The SingSnap Blog

Posted by Novella on May 14 at 9:06am.

Let's Get Our Duet On!

You are cordially invited to our Duet-A-Thon! Grab any partner you want off the Feature Page, do your best duet and post the link here! You can duet as many songs as you want. Sing a straight up duet with someone, turn a non-traditional duet into a duet or just sing harmony with them. Whatever you want, just get out your dancing shoes and make new friends!

The Duet-A-Thon Challenge:

Your goal is to duet any song found on the Feature Page! You can either select a song you want and go looking for a partner, or try to grab a song to finish off of the Watch & Listen Page! You may post as many finished duets here as you'd like! Just make sure it contains TWO names on the finished product!

Rules & Guidelines:

1. The Challenge is open from 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST Friday May 18, 2012!
2. The completed song must be dated May 18. (You may sing with someone's pre-record as long as the song is on the feature)
3. Duets ONLY! No single performances or harmony performances.
4. Gender Benders are acceptable
5. You MUST have FUN! Fun, Fun, Fun!
6. Post your challenge link back in this thread.
7. Web cams are encouraged but not required.
8. Challenge is open to all members.
9. You may sing as many songs as you'd like
10. Promotion of non-challenge songs is strictly prohibited.
11. Post your link only once, if you think you've been missed contact the SingSnap Events Team.
12. Did I mention you must have FUN?
13. The song must be submitted in the following format.

Usernames
Song Title
Song Link

Happy Singing!

Posted by Per on May 9 at 5:05am.

Just a fun little feature we added today...

Go to the Watch & Listen section and you'll see a new "Random" menu choice at the top. Click on it and we'll find and play a completely random recording for you.

Have fun :)

Posted by trevor on May 7 at 11:35am.

Summer is nearly upon us, and the weather is heating up in the Northern hemisphere and cooling off in the Southern! Many people on both sides of the equator will be spending a great deal of time indoors to escape the extreme temperatures. I want to help alleviate some of the tediousness and boredom that can come from this forced hibernation.

Based almost solely on the feedback we received on our recent Member Survey, we are offering our annual and biennial memberships at a reduced price for a limited time for the first time in SingSnap history. Starting today and ending at midnight (EDT) on August 31, 2012, an annual membership will be offered for $80 and the biennial membership will be offered for $150.

We have experienced tremendous growth, and our goal has always been to make SingSnap as affordable and as accessible as we possibly can to as many people as possible, and still be able to offer the level of service that we do, as well as to develop technologies and support our music library. We are able to offer this limited time special in part because of the voluntary contributions that many of you make on the site through the tokens program (i.e. hearts, shamrocks), as well as the Patron Fund and Sponsorships.

If you are on a monthly, 3 month or 6 month membership, this might be a good time for you to upgrade your membership term if you are able for a big savings over your current option.

As is customary in any business who puts their products on sale, we are offering a price protection option for any member who purchased or renewed their annual or biennial membership in the month of April through today (May 7, 2012). If your membership falls within this category, please contact SingSnap Support for assistance. The deadline for requesting price protection is May 31, 2012.

For those with active (i.e. not cancelled) recurring PayPal subscriptions, you can take advantage now by going to the PayPal Subscription Modification page and changing your subscription to get on the new terms. Once done, when the renewal comes up, you will renew at the special pricing.

If you use the one-time payment option (or have cancelled your PayPal subscription), you can use the Gold Membership Extension page to extend your membership by purchasing your next gold term through the sale period.

You can also schedule a recurring PayPal subscription to begin at the end of your current membership period and you will be charged $80 or $150 at that time. This is a good option if you don’t have the money right now to make a payment.

Please note that if you modify or purchase a subscription during the summer special, your renewal when it comes up will be at the special price!

We will not be providing support within this thread, as there will be circumstances individual to everyone and we do not want to confuse anyone. If you have specific questions or need assistance directly related to your account, please contact SingSnap Support.

Posted by Novella on May 1 at 8:51am.

Patron Fund Awards For May 2012!

The following members have been selected to be the recipients of a one month Gold Membership compliments of our Patrons and the Gold Patron Fund!

jeencyetao
WVDOLPHINLOVER24
AngusMcD
stephroggie
sarahfozz
mums
ky_mickey
RtasRayne
farfallina60
cami18
carolex
Mickey39180
bloodmoon
amatchlesslyric
Joemack
bornstar
bigdaddy13
Menaike
mairmac
MaryMac
little_songbird
fishfor1
Joanie1985

Click here to donate, Click here to nominate!

Happy Singing!

Posted by Novella on April 30 at 1:23pm.

Welcome To Round 4 - The Final Battle!

Welcome to The Finals! The contestants have been pulling out all the stops showing no surrender. The level of talent and showmanship displayed last round has left many us still trying to gather our chin from off the floor. Thank you to the Top 24 for leaving us in awe and putting on such an incredible concert! You all truly deserve to Take A Bow!

The Mentors have been busy watching, listening and doing it all over again in an effort to score the the Top 24. This has been an extremely challenging endeavor as so many people put so much effort into their performances. The contestants were being judged on both vocal ability and the overall performance/presentation. We're very happy with our Final Four and feel they delivered superbly in both categories!

Every person who competed in this contest has done a remarkable job. Literally, mere fractions of points separated individuals in the final team standings. The Top 24 did fabulous and we hope, even if you don't advance - that you have a performance to be proud of! You've waited long enough...

Introducing Your Final Four:
The mentors have judged and combined their scores. The person listed had the highest accumulative score for their team and will advance into The Finals.

Team Annie Finalist: JennieSweden
Team Ralph Finalist: -Liz-
Team Rob Finalist: Kelvis
Team Novella Finalist: LeeRogers

Congrats Everyone! Check out the Top 24 Playlist!

What's Next For The Final Four?

The final stage in this incredible contest is to complete the following challenge. Each submission will be judged by our SingSnap Champion himself, Trevor and he will personally select the winner!

Each contestants entire journey has been closely followed by their mentor. The mentors have been there to make decisions and offer advice. For this final challenge they will be offering some inspiration in the way of a quote.

Annie's Quote:

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. - Mary Anne Radmacher

Ralph's Quote:

You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. - Mary Pickford

Rob's Quote:

I've got nothing to do today but smile. - Simon and Garfunkel

Novella's Quote:

Never frown, not even when your heart is breaking because you never know when someone is falling in love with your smile. - Unknown

The Details:

1. The Final Four contestants may choose any song accessible to them on the site (with the exception of SingSnap Original and Licensed Songs) but the song must be inspired by their mentors quote. You must also tell us the connection. How you do that is up to you. You can either write a note in your song comment section or do it visually within the performance.

2. The performance must be done on cam. The voice and the presentation are worth equal points this time - so don't hold anything back!

3. Your mentors are here for you once again if you should decide you want their advice. How involved they are is entirely up to you!

4. You may use the harmony feature. (No two-person duets)
5. Vocal effects are allowed.
6. Video effects are allowed but make sure we can still see you perform.
7. Gender benders are allowed.
8. You must appear on camera. (No stand-ins, puppets, external videos, etc.,) You may use clips but we want to see YOU perform.
9. You are allowed assistance from family members if need be. (Back-up performers are allowed)
10. Your avatar/profile pic must remain the contest logo.

Rules & Guidelines:

1. The song be part of the SingSnap catalog. (No SingSnap Originals)
2. The completed song must be dated after this thread has been posted.
3. The song must be a fresh recording, for this contest only.
4. You have until 5 PM EST, Sunday May 6th to submit your entry on this thread.
5. Contest is now open to the Final 4 only.
6. One song per contestant.
7. A web cam is now required.
8. Promotion of non-contest songs is strictly prohibited.
9. Post your link only once, if you think you've been missed contact the SingSnap Events Team.
10. The song must be submitted in the following format;

Username
Team Name (Example: Team Ralph)
Song Title
Song Link

Good Luck!

Posted by Per on April 13 at 1:07pm.

Hello Snap Nation!

I have added the ability to post pictures in your profile section for others to view. It's a fairly basic feature at the moment but the possibilities are endless so let us know how you'd like to see us expand on this feature!

Look for "Gallery" in the menu on your own and others profiles.

Posted by Novella on April 9 at 1:23pm.

Welcome To The Battle Of A Lifetime!

It's time for a battle of epic proportions, right here on SingSnap! Do you love to sing? Do you like to compete? Do you thrive in putting on a complete show? Are you ready to literally, battle it out, with other SingSnappers to win this contest and be crowned 'The Champion'!

This will be a four round contest with each round lasting approximately one week. If you advance into Round 3, a webcam will be required.

The Battle - The Concept:

The idea behind this contest is to impress someone with your voice first, your ferocity second and your showmanship third! We are not looking for the youngest, hippest, most attractive person on the site. Rather, we want someone who has a star-quality voice, who isn't afraid of a showdown and who can truly entertain us and put on a show!

Round 1 - Battle Audition: This round is open to any SingSnap member who wishes to participate. You may select any song on the site and perform forty-five (45) seconds of a song A Capella. You are not allowed to sing with music or musical instruments. Reverb and vocal effects are acceptable. We recommend you choose a part of a song that showcases the best part of your voice. Your performance must be 100% vocal only - so - no camera's! Showcase your talent using your voice only.

Round 2 - Duet Battle: The Top 40 contestants will move onto Round 2. You will be randomly placed into one of our four mentors' teams. The mentors are; Annie, Novella, Rob & Ralph. This is also a competition for your mentors! They will be working with the members of their teams towards the ultimate goal of crowning one of their competitors - The Champion! In Round 2, your mentor will pair you up with someone else on your team to perform a duet. Your mentor will assign a song for you and your partner. You may have to learn a song quickly, so be prepared! Your mentor will offer any pointers/suggestions as to how they want you to sing and showcase your voice! The mentor will be solely responsible for selecting which one of the duet pair advances. The winner of each duet battle will move into Round Three!

Round 3 - Team Battle: The Top 20 Contestants will now battle head-to-head within their own team. They will be given a list of songs to choose from and they will have to record their best all-around performance on camera and showcase their Star-Quality! We are looking for someone who puts their all into their performance. Set the stage, show your personal/individual style. Get creative and make sure your voice is showcased and your performance is entertaining. The Top 20 will be judged by all mentors. The top scoring person from each group will advance into The Finals!

Round 4 - Final Four Battle: The final four will all be given a prize! Trevor, The Master of Ceremony, will hand-pick the winner based on the person who delivers the most stellar performance. Be prepared to step up your game and bring everything you've got to the table!

The Prizes!

The following prizes will be awarded:

First Place - The Champion: Life-Time Gold Membership!

Second Place: One Year Free Gold!

Third Place: One Year Free Gold!

Fourth Place: One Year Free Gold!

Contest Requirements:

1. If you decide to audition, you must change your avatar to the following picture and keep it for the duration of the contest (For as long as you're an active participant)

1. Right click on the graphic and save it to your computer. (Remember where you save it!)
2. Click on the ACCOUNT tab.
3. Scroll down to the "Profile Picture" section.
4. Click on the "Choose File" button.
5. Select the Battle_avatar photo and press Upload!

We are doing this to keep your identity hidden. You may already be known on the site and to the judges/mentors, but please still change your avatar. If, after following the tutorial you still have trouble - contact the SingSnap Events Team.

Audition Now!

We will be accepting Auditions - NOW! Every round AFTER the auditions will be posted in a brand new thread. If you wish to audition for this contest, please follow these guidelines: Read Carefully!

Audition Deadline: 5:00 PM EST April 15, 2012! The audition song must be received prior to 5 PM SingSnap time to be accepted. No exceptions.

1. The song must be part of the SingSnap catalog.
2. You must sing on the track matching your chosen song.
3. No SingSnap Original or Original music permitted.
4. You must sing A capella (see below for instructions).
5. Your audition may not exceed more than 45 seconds. (Online Counter)
6. The song must be dated after this thread has been posted.
7. The audition song must be a fresh recording, for this contest only.
8. Your avatar/profile picture must be changed prior to submitting your audition entry.
9. Contest is open to all members.
10. One audition song per Snapper.
11. A web cam is not allowed for the audition. Audio Only.
12. Promotion of non-contest songs is strictly prohibited.
13. Post your link only once, if you think you've been missed contact the SingSnap Events Team.
14. The song must be submitted in the following format:

Username
Song Title
Song Link

Good Luck!

Posted by Novella on April 1 at 9:43am.

Patron Fund Awards For April 2012!

The following members have been selected to be the recipients of a one month Gold Membership compliments of our Patrons and the Gold Patron Fund!

AdamTheGame
baileybridges
blu_cowgirl42
Brassy-Bruce
carolin
Christrene
CountrysBest1
cretoff
CyberElla
Denbo
DMMc
DreamMaster74
fancy2
Feckthis
grimpop
JayAre
koolkat61
Lenita
lizzymausi
Lori259
lovelylionda
lovestosing59
mommkatpimp
pagegurl
PAULO_BH
rockspark
SandraBee
sandrat79
snoppy2
Solane
star2012
studioman76
SUNSHINE47
Tweetness
Ullia

Click here to donate, Click here to nominate!

Happy Singing!

Posted by Novella on March 5 at 4:49pm.

Do You Dig It?

We have reached Week One of the March Through March Get Healthy Challenge! The goal of this month long challenge is simple - We want to encourage Snappers to start taking small steps in an overall effort to improve their health. This is for people of all ages, sizes and physical ability! As always, check with your doctor before beginning any new physical or dietary regimen if you have any health concerns.

Each week we will have a theme and while the challenge will always remain the same - we will post some tips, relating to this weeks theme, to hopefully help you toward your goal of getting more healthy!

It's Earth Week!

The theme for this challenge are the four main elements of existence and this week, we're pulling up our sleeves and digging deep. Earth, the ground, mother nature - the very core of our beings. This week is all about FOOD! Everyone loves food, we require it to grow - to survive. The most healthy of foods are those which comes from the soils that Mother Nature has created herself.

However, it's not just about the foods you consume - it's HOW you consume them. Here are some helpful hints;

Set Yourself Up For Success: Don't stress about counting calories or magically turning into a health nut over night. Pace yourself, take small steps and make tiny changes (like eliminating soda from your diet) that eventually will become habits.

Add a salad to your dinner menu, switch from butter to olive oil, use fat free milk! As time progresses you can make healthier choices that will become second nature. Every tiny improvement you make, counts.

Moderation: It's okay to give into temptation and to treat yourself sometimes. You only live once. Just remember to have things in moderation. Less often or smaller proportions!

Manage HOW You Eat: Eating is often times emotional. Try to eat with people as often as you can. Allow time for your family to enjoy your meals together. Put more emphasis on making the meal about being together, as well as nourishing your body. Listen to your body. Are you really hungry? Have a glass of water to see if the cravings pass before indulging in snacks. More (smaller) meals, frequently the day actually increased your metabolism and is healthier than one or two BIG meals. Spread them out, keep your body fueled!

Source: Health Guide. Check out the source for a really great article and more fabulous tips about how to make food work for you!

Your Earthy Challenge:

Part A - Song Challenge Sing any song from the Feature Page on March 9, 2012. The song must be dated March 9th to be eligible.

Part B - Fitness Challenge Your Fitness challenge this week was to increase your current fitness regime by 5 minutes, three-five times a week.

In your song comment section - simply tell us how it is going. Have you gotten any exercise in? Are you walking? Stretching? Remember, the level of activity you add to your day is 100% your choice. Whatever you comfortable with - just let us know how you're doing! Also, tell us YOUR idea of a healthy snack! Share a recipe if you have one.

Cam users, if you want to get featured; Show/Make us the snack on cam! Work out, or sport your most fabulous aerobic outerwear!

Rules & Guidelines:

1. The Challenge is open from 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST Friday March 9, 2012! The song must be dated March 9.
2. No Two-Person duets allowed. You may harmonize with yourself.
3. Gender Benders are acceptable
4. You MUST have FUN! Fun, Fun, Fun!
5. Post your challenge link back in this thread.
6. Web cams are encouraged but not required.
7. Challenge is open to all members.
8. One song per Snapper.
9. Promotion of non-challenge songs is strictly prohibited.
10. Post your link only once, if you think you've been missed contact the SingSnap Events Team.
11. Did I mention you must have FUN?
12. The song must be submitted in the following format.

Username
Song Title
Link

Happy Singing!

Posted by Novella on March 5 at 3:59pm.

Everyone Gets Lucky on SingSnap!

Last month was full of love - so we're making this month all about luck! Brought back by popular demand are those neat and nifty little icons next to your name - but this time instead of hearts - they're lucky shamrocks!

This program will run from Tuesday March 6, through until Sunday March 18th - so the sooner you share your lucky shamrocks, the longer your friends will have them! If you're feeling lucky or want to share the luck with all your SingSnap friends - this is your chance to give the luck o' the Irish!

How To Buy Lucky Shamrocks!

1. Visit the Purchase Page.

- You can click on the little shamrock at the bottom of any page, or on the promotional banner at the top of the page.

2. Select the desired number of Shamrocks and 'Check Out'.

3. Once you're finished you will be re-directed to the Shamrock Distribution Centre.

4. Deliver your shamrocks and watch the luck spread!

Good Luck!