Board Thread:Beginning Singers/@comment-171.96.167.7-20160802081358/@comment-26232695-20160802100440

I'll answer in my opinion.

For utaite, Japanese is more than just super recommended. Becos, well, the community itself is like a Japanese community that isn't exclusively for Japanese (not sure how to phrase it).

Age isn't important. I know an utaite who started when he is a 5th grader. And now he is a highschooler.

Well, I personally can't agree with utaite being more popular than youtaites. There are also lots of  amazing youtaite choruses too. For someone who can't speak/understand Japanese, uploading in youtube is more than highly recommended. Not just becos of language, but the community itself is more approachable from overseas/non-Japanese.

Well, when they chorus, they don't meet in RL. Cos if they do, I can't imagine what happens with medleys with like 80 people or maybe more. Plus, even if they are all Japanese, it doesn't mean they all live in the same place. Example is this. Misoshiru is from Hokkaido while Nicoa is from Toyama. Both are Japan but, those places aren't near. Plus, that chorus group sang three songs uploaded in different time. So I find it quite impossible. Though maybe there are cases where they have RL meetings or such.

So yeah. I suggest you become an youtaite or utaite or both with simple stuff first. Start with just audacity and earphone microphone (that isn't too bad quality). Try to find friends in the community, feel the difference and see where you belong. When you feel like you get better, start saving and buy equipments one by one, starting with what you think you need most.

If you want to 'improve' Japanese (it means you at least know the basics), some sites I recommend are HiNative, Lang8 and Jisho.org

Good Luckk