Karaoke Forums

I had to think for a minute, too, Lonnie and came up with the same conclusion. I don't care who is there ... or if anybody is there. Yah, it's nice when someone who hasn't heard me sing before stops what they're doing to listen but that is NOT my motivation. It gives me a good feeling to think I've given them a positive karaoke experience (even non-singers) more than anything. I've spent a good part of my karaoke career trying to change that horrible misconception that karaoke is just a bunch of howling drunks - it's really amazing the number of people who despise karaoke because they have had to listen to just that kind of show. In fact at times I'm almost embarrassed to mention that I have a successful karaoke business unless I have time to have a 5-minute discussion in followup to the statement. There are lots of those kinds of shows around and there are people who have only experienced those.

So, I guess part of my reason for singing and having a karaoke biz is to help change that misconception (ALL karaoke is not howling drunkards) and because I just love to sing. I also sing all the time - at home, in the car, in the shower, doesn't matter where. It's just nice to have it amplified sometimes I guess, and sing on a great system. Singing is my drug of choice, always has been.

There would be two ways to respond to this survey. With many years experience as a singer or host I could describe all the traits of karaoke singers and give a general outline of traits evolved with accrued experience after years of singing. Karaoke has matured from the novelty days of drunks trying out the new fad into many different formats. These formats attract different types of singers whose reasons for attending shows range from one extreme to the other.

The second way would be a personal response to each querie above and give general explations for my preferences.In some ways I am not your typical karaoke singer. For weeks I have sang new songs that I had never heard the original, male or female and sang my interpertaion of the song.This practice increased my talents to my limits, gave me a further appreciation and inner feeling for all types and gave me the confidence of a pro. A former challenge was attending a new show and singing a new song that I had never heard before to total strangers. If I muffed it real bad I would laugh and sing one of my siggies next time around.

When I sing the old body isnt aching, it isnt decrepid, old memories are flashing back as if I was back there again and the whole world is whole with no problems.My main purpose of singing is giving a few pleasure, giving them my all, watching the looks on their faces and knowing that I have given them energy and when the energy is reciprocated there is no word to descibe it other than magic.

(1) I dont listen to music on the radio and for years the first time I heard a song was at karaoke. If I hear a song at karaoke that I flat have to sing I will go to another show so as not to sing their song and try it.
(2) YES When I was getting the new Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson, I was begging gals to sing Gretchen and finally sang them myself.
(3) Rarely
(4)I never have rehearsed a song. My rehearsal is live in front of a crowd and dont like singing with small (home) crowds.
(5)Yes
(6)With small crowds I do not get the rush that I do with large ones. I have sang in front of huge crowds.
(6)Yes As explained above this improves talent and increases confidence.
(7)A true talent can compensate for mediocre systems and recover from mistakes.
(9)With a smile and a resolve to get it right next time. I sang Cry many many times to increase my range to those highs and get it right. It is hard anymore but I also used to sing Sorry by Brenda Lee.

EDIT: Another reason I sing is when I lose a friend whom I have buried in my heart I will silently or publicly dedicate a hymn or sing a favorite of theirs with total emotions and with the love I have for them.

In summation here are a few words for the newbies. Do not worry about how bad you sound but relax and breathe from the diaphragm. Sing all genres and try difficult songs. If a host has a different version of one of your songs adapt your style to it for you dont have to sing it again if you dont want to. Quit worrying about how good you sound for if you are putting your heart into it and branding it with your own style then the audience will appreciate and love it. This I guarantee. Learn the proper mic tecniques and how to adapt to different systems. Then some night somewhere you will set a soul free and you will experience a high that most will never feel and then you will know the magic.

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

I try to sing a song OUT that I don't know or haven't sung before (practiced) .
That being said I never took my discs with me when I would go out to sing.

But I understand the singer who wants to sing THIER version of a song and try to accomodate any "regulars" if I can. BUT I do not play customer cdgs. don't have the means and choose not to. I'll offer any customer to either GET the version they want or if they want to give me a copy of their song I'll rip it so I have it for the future. For me these alternatives along with I generally 80% of the time have what they want anyway..seems to work... FOR ME. In the past DIRTY , scratched and bad discs had lead to many "LOOKS" from the audience assuming it was MY fault.
SO no more discs for me

yep, add another to the list of not to visit...

I like to sing -- I practice all the time. If I never got to "sing out", I would still do it. But I confess I also like it when people stop what they are doing and turn their heads. That is, to be honest, a big part of it for me.

As you allude to, that is why I like going new places too. Because at my usual places, people are used to me and my voice. I can still sometimes make people notice with new songs that strike a chord, but I am old hat to a lot of people now.

_________________
[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

ENDORPHIN RELEASE! It is a known fact that you will have an endorphin release while singing, similar to that experienced while exercising - often a singer will comment that they 'just don't feel like singing tonight.' I will suggest that they may feel different about that after they sing, and sure enough...I know at times my mood is down a little and singing will often cure that.

The main reason I sing can be summed up in one word:

Fun!!!!!

(However, I have not been out singing in a few months--my sinuses have been acting up--yuck! *cough cough*)

_________________
I love being a mom!

Ah, my original post was an answer to "Why I like to sing", but now I see that the question was why, when going to karaoke- that's different.

When I DO sing at karaoke, I kind of use it as an entre' to meet new people. If I can use a duet to sing with a lovely lady, even better....

I do agree with one popular gripe: Songbooks without mfr. numbers. That's just a full night of Kamikaze Karaoke. You just never know what you're going to get. Sure, YOU may have a very popular version, but there are plenty of KJs that have a drive full of weird stuff that they "found". I'm the first to admit that I can't make EVERY version of a song work. Hell, some versions are so bad that even the original artists couldn't make them work.....THEN I go to the car and get my discs. If they can't play them, I just don't sing. However, I will probably stick around for THAT night. Like I said, I'd rather watch anyway.

_________________
"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I'll try to address this from my own point of view and from the point of view that several of my singers have expressed to me.

In my case I just love to sing. I always have and probably always will. I've been playing and singing in bands for over 40 years and I guess I just haven't gotten it out of my system yet.

I didn't start going to karaoke shows until just a few years ago. Then about 2 years ago I started my own karaoke show because as a way to make the remaining years of my friend and karaoke partner, who had terminal cancer, a little more enjoyable.

On one hand I pretty much get to sing all I want with my band. But on the other hand there are many songs I like to sing that the band doesn't do. So karaoke offers me the opportunity to sing the stuff I can't sing with the band.

I rarely sing something I don't know. That's just my preference. But I did learn a lesson a couple of years ago about taking chances with other peoples song books. I signed up to sing a Willie Nelson tune. The song that the karoke host had happened to be a very funky arrangement. It was so different from the original that at first I thought it was a completely different song. Fortunately, I've been singing so long that I was able to adapt and by the end of the song I was actually enjoying myself. But it was touch and go for a few minutes.

When I go to a show I take along my own discs. As someone else observed there are a number of shows that don't have key changing equipment. So I've adjusted my songs so they are in my key. I don't see any sense in singing a song that is out of my range.

A number of the people who sing regularly at my show bring their own discs. Most of these singers are people who sing just because they enjoy it. Some sing well and some sing not so well. They tell me that they bring their own discs because they don't want to take the chance of having to adapt to an unfamiliar version of their songs. So they bring the stuff they are used to singing because that's in their comfort zone. That makes sense to me.

When I go to a show and find out that the host can't play my discs I generally hang around and see what I can find in their book that I can sing. I've always found something. But I generally don't return to that show. Once again that's my preference. I would never suggest to someone else that they stay away from a particular show because the host can't play a singer's CDs. I don't want to put myself in the position of being a judge and jury.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Larry

_________________
"Life is too short for diet soda and lite beer"

He great thing about karaoke is, instead of what the crowd wants to hear, singing whatever I wanna sing, even if obscure,with no pressure .

For me, the only time i would have a problem with no discs allowed is if a kj didn't list the version of each song(sf/mrh/sc/etc),and/or if I want to sing a song and the only version/s the kj has available are versions that a live vocal doesn't sound right in the mix with. Another reason would be if they only have a version where there are (often horrible )recorded vocals in places there shouldn't be,or guide instruments locking the vocal melody.

My solution , if I didn't bring/can't use my own discs, is to just pick a different song, because , while I wouldn't want to sing to a backing that I dislike, there are plenty of songs at most shows to pick from, and most brands have good versions of at least some songs, so it's easy enough to just find something I know is a good version,rather than annoy a kj by making a big deal over what they don't happen to have.

As to when I sing, constantly and often,as to why, because it's my reason for living,my job,my joy,and a possible addiction.

I'm one to defy social norms. I learned how to sing in a crowded bar. I'm hooked on the rush, if the bar is crowded or empty I'll still sing. On many occasions I've let the audience pick my songs. To me it's about their enjoyment, I have a mic in my hand I'm already having fun. I know I can rock the house, but sometimes it's better just being silly

Sometimes to make fun of myself I'll let the computer pick my song for me using the random song function. And no I don't hit the random until I get a song I know.

_________________
The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Just after I turned 21, I went back home for my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. We had a big dinner in this little place out in the middle of nowhere. Then we retreated into the bar. The owner put a disc in and started walking around with a mic, trying to get people to sing. Everyone was kind of embarrassed at first, but after awhile we started singing along with whatever he put on. (we were still sitting at the table, mind you.) But after we got our courage up, i.e. had a few more drinks, we got up and just had a blast. In fact, by the end of the night, the owner had me dressed in an elvis wig and sunglasses and singing a medley of the king's greatest hits. It was an awesome night and I'm sure the other people in the bar thought we were a bunch of drunken idiots, but so what? WE were having fun!

I suppose that sort of shaped my view of karaoke. It should be fun, regardless of talent level. It's about having a good time, letting go of your fears, and just saying screw it, I'm going up!

A poignant story Shalty... thanx for sharing it

Yeh, I believe it's all about having fun.

And Ibister... wasn't it a wonderful feeling when you finally nailed that poorly done Willie Nelson track? I love the challenge of doing a song I've never done before. And if I screw up.... what's the worse that could happen? Some snob in the audience may be put off? Who cares?

And if I nail it. Wow!

OH, JoeC. it WAS all about why you enjoy singing, in general.... I assume that the basis for that enjoyment is what attracts us to karaoke?

I can't imagine being under such duress when I sing that I can't allow myself to sing any song that I have not thoroughly rehearsed. No one is paying me to sing... I don't owe anyone any level of satisfaction or enjoyment from my singing... but if they do enjoy it all the better.

I use to sing in a bar trying to entertain whoever was listening. If the crowd was mostly the young rockin' type, I could manage several rock choices for the night. I guess I'm one of those wannabe emulaters. Sometimes, I would do a song so close to the original, people would ask me to do it again.
And I'm very limited to what I'll sing or try to sing. Problem is, I get bored doing the same 'ole same 'ole stuff. That's what's good about practice. I can try new stuff in the privacy (what privacy?) of my home, and if it works out, I might remember how to do it again at a later time.
I don't make it out to karaoke any longer....now that I'm living in my own town mostly, but I still like to turn on the pc and record some stuff. It's alot of work to me nowadays. There is a motivation to singing. Everyone is different. What motivated me in the past isn't what motivates me now. I think everyone wants to be a part of something....whether or not they have the same skills as someone else.
I don't think it's wrong to have some degree of selfconsciousness with the whole karaoke thing. If you are a person who usually gives 99.9% in everything you do to accomplish any goal, sometimes 99.8% just isn't enough for your own satisfaction.
Nothing wrong with that IMO.
Some people judge others who bring their own music as primadonnas, but unless there is a contest going on, what's the big deal? I've tried to sing a kj's version of a song before that was totally different from the track I have, and it just doesn't work. If I'm not comfortable, I'm not having fun or contributing anything useful as entertainment for others. I no longer buy cdgs....it was too costly just to get 1 or maybe 2 songs. But there are places on the net where you can have custom cdgs made with only the songs you want. Now, I only buy 1 song at a time as a download for pc use, and sing to it while looking at lyrics from a lyrics site. That takes alot of practice if you're just learning the song! I think practice is good.
If I was a kj, I'd like to see people take it a little bit seriously anyway. It would probably draw more of a crowd which would be good for my business.