Karaoke Forums

Hi!

I love to sing karaoke but I don't sing well at all so I was thinking about learning it better, on my own. Can anyone here recommend a Learn-to-sing-on-your-own cd-rom (or something similair) that I can buy?

N

Develop your ears, sing around people who are honest.
[edited by webmaster - comments removed]

Wanna learn how to sing? SING. If you HAVE to take lessons, take them from a PERSON. A person who can tell you when you SCREW UP. A CDROM won't tell you when you screw up. I will, but apparently I'm not welcome here. I expect this post to be gone by dinnertime. Oh well, good luck anyway.

[edit - comments by webmaster]
Please note that all are welcome here and viewpoints are excepted - however, rude or nasty remarks about someones singing ability or lack thereof are not allowed please review the Rules. Criticism within reason - just saying that someones singing sucks and that the back up vocals or percussion are terrible. Is not productive or useful!

Despite the fact that shotgun apparently has issues with the people who run this site, he is exactly right. The only way to learn how to sing is by doing it. You may be able to find videos on techniques you can use to strengthen your voice and warm up properly, but you've just got to go out there and do it. He is also correct in saying that you've got to find someone who is willing to be honest with you and tell you when you sound good as well as when you sound bad. EVERYBODY has songs that they sing well, and songs that they can't sing at all.

I always tell people who come to my shows that singing karoake is all about having fun, and that they shouldn't be intimidated by people who sing well. After all, I tell them, if they could sing worth a damn, they'd be off getting paid for it! And at my shows, there is only one guy who gets paid to sing, and that's me!

Go to a show, grab the mic and giver er hell...Sing like you are in the car or in the shower, and no matter what, have a great time doing it!

_________________
Spreading the karaoke gospel

I have to agree with what has already been said. If you are really serious about improving your singing, you should find a good voice coach--- I can give you a few tips on what to look for in a voice coach if you're interested. Otherwise, for just recreational singing, you can probably achieve your goals by practicing at home singing to whatever you want to sing to. It would also help to record your practices and then listen to them afterward so you can evaluate yourself. If you're happy with what you're listening to then you've achieved your goal. It may be very uncomfortable at first to listen to yourself--- I'm not saying that you're a bad singer, simply that it takes a lot of getting used to hearing your own voice (this is true for just about everyone--- radio personalities, professional singers, etc.) Hope this helps.

I found the "Sing Like Wing" series to be most helpful. It's made by a company in NZ, I think.

I have a couple of suggestions in addition to those already listed. Ask people you know who have had voice lessons for a referral and if you don't know anyone. I found my voice teacher through them and she was excellent (but expensive). A few things I found out after having taken lessons from 3 different teachers are:

- Good teachers are tough and lessons are not fun. It's like working out at the gym. They will have you do scales in the toughest part of your range which is boring and hard. But it helps.

-Find one who likes the music you like to sing. Mine was a classical teacher, but I like to sing country and rock. She helped me learn new techniques, but wasn't usually familiar with the songs I would bring and that is a drawback.

-Be prepared to pay alot. In my area, the going rate is about $60-$75 for 45 minutes.

-Beware of people who call themselves "vocal coaches". One teacher I tried out for one lesson was an ex-band member who spent most of the time with performance techniques, but she had no professional training. I found that was not helpful at all. Ask what their credentials are.

Good luck.

Kathy is correct,
The best ones are found at or near large universities or large cities, and carry credientials and accrediations form the group or groups she just mentioned. I Have a list of atleast 15 of those people. I personally use one of them. And he's located in Los Angeles. Although Presently he is just doing a "Critique" type service, of my work, My vocal development has come through his method of styling and vocal training. I have been studying and using his method for approximately 6 years, and do continue to use it. It has been quite successful, and works extremely well for me. but his Client list includes a "Who's who" in the entertainment industry, and some real hopefulls for tomorrow too.

All I can say is for advice on Vocal Instruction. Just like anything else in the Music Industry... Check out the credientials.

Not only will I support what's already been said, but I always tell people that singing is good for the heart and the soul. Also, if you've ever sang in the bathtub or shower, or along with the radio in your car, you can sing karaoke. A lot of people just don't realize it and are timid because the first time they try it, its like the old listening to yourself on a tape recorder for the first time. You don't hear what your ears are expecting so ya get chicken. I say don't worry about it - go for it and have a good time

nyashin - No clue as to your geography (maybe NY). In my area we have two Universities with supurb Music Departments (Bucknell & Susquehanna). The Staffs of these Universitys are generous with their time (many no charge public lectures and performances). I would not hesitate to approach any of them for direction. I'm sure that other areas offer that same quality resource and there is no charge for their advice. They are, after all, about learning and education.

You may suprise yourself and find out you're better than you think you are.

Good Luck!

_________________
Jazz and Swing Live (as long as I do).

I guess I need to add a bit here.
Check out the "Adult Education" schools in your area. Here in Hollyweird, you can attend a group class for very little $$$ and the voice coaches are credentialed.
Just a suggestion to get started. If you like it you can expand your training.
Jerry

All excellent suggestions. I started taking lessons in the fall, and now I've learned how to not hurt myself singing! I was doing some serious damage by pushing my chest voice all the time. They are SO worth it!

If you don't have a college nearby, check with the local schools. My voice teacher is an elementary school music teacher during the day.

I started recording myself, too. My instructor is on maternity leave, and I was going into withdrawal. It's super, super weird! Everyone tells me I have a great voice, but I can't hear it! I hear all the imperfections. Is this normal? I'm simply using a tape deck hooked up through my mixing amp...no echo at all (it's broken). It's sounds so different from what I hear through the monitors.

That's good if ya can hear all the imperfections. That means you're really hearing it. I wouldn't worry about the way you are setting up. In a lot of ways, when you sing straight (without the effects) it makes for better practice because you can hear what's really coming out, rather than something that's been doctored up. One final thing; a lot of time school teachers (chorus) give good individual lessons if ya find one ya like. My daughter did that for a couple years. She had good ethics also, as well as being less expensive than a lot of the local folks. As long as my daughter was a student of hers, she would not do private lessons with her. After she graduated from that level, where she was no longer a student of the teacher at school, the teacher was willing to do private lessons.

Me - I don't worry about it - I just go out and sing and have a good time, it's good for the heart

Ron..
you and I have discussed this.. when it's vocal playtime.. and you can be cut loose from the serious singing.. and can really have some fun.. the people really can notice it when you sing from the heart..

I noticed it last night..

Most everybody had fun in what could have been in a real tough environment.
and did what they could to help out.. I hope you smiled on the way home.. I'l there with ya Ron!

Tha singers were with ya last night in a big way and sang thier hearts for ya..

I'm still smiling about it!!!

Alot of singers last night, left that place with something to remember!

And I hope thier Voices are in just as good shape as mine is..

Wanna kamakazi more?

Take it up 2 more steps Ron!!

As luck would have it, Kamikazi karaoke can help sometimes.
Trying new material can assist in recognizing your weak spots.
Never be afraid to try new stuff. Just like the Gym, regular exercise can benefit the muscles you use.

(Did that sound dirty?)

Just singin'

Jerry

Such great points to make!

You've all just reminded me that karaoke is about having fun, not always about being technically correct.

Lessons for me have taught me how to open up, breathe, pronounce and overall not hurt myself! However, there is a downfall...for every song I sing for my instructor (btw...she works on karaoke tunes with me), I feel the need to be 100% technically correct. And that's fine for lessons, but I've noticed that I hold back when I'm there in an attempt to avoid constructive critiscm.

When I actually do go to karaoke, I try to keep as many of the techniques she has taught me in mind, but I let my heart take over. Amazing how much better it feels!


And yes, kamizake karaoke helps sooooooooo much! If you have a home system, pop in a disc and try singing just about everything on it that you're even vaguely familiar with. You'll know if the song is for you within the first few lines. And revisit them after some time passes. There is stuff I was never able to sing that I can do now. Who knew I'd go from singing nothing but Madonna (that's all I could do when I first started) to actually sounding good on a show tune (and no, not from Evita, either) or 80's monster ballads.

Smiles,
I was vocally trained in 80's metal, I sing and was re-trained in Country Professionally.. I love to kamakazi Female songs to find a challenge.. although for me it's vocally diffacult.. although personally my comfort range is in a soprano/tenor ala Jeff Hanna, Chris Cagle, Buddy Jewell, John Mellencamp & Rob Thomas among others, being versitile never killed a singer if they could develop it.

I think Kamikaze is great for learning stage relaxation. I've learned to be totally at ease with new material that I want to do as a result of frequent Kamikaze participation. It shows in my delivery (a lot). I can tell by audience response.

_________________
Jazz and Swing Live (as long as I do).

I always save kamikaze karaoke for drunken times at home with friends, or on a night where the crowd feels right (or it's a small crowd). I've had good songs and bad songs, and it's definitely taught me to grow. I'm very hard on myself and doing things like this helps me let go of those tendencies and simply have fun.

I'm not really sure that kamikazi (or suicide) karaoke is a great way to learn to sing--- but then I hate to sing songs that I don't know well. It does help with sight reading/singing but correct vocal techniques can suffer if you're too focused on just getting the words out.

I think when your first starting out, kamikaze karaoke at home is great for learning what songs, styles, etc are better suited to your voice. Then you can grow from there.