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New songs first or familiar songs first?
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Author:  KaraokeBradSC [ Tue May 22, 2007 4:40 pm ]
Post subject:  New songs first or familiar songs first?
When deciding to try new songs on the audience, do you try them first to get them out of the way and over and done with, or do you start out with your best songs so that way if you fall flat on the new ones you are at least cushioned by the performance of the best songs? Personally, I always feel it best to warm up to new material because I find that many times even if you are a good singer, you get one shot with most listeners.  If you aren't good on your first song, some people won't listen to your remaining songs. At least by starting off with a stong selection you're given credit for that even if the new song tanks.  Sorry if I'm talking in circles.  What say you all?
Author:  Lonman [ Tue May 22, 2007 5:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
I generally work on new songs at home first.  Then will try them in public, usually on slow nights unless I feel it's sounding ok.
Author:  knightshow [ Tue May 22, 2007 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
yup, me too!
Author:  Charmin_Gibson [ Tue May 22, 2007 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
Oh..... I always need that "cushion", and most likely always will. I start with something nice and familiar that I know are one of my better songs. (maybe 2 of them).... Then I move on to new stuff or stuff I'm still a bit shaky about.

But then also, I like to keep a couple of my "comfort songs" hanging around for later too... that way if I feel I biffed a (newer) song I can sing something to "redeem" myself with. :D

And later on in the night is when the crowd is nice and relaxed (aka... nice and drunk, haha) ....  they wont even notice so much if I don't sing a new song just the way I should.

.
Author:  Babs [ Tue May 22, 2007 10:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
I'll practice at home first. Then I'll try it out on a slow night after warming up with a few I know well.
Author:  atxklown [ Wed May 23, 2007 2:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
Babs @ Wed May 23, 2007 12:13 am wrote:
I'll practice at home first. Then I'll try it out on a slow night after warming up with a few I know well.

same here
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Wed May 23, 2007 5:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
My NEW song policy goes like this

Sing in the car with the orginal CD many many times
Sing at home another many times with the CDG after buying the NEW DISC
If I'm KJing at the end of a slow night attempt the new song after the correct amount of alcohol has been applied to my blood stream ..Not tooo MUCH but just enough to take the edge off !

There is nothing lik nailing a NEW song that no one has heard you sing before .
But at the othe end of the spectrum.....screwing up that new song is really really BAD ...for KJ's ......We are suppose to be able to sing !!!! :shock:
Author:  Magz [ Wed May 23, 2007 7:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
jamkaraoke @ 5/23/2007 wrote:
We are suppose to be able to sing !!!! :shock:


Don't worry, my KJ can't hold a tune in a bucket lol and it works for him, he always gives this whole speech on a slow night that if people don't start to come up and sing, he's gonna have to do it himself and it's would only be our fault lol.

But back to topic, new songs....scary, but I'm really comfortable with the people and the club I go to so really it's up in the air with me.  I think I always do prefer to wait til people are in a condition where they most likely wont remember if I screwed it up lol.
Author:  Chuck2 [ Wed May 23, 2007 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
I like to do one or two familiar songs first to work the edge off. If it's a slower night I might get to sing a new song or two. That depends on how much nerve I've got that night.
Author:  Laura [ Thu May 24, 2007 5:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
I always do at least 1 new song whenever I go karaoke-ing.  Whether I do them first, or whether I do them later, depends on what I am in the mood for singing.  

Many times if I want to do a song that A LOT of people sing, I'll do it early in the evening before anyone else gets to it.
Author:  planet_bill [ Fri May 25, 2007 8:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
Generally speaking I will start with something familiar especially at a new venue where they aren't familiar with my singing. This kind of allows the audience to hear that I can at least sing 'some'. I will then move on to new stuff sometimes. Typically though - as others mentioned I prefer to practice new material at home first. However I still also just do new stuff cold turkey in front of a crowd as well. This often occurs if I didn't bring my own disks and I can't find much of anything familiar in their book, or if I am just really bored of the same old stuff. Like the other day I did 'Better Man' by Pearl Jam and 'Across the Universe' by The Beatles cold turkey. I think both were done relatively well considering I hadn't practiced before and the crowd seemed to really enjoy them. You know how it is...sometimes you just want to sing a song and you don't really care if they like it or not. It may be a song you love and you are excited about it.

On the other hand on another day at a different location I tried to do 'Man In The Box' by Alice In Chains. I thought I knew this song fairly well and could likely pull it off in my range. I did well at first, put then the teleprompter ran some words in different time that confused me. I kind of locked up and messed up a bit. Fairly unusual for me at karaoke nowadays for me to completely screw up. LOL I laughed and asked for help from friends as I didn't remember how a part went. It was all good, and I was a bit embarrassed, but I know the crowd there had seen me perform other songs much better.

So as you see it varies with me as to my approach. It's nice to always sound professional and polished like you are "golden" but IMO it's also nice sometimes to take a chance and live on the edge - push yourself especially for songs you really like.

Back when I first started doing karaoke (and I think this is probably true for most everybody) I had never practiced any songs. I didn't have a machine at home or my own cdg collection. Back then everything was done cold turkey. There are a lot of laughs from those days, but also some pleasant surprises. I guess I just try and keep it honest every once in a while. That's what karaokes about.
Author:  Revenge Entertainment [ Fri May 25, 2007 5:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
When I FIRST started running shows, I would ONLY sing the songs I used to sing when I was just a customer. After awhile, I started singing new stuff but ONLY after I'd practiced and practiced and practiced it at home (however...no amount of practice is a match against 7 shots of Rumplemints...ask me sometime about the first time I sang "Fancy") before I would sing it in public. NOW (usually)...I take the new discs to the shows STILL SEALED and open them IN FRONT OF THE CUSTOMERS, make the customary, "This could get ugly," disclaimer and sing the song. The customers like it because it puts me on the same ground as them. Some of them don't get to practice EXCEPT at the shows and I feel I should not have any more advantage than I already have by running shows 3 to 7 nights a week. Even on the easy weeks when I only run three shows, I get to sing more than people who can only get out to one show. Now, admittedly, if I get a song I have been wanting FOREVER...I open it at home and sing it until my throat hurts. Then....when my throat heals...I sing it at a show. "Magic Power" by Triumph was the last song like that, so...few and far between.
Author:  pflugerville [ Fri May 25, 2007 5:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
ok, time to toot my own horn (yeah like i NEVER do that!).  this is sorta on topic and sorta off.  i like to scatter the new songs in with the old songs, but since my range is vast, i usually don't sing the same song within a month unless it's requested.  a few folks have mentioned practicing at home before taking a song in public.  even the new songs i sing i usually get asked how long it took to get it right to which i can always respond, this is my first time singing it karaoke.  i don't set my stuff up at home, so i never sing at home.  it really feeds my ego to get asked that!  ok, someone deflate my head now please!
Author:  MorganLeFey [ Fri May 25, 2007 5:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
awwww Steve life has a way of deflating egos without anyone purposely setting out to do such a thing, yours in my experience has never really needed deflating ;-)
Author:  pflugerville [ Sat May 26, 2007 4:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New songs first or familiar songs first?
awwww, thanks babe!  what's the word on "the tour of the americas"?
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