Karaoke Forums

Let me back up abit... I'm getting too histrionic here... It's all what YOU want individually out've the experience...All individual perspective. I think those of you that are performer's, love performing, and are good vocalists have an amazing thing given todays internet technology... Where else can you reach so many such as here, or in You Tube ?   It's like being on television, or the radio....  Yet to me, a performance is to be polished.... It's a formal thing..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Are you okay now, Kap?  Good.

I do agree with what you said.  I would never sub something that wasn't the best I can do.  That's not to say my stuff is perfect, far from it, but it does represent my best efforts.  If that's not good enough, I don't have any problem with that.  I have very few illusions and that one evaporated long ago.  I just want to be enteraining.  I have never given anything less than everything I have in either a live or a recorded performance and I never will.  

I do like performance to be as spontaneous as possible.  I think that's why I generally prefer live albums to studio albums.  The live albums may contain imperfections but they are real.  Technology has reached the point where no studio album should ever be released that is not perfection.  Engineers can alter the timbre of somone's voice, they can correct pitch, etc.  While the result may be perfect and it may sound great, to me it pales in comparison to hearing the same song recorded live.  But that's just my taste and it probably reflects the years I spent as a folk singer.

Larry

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

I agree with Larry's assessment about critics; I never listen to them anyway!

Regarding the perfection in public Steve, I think some years ago I was able to roust myself out of that mode a bit anyway, although I was taught from day one to be the perfect gentleman, be the perfect student--sheez no wonder I turned alcoholic.  In front of people so far, I've played piano and church organ (I played organ in a Catholic Church--maybe the first Jew in history?), done stand up comedy, did disc jockeying, and a few weeks ago, sung.  Of all these I'd have to say playing a musical instrument is the most unnerving when all the center of attention is on you.  This is pretty bad considering stand-up comedy is on my list but that was easy once I realized it was coming off well.

If you ever want to see the most grueling, sad, and depressing moment of somebody struggling in front of an audience on film, see Laurence Olivier in "The Entertainer".  If you've performed in front of people, this is very difficult to view.

Larry,  Performance was pretty intense for me (in the event you haven't already sensed that)... at 5 up solo piano, shortly after violin standing on stage... I HATED it... Rock came as an amazing relief to me,  Not only was I finally able to burn off nervous energy while performing, but I finally like the music I was playing.... Classical training was pretty strict for me... I got knuckles smacked if my hands weren't positioned a certain way...  When my reading lacked because I started the "ear" playing cardboard was tied under my chin... and the worst part...Mr. Williford had REALLY bad breath !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Amen !   THAT was the only stage exit for me


I think part of the problem, Is that I was never able to integrate any of "me" or "Who I am", or even ask "Why am I doing this" into the performing arts during the days I performed... I was young, It was just something I was cranked up to do.... they pointed me in a direction, and I kept walking until the batteries burnt... I never questioned it as being :fun:,  It was never fun for me... I was "put on stage".... I didn't go voluntarily... I think what the problem really is for me, is that while I was trained to be a performer, EVEN though I love playing guitar, and being a member of a larger group, or accompanying someone else... I think basically, I'm not a performer by nature... I hated classical performing, I HATED solo performing, I HATED standing there feeling naked and exposed on stage... (oops,  that's a different type acting)... Anyway,  I love music, but I don't like being stared at..



<reaching for pills >

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Kap,

You have a serious advantage on me and it's probably why we see things somewhat differently.  You had classical training and that requires a level of self discipline I could never achieve.  I wouldn't even be willing to try.  I don't really enjoy classical music.  There are some pieces I really like but I would never listen to it as a way to relax.  I can appreciate the virtuousity of the musicians and their incredible skill.  But there are too many rules.  It's just to formal for an old farm boy like me.

I am self-taught.  I realize the limitations that imposes on me but it doesn't stop me from being the best I can be.  I've never stopped learning and I've never stopped improving although the rate at which I improve has slowed down in recent years.

Based on what you've said about your experience maybe I haven't had it so bad after all.

Larry

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

I don't think I've ever adressed really what it is that makes me contribute my things to this site. I'm being very open here.  Like anybody else, I  like approbation.  It's an inherent part of my makeup and I've sought it since I can remember.  I like showing off; I like to jump up and yell "This is what I can do!"  I've always wanted to be able to do something that no one else could quite pull off--whether it's my piano, art, voice impressions, and hopefully one day singing.  I would be dishonest if I didn't admit that I get a kick out of the gals saying my voice sounds sexy at times.  I like singing on this site not just because you are singing to an "audience" (albiet and invisible and not altogether trustworthy one) but that I hope somewhere out there I'm entertaining somebody, making someone smile, perhaps evoking some memory in some of the older people with some of the standards and nostalgic songs I sometimes like to do.  I very much look forward to listening to some of my favorites every day--I learn about forms of music I've had limited exposure to and learn things.  I think everybody has their little "clicks".  I can usually count on the same people to check my stuff with regularity and ocassionally a fresh name shows up and that is pleasing to me.  I find some of the contributors just intriguing in certain aspects as people.  There are people I sometimes wish I knew in person.  

These are basically what keeps me motivated enough to make submissions to SS.

Larry, In all honesty, I lost that level of discipline the moment the guard accidently left the key's in the cell door, and I had the chance to escape... As a result I became so rebellious, I've ended up spiting myself.... No two octave scales, No finger exercizes.... No Schirmer books allowed signs all over my place.... Sometimes I'm even tempted to cross out the word "Steinway" on the piano,  write "FEnder" on the thing,  and put tacks in the hammers...

You weren't here when I told the story about getting kicked out've Jr High orchestra for playing "cut the cake" on string bass with two horn player's playing the horn parts to AWB, during the christmas recital.... Damn,  JUst when I was starting to establish a sense of self too...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Oh S--T! The Schirmer's Books! Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! He had to utter that name................................

I can't say I blame you, Kap.

Years ago worked in a music store and a good friend of mine played in the house band at a club a few blocks away.  The club featured national traveling acts.  Singers, comedians, dancers, etc.  Each act was booked for two weeks and Monday afternoon before the opening show was rehearsal time.  The acts brought their own charts and the band would go through the show once in rehearsal and then it was on to the performance.

I would go once in a while to see my friend and he was one of the best drummers I had ever heard.  

One night we were at a jazz place and there was a jam going on.  Some guys who knew my friend invited him up to play.  He said no but they insisted so he got up.  He was awful.  When he came down from the stage I asked him what had happened.  He told me that he had never learned to improvise.  He could sight-read any chart that someone put it front of him but he had no idea of what to do if he didn't have a chart.  

Shortly after that he left the music store and went out to Las Vegas to play for Harry James.  

Since that time I haven't been able to completely shake the feeling that what he was doing wasn't really music.  He was like a drum machine.  I could never have done what he did and there was a tremendous amount of skill and technical expertise involved.  But as I've said before, I much prefer some spontaneity in a performance.

I'm glad you were able to see the light before it was too late!

Larry

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

I think most enjoy the attention when they perform Michael... I also feel that most Male Guitarists that don't say WHY they REALLY became interested in playing lead guitar  (sense of acceptance, power, and sexual aspects of the instrument), or feeling of control... aren't being totally straightforward....

I could say "I think it's a pretty instrument", and that's true... Yet what was MORE important to me at THAT time, also what I found to be more of a motivating factor is that... I did't fit into any real social group, I was always insecure, immature, and very shy... also (believe it or not) quirky...  (Yes, I know this is very difficult for most of you to believe)....


But guitar was a way I could become something....without having to worry about personality deficit's, getting killed carrying a football, or standing in the hall for shooting spitballs at the teachers butt as sole means of getting attention.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Steven, in response to something you said earlier.. but I got called away while reading, and can't find it to quote... something about not critiquing if it is obvious the person sang the song, once through with no edits.... etc etc.

I NEVER sing it more than once... and have NEVER gone back through and fixed errors on ANY of my submissions.... the reason being? I will ALWAYS have little pitch errors, etc on my submissions. ALWAYS... the difference is.. no matter HOW many times I record it, they will  be in different places:) So, critique me all you want, but i already KNOW where I am flat, or sharp or straining on a high note.. and I submitted it ANYWAYS:) I could go back, and fix that part.. but then, i will screw up on ANOTHER part that was fine the first time around. Does this make sense? I am not deaf.. and i ALWAYS know where I screw up.... many times, after I have submitted something, I will listen to it on my stereo, and wince.. and go back and remove my submissions:)

However, when it is obvious that the person is trying to fix their errors, or, heck, not even NOTICING their errors, if they ask, i will point them out. But, i suspect many people submit like I do.... not that much of an effort. Probably, the best I could do, at that moment in time... But, not the best overall... does this even make sense?

And, people HAVE pmed me, asking for help, or asking me to tear apart their submissions, and show them alllll of the errors.... but the ONLY people that HAVE done this, have been the more AWESOME singers here (well, aren't here that often anymore).... I think that says something... What, i dunno.




Steven, have you ever submitted something of yours? Not, singing, perhaps, but an instrumental? Ok, back to watching 3 of my neighbors move out:)

I tried mucking around with "fixing" something I was working on and it sounded all wrong to me--as mentioned above, the whole flow was off, the pitch, it was not right so this doesn't work for me either.  My one admission of doing this was a song I subbed on the 4th, which was very difficult and my voice was shot but I wanted to join the rest of the fools and get my daggum patriotic duty taken care. It really sounded choppy too!

What I do find immensely beneficial to somebody truly interested in becoming a good singer in doing all these submissions is I can sing until I know I've messed something up, going back listen, analyze and start over again.  I can repeat this until I end up with either the best I can do at the moment or something I'm reasonably happy or really happy about.  I can't tell you how helpful this has been to me.

Hey Michaeljayklein, thanks for the encouragement on Mack The Knife. Can you tell me about the thoughts you left out of the comment?

If you would prefer not to, that's cool. I seem to have some need to judged all of a sudden.

One of my biggest problems is that people almost never tell me what I need to improve on or what info I need to know to stop doing something. The only people who where completely honest with me about this where being paid to be honest. None of them have judged my singing.

Actually I have heard one comment that was less than positive about my voice. He flat-out said that I sucked. He wouldn't tell me in what way so I didn't pay any attention to his comment.

If anyone else is so inclined please critique me. The truth is that I don't hear all of my mistakes. Maybe I just make too many for my feable mind to keep track of.

http://www.singersshowcase.com/song.php ... act2=37248

AtM I'm really very unclear what your inference is here? It looks to me like I forgot to hit the enter key? I find myself doing that.  As to the comment I clearly remember that being all I had to say as this was a number I had done not long before yours.  We should have a discussion now about "hidden meanings".  What ever bothered you somehow about what I said or what you perceived I didn't do, don't worry because what I said there was what I meant...you did a unique interpretation of the song.   And if you think that is egregious, my version is just a direct copy of the original.  Thank you and  that was the day that was....

Sorry Michael, I meant nothing like that. I don't think you were being less than honest. I'm honest about the nice things I say about people when I post. I may be wrong but I'm still honest.

What I was hoping for was if you could say that something didn't sound right etc. Thank you for the comment on my sub and for taking the time to listen. I didn't mean to be ambiguous in my previous post.

When I subbed that song I didn't think a month wasn't long enough since the last time it was done.

I give up. I used to communicate so well.

Sorry Michael. Please excuse me.

Ah, geez, don't worry  about little stuff like that--I sent you a private e-mail regarding this.  You have a point, and in the context you presented it, this was very true.

Ah, geez, don't worry  about little stuff like that--I sent you a private e-mail regarding this.  You have a point, and in the context you presented it, this was very true.

Thanks Michael.

I was in two karaoke contests ever. The first one was rigged I think. I am certain there were three or more singers who did better than I did that night I won. When they gave me the check I was too drunk to stand.

The time I lost was closer to reality but still a little unreal.

I am trying to be more aware of my voice these days for work. If I plan to market myself, I mean my voice, I will have to learn what to stay away from. I was hoping to be able to sing parts in jingles too.

You guys are very nice and I love this site.

As I mentioned, for what it's worth (and that's very little!) I would be happy to do what Steve does and take your songs, listen to them, write down things and let you know what I think but bearing in mind this is my opinion only.  I think I am objective enough that I wouldn't infuse my ideas over yours but if there is something you are going for that might be improved or tried a different way, I'm here.  I'm heading off in a moment--have a good day/night!