“Humming doesn’t count, humming is for bees”
In our larps, we use singing as a meta-technique to express the feelings of our characters. Just like in a musical, characters can switch to singing when they can no longer control their emotions any other way. In the world of our Larps, this is as normal as bursting into tears at a sad story.
To make the whole thing easier to understand, we have put together a little FAQ for you.
When should I sing?
Whenever you want! Preferably always! If that’s not possible, just think of musicals. There, the singing usually starts when strong emotions arise that the characters can’t hold through speech alone and have to express through song.
What should I sing?
Whatever you like and fits well at the moment.
It can help to think about the character and what might happen to them before the larp. Then you can pick out suitable songs and have the lyrics ready when the time comes.
It’s also nice to use well-known songs (e.g. songs by Abba or similar) so that others can join in more easily and support you.
How long should I sing for?
Just as a conversation in which one person holds a monologue can quickly become boring for the other person, it can also be tiring to listen to an entire 3-minute song until you get to speak again. It is therefore best to limit yourself to a few lines, perhaps a chorus or a well-fitting verse, so that the singing supports the game and does not interrupt it.
Of course, if a song turns into a great group scene, you don’t have to interrupt it. Just have a feel for the scene.
What if I don’t have the entire text in mind?
Then only sing the part you know. And/or improvise the rest. It’s always okay to only sing individual lines anyway.
What if the text doesn’t exactly fit the situation?
It’s not about the exact lyrics, but about the feeling of the song. When in doubt, it’s always better to sing than not to sing!
What do I do if the person I’m talking to starts singing during the conversation?
Respond appropriately. In other words, as if the person is trying to make you understand the feeling that comes across in the song in words.
How does the environment react to the singing?
You can listen, look and react. Just as if a conversation next to you were getting louder. And then you can decide whether you want to get involved and sing along, for example, or support with backing dance, or simply move away and continue your scene somewhere else.
Should I clap at the end of a song?
Has the song been performed on stage? Then with pleasure! Otherwise: Absolutely not! Just carry on with your scene as if someone next to you was talking loudly. Then you wouldn’t be clapping either.
I want to sing a song soon and accompany myself with an instrument. How do I explain that the instrument is there spontaneously?
Not at all. Just like in a musical, it’s normal for instruments to suddenly pop up somewhere in our larps, people sing and others join in with the singing.
How do I sing a solo as an inner monologue without interruptions?
You can get a spotlight once a day using the meta technique. You clap twice for this. The people around you then freeze and listen to your song as a kind of inner monologue. You can of course discuss with certain people that they will take over the background vocals for you in this spotlight, but then no one will randomly join in.
I’m not sure if I can hit all the notes in the song I want to sing…
It doesn’t matter! The most important thing is that you don’t tense up and aren’t afraid to sing. Relax and just give it a go. No one will judge you if you don’t sing a song perfectly.
Can I have background music?
If you take care of it, have a jukebox ready and start it at the right moment, it’s no problem. Unfortunately, we can’t help you with this as it would tie up too much capacity.
How do I get into singing?
All beginnings are difficult, we know that. That’s why, when designing our larps, we make sure to pick you up vocally at the beginning, for example with a karaoke evening where you can sing a first song in a “natural” setting, which may also describe the initial situation of your character. Of course, there will also be a workshop before the game starts to prepare us all for singing and to loosen us up.
Addition Titanenkinder:
Titanenkinder involves both singing and dancing. It is important to note that your character dances for fun, for money, or for any other reason. Singing is a meta-technique that works IT like talking. We don’t want to discourage you from dancing your emotions into the world, but if it doesn’t happen during a song, then it’s your character who has decided to start dancing here – which can be quite unusual for the other characters, depending on the situation.