You can go to Western bars in Beijing, or anywhere else in China, and have a good time, but it isn't the way most locals do it. China, like much of East Asia, loves karaoke. Spend enough time in Beijing and sooner or later you'll find yourself standing before a TV screen, beer and microphone in hand, with a crowd of karaoke enthusiasts insisting you sing to the Muzak version of a Beatles hit. Refuse and your Chinese host loses face; comply and you receive applause. Resistance is futile.
Karaoke was born with an ultimate aim to entertain and have fun, and appeals to millions of stressed-out corporate soldiers at a way to relax. But for first-timers, while holding a microphone and singing a song to the accompaniment of an "orchestra" may have them feeling like a star, it can also be a nerve-wracking experience.
Many people find that it becomes easier over time as the fear and anxiety of singing in public is replaced by the feeling of acceptance and appreciation by an attentive audience. In essence, karaoke is an art of practice.
Charlie Shifflett from Florida, USA, first tried karaoke about one year ago, soon after he arrived in Beijing. A copy editor for an English weekly in Beijing, Shifflett says he loves to sing. He admits to being anxious, despite having had plenty of experience singing and performing.
"I used to be in a rock band in high school, and, before that, I wore out my mom's ears on the way to school every morning," the young American says. "For some reason she let me just sing as loud as I wanted in the car, so I've had plenty of practice throughout my life."
Still, he was "a little nervous" on entering the KTV room with his new workmates.
There is the image concern. "Singing with colleagues is a lot different than singing in front of your mom," Shifflett says.
Making matters worse was the common problem of not being sufficiently familiar with any of the songs on rotation in the karaoke box. "I didn't know a lot of the pop songs," Shifflet says. "Plus, at the karaoke place, I ended up making some bad choices in songs. I couldn't hit the notes. When I sing them by myself or to my mom, it doesn't matter, but then when I try to sing them in front of other people, I realize that I sounded terrible."
Schiflett says his experience in a rock band didn't really help. In fact, it only made his KTV debut worse.
"When I play in front of people with a guitar, I am in control," says the former rock singer and player. "But in karaoke, I don't feel like I am in control, so I feel more nervous. You know, if you're playing guitar and singing, you control everything. But in a karaoke place, you can only sing. The music goes on and if you don't know the song as well as you thought then, well, you're in trouble. The worst feeling is when you just have to give up and tell someone to skip to the next song."
Shifflett is far from being alone in this respect. The stress induced by concerns over one's image can actually ruin the great fun that karaoke might otherwise offer.
Londoner David Green joined a karaoke party for the first time in Taiwan last year. Sitting rigidly among his newly acquainted colleagues, he had such a stressful time trying to "get the songs right" that for a while, he wished he had never accepted the invitation
At first, Green says he had thought that was mainly a matter of cultural difference. "In Western countries, if there is a singing party, people would stand up and move," Green says. "But here in China, people would just sit there and are much quieter. They tend to put more attention to the quality of voice and get the songs right."
In hindsight, Green says culture might be one of the reasons, but above all, he had difficulty losing his inhabitation in front of people from his office. With this realization, Green gave karaoke another go recently, soon after moving to Beijing. Mentally prepared to get into the atmosphere, and with a few bottles of "liquid courage," he ended up playing air guitar and reaping cheers, smiles and applause from the audience of his new work colleagues, even as he mangled his favorite songs. "I enjoyed it very much," Green says.
Looking back on his two experiences that ended in such great contrast, Green has come to a conclusion on which most karaoke veterans agree: "Quality wasn't the point, just getting up and doing it was. Once you drop all inhibition, preferably but not necessarily with the use of alcohol, and start belting out song after song, you will come to realize that karaoke is actually fun."
Shifflett adds: "Go with people who will laugh a lot and have fun. If you mess up and sound terrible, you don't want to be with people who will make fun of you, but those who will laugh along with you."
Capital's greatest hits
Beijing has a wide selection of karaoke venues scattered across the city catering to different tastes and budgets.
Better get yourself into a karaoke mood, grab some of your friends, find the closest or your favorite KTV, and unleash the star in you. There's usually a line, so you'll have to give them your name early.
* Party World
PartyWorld, one of the biggest and most popular KTV venues in the city, has more than 100 private rooms at each location, with lobbies the size of a five-star hotel. Its Chaowai branch has 130 KTV rooms, and its Shouti outlet has about 110. Besides these, there are four other branches of similar size located in Changyang District. They offer free buffet for their customers, including breakfast, lunch, supper, afternoon and midnight snacks.
Hours: 24 hours
Price: 39-365 yuan/hour/room
Chaowai: 1st and 2nd floor, Prime Tower (Fanli Dasha), 22 Chaowai Dajie.
Tel: 6588-3333
Shouti: Tengda Plaza, 168 Xiwai Dajie.
Tel: 8857-6588
Xinshijie: Zhenren Plaza, New World Center, 9 Chongwenmen Dajie.
Tel: 6708-8899
Lama Temple: 1/F, Yonghe East Tower, 28 Andingmeng Dongdajie
Huixin: At the north end of Huixin Dongjie, the southeast corner of Huixin Dongqiao bridge on the North Fourth Ring Road.
Tel: 8857-6566
* Melody KTV
Melody is another chain dedicated to KTV service. Each of its three outlets has more than 100 KTV rooms.
Hours: 8am-2am
Price: 27-230 yuan/hour/room. A free drink before 8 pm.
Yuetan: Yuetan Plaza, 2 Yuetan Beijie. Tel: 6808-5888月壇北街2號(hào)
Zhongguancun: 24 Zhongguancunnan Dajie (opposite Central University For Nationalities). Tel: 6218-9088
Chaowai: B77, Chaowai Dajie
Tel: 6551-0808
* Magic Box KTV
An 88-room KTV at the most busy place in Beijing.
Hours: 11am-5am.
Price: 23-164 yuan/hour/room. Free midnight snacks.
Address: B1, Wangfushiji Plaza, 55 Donganmen Dajie, Dongcheng District.
Tel: 6559-8888
* Tango KTV
Address: 79 Hepingli Xijie
Tel: 6428-2288
No 5 Club
22 Hepingli Dongjie, Dongcheng District, first crossroad traffic light to the north of Xiaojieqiao, east of the road.
Tel: 8425-8888
ABC of KTV
If you find yourself lost in a crowd of karaoke enthusiasts and your only chance is to sing your way out, here are some tips from a pro:
1. Song selection is very important. Take your time and read the songbook thoroughly. Pick a song you could literally sing in the shower, the more popular the better. Most people will support a singer who chooses a very popular or familiar song, and one thing you want on your side for your first time is crowd support. Be realistic about your vocal range and style and select a song that fits both. The trick is not to bite off more than you can chew for your first karaoke experience.
2. Allow the karaoke graphics to guide you along. Most karaoke systems have a video monitor that displays the lyrics of a chosen song as the music plays. The graphic display should also provide essential information such as the count-off before the verses and instrumental breaks. In addition, the lyrics should change color in time with the music, so use this as a clue for phrasing and timing.
3. Sing to the ones who are listening. Karaoke audiences can be tough crowds for first-time singers. If you look out in the crowd and sense indifference, play to the people who really are listening to you. If you are nervous about singing in public for the first time, seeing your friends and family singing along with you or clapping or dancing can do wonders for your self-confidence. If you become friends with a more established singer, he or she may also agree to sing along with you. Karaoke singing should be a social ice-breaker and constructive outlet, not a competition.
(source: How To Sing Karaoke for the First Time by Michael Pollic, howtodothings.com)
(Beijing Weekend December 11, 2007)
