Karaoke Forums

Hi, all. I don't usually enter contests offline, but I am in Sim Idol 2...it seems that song choice is the hardest thing for me. It's hard to be objective about your own singing and know which ones you sound best at, and then to try to second-guess what the judges will think...

Any tips out there from people who have entered a lot of contests?

Thanks!!

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

I'm no expert, but it seems to me it is a combination of a song
that gets the crowd going and a song you sing well. Sometimes
it is figuring out what kind of crowd is there before you pick. I also find
that if it is a song that gets done all the time people will ignore you. Find something
that grabs there attention.

Good luck - let us know how it goes.

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Thanks...don't know how this will help me in an online contest, though (since it's not "live" so there is no crowd)...

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

Hi Suzanne,

I've never been in an on-line contest, but I think the best thing you can do is sing the song that you are "feeling" the most.  If you like the recording, get away from it for a while, like the next day and listen to it again.  Listen to the recording in different ways, like from a different room, or with headphones.  Once you are happy with it and your have sung it with your heart and soul, it will be the right one and it will come over well.  

I usually pick a song that isn't so popular that everyone is singing it, but rather one that used to be popular but was forgotten about.  I know it's hard when you sing hundred of songs! )) Hope that helps.

I agree with Connie.

You might also think back to either contests you have heard or participated in, or other live music events and think about songs that seem to really appeal to audiences.  I think you'll find that the songs that really showcase the singer are upbeat, have a rhythm that you can't avoid tapping your toe to, and that allow the singer to really get into it.  Your favorite song may be slow and soulful but if you're trying to reach the audience you kind of need to hit them over the head.

For some reason R&B (not the stuff they call R&B today, the stuff that Aretha Franklin sings, or Roy Head, Ray Charles, or Wilson Pickett did, seems to really get people going.  

When my duo performs we can always count on "Sweet Home Chicago", "Hey Bartender", "Shake a Tail Feather" and "Walk of Life".  If you prefer country, the Georgia Sattelites version of "Oh Lonesome Me" is can't miss as is "All You Ever Do is Bring me Down" by the Mavericks.

You may have noticed these are all guy songs.  I'm a guy, so sue me.  I don't have any idea of your preferences or your vocal style but if I were female I would consider "Please Mister Postman", "It's In His Kiss" from the classic rock genre, "Respect" from R&B or "Redneck Woman" from the country area.

Whatever you pick, sing something you really like, stay within your vocal range, don't oversing and above all just be you and let your personality and heart come out in the song.  I also like Connie's suggestion that you record it and then go back to it a day or two later when it's not too so fresh in your mind.  You'll be much more objective.

I'm reminded of a story I heard from the owner of a music store where I once worked.  Years ago he came across a song that he thought would be perfect to realease just before Christmas.  It was a cute song that required a young boy to sing.  After quite a search they found a kid they liked.  So they went in to the studio and did take after take until they finally got what they wanted.  By the time they were done, any of the people involved in the project knew the lyrics backward and forwards.  

After the last take the engineer mastered the thing that same day and they sent it off to be pressed (yes, I'm old enough this was in the day of vinyl records—some of us are you  know) as they only had a couple of weeks to get it out.  They got the records back and distributed a bunch to the local radio stations and sat back to reap the profits.

It was only after they called one of the radio stations to find out why they reocord wasn't being played on the air that the program manager asked them if they had actually listened to it.  They said no and the program manager suggested that they do so.  When they did they discovered that the kid's enunciation was terrible and you couldn't understand a word he was singing.  DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!!!

Anyway, best of luck.  Please let us know how you make out.

Larry

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