Category: Zone BBS Icon 2006
First of all, I would like to point out that although I'm a sponsor to Icon, the following post has nothing to do with my sponsorship, or with any of the views by the Zone Icon staff.
What I have to say, is only my opinion, and everyone is of course welcome to agree or to disagree, afterall, there's no way everybody's going to like everything you say, not so?
What I have to say, is solely based on my impressions after listening to the first broadcast of Zone Icon.
First of all, I would like to congratulate each of you who entered.
You all showed a lot of guts, (something some of us lack).
To the Icon Staff, you did a good job, and may I say, I think you choose the right person to act as the host for the broadcasts.
Next, I would like to stand still at some of the technical aspects.
The first, and probably the most important thing I would like to emphasize, is that you as contestant should make sure that you know the song that you chose to sing, more important, you have to understand the music you're dealing with, you have to make that song part of you.
If you select some odd song simply because you think it's a show stopper, but that song is not part of you, you have already lost.
Next, make sure that when you perform your song, you are at ease.
Yes, I realise that factors such as "stage fright" and other issues can distract your attention a little bit, but, any person who has a faint feel for music, will easily hear when the singer is stressed, or uncomfortable.
Next, if you are going to send in a recording of your song, take the trouble of making sure tht it's well produced, technically as well as musically.
If a song is neatly "packaged", people will automatically want to listen to it.
If a song is just put down and not taken care of propperly, it's an already half lost battle.
Next, if you sing a song a capella, make sure that it's the type of song that would sound okay without a backing track.
There were especially one finalist who entered a song without a backing track, and I tell you now, had she recorded her song with a backing track, she would have been in the top 3 eventually.
And I'm now not saying anything to gain extra business.
Well all, for now that's all I have to say.
If there's anything else I think of, I'll come back and post it here.
Meanwhile, feel free to contribute your views.
Cheers
Q
Oh yeah, on the a capella thing:
If you chose a song to perform without a backing track, realise that singing without any backing, will require a lot of confidence.
Don't pick a song with long instrumental parts, resulting in you having to pause for a long time.
In the first place, doing this will make it harder for you to keep your rhythm, and after all, who would want to listen to ... emptiness?
Anyway, if there's anything more I can think of, I'll post again.
Q
good advise Q. hey you did an awesome job on the theme song by the way. I have had to hear it over and over and did i mention over, while Dan is putting the show together. hehehehe It sticks in your head. Great job. Shea
I second your humble opinion on Zone Icon. I'd say more, but I'm in a bit of a rush.
agree with you totally q. As someone who didn't take part and now regrets not having done so, I listened to the show with great interest. My personal opinion is that anyone who sings without a backing track while all the rest have backings, has already put themselves at a disadvantage, as it's very difficult to pull off a performance because your every breath, every hesitation etc can be heard whereas if you have a backing it's easier to relax and harder to pick up a flawed performance.
just my opinion though :)
oh and q where are you on msn these days - email me?
As a musician, vocal coach, and singer myself, I totally agree. Unless you know you're hot, don't sing acappella! Even when the professionals record an acappella number, they record it with piano backing, and just punch the piano out.
I totally agree. some of us were talking yesterday about this very thing - about making it sound the best you can. some equipment eg. microphone etc really doesn't do justice to a performance which may actually sound perfect. sometimes yesterday this very fact put some contestents down I thought. it's definitely a shame. but if you want to get anywhere seriously, one needs to know their setup. eg. I wanted to submit something for icon but my new computer has an onboard realtech sound card which, for whatever annoying reason, I don't know how to ajust. so I knew it probably wouldn't be worth it. but had I still my old sound card which I could configure perfectly I may have been able to do something and know the quality of my recording wasn't going to let me down.
Right! The cheap plastic mics that come with computers will hurt your performance. if nothing else, find a friend who has something, ot overly elaborate, but decent. It doesn't have to be a Neumann, but it definitely shouldn't be a stock computer mic, or a Logitech.
Thanks, Q, also, for the theme song! It's awesome!
Keep up the good work, all!
I completely agree with posts one, two, and six.
Another thing I'd add: When singing, be extremely conscious of your timing. A rushed or dragging vocal performance is quite noticeable, especially when a backing track is present.
Final thoughts: Good job, iconers and icon staff! Keep the shows coming!
Yeah, I myself are looking forward to what's in store.
I think it's going to get quite tough and interesting as time progresses.
Good luck to all you contestants.
good luck, all!
You're going to hate tomorrows show since it was all done acappella.
hey there good people. Q? great Job on our theme song! It sounds so awesome. I have a copy of it on my Ipod and I listen to it a lot. It is really good. And the rest of you contestants, do your best and keep your heads up! go and get em, and keep hope alive.
Theem song? Is that that little ditty in C Major at the beginning and end of the show? I did not notice a theem, unless that is what you are talking about.
oh yes, love the theme song! :)
I'm glad you like the theme song.
As for the last round, it was quite interesting.
I somehow cannot help to feel sorry for Goldfingas, although I know he was wrong.
Poor bloke!
Something I want to point out, if I may, is that I do think the judges didn't focus enough on the rhythmic aspect of singing without a backing track.
Yes, surely staying on pitch is vital, but how about the rhythmic part?
Some of the contestants wisely chose songs that allowed them to go about the rhythmic parts quite "ad libitum", so to speak, so, it worked fine for them.
However, it kinda degraded the challenge to some extent, once again in my opinion.
I believe I did mention GF's rhythm... As for the others', I'm not sure.
You did Lizz, that's probably where the factor of the backing in his ear came from.
Hey, there was only one thing that I didn't feel was very fair about zone icon. It seemed to me that it was perhaps a bit unfair that Herby didn't get to say what he thought of his feedback. I can't remember if he was the only one or not, but most of the others, if not everyone else, was asked what they thought, and I notcied that he was just cut out at that point. I think if something is going to be done, it either needs to be done consistantly, or not done at all. Just my thoughts.....
An interesting round, round 2.
Certainly, the fact that the audience couldn't hear Harriet Potter's backing track, in my opinion, counted against her.
I dare to say that, had the audience and the judges heard her backing track, they would have had a different opinion.
Surely there were a few mishaps towards the end of her performance, but, this didn't only happen to her.
However, to conclude, once again a great job by the audio team, as well as the judges.
I really think that this is a nifty show.
Well said, Q
Q, you did that track?
it's great!!!
thanks for all the tips too.
Looking forward to results.
Q, I so agree with you about Harriet_potter's performance the other night. Glad I'm not the only one to think as you do.
John
So, with the new round lurking around the corner, or, who knows, the recordings have probably been done already, I think we're in for a very interesting round.
Certainly the new task at hand might have some of the contestants out of their comfort zones, (of course, if they were in some comfort zone), and I am excitingly awaiting the show on Tuesday evening.
As for my comments earlier on the Harriet-Potter thingie, the following:
After reading another board post that covered this thing specifically, I would think that if the audio team had to mix down Hariet_Potter's song with her backing, that would probably have been a little unfair towards the rest of the contestants.
So yes, although I think that singing without a backing track for the audience to hear exposed her a bit more than the other contestants, I also think that these things happen, and, that's life.
I also think that if Harriet Potter works on her techniques, and keep on singing, keep on going, I don't see why she won't have a bright musical future.
Q,
here are my pradictions as to who will get voted off in order.
Neko: I just don't see him doing mainstream pop all that well.
PlitPlop: While he is good, I just see the feamale population winning this one.
TheSweetheart
Jessica
and finally Loui will probably win.
That's of corse if any of the next few weeks go the way the past few have been as far as results, percentage points, and number of votes.
As to who will eventually win the thing, I won't stick my head out this far, for it can be dangerous.
The last round proved exactly this.
I think as the contest progresses, and as the contestants need to perform in different genres, it'll become very tight towards the end.
This judgement is based on the consistency of the first two performances, as well as perceived talent, but...Louie all the way!
With that said, however, there's still a lot of time for the statements made in post twenty seven to ring true.
Well, it's always hard for me to figure out who to vote for. I know a few of the people that are singing in this show, and I'm glad no one asks me who I'm voting for, because I wouldn't want to be in that situation. I think that it would be hard to judge to, but who knows. I know a long time ago I wanted to be a singer, but now I don't, not with all the competition and no breaks, and singing the same stuff over and over. I just hope everyone gives it all they've got and gives it their best try. I try and give most people confidence because I know how good it feels to have honestly, not just saying it to say it, complement you and really mean it. And to the zone icon staff, keep up the good work with producing and having us listen to the show. I'll be looking forward to the results show.