BURBANK, Calif. --- In a small, unadorned studio far removed from cameras, spotlights and songs ending with an instant review, the top 10 American Idol finalists are getting ready for a nationwide tour.

They're working on the intricacies of a group performance of Don't Stop Believin' , with Matt Giraud and Scott MacIntyre singing and playing at dual pianos and the other eight, slouching comfortably on leather couches, adding their voices from the sidelines.

With so much behind them, and so much ahead, they manage to come across as friends who have gotten together for nothing more than a casual jam session.

"I'm not feeling the backup vocals," Danny Gokey offers at one point, after Adam Lambert notes that a transition in the reworked song is sounding awkward.

"I'm open to suggestions. It's very much a collaborative effort," responds musical director Dave Kochanski.

It's also, at least this morning, a relaxed one. At one point, Mr. Gokey delivers a full-blast note and, adding his own color commentary, declares the "crowd is in shock and awe." Later, the former Milwaukee church music director playfully exhorts the room, "If God's been good to you, I want you to say yeah!"

Kris Allen, the mellow Conway, Ark., contestant who came out on top, said he expects the tour that begins July 5 in Oregon to be a welcome contrast to the weekly show experience.

"The energy is going to be better on tour," Mr. Allen said, and it will be easier to loosen up and feed off the crowd's energy. And, he added, "No one's judging you."

"I'll be with my friends, have a good time. I'm really excited," he said.

There will be family as well as pals. Allison Iraheta, who at 17 must have an adult accompanying her, can count on her mother or sister being on hand. Lil Rounds, of Memphis, Tenn., expects her husband and three children to visit her in a few cities. Same with Mr. Allen's wife, Katy, although "she's not following me around," he said.

At least three of the finalists will have more than the tour to think about: Mr. Allen, Miss Iraheta and Mr. Lambert already have deals for albums.

How will Mr. Lambert, for one, manage to record and tour?

"You tell me," he responds. "We're doing a lot of great preliminary work on the album right now. ... It's just double-duty, you know, multitasking."

He's co-writing material for the CD and is enthusiastic about working with RedOne, who's produced hits for Lady Gaga and Sean Kingston, as well as Greg Wells (his artist list includes Katy Perry, who played favorites on Idol by wearing a cape emblazoned with Mr. Lambert's name) and Ryan Tedder.

Mr. Lambert, whose powerful voice and glam style made him an object of admiration and mystery during the Fox TV singing contest ("I know who I am" was the mantra he repeated to questions about his sexuality), said in a Rolling Stone cover story that he's gay.

During a break from the tour rehearsal, Mr. Lambert said, "I wear myself on my sleeve," but he wanted to keep part of his life private as he introduced himself to the Idol audience.

Miss Iraheta, who calls her Slow Ride duet with Mr. Lambert a personal highlight, said the pair, both of Los Angeles, have been talking about recording a song together.

"I'm definitely down for that ... that would be so much fun," Miss Iraheta said.

She's also upbeat about something else: getting rid of her braces.

"There's just one sucker, a tooth in the middle, that just doesn't want to get straight," she says. "But I'm just tired of the braces so I'm probably going to get them out before we hit the first venue."