot easier to rotate instead of searching for the next Anime-ish song. You could have one person from the Non-anime/game side sing and then one from the anime/game side sing (depending how many people there are. If a lot want to sing those types then have like 2 Anime-ish and 1 not back and forth)

Other then that the ipod plug in thing is great. I'd suggest a bigger time gap because not everyone got to sing.
There should also be a rule that no one can put in more then one song everyone so many hours so the same person isn't singing a lot to give other people a chance.

If you didn't want to do the two lines suggestion what else would work is having like from a certain time to a certain time planned for all anime/game songs and then the other time to another time (later on in the night) non anime songs (though the lines would make more sense so anyone could go whenever.)

:3 I HOPE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN NEXT YEAR!

Also I second for Hyatt. Would be so much easier for me LOL

[FlyingElf]

Didn't attend this year, but my friend said that the selection of anime music was extremely disappointing. So I thought I'd pass that along as a suggestion to bump that up.

I would also very much hype a Japanese only karaoke as this is an anime convention. Not that every song has to be in Japanese, but should be related to jpop, jrock, anime, video games, or something else along those lines. As cool as it is to get up there and sing Journey, I can do that in any karaoke bar in America. What I can't do is sing Duvet.

[NeoSaturn]

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A suggestion then, since people feel there needs to be more anime music, how about for every 1 english song, there has to be three or four japanese songs sung, either the english version of the song, or the orignal japanese. Could that help out?

I do Agree that there needs to be more Anime music available and set up a link for Suggestion for those selections, I won't tell people what they can or can't sing. I can adjust the sign up list(it Digital you can move names up or down the list) for a more balanced ratio, For instance Place a anime song then an American, then a J-pop, then a video game one. Again only if people are singing them.

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If you didn't want to do the two lines suggestion what else would work is having like from a certain time to a certain time planned for all anime/game songs and then the other time to another time (later on in the night) non anime songs (though the lines would make more sense so anyone could go whenever.)

Yeah the two line thing is not necessary for us, it a digital list we can move songs around when needed

Again with the 24 hour type karaoke (which I should rename the Karaoke Parlor) set up we are planning there might be time for just an anime only block, Again details would need to be worked out.

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Hyatt main ballroom. Nuff said.

That would be awesome but I doubt it, see below. However the Karaoke Parlor might very well be set up in the Hyatt.

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Didn't attend this year, but my friend said that the selection of anime music was extremely disappointing. So I thought I'd pass that along as a suggestion to bump that up.

And Again I open to music selections, link above

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I would also very much hype a Japanese only karaoke as this is an anime convention. Not that every song has to be in Japanese, but should be related to jpop, jrock, anime, video games, or something else along those lines. As cool as it is to get up there and sing Journey, I can do that in any karaoke bar in America

Really don't want to get into this debate however, I am just state this now.


The Main Karaoke Event which we name Karaoke Madness is run as counter programing to the dances. We need to fill the Embassy ballroom and we do.

At Midwest Karaoke Madness we believe that all music is welcome,all people are welcome that will never change. Will we get more anime music yes and the Ratio of American to Anime music will even out. Right now it is about a 2 to 1 ratio (again i have more files to upload before i get the final count)


In fact, A good reason we have a open to all music, is not everyone sang at karaoke before, Some people don't go to bars(to young or not there thing) or do not have the machines. Other are not anime fans but Moms and dad looking for something to do.

we had a older gentleman Friday night who came to ACen with his Daughter and came to the Karaoke Event looking for something to do. He enjoyed himself and got up and sang Breakfast at Tiffany's and thanked us.

That made my night.

This post has been edited by NeoSaturn: 28 May 2011 - 12:40 AM

[HiroEcks]

In all seriousness, I stopped in to the event on Saturday night for a short bit and when I went to put up a song I was told the wait was about 2-2.5 hours. I ended up hanging out for a few of the performers but then jet. I know it's not anyone fault since the event was in high demand what can you do, eh?

The parlor idea sounds cool, since everyone wouldn't be concentrated into whatever block of time the event is set for and could be spread throughout the day.

On the topic of people saying not enough jrock/jpop, I wonder how it would be if maybe something was done where if you request to do a japanese song, you get bumped up to next alternate spot between 2 english songs? So the flow would be more like english, japanese, english, japanese etc. I guess that could be a decent way to get more people to do those sorts of songs. At least in my head it sounds that way.

[vortia]

I'm really going to have to throw in in favor of some form of Japanese only karaoke - I don't care if it's a dedicated time-block, a dedicated separate room or what have you, but we need one!

I've been coming to this con since '99, and in the past, karaoke was one of my favorite events. Everyone would turn out, and try their hand at belting out a song in a language they hardly comprehended, and had a great time. Everyone was there for the same reason, and the embarrassment of having no idea what you were doing was lessened by the fact that no one else there did either.

You say "nobody wants to sing Japanese songs". Well, there's an easy reason for that - most of your congoers aren't fluent in Japanese, so the prospect of following up someone's great rendition of a Duran Duran tune with stumbling through the lyrics to the Gaogaigar OP is pretty darn overwhelming.

Viver may have gotten overly worked up over on the last thread, but I feel like my friends & I share his outlook. When I pay to attend an anime convention, I'm there to celebrate anime. I don't particularly care for most American music, and I haven't attended the karaoke event in years since whenever I walk by it's nothing but modern U.S. Pop.

Now I'm not about to say "ban English songs", because that'd just be selfish, and I don't think I have the right to ruin everyone elses good time, but I think that some sort of accommodation should be made for those of us who'd like to sing anime songs at an anime con. My personal preference would be to see the two segregated in some form. As-is, I get the feeling that the majority of people interested in singing anime songs are too intimidated to participate.

[Zilveari]

I'll just transplant part of one of my posts from the "other" thread to keep the creative juices flowing.

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I like the "extended karaoke" type ideas. Adding a couple programming staff to the karaoke group or something. That way we could have a room dedicated to karaoke for most of the convention. Maybe from like 8pm-2am each night of the con the karaoke room would be open. Like 12am-2am each night would be open mic, anything can be sung. Then from 8pm-12am each night there could be a programming schedule. Maybe American top40 for a couple hours, jpop for a couple hours, jrock for a couple hours.

Also possibly have a block of time for english anime songs(The Oasis song from Higashi no Eden, John Sykes song from Black Heaven, Deadman Wonderland's op, etc). And another block for english dub versions of japanese songs

[NeoSaturn]

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I'm really going to have to throw in in favor of some form of Japanese only karaoke - I don't care if it's a dedicated time-block, a dedicated separate room or what have you, but we need one!

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I like the "extended karaoke" type ideas. Adding a couple programming staff to the karaoke group or something. That way we could have a room dedicated to karaoke for most of the convention. Maybe from like 8pm-2am each night of the con the karaoke room would be open.

I will quote these cause there are related.


Programming came up with the idea of using the stage area in the Hyatt(it is behind escalators and near panel ops and the battle tech set up) It didn't pan out this year. However, it may be doable for next year. kinda bringing back the old con suite karaoke....except no free food. This could be block out to have an anime music only time slot let say from 1 till 5 pm(just an example)

[Stkbayfield]

If you manage to make time blocks, I would LOVE to see a session dedicated to cosplay specific karaoke, with the idea that all songs are being sung AS the character the cosplayer is portraiting. With some inventive minds, it could turn out to be a hilarious and entertaining experience.

[nohohon]

Was there on Saturday, and I can't believe no one has made a comment about the t-shirts. There were plenty of people who waited all night for their turn and didn't get to sing because of it. I honestly didn't think that was all that fair.

[Sir Viver]

Anime/Japgame-only time blocks, as stated by several people in the last thread, would be the only sensible solution. As long as the Japanese-themed karaoke doesn't coincide with any major on-topic events at the con. (Examples: The masquerade, or perhaps a panels/signings by reputable voice actors/actresses, on the rare occasion that Acen actually has them as guests) And as stated my a few people already, not all anime/game music has to be in Japanese. Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain, TWEWY, and many other anime/games/etc have plenty of songs with English lyrics. Even if you don't have it memorized, that's what lyric sheets are for. Heck, even some of ye olde "so bad they're good" early-90's English dub opening songs would be more relevant than current Billboard chart music or "let's sing this because of the cheesy novelty" 80's stuff. (as much as I and many others absolutely love 80's music, this is Acen, and we all get our daily dose from the wandering Rickroll Guy anyway.)

/my $0.02. Everything that needs to be said has already been said by more than enough people, and I've already made an arse of myself enough in that last thread. The choice is now up the Karaoke Madness people which Acen farmed their karaoke program to, as well as the people and what decisions they'll support.

[Kokoro]

vortia, on 28 May 2011 - 01:34 AM, said:

You say "nobody wants to sing Japanese songs". Well, there's an easy reason for that - most of your congoers aren't fluent in Japanese, so the prospect of following up someone's great rendition of a Duran Duran tune with stumbling through the lyrics to the Gaogaigar OP is pretty darn overwhelming.

I find that odd. With the number of people running around totally willing to spout off horrifyingly bad Japanese and insert at least 5 random Japanese words into every English sentence (KAWAII DESU NEEEEEE), I would have thought more people would be totally fine with singing Japanese songs even if they butchered it. The point's to have fun, anyway, not be the best singer EVAR.

Is it possible to get Japanese songs with Romaji? We had Pinyin on the bottom of the screen for some of the Chinese songs at the Karaoke bar I went to in Beijing. Very helpful, because if you don't recognize a word but know the language's pronunciation rules, you can still sing it just fine.

[Sir Viver]

Kokoro, on 29 May 2011 - 03:05 PM, said:

I find that odd. With the number of people running around totally willing to spout off horrifyingly bad Japanese and insert at least 5 random Japanese words into every English sentence (KAWAII DESU NEEEEEE), I would have thought more people would be totally fine with singing Japanese songs even if they butchered it.

This. A thousand times, this.

[Lord Seth]

For what it's worth, outside of a few minor problems, I really enjoyed the karaoke as it was.

This post has been edited by Lord Seth: 29 May 2011 - 06:12 PM

[Shintarou Inuzuka]

My suggestion would be either to lengthen the amount of time of the panel or to try to do something about the problem with people signing up for multiple songs under multiple names (or groups signing up for multiple songs under individual members' names); there were several people/groups who got to sing two or even three songs each, while many people who were there for the whole thing didn't get to sing at all because of them.

Getting a 24-hour karaoke room would be excellent, though, and that problem wouldn't even come into play then!

As for the Japanese songs, that would be cool to have more of them! However, for those people who bring their iPods and stuff, please come prepared and bring the lyrics beforehand if you plan to bring your own songs so you don't forget the words part of the way through!

This post has been edited by Shintarou Inuzuka: 29 May 2011 - 07:20 PM

[Lina]

I'm surprised with how many anime fans there are, there aren't that many who actually sing Japanese songs. I can't read Japanese, but I can read romaji very well. I'm not the best at pronunciations and it takes time for me to get the words down, same with any language for me, but I at least try. Don't people have a favorite anime opening/ending that they like to sing? Or favorite J-Pop/Rock song?

I hope there will at least be a block where it's only Japanese songs.

[Dark Spellmaster]

Lina, on 29 May 2011 - 08:54 PM, said:

I'm surprised with how many anime fans there are, there aren't that many who actually sing Japanese songs. I can't read Japanese, but I can read romaji very well. I'm not the best at pronunciations and it takes time for me to get the words down, same with any language for me, but I at least try. Don't people have a favorite anime opening/ending that they like to sing? Or favorite J-Pop/Rock song?

I hope there will at least be a block where it's only Japanese songs.

I wonder if it's a bit of fear there too. When you mess up a song in english or say spanish you're less likely to be laughed at because it's a song that most people hear all the time and people singing badly on youtube. When it's an anime or favorite song theres a sense of not wanting to mess up a beloved song, or for that matter the fear that if you do a really insane fan will be like "You suck man, you're the worse, how dare you destroy my beloved song with your vomit inducing catter-walling." or some such nonsense.

[vortia]

Kokoro, on 29 May 2011 - 03:05 PM, said:

I find that odd. With the number of people running around totally willing to spout off horrifyingly bad Japanese and insert at least 5 random Japanese words into every English sentence (KAWAII DESU NEEEEEE), I would have thought more people would be totally fine with singing Japanese songs even if they butchered it. The point's to have fun, anyway, not be the best singer EVAR.

You'd think, but I think there's a serious difference in the level of dedication necessary to smatter your personal dialog with Japanese and to learn a whole song.

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Is it possible to get Japanese songs with Romaji?

It certainly should be possible. In the past I've always brought my own music & lyric sheets.

[Kaay-chan]

Here's my suggestion: you guys say you don't tell people what they can and cannot sing and therefore will not limit it to just anime fandom related songs. My question for you is: how do you know that doing so won't improve the quality of the show you put on? Have you ever tried it? From what I've heard, they do it at other conventions and it works out perfectly fine, which makes me wonder why you're so insistent on saying, or at the very least very heavily implying, that only a very vocal minority wants it and that it won't work.

Just give it a try some time, maybe at one of the smaller cons that you do this at. That's all I'm saying. If it doesn't work out, then you can go back to how you used to do things, but if it turns out that this is the key to you running a successful anime convention karaoke and you continue to flat out refuse to do it, then you need to be prepared to accept responsibility if one year you apply to do karaoke at an anime convention and they tell you "sorry, we're using someone else this year."

[Ashori]

nohohon, on 28 May 2011 - 10:46 PM, said:

Was there on Saturday, and I can't believe no one has made a comment about the t-shirts. There were plenty of people who waited all night for their turn and didn't get to sing because of it. I honestly didn't think that was all that fair.

Yeah, that was a bit annoying. I was told it'd be about 20 minutes or so for my turn to come up after the event began - I didn't get my turn to sing until around 2am or so, with my friend getting her turn about a half-hour later? By that point, we were both tired with immense migraines. XP

[Lothos]

Kaay-chan, on 30 May 2011 - 05:41 AM, said:

My question for you is: how do you know that doing so won't improve the quality of the show you put on? Have you ever tried it?

Honestly, we've never has a single complaint about it until now, so there's been no reason to change it. We'll work on something for next year, but frankly the smaller cons we've been to have always had nothing but positive feedback in regards to the mixed song selection.

[NeoSaturn]

Question

IF we do a Anime Only Karaoke block,

Would you like to be hosted like an event(I am thinking of Asking a friend to guest host it) with a name (Anime Karaoke Madness or something else)maybe in a stage area or just be informal come up and sing, smaller room , etc

Also what times you think would think would better suit and event like this?

[vortia]

I would think that a smaller room with an informal atmosphere would be best. That's what I'm accustomed to and I think a lot of people would enjoy the more laid back, forgiving ambiance.

Personally, I dig late night, but I think some others might differ from me.

[STVO]

Hey I thought you guys did an awesome job with the set-up! My only nitpick was I arrived a little late and couldn't sign up, that didn't effect the positive experience at all! I had a great time and will try to show up early and encourage others to do the same.

As far as "only songs from anime or Japan", it's nice to hear some of them but IMO it's not necessary at all! I think the bulk majority of people in that room were having a good time (and if they weren't, they did a good job hiding it!)

Now one suggestion (if you don't do it already, sorry kind of just wanted to praise you guys without reading the requests, lol) is to have some TV show themes/American video game lyrics. I myself wouldn't mind singing along to the words of the Family Matters theme or rocking out to the giant s*** monster song from Conker's Bad Fur Day (if you allow songs of those lyrics, lol.) Either way, I hope to stop by even if only for a bit next year.

[Zrana]

I'll admit this from the start: I didn't go to karaoke this year or last year. THe 2 years before that were SEVERELY disappointing to me. A couple friends that still try and brave it gave it overall negative reviews, so I've basically written off going to karaoke at Acen--something that was the main "MUST ATTEND" thing for me since my firest Acen in 2001.

I go to multiple cons a year, and attend karaoke at all of them if staffing doesn't conflict. Ohayocon, Youmacon, and my tiny backyard Ikasucon. AX and Anime North way back when as well. Restricting things to staying "on topic" has never affected turn-out at those cons. (Except for one girl who thought a rap song in English meant she could sing Bohemium Rhapsody and got pissy when told know--the rap song was from the group who did the Samurai Champloo opening, so while it stretched the rules, it didn't break them.)

Basically, I'm saying I'm severely biased.

The wait to sing is standard--lots of people, lots of songs, lots of time. Unless I'm the first few in line, I don't expect to sing anytime soon.

But hearing about 24 hour karaoke makes me happy. It'll reduce the wait if the singing is spread out! Non "on topic" songs? Oh well, with things spread out, the pickier people will still have their chances to sing.

I am, however, against the idea of making a "Japanse/anime/game/etc" only hour NOT go up against the Masquerade and other big events. Why? Because karaoke is MY big event--I'm burned out on masquerades, I'm content with my cosplay gatherings and seeing people int he halls, and I've never really got into going to concerts (or dances for that matter) for some reason. Not that I'm not against Anime Power Hour (see my bias above), but instead if this is used, to have it happen on a recurring basis, every few hours or so, so that there's multiple chances to make the ears of the anime picky happy.

If allowable, a corner of the dealer hall where people can sit and eat (like the ice cream station between registration and artist alley) would be my suggestion to have an all hours karaoke. This would be similar to the set up from the days of "The Forum" when Acen was allowed to feed it's attendees in that room and one guy bravely stayed there all day and night until he got comatose, letting people sing. (He tried to pawn off running it to me at one point, as in the whole of karaoke for the next year, but I declined--I have friends I only see once a year who come to Acen, and I had tried staffing that year and had already swore to never WORK Acen again, especially since karaoke wasn't really their 'thing' to these friends.)

There could then be some downtime for the karaoke crew when everyone is kicked out of the Dealer Hall, and then later set up much like was had the past few years in an actual events room.

Our views on karaoke at an anime con our different. I'll accept tht, and as you are the ones running it, it's your rules. I don't know what the description for karaoke was in the program, but to lessen the ire of "OMG TEENY BOPPER SONG RAAAAGE" types, I hope you make sure to mention that it ISN'T anime/etc only, and that mainstream USA and beyond are allowed as well. Hopefully people will read that and not be surprised to find out otherwise when karaoke actually starts.

Because in the end, we all like singing along to our songs, so we're not THAT much different at heart.


Sorry for the Wall O' Text. I'm not good at being concise.

[Dark Spellmaster]

I'd say before or after masqurade for a start would be good, smaller room would help.

@Zrana: But your wall of text was awesome to read.

[Diedie]

I have a quick question--

I wasn't able to attend so I'm not quite sure how it works ^^;
Are we allowed to bring our own music?

And also is there a karaoke contest at ACEN?

[Lothos]

Diedie, on 17 August 2011 - 12:21 PM, said:

I have a quick question--

I wasn't able to attend so I'm not quite sure how it works ^^;
Are we allowed to bring our own music?

And also is there a karaoke contest at ACEN?

Yes, we do offer the means for you to play your own music in the event that we don't have anything that strikes your fancy.

As far as a contest? I'm not sure about that. I've been the co-host of Midwest Karaoke Madness for a year or so now and I've never really heard of anything like that. Then again, I've never been to karaoke at ACen until I started hosting it.