CEO Speaks by Trevor Welcome to the first edition of SingSnap Rhythm and News. I would like to start by thanking Novella and her team for all their hard work and creativity, without whom this newsletter would not have happened.
When we set out to build SingSnap, we had a simple plan. Develop a community bound by a love of music, singing and listening. Our philosophy was anchored by three core values. First, offer the greatest selection of content. Second, develop the best technology and user experience. Lastly and most importantly, the users run the site! We remain dedicated to listening and acting on their feedback.
This strategy has fueled the phenomenal growth we have had and I want to thank each and every user for their contribution to the community! Without you, there is no SingSnap!
This site is so many things to so many people but most of all it is a thriving community. It is a refuge from the negativity and hostility we all too often find ourselves facing in the world today. I, like you, have made many new friends, witnessed births, weddings, illnesses, and sadly deaths. Through it all, every day I bear witness to SingSnappers supporting each other in times of hardship and rejoicing with each other in times of happiness.
I am very grateful to have met all of you and consider myself very fortunate to be a part of the SingSnap Phenomenon! Keep Singing!
Because the mic won't reach to the bathroom.
Did someone say, Stereo? by Novella
Have you heard the buzz? STEREO is coming! The highly anticipated, newest Gold Feature is set to be released October 8th!
Jason, the staff member who has been working diligently to make this happen, shares the inside scoop on this new feature:
“SingSnap is proud to be releasing a new element to its recording system called ‘The Mixer’ which will do two important things:
First, Gold members will be able to make STEREO recordings! The sound quality is very high and it introduces a new depth and sparkle to Gold member recordings! Finally, you'll hear the music the way it was intended to be heard!
Second, anyone can now record with Windows Vista, USB microphones and those sound cards that only record your voice! Staff has heard all of the feedback from the many users that don't have the "What U Hear" or "Stereo Mix" feature on their sound card. Now, EVERY sound card and microphone should work well!
The best part? If you're happy with your recordings now, you don't have to change a thing! Just Record, Preview and Save the way you always have been!"
The community is asking, "What does stereo sound mean?" Tony, SingSnap Staff answers, “Essentially, stereo sound is the natural equivalent of listening to a live band or orchestra where you can hear the different instruments coming from different places on the stage. Up until now, recordings on SingSnap were done in mono which meant that all instruments were heard coming from a single place, the center. Now, with the new addition of Stereo Recording, the voice can finally be accompanied and supported by a natural sounding musical ensemble.”
Due to the complexity of the new system, there are bound to be bugs and unforeseen problems. SingSnap will be working hard behind the scenes and has implemented systems to make the transition go as smoothly as possible. A Tech Support Team has been formed and, at press time, a FAQ section is under development.
Bubba1, a member of the Tech Support Team, said, “For those who have not had the opportunity to listen to testers, get ready to be highly impressed.” When asked if he had any how-to tips to assist in getting started with stereo sound, he said, “Make sure you keep your software for all programs up to date, including Flash Player. Also, right click on the player to go into settings and make sure your local storage is set to Max.”
Jason rounded out the advice by saying, “Read the FAQ and close ALL unnecessary programs while you record. This new system requires a lot more processing power, so if you close all your other programs while you record you'll have a better chance of success! “
SingSnap continues to show commitment to all their users, and the launch of “The Mixer” is yet another outstanding added benefit for Gold Subscribers.
Newsby Jacqui
When SingSnap went live in September 2006, we were promised a community that would grow and evolve based on the input of its membership. Well, the Management has been true to its promise and has rolled out many improvements and additions - to great applause - making the SingSnap experience all the more fun and interactive!
The Gold Membership plan is an exciting opportunity that includes many perks to heighten your SingSnap experience. Along with the exciting stereo release and exclusive access to hundreds of songs is; an ad-free site, Key Changer, customizable playlists, Inner Circles, Status Updates, Full Screen capabilities, additional Hall of Fame nominations and your name displayed in Gold! All that adds up to an attractive, value-for-your-money package.
Word on the street is that there will be yet another Gold feature making an appearance in the future, in the form of Inner Circle Message Board Folders. Talk about talking in secret? It’s a “wait and see” event! Meanwhile, Snappers have been asking for a relocation of the Comment Box on song pages – could that be in the works too?
Weather
Sustained turbulence in the Politics folder will continue to produce inclement weather, at least until the end of the hurricane season which is November 4th. Meanwhile, the Beliefs folder remains relatively calm, with intermittent showers of hail accompanied by thunder and scattered threats of brimstone. The Contests folder has seen its fair share of clouds and wind, with frequent warnings to use proper protective gear should one venture into a contest. A thin skin is usually not good against accusations of bias by the judges!
Sports
Meanwhile, all SingSnap awaits the game-changing play, where Per makes a cameo appearance at the mic! This hotly-anticipated debut is set to turn the Hall Of Fame over on its ears, and we predict a swift rise to the top.
New umpires and referees in colorful uniforms have been added to regulate the game but fan demand has shown that Orange remains the color of choice for most Snappers. Orange stars, that is – BRIGHT ORANGE STARS!
In a rather exciting turn of events, the Promotions folder, (often viewed as the perennial benchwarmer) was discovered to be the third highest scorer in the number of topics posted on the Message Board. Now that’s a statement of popularity for that folder!
Gossip
Over in Karaokeland, Alphabeat’s Boyfriend was seen cavorting with Shakespeare’s Sister and Metal Guru. Showaddywaddy’s Heartbeat shot up a notch or two and it is rumored that Sneaky Sound System has Pictures to prove that McFly does have One for the Radio. Sounds all Chicken Fried to me, but my sources tell me they’re all headed for SingSnap.
And this, my fellow Snappers, has been What’s Snappenin’!
Name That Newsletter!by Auroral
Here she is, folks - the WINNER of our ‘Name That Newsletter’ Competition!
Donna (RNNAL) is a 45-year old registered nurse from rural Alabama, where she runs her own medical transcription company. Her suggestion of “SingSnap Rhythm & News”, one of several hundred, caught the special attention of Trevor, CEO of SingSnap and has been adopted as the title of the first official SingSnap newsletter!
How did you come up with this gem of a name? I was trying to incorporate the word ‘news’ in it somewhere and it just hit me. Rhythm can mean a musical rhythm or the rhythm of our lives - so I just thought ‘Rhythm and News’ was appropriate.
What are your musical influences? I started singing with my Daddy. He played guitar and I sang. He passed away from lung cancer last July. I was, and always will be, Daddy’s girl. He was my biggest fan and I’m still singing for him.
What area of the site do you spend most of your time? Well, I love the message boards. Mostly, I am in the Off Topic and General Discussion sections. I enter contests too and I actually won a couple and that really made me happy. I also hosted the ‘Challenge for All Stars’ competition, love submitting ideas for the feature page and playing games and trivia! I spend all weekend long here and that’s when I get to sing!
What attracted you to become a Gold member? Well, I really didn’t ‘Go Gold’ for the features. SingSnap gives me so much enjoyment that I thought I would contribute to the cause.
What are your favourite Gold Features? My two favorites would have to be the ability to create playlists and the exclusive new songs. I’m often doing paperwork and enjoy listening to my friends. I can make a Playlist, do both and comment later. As far as the new songs go, I know mostly old country songs but I like a lot of the more recent ones too and I’m ‘like a kid in a candy store’ on Friday flagging the new releases that I know.
What do you plan to do with your prize of a month gold membership? I have several friends who aren’t gold and I contemplated giving the prize to one of them but I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by choosing one over another. I’ll just donate it to someone looking for a sponsor.
What does being a member of SingSnap mean to you? I am just a Southern girl who loves to sing. I may not be good at it but it is my opinion that everyone who is willing to sing in public is to be commended for it. I don’t need the validation of others to feel good about myself. Singing relieves my stress and we all have battles in our lives that maybe no one knows about. I love that SingSnap is a friendly community, more like an extended family. I am proud to be a member of the SingSnap family…just call me the crazy cousin!
Freeze Frameby Daria
Submit the funniest caption for our crazy photos and win a month's Gold membership!
October's Freeze Frame Novella & Waffles - "Islands in the Stream"
This Month's Winner: "Novella: Thank God she only sings twice a year....unfortunately, six months at a time" - prinzietje
Runner Up: Does this mustache make my butt look big?" - Sum_Southern_Sugar
2nd Runner Up: "OMG, For the last time, No... You can't pose for the Three Musketeers candy bar!!!" - Mr_Smoocher
November's Freeze Frame: sandannie - "Ahab the Arab"
Send in your caption for this month's photo to the News_Team! Thank you so much to our lovely sisters Annie and Wendy for their participation! We look forward to reading your funny captions!
Deadline: 11:59 PM EST, October 24th, 2008.
Please make your entries funny and keep them to 15 words or less and appropriate for publication!
Vocal Tips - by Charli Good posture and diaphragmatic breathing are key elements. Whether standing or sitting, remember not to slump your shoulders, as this puts unwanted pressure on the diaphragm (the muscle that allows us to breathe).
Diaphragmatic breathing is done from the diaphragm muscle based under the stomach. Often we breathe from the top of the lungs or shoulders. To sing, breathing should be done deeply, as though being done directly from the diaphragm. Inhale deeply and then exhale several times. Did you feel the rise and fall of your shoulders? If so, then you are not breathing from the diaphragm.
Breathing from the diaphragm, or “belly breathing” is a simple technique to master. First, think of your belly as a balloon. The idea is to fill the balloon with oxygen when you inhale, and deflate the balloon when you exhale. Place your hand on your tummy. Inhale deeply as though you are taking oxygen all the way down to your tummy. You should feel your hand and belly rise. Now exhale slowly...feeling your stomach and hand fall down and into a relaxed state. This can also be done by lying on your back and placing a heavy book on your stomach, instead of your hand. Watch the book rise when you inhale and fall as you exhale. Breathing from the diaphragm will strengthen it, which will give you vocal control for carrying notes, singing softly, loudly, singing high notes, or belting out the big songs.
Vocal chords need emollients and humidity to perform well. Breathing steam from a simmering pan of water is one technique. Another is to munch a handful of oily potato chips! Just a few minutes of steam, or a mouthful of chips before singing, will have you hearing the difference...and so will others. Tune in next month for more great vocal chord tips.
Until next time...happy singing!
Tech Tips - by LoveUAlways The forums are a popular area on SingSnap where members can interact on a variety of topics, participate in contests and promote themselves and their friends. You’ll see folks posting song links, graphics and formatted text. Unlike the rest of the site, the threads require the use of BB Code as opposed to HTML.
The format for adding colored text is: [color=red]This text will be red[/color]
Alternatively, if you know the hexadecimal code for the color you want to use, you may enter it like this: [color=#FF0000]This text will be red[/color].
To post a graphic, simply copy the URL of your graphic and paste it between this code: [IMG]http://www.yourgraphic.com[/IMG]
To post a link to your song, click inside the box next to the recorder that says “Link”. Right click and copy this code. When at the forum, click in the “Reply Text” box on the thread you wish to post to and Paste the song link. Make sure whenever you are posting a link that there is a space before and after the link in order for it to be clickable.
Makes 4 to 6 servings - Estimated prep and cook time 25 minutes!
Main Ingredients
Vegetable oil for frying
2 – 3 pounds chicken tenders
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of flour
2 eggs beaten with a touch of milk or water whichever you prefer
1 cup of breadcrumbs plain or seasoned (I prefer plain)
1 cup of pecans ground into small pieces
½ tsp nutmeg
The zest of one navel orange
1 can sliced mandarin oranges drained. You can use the juice for this in your dressing if you like...no substitute just add it...)
Dressing Ingredients
¼ cup maple syrup
The juice of 1 navel orange
¼ cup of barbecue sauce
¼ cup olive oil
6 handfuls of mixed salad greens (spring mix and muslin mix are great)
6 radishes sliced thinly
Directions
1. Heat a large frying pan with about 2 inches of oil (if you have a deep fryer this recipe just got easier crank that baby on high)
2. Grab 3 shallow bowls.
3. Flour in one, eggs beaten with the milk or water in the second one, and the breadcrumbs, pecans, nutmeg and orange zest in the third.
4. Coat the tenders in batches in the flour then, egg mixture then, breadcrumb mixture.
5. Fry the tenders in small batches (6-8 per batch) in the oil for 6-7 min or until they are cooked through. Set aside on a plate.
6. For the dressing combine the syrup, barbecue sauce, juice from the orange olive oil and mix well (if you have chosen to use the juice from the mandarin orange add it as well) The dressing can be made while the tenders are cooking.
7. Combine your mixed greens and radishes in large bowl. Mix with ¾ of the dressing.
Top with the cooked chicken tenders and mandarin oranges and remaining dressing and enjoy!!
Love happens when you least expect it. Imagine having a passion for music and one day, spontaneously, coming across a website that not only gave you a facility to express your musical interest, but eventually led you right into the arms of the love of your life. That’s exactly what happened for two amazing SingSnappers – LupiAppleTushy and Joseph.
Their paths randomly crossed in the Daily Challenge back in April of 2007 and their relationship has grown and blossomed into a truly beautiful testimony of everlasting love. Lupi still pays homage to SingSnap for bringing her and Joseph together. “If I hadn't found SingSnap, I never would have found Joseph. This website made a pure miracle happen the day that I met that man, and for that I'll always be so grateful.”
Their relationship began as friends. They shared a common love of reading, movies and music. Lupi states, “We loved to sing, and loved to sing together. We just sort of clicked, and haven't stopped since!” What makes their story so unique, is that Joseph lost his hearing at the age of 8 and was unable to connect to music any longer, yet he still held onto to his passion through lyrics. “I pretty much gave up on anything related to music. I did devour lyrics anytime I could find them.”
It wasn’t until Joseph turned 26 years old and received a cochlear implant that he had any hearing restoration. Even so, with modified hearing, Joseph still never sang in public. That is, until online karaoke came along. Joseph found a medium to express himself musically and Lupi viewed his songs as a window into his soul. “I can still remember the first time I heard his songs, and saw his videos...All I could think was - what an amazing man.“
Their story is a testimony that music is not just heard through your ears but that it’s felt through your heart. Joseph’s strength and spirit matched Lupi’s warmth and generosity, and together they formed a union of pure magical and musical bliss.
One would think the challenges of distance and disability would be enough to overcome. “Joseph was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in February 2007. Unfortunately, he's one of those 10 to 15 percent that just don't respond to any treatment, but he's fought so hard.“ When asked how they remain strong through all these obstacles, Lupi said, “Love...thats what's kept us strong. We just never let anything stop us. He's the bravest, most gentle soul that one could ever meet and he has been my star in an otherwise very dark time in my life. “
Lupi is a woman who has shown incredible heart and selflessness to anyone who is lucky enough to have met her. She is strong, and while this road may not have been traveled exactly the way she had planned – she still finds peace in loving a man that she admires and desires. “To him, I say I love you, and always will. You need to do what is right for you now, and I'll always be here giving you all the support in the world.”
It’s hard for anyone to know what the future holds. All we can do is be thankful that we had the chance to love and be loved by someone who spoke, and sang, directly to our hearts.
“I am so honored to know and be loved by such a warm sweet individual, and I'll never forget him for the rest of my life. Love happens in such odd ways. Real love is not prejudice. It doesn't see barriers of hearing impairment, weight, eye color, religion, even disease. If you truly love someone, none of that matters. I hope others will learn that.” – LupiAppleTushy
Editor’s Note: It is with great regret that we inform the community that a week after this article was written, on September 26, 2008 – Joseph lost his battle with cancer. On behalf of SingSnap, we send our deepest sympathy to Lupi and Josephs friends and family. We are sincerely grateful to still be able to share this amazing and touching story of how two extraordinary people, found hope and happiness, through love and lyrics.
My problem may seem a trivial one, but it literally keeps me awake nights! I have a certain family member who, whenever I chat to them on my messenger - always uses the expression "KWEL" instead of “KEWL”. This drives me crazy! And I have expressed many times the error of their ways. It is just NOT cool to use “KWEL” for “KEWL” – and, as a matter of fact, I dislike the term “KEWL” as well but at least it is phonetically correct. Am I being too picky here? What shall I do? I must get some sleeeeeeeep!!!
Sleepless in BC!
Dear Sleepless,
What in tarnation is a KEWL or a KWEL??? I think that maybe she is talking about a KREEL, but she has terrible spellin’. My advice is to tell the poor dear that she should talk about fishin' with someone else, that way you don't have to put up with her mis-usin’ a beloved fishing tool and you trying to correct her. Just remember, not all folks are lucky enough to be as smart and us, they did not all have the advantages of schoolin’.
Country Mouse
Dear Sleepless,
I think your focus on the "fashionista" spelling of a word, to the point of insomnia, is indicative of a more serious underlying problem. Do you find that there are other things that "drive you crazy"? For instance, does it bother you when your peas touch your potatoes, or if your dish towels are not ironed, folded, and arranged in the drawer from light to dark? Do you tend to do a lot of shifting, stacking, and rearranging of items on shelves while shopping?
If you have answered yes to any of the above, you have gone way beyond "too picky", and may have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). You should make an appointment with a mental health professional right away to get a diagnosis and, possibly, medication. OCD is really the most chic mental disorder to have right now. Oprah has it, Howy Mandel has it, and so do many other public personalities, so if it turns out that you have it too, it would be so kewl!
City Mouse
Dear Advice People of the fifth dimension,
I had this strange dream last night that I was a rolling stone that gathered no moss... does this mean I should quit my job, push my boyfriend off the balcony, shack up with my girlfriend and start wearing flannel?
Anonymous
Dear Anon,
Isn't pushing the boyfriend off the porch (yep, I looked up balcony, I can use the dang dictionary ya know), the same as quitting your job? And, what do you mean by "start wearing flannel"?
Seems to me ya might be havin a mid-life crisis. Don't fret, it has happened to many a woman of 23. You tryina’ to spiffy yourself by startin’ to wear flannel and "quitting ya job" to get a new man but I gotta to tell you that having another girl movin' in with you is a bad idea. That is going to split the men folks attention two ways and that ain't no good for you, especially since everyone knows you done went and killed off ya first man.
Country Mouse
Dear Rolling Stone,
Quitting your job will make you poor and rob you of your self esteem. Pushing your boyfriend off the balcony will put you in prison for the rest of your natural life! So the shacking up and wearing flannel are pretty much moot points, unless you actually meant “shackling up” and “wearing denim”.
While there is certainly no harm in dreaming of a life free of ties and responsibility, it seems to me that we all work damned hard at gathering as much “moss” as we possibly can, while we can, so that we can eventually sit back in our moss, gather our moss around us, invite our moss over for the holidays, and take pictures of all the little mosslings while the stones next door are #296f7d with envy over the new convertible moss in the driveway.
Don’t forget to spend some time in dark, shady places hon.
City Mouse
Copyright (C) 2008 SingSnap.com All rights reserved.
Welcome to the first edition of SingSnap Rhythm and News. I would like to start by thanking Novella and her team for all their hard work and creativity, without whom this newsletter would not have happened.
Have you heard the buzz? STEREO is coming! The highly anticipated, newest Gold Feature is set to be released October 8th!
Pecan Chicken Salad
Love happens when you least expect it. Imagine having a passion for music and one day, spontaneously, coming across a website that not only gave you a facility to express your musical interest, but eventually led you right into the arms of the love of your life. That’s exactly what happened for two amazing SingSnappers –