Music Dreamer Live! Cafe Auditions June 2008

I went for last Monday's Music Dreamer Live! Cafe's Auditions For Singers and Instrumentalists Round One because firstly, I wanted to continue to develop a keen eye and ear for performances since part of my interest is to critique on singing and performances in this blog. Secondly, I also get a chance by observing the participants and thus learn how to sing or perform better myself.

To prepare for the long night (which turned out to be a full 2.5 hours), I gouged myself on a nice plate of chay kway tiao and some homemade ice lemon tea. Sinful, right? It's terrible for the singing throat but I love sinful food just as much as singing but since I am not performing on that Monday night, I just let my appetite run free. Whee~~~munch munch munch~~~

Well, it turned out that I arrived early at the place so instead of going into the cafe, I strolled around and got myself a nice Cornetto ice-cream for dessert - chocolate - my favourite. I spent time walking around with my cone, speculating what the auditions would be like and the quality of the participants (I heard there will be a total of 5 days for the 1st round of auditions, bringing the total number of participants to over 100)

This is the stage before the auditions began. One of the senior instrumentalists, Jianli, was there and he actually asked how come I did not go for the auditions. He was so nice to be able to remember me even though the last time I sang alongside his music accompaniment was quite a while ago. I politely replied I was there as an observer.
This is contestant number four out of twenty-nine. Big, buffy fellow who was rushing back to his National Service Camp. I took his picture because I thought he had quite a good chance of making it through to the next round with his loud and clear singing.

Recognize him? Photo is fuzzy because of the lighting but it's Zijie of Campus Superstar Season Two. He threw in his lot to try for a place at the cafe auditions too but judging from how the judges panel in front of him were slightly shaking their heads, I have to be honest - his chances were a little slim.
This is contestant number 29 - one of the few who could play an instrument and sing at the same time. He did not look particularly eye-catching but he was good with his rendition of a Jay Chou song and his fingerwork on his guitar was definitely worth listening to. I thought he stood a chance too.

What about the ladies? Although there were a couple of really good-looking girls in the auditions, their choice of songs were pretty hard and I was so busy taking down notes for their performance commentaries that I could not find time to even raise the camera for them.

Anyway, the following were the notes taken. It seemed that most of the girls had trouble reaching the lownotes whilst the guys had problems keeping their beat to their songs. There was very little time between the participants' turns so I was furiously scribbling down what I heard and thought about their performances. There are still four more days of auditions so I will see if I can go down again to hear what the remaining 80 plus participants could come up with.

1) Qiuling：我是真的受伤了
- 开始时低音过弱
- -“受伤”唱走音
- 后面部份拉音也稍微走音
- 可是整体听起来蛮舒服的

2) Wenqiang: 再见西亚图
- -“天上”“那些时光”唱走音
- 对歌词认识不深，频频看歌谱
- 高音很稳扎，可是一直用同高频音来唱
- 低音部份没有把音频放低

3) Yimei: 心动
- 抖音过多
- 音色有点朦胧
- “来不及”吃字了
- 主歌和复歌之别不够明显

4) Jun-an: 祈祷
- “在掉泪”走音
- 拉音纯净名亮
- 张力充足

5) Jolin: 全世界失眠
- 抖音过多
- “害怕”走音
- 入歌拍子，和拍子不对
- 收音时吞字

6) Weixian: 会有那么一天
- “多”拉音短了些
- 尾音不太稳扎，有点抖
- 可是张力充足

7) Chen Lei: 遗失的美好
- “找回”，“到老”，“美好”走音
- 赶拍子
- 主歌和复歌之别不够明显

8) Wanshi: 其实很爱你
- “不会太”，“学着遗忘”低音控制稍弱
- 复歌的能量不充足
- 最后部份入歌错位

9) Yexin: I Believe
- “冲动”吞字
- 入歌忘词
- 拍子控制稳健
- 情绪起伏明显

10) Hongwei: 浪人情歌
- 有点刻意模仿原唱口气
- 主歌和复歌之别不够明显

11) Luqiang: (didn't catch the song title)
- “你” 低不下去
- 轻重音不明显
- 鼻音过重
- 歌词朦胧不清晰

12) Jingxian: 新不了情
- “缘份”，“难了”低不下去
- “拥有”走音
- 音量绕在嘴部喉部，没出来

13) Zixuan: 离人
- 高音不够稳扎
- “离人”，“告别”走音
- 拉音不够能量，收音不明确

14) Huiling: 可惜不是你
- 开始时低音过低
- “牵”走音
- 一直用抖音来唱多部份的歌曲
- 复歌和假音都控制得不错

15) Yinying: 纸飞机
- “是沙”，“飞机”走音
- 忘词
- 赶拍子

16) Huimin: 叶子
- “叶”拉得不够长
- “遗忘”走音
- 复歌一直赶拍子
- “子”拉音低不下去

17) (Didnt catch his name): 傻瓜
- 开始时稍微赶拍子
- 低音不够稳扎
- “瓜”，“有”走音
- 张力充足

18) Ziyang: 快乐
- 旋律一直不变，没起伏
- 很自然的表演

19) Hua-An: 一眼瞬间
- 口气过于模仿原唱
- 忘词
- 歌词没有连贯
- 把原曲改得太不熟悉了

20) Kailing: 地狱天使
- 情绪起伏不足够
- “不敢”走音
- 复歌喉音没开，有吞字显像

21) Kaiwen: 乘虚而入
- 歌词接得过紧
- “入”咬字不太清楚
- 张力充足

22) Jingling: Beautiful Love
- 开始时， “世界”低音过弱
- 咬字让歌曲变成一块块的
- 吐字过于用力

23) Peixian: 如果有一天
- “欣赏”走音
- “平常”吐字过重
- 主歌和复歌之别不够明显

24) Shibin: 最近
- 用太多的抖音
- 用太多的哭腔
- 拍子过慢

25) Xingfang: 每一次想念
- 轻重音拿捏不稳
- 忘词
- 抖音和拉音用得过多
- 嗓子纯亮好听

26) Liling: 剪爱
- 复歌的轻重音控制不稳
- 入歌错位
- 收音不够扎实
- 情绪控制得好

27) Zijie: Sorry
- 走音
- 高音骠不上
- 拍子不协调
- 复歌欠缺层次感

28) Jingming: 江南
- “你”，“万分”走音
- 喉音过重
- 嘴型局限了发音

29) Zhengwei: 我不配
- “配”吃字
- 拍子稍微跑掉
- 转音技巧不错

That's all for tonight's post. Goodnight everyone!