============================================
Lips FAQ & Guide
V. 1.0
============================================
By: typhlosion5555 (Typh)
Copyright 2009 Jorge Eduardo Gomez
This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other
web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a
violation of copyright.
This guide may ONLY be posted at:
www.gamefaqs.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents:
1. Welcome to Lips! (LIPSINTRO)
2. Game Modes (LIPSMODES)
2.1 Sing! (LMODESING)
2.1.1 Original Video
2.1.2 Virtual Music Video
2.1.3 Time Bomb
2.1.4 Kiss
2.1.5 Vocal Fighters
2.2 Jukebox (LMODEJUKE)
2.2.1 Faves
2.2.2 Playlist
2.3 Get Music (LMODEGETM)
2.3.1 DLC
2.3.2 Import Songs
2.4 My Lips (LMODEMLIP)
2.5 Options (LMODEOPTN)
3. Strategies (LIPSSTRAT)
3.1 Medals (LSTRATMED)
3.1.1 Pitch
3.1.2 Rhythm
3.1.3 Performance
3.1.4 Party
3.1.5 Stability
3.2 Infinity Rank (LSTRATINF)
3.3 Star Power Multiplier (LSTRATSPM)
3.4 Vibrato (LSTRATVIB)
4. FAQ (LIPSFAQXS)
5. Song List (LIPSSONGS)
6. Lips Patch History (LIPSPATCH)
7. Achievements (LIPSACHVM)
8. Credits (LIPSCREDS)
9. Version History (LIPSVERHI)
10. Contact (LIPSCNTCT)
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===================
1. Welcome to Lips! (LIPSINTRO)
===================
In an attempt to compete with Sony's famous Singstar platform, Microsoft
along with Japanese developer Inis, launched a singing platform
exclusively for the Xbox 360 on November 2008. While received with
mediocre ratings, Lips has been constantly improving in the form of
patches and upgrades.
What this guide plans to achieve is to show the aspects of the game that
seem unknown to everyone, such as how to get certain medals or how to get
the coveted Infinity rank.
===================
2. Game Modes (LIPSMODES)
===================
Obviously, the main beef of these type of games is singing, but Inis went
one step above that and provided gamers with many fun challenges tailored
especially for party themes.
------------------
2.1 Sing! (LMODESING)
------------------
In this mode, all songs are presented inside a grid which you can sort
by song or artist with the Y button. You can also manage playlists by
pressing the back button.
If you select a song, you can choose either to sing it, add to a playlist
check your ranking online, rate it, or delete it temporarily. All modes
can be played with one player or 2 players. All songs have the option
of using different noisemakers, attempt to reduce the singer's voice,
apply an audio filter... or apply a timing offset.
By choosing to sing it, one is presented with 6 different options:
2.1.1 Original Video
Sing it without any gimmicks, just plain old Lips fun.
Similar to Rock Band or many other rhythm games, Lips has what it calls
Star Power. By singing correctly or shaking the mic, the meter is filled.
Once it's full, you can use it to turn the karaoke line into a bar full
of stars, which give you a score boost.
The rank you get at the end depends on your performance, but songs do not
have the same score cap, so you'll need different scores to reach the
maximum rank in all songs. For example, it is very easy to score more than
1.5 million points on Young Folks, and even then, your rank will be lower
than if you score 900,000 points on Where Did Our Love Go, which has a
lower cap because it is a shorter song.
Ranks:
Biscuit
Rock
Meteor
Asteroid
Planet
Star
Super Nova
Galaxy
Universe
Big Bang
Infinity
For more details on the coveted Infinity rank, (and some strategy
insight to boost your scores) please check Section 3.
That's it for the plain singing mode, now let's review the gimmicky
modes that Lips offers.
2.1.2 Virtual Music Video
Perform gestures with the motion sensing Mic to change the background color
and the dancers movements. Great for parties, I guess. There's nothing
special in this mode.
2.1.3 Time Bomb
Attempt to stop the time bomb by pouring water at it. In this mode you
must fill your glass of water by singing at a correct pitch, then
pouring it by shaking the mic. Timing and cooperation with your
singing partner are the key to win this.
When you use your star power, you fill your glass faster and the
effect on the bomb lasts longer.
2.1.4 Kiss
See how compatible you are with your singing partner! Both of you
must fill your star power bar so that you unleashed it at the same
time to kiss. Do it the other way around and well... the couple
will not be that happy.
At the start, each singer is randomly presented with a character that
will represent him or her on the Kiss mini-game.
This is just a fun mode, nothing special about it either.
2.1.5 Vocal Fighters
In this mode, all songs are divided in several rounds. The goal here is
to beat your opponent in a truly special VS Match. It is not about
points, it is about the number of 'rounds' you win.
If you win the next round when you use your star power, it will count
double, giving you an edge against your opponent.
------------------
2.2 Jukebox (LMODEJUKE)
------------------
Jukebox Mode is Inis' attempt to provide a party environment in which,
if someone like the song that is currently being played, he or she
just needs to shake the mic to start singing it. However, this mode
is poorly executed, because songs will only play for 20 seconds before
they fade and start to show another song.
There are two options in this mode: Faves and Playlist.
2.2.1 Faves
Faves will play only the songs that have the same rating or higher
than the setting you choose. For example if you choose the 2 star
rating, it will play all songs that have been rated 2 or higher.
2.2.2 Playlist
As the name implies, this shows the playlist that you created in
'Sing!' mode but in Jukebox mode. It's impossible to choose this
mode if you have not created a playlist.
------------------
2.3 Get Music (LMODEGETM)
------------------
Get Music serves as the Song Import function, but it is also the place
where DLC is displayed. If you deleted a song in Sing! mode, it will
also appear here in case you want to import it again.
By pressing the back button, you can select which source to use to
import songs:
-CD
-Hard Drive (Downloaded DLC songs)
-DLC Songs
-External Media
If you select the CD option, you're able to re-import songs that you
may have deleted in the past.
The hard-drive option will select your downloaded content (DLC).
2.3.1 DLC
The third option of the 'Select Source' option will show all songs
currently available for purchase. This option is turned on by
default. The price of songs ranges from 160 to 180 Microsoft Points.
Here's a list of the current DLC available (plus April's upcoming
songs):
*Please note that all available DLC will sometimes overlap with a
country's on disc songs, in those cases, it is not available for
purchase in that respective country. Example: a-ha's Take on Me
in the United States.
*Holiday songs are no longer available for purchase.
The Sign Ace of Base
Take on Me a-ha
Bust a Move Young MC
Chasing Pavements Adele
Violet Hill Coldplay
No Substitute Love Estelle
The Remedy (I Won't Worry) Jason Mraz
All Star Smash Mouth
Give a Little Bit Supertramp
A Thousand Miles Vanessa Carlton
Blue Christmas Elvis Presley
Hannukah Blessings The Barenaked Ladies
The Dreidel Song Sister Hazel
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Andy Williams
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Gene Autry
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree Brenda Lee
A Holly Jolly Christmas Burl Ives
The Christmas Song Nat King Cole
Santa Baby Kylie Minogue
White Christmas Bing Crosby
Over My Head (Cable Car) The Fray
Every Little Step Bobby Brown
Prisoner of Society The Living End
Virtual Insanity Jamiroquai
What's Love Got To Do With It Tina Turner
New Shoes Paolo Nutini
What Is Love Haddaway
Somethin' Stupid R. Williams & Nicole K.
Where Did Our Love Go The Supremes
Be Good Johnny Men At Work
Let's Groove Earth, Wind and Fire
Superstar Jamelia
People Are People Depeche Mode
Suddenly I See KT Tunstall
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' Righteous Brothers
Erase/Rewind The Cardigans
When I Grow Up Pussycat Dolls
Thnks fr th Mmrs Fall Out Boy
Look What You've Done Jet
Hate That I Love You Rihanna ft. Ne-Yo
Sunday Morning Maroon 5
Take a Bow Rihanna
Water Runs Dry Boyz II Men
In My Place Coldplay
Fallin' Alicia Keys
Building a Mystery Sarah McLachlan
Buttons Pussycat Dolls
Magic Olivia Newton-John
My Happy Ending Avril Lavigne
How to Save a Life The Fray
Swing Life Away Rise Against
Speed Up Funkerman
In the Shadows The Rasmus
The Adventure Angels and Airwaves
Amber 311
Shake It Metro Station
Hook Me Up The Veronicas
Lips of an Angel Hinder
The Scientist Coldplay
Speed of Sound Coldplay
The Great Escape Boys Like Girls
Down on the Corner Creedence Clearwater Revival
Won't Go Home Without You Maroon 5
Reunited Peaches & Herb
Who'll Stop The Rain Creedence Clearwater Revival
I'll Make Love To You Boyz II Men
Bound for the Floor Local H
Sugar We're Goin Down Fall Out Boy
Bad Moon Rising Creedence Clearwater Revival
Wish You Were Here Incubus
Looking Out My Back Door Creedence Clearwater Revival
Closer Ne-Yo
So Sick Ne-Yo
Kryptonite 3 Doors Down
All My Life K-Ci & Jojo
Sing Travis
Love Today Mika
Ocean Avenue Yellowcard
Linger The Cranberries
Dance Floor Anthem Good Charlotte
Why Does It Always Rain On Me? Travis
Hard to Handle The Black Crowes
You Get What You Give The New Radicals
Turning Japanese The Vapors
Clocks Coldplay
Take Me Home, Country Roads John Denver
Mr. Telephone Man New Edition
Cool It Now New Edition
If It Isn't Love New Edition
Lollipop Mika
Achy Breaky Heart Billy Ray Cyrus
100 Years Five For Fighting
I Miss You Blink 182
Life is a Rollercoaster Ronan Keating
Chasing Cars Snow Patrol
I Alone Live
Somewhere Only We Know Keane
Joey Concrete Blonde
Shake the World ForeverGirl
Love You Anyway Boyzone
Freak Like Me Sugababes
Spiraling Keane
Take Back the City Snow Patrol
Radar Love Golden Earring
Love Like This Natasha Bedingfield
Ice Ice Baby Vanilla Ice
I Want You to Want Me (Live at Budokan) Cheap Trick
Shut Up Black Eyed Peas
Baby Got Back Sir Mix-a-Lot
The Next Movement The Roots
Get The Party Started P!nk
Don't Let Me Get Me P!nk
So What P!nk
Just So You Know Jesse McCartney
Hey Mama Black Eyed Peas
Can I Get Get Get Junior Senior
For a more comprehensive list of songs, visit Lips' wikipedia page.
2.3.2 Import Songs
With the help of an external media player (PC, Mac, iPod*, Zune), you
can import songs to your Lips playlist. These songs must not have copy
protection in them (DRM).
*except iPhone or iPod Touch
When the songs are imported to the Sing! mode, you get to sing them but
with certain limitations:
-You are unable to be ranked online.
-No medals are awarded for your performance.
-Performance evaluation is kinda sketchy.
-You are not able to see the lyrics.
-The music video is replaced with a custom video tailored for
the songs' genre (make sure to have the correct genre of the song
in the database the game is going to use).
-You cannot unlock achievements this way.
However, you're able to play any of the 6 game modes with your custom
songs.
------------------
2.4 My Lips (LMODEMLIP)
------------------
'My Lips' is kind of a statistics area of the whole game and its
community.
'My Profile' offers you a brief description of how many stars and
medals you've gained, as well as how many songs you've played
and how many challenges you've won.
'My Friends' shows a list of your XBL Friends. You can challenge
them in Lips by selecting their name from this list and then
choosing a song to challenge them in. It's a simple score
challenge.
'Top 10' shows your 10 most played songs as well as how many times
that song has been played worldwide.
As of July 2009, two most played songs are Take on Me and Coldplay's
Yellow. (Checked this on another profile as I do not have Yellow
on my Top 10 played)
Yellow - 465,115
Take on Me - 414,565
------------------
2.5 Options (LMODEOPTN)
------------------
You can change the game's theme if you're tired of hearing the same
song over and over again. You're also able to change the color
of the mic's LEDs or to turn the lights off.
Miscellaneous options include deactivating SFX, Noise Makers
and Help Display, as well as the game's credits.
Lastly, as of April 2009, the game now includes an Automatic Mic
Calibration tool.
===================
3. Strategies (LIPSSTRAT)
===================
Below are some of the most eficient ways to boost one's high score
as well as getting the seemingly impossible Infinity rank.
------------------
3.1 Medals (LSTRATMED)
------------------
Since it is impossible to fail a song in Lips, iNiS rewards players
by fulfilling certain conditions on a song. Some are very easy
to get, such as pitch and rhythm, but some are confusing to most
of the player base, such as the party medal.
3.1.1 Pitch Medal
How to obtain: Stay on the correct pitch more than 50% of the time.
Tip: If you are unable to reach the pitch in a song,
sing on a lower octave. That, or try to use your
falsetto. Falsetto is a singing technique commonly
used by males to fake a very high voice.
Example: Coldplay's lead vocalist.
3.1.2 Rhythm Medal
How to obtain: Start to sing in synch with the karaoke bars.
3.1.3 Performance Medal
How to obtain: Shake the mic for an ungodly amount of time (at any
time).
Tip: Try to do it at the beginning of the song or when
there is a pause/instrument solo.
3.1.4 Party Medal
How to obtain: Listen carefully to the song and shake the mic with
the same beat as the song's.
Tip: It helps if you use the noisemakers on a controller
at the same time.
3.1.5 Technique Medal
How to obtain: Use vibrato constantly.
Tip: Vibrato is a singing technique which delivers waves
of sound instead of a single burst of sound.
Think of it like this... instead of singing:
'OOoooooh', you must 'cut' that sound and sing:
Oo-oo-oo-oo-oh very fast. If you still don't know
how to do it, just mimic any American Idol
contestant, lol.
3.1.6 Stability Medal
How to obtain: Do not sing when you are not supposed to.
Tip: Don't even talk to the mic!
------------------
3.2 Infinity Rank (LSTRATINF)
------------------
Infinity Rank requires the following:
-95% of bars filled with the correct pitch.
-Mostly 'Cool' ratings on all pages.
-All 6 Medals
-Have more points than the previous rank, Big Bang.
As far as I know, Infinity Rank is very hard to achieve. I did it on
Take on Me. Here's a list of songs people have managed to reach it:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Artist Title Points Threshold
------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Songs Available Worldwide:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Coldplay - Yellow N/A
Roxette - Listen To Your Heart 1,700,000
------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Songs exclusive to a region, but available as DLC worldwide:
------------------------------------------------------------------
a-ha - Take on Me 2,500,000
Young MC - Bust a Move 4,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Songs exclusive to a region
------------------------------------------------------------------
American Songs:
Taylor Swift - Only When I'm With You N/A
R.E.M. - The One I Love 3,000,000
Not available in certain regions:
Sheryl Crow - Soak Up the Sun 2,750,000
------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Songs available as DLC worldwide
------------------------------------------------------------------
The New Radicals - You Get What You Give 3,000,000
Coldplay - Clocks 2,200,000
Hinder - Lips of an Angel 2,600,000
Boys Like Girls - The Great Escape 3,000,000
Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me 1,600,000
------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Songs no longer available as DLC
------------------------------------------------------------------
Brenda Lee - Rockin around the Christmas Tree 2,000,000
Andy Williams - It's the Most Wonderful Time ... 1,750,000
------------------------------------------------------------------
Full credit goes to pseudotsuga over at the Xbox Forums for helping
me compile information in regards to the Points Requirement on
all songs listed here, except for Take on Me.
If you've gotten this rank and would like to share how many points
you needed to get it, please let me know via the Contact section.
------------------
3.3 Star Power Multiplier (LSTRATSPM)
------------------
Tips for getting Star Power quickly:
1. Perfect Pitch
-Sing with perfect pitch.
2. Shake it!
-With one hand, grab a controller and press A to the beat of the
song.
-If possible, at the same time that you're singing, shake the
mic at the beat of the song.
-This will make you earn a lot of star power once you have gotten
the beat of the song (noted by the red light at the top of the
screen).
Note: This will also earn you the Party and Performance Medals.
Additional tips If playing co-op:
3. Star Power 2x Multiplier:
-Get the beat going by shaking both mics at the same time
(you can also use a controller as well to speed up the process).
2. Once you're both full, unleash your star power by wiggling
both mics hard once, at the same time (don't try to do the
gesture that's shown on-screen).
3. If done correctly, you'll earn a multiplier that will earn
you double the stars while the power is in effect.
------------------
3.4 Vibrato (LSTRATVIB)
------------------
Vibrato is a singing technique which delivers waves of sound
instead of a single burst of sound. By using this technique in
Lips, you are able to gain a multiplier.
*Easy way to practice Vibrato:
-Sing the following in any pitch
'Ooooooh'
-Cut that sound by saying it many times
'oo-oo-oo-ooh'
-Cut it further and sing it faster
'o-o-o-oh'
If you are unable to do it or my poor explanation did not help,
check some Vibrato videos on Youtube.
*Fake Vibrato Trick:
Sing an octave higher, then immediately sing on a lower pitch
the same note.
Remember, the longer the phrase, the more points you'll earn
with the multiplier. The following are some examples in which
you can use it to gain a lot of points:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Verse Song
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'I'm' (coming up) - Get The Party Started
(Hey) 'Oh' (Here I am) - The Adventure
'Hook' (Hook Me Up) - Hook Me Up
'Yeah' (how long must you wait for it) - In My Place
'Your skin'
'Turn Into' - Yellow
'You Know'
'Oh, oh'
'No sleep' - In the Shadows
'They say'
'Sometimes'
(I) 'Want' (You to want me) - I Want You to Want Me
(I) 'Need' (You to need me)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Before the patch, one was able to get the Vibrato Multiplier going
to more than 10x, now it is almost impossible to get more than 4x.
===================
4. FAQ (LIPSFAQXS)
===================
1. How can I get the Infinity Rank?
You must fulfill these conditions:
-95% of bars filled with the correct pitch.
-Mostly 'Cool' ratings on all pages.
-All 6 Medals
-Have more points than the previous rank, Big Bang.
2. What's the easiest song to achieve Infinity?
People say Young MC's Bust a Move. I got it on Take on Me.
3. How do I get the party medal?
Shake the mic at the same pace (beat) of the song. Using
controllers as noise makers (pressing buttons) at the same time as
you shake it helps.
4. Help! My iPod is not being recognized... what's wrong?
iPod Touch's and iPhones do not work.
5. Will the Lips sequel, Number One Hits, support DLC from this
game?
Yes, DLC is crosscompatible between both titles.
6. Will I be able to play songs from Lips in Number One Hits?
Yes, similar to Singstar, Lips will offer a hot-swap feature if
it recognizes data from the first game on your hard drive.
7. What is Vibrato? How can I get it in Lips?
Vibrato is a singing technique which delivers waves of sound
instead of a single burst of sound. Search for vibrato videos
on YouTube so you can learn how to do it. :)
8. I want to challenge you! How can I contact you?
My gamertag is Portalbox.
===================
5. Song List (LIPSSONGS)
===================
Due to the nature of the game, 7 different versions were released
worldwide. Some songs are featured in all locales, but some are exclusive
to a certain country or region.
For a comprehensive view of all versions, check Wikipedia's chart:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_in_Lips
===================
6. Lips Patch History (LIPSPATCH)
===================
Lips was heavily criticized for its extremely lenient ranking and the
lack of a mic calibration tool, which affected HDTV's consumers.
In April 2009, Inis released a Power Pack DLC, which, along with a new
patch, introduced Leaderboards and a new ranking style, which relies
heavily on pitch and adequate star power usage.
Additionally, it is now impossible to trick the voice recognition into
picking white noise. Vibrato is also harder to achieve and has a lower
multiplier.
===================
7. Achievements (LIPSACHVM)
===================
100x Medalist (30) Awarded 100 total medals
500x Medalist (40) Awarded 500 total medals
Battle Tested (10) Played VS mode 10 times in different songs
Been to Get Music (5) Entered Get Music for the first time
Big Name in Lips (40) Achieved a Grand Ranking of "Hit Maker"
Call Me Superstar (40) Achieved a Grand Ranking of "Superstar"
Clap Your Hands Noisemakers were perfectly in sync (Awarded
Everybody (25) to all signed in players)
Defending Champion (25) Got 20 challenge wins
Fan Service (35) Participated in a Vocal Fighters game with
a 4 point difference (Except in Freestyle
mode).
Fight for the first time (5) Sent a song challenge to a friend for the
first time
Figure 8 (25) Got 8 medals total in one song (Awarded to
all signed in players)
First Kiss (35) Participated in 2P Kiss game ranked as
"Match Made in Heaven" (Except in Freestyle
mode)
Full Medal Panic! (40) Got 12 medals total in one song (Awarded to
all signed in players)
Gotta Have More Cowbell (30) Used the cowbell 50 times (Awarded to all
signed in players)
Ham Star (30) Awarded 30 Performance medals
I Got You Babe (5) Participated in Co-op mode for the 1st time
I'm full of stars (40) Gained 50,000 total stars
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal (40) Achieved the rank of "Infinity"
In Synch (25) Scored 1,000,000 pts in Co-op mode (Awarded
to all signed in players)
Let's Get This Party Activated Jukebox mode.
Started (10)
Life of the Party (30) Awarded 30 Party medals
Like A Rock (30) Awarded 30 Stability medals
Lips Anthology (30) Sang 40 different songs
Nice Duds (35) Successfully stopped the bomb from exploding
in Time Bomb (Except in Freestyle or Short
mode)
One Giant Leap for Added 20 songs to Lips from external sources
Mankind (10)
One Hit Wonder (5) Sang 1 song in short or full
One Small Step For Man (5) Added a song to Lips from external sources
Perfect Pitch (30) Awarded 30 Pitch medals
Platinum Artist (25) Sang 10 different songs
Rebirth of Cool (30) Got "Cool" 10 times in a row
Rising Star (40) Achieved a Grand Ranking of "Lounge Act"
Superstar! (40) Gained 100,000 total stars
Technician (30) Awarded 30 Technique medals
This is madness! (20) Added 300 songs to Lips from external sources
Throw Your Hands Up (5) Triggered a gesture in the Virtual Music
Video
Time Machine (30) Awarded 30 Rhythm medals
Try Freestyle Mode Out (5) Played Freestyle mode for the first time
Welcome to My Lips (5) Entered My Lips for the first time
What's Cooler Than Got "Cool" in every page
Being Cool? (30)
Wishing on a Star (30) Gained 5,000 total stars
Notes:
Freestyle Mode is the Song Import Mode.
===================
7. Credits (LIPSCREDS)
===================
-CJayC: For creating Gamefaqs.
-SBAllen: For continuing the legacy.
-Inis: For creating awesome rhythm games such as Elite Beat Agents and
this.
-pseudotsuga: Thank you over at the Xbox Forums for helping me compile
the Points Threshold section for Infinity Rank.
===================
8. Version History (LIPSVERHI)
===================
1.0 - April 5th, 2009: First revision of the FAQ.
1.1 - July 13th, 2009: -Added May, June and July DLC.
-Added Strategy Section
-Added Point Requirements for Infinity rank
for certain songs.
-Added questions to the FAQ.
-Expanded most sections with song examples.
===================
9. Contact (LIPSCNTCT)
===================
Have any questions? Comments? Do you want to contribute?
If I missed something or you just want to say hi,
contact me at jorgom(at)gmail(dot)com
with the subject:
Lips Guide
|Copyright 2009| Jorge Eduardo Gomez
End of Document
