If you're one of the many fans of the 2012 movie Pitch Perfect, you're aca-excited for the sequel coming out this Friday. And there's hint of a third installment on the way, too.

The great thing about this franchise, though, is that it's not set in some fantasy world where people don't need instruments to make music. A cappella is aca-real, and its been growing in popularity since the release of the first movie.

So, after you see Pitch Perfect 2 this weekend, you can continue the experience with these five tips:

 

1. Watch the Real-Life Pitch Perfect on TV

There's a new show calling itself the real Pitch Perfect debuting tonight on the cable channel Pop. Titled Sing It On, the show is executive produced by Oscar-winning singer-songwriter John Legend ("Glory") and follows students from all over America who not only perform in an a cappella group but also compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.

 

2. Attend the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella

Why limit yourself to watching the fictional thing in the Pitch Perfect movies and the real thing on your TV when you can actually attend the ICCA live? This year's big event was just held in NYC last month, with USC's The SoCal Vocals crowned as the 2015 winners (watch their performance below), but the a cappella competition season begins in January with regional semi-finals in six regions of the U.S. plus the UK. Tickets also go on sale for all events in January, and yes they do sell out fast.

 

3. Join or Form an A Cappella Group

If you can carry a tune or at least a rhythm part and you'd love to be the Beca of your local Bellas equivalent, there are plenty of options regardless of whether you're looking to compete, go pro or just have fun.

You're probably better off if you're in high school or college, as many schools have glee clubs or a cappella groups (Northwestern University alone has more than a dozen). For you older performers, you can find other groups through meetups and festivals and online at sites like the one for The Contemporary A Capella Society, which sometimes posts audition info in its news room. Or just start your own and look for others in your area to join you.

 

4. Share Your Own Cover of "Cups (When I'm Gone)"

Since the release of the first Pitch Perfect, fans have been enjoying Anna Kendrick's a capella take on the Carter family's 1931 folk tune "When I'm Gone," performed with a plastic cup. And a lot of those fans have in turn done their own version and posted the cover on YouTube.

We already put together a list of the 10 best -- below is a tutorial on how to do one yourself. The best thing is you don't have to be a good singer. There are instrumental covers, tap dance covers and even one cover performed with guns. 

 

5. Watch More Pitch Perfect

Maybe you're simply a fan of these movies and want to just watch. In additon to rewatching the first installment and going again to see the sequel on the big screen (same goes for the third if and when it arrives), there are plenty of deleted and extended scenes and outtakes to enjoy.

Watch the following playlist, which includes the very NSFW "aca-inappropriate" clips from Pitch Perfect that arose out of the improvisational style of the production.