Karaoke Forums

It's very rare that I go and sing karaoke in my natural range--in some respects, I've gotten more comfortable faking tenor than I am at singing naturally. I'm looking for suggestions for new things in the bass/baritone range to try that go out of the ones I'll typically do, which include some Sinatra, some Dean Martin, some Johnny Cash, and some Barry White. About the only thing that sprung to mind to sing at a recent karaoke night was the Crash Test Dummies "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm," which is a boring-as-heck song to sing.

I mean, Christmas is coming up, and I can do the Grinch song, but any random suggestions that I may be missing would be awesome and appreciated.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

Based on the artists you mentioned, I suggest you give a few of these a try.
Keep in mind there are other songs by these artists that might suit you better.

Longfellow Serenade - Neil Diamond
Love Her Madly - The Doors
Little Green Apples - Roger Miller
His Latest Flame - Elvis Presley
Slow Hand - Conway Twitty
Lil' Red Riding Hood - Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs
Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino
It's Just A Matter Of Time - Randy Travis

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Sex & Candy - Marcy Playground
Lowrider - War (this one is still a hit on most nights)
Gold - John Stewart
Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett (yeah yeah but easy to sing)
Blood & Roses - Smithereens (a little higher range not a lot)

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Songs featuring lower male registers include artists such as...
Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Jace Everett, Brook Benton, Isaac Hayes, Paul Robeson, The Animals, Right Said Fred, Leonard Cohen, Keith Whitley, Barry White, Mario Biondi, Cat Stevens, Jim Reeves, Tom Waits...

If any of the above inspires you! You could also check out how this chap handles popular songs at bass register, if your voice is anywhere near that range. Hope this is of help.

PS.. why not record some songs in your natural range and post them to the Showcase? That way if we can hear you sing something you're comfortable with we may be better qualified to suggest songs that suit the sound of your voice.

(I myself am polar opposite in that I nearly always sing in falsetto).

Yeah, that's a real crowd pleaser!
Usually no shortage of dancers on that one.

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Or at least have a listen through the Showcase to find those who are in your range and check out their songs and song list.

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KNOW THYSELF

Da Da Da - Trio
MmmmMMmmMMmmm - Crash Test Dummies

I sing these and bring them up.

-Chris

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-Chris

How do you feel about modern country?

Guys like Toby Keith or Josh Turner.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll give some of these a shot. I've done a few of them before.



I honestly have no idea how to do a home recording or anything like that, but if I record one at a bar, I'll give that a shot.

And, man, that dude you linked to? I'm not that deep, but maybe with practice... nah, I still couldn't get that deep. Hah.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

I like Toby Keith's lower range songs: Dream Walkin' & I Love This Bar
George Strait: Amarillo By Morning & The Chair.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

That I figured. The point was he recorded most of these songs in the same key as the original artiste. Hearing how he adapts them for his voice may give you inspiration for your singing technique, or something. Sidenote: on his website there's a clip of him speaking in a falsetto, which is... weird.

Sounds like Low Rider by WAR is a song to get the crowd going. I did attempt it once years ago but soon discovered I don't really have the range for it (still love the song though). A favourite at my pub is Jace Everett's "Bad things", partially because there are very few who can reach the bottom note.

That last note is around the bottom of my range. I do sing that one a good bit.

Is it weird how many of the songs that involve a bass range mentioned here are country songs? Is there a reason voices like that are more prevalent in country than in pop/rock?

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

U2-All I Want Is You
MAtchbox 20-Bent

Both of these have no high notes and low (but not to an extreme) bottom notes, most of them in low tenor/baritone range.

If your voice is set below low tenor, try Nina Simone-Feeling Good, sung an octave lower than the original. I have heard this done with a great result by a baritone.

Fats Domino for some great oldies baritone friendly tunes.
Nat "King" Cole also has some wonderful versions of songs suited to deep voices . His version of I Love You For Sentimental Reasons is gorgeous.

Bing Crosby's - The little Drummer Boy and all the rest.

These are all on my song list... on my mid- to lower range is: Anything by Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen "I'm Your Man", Godsmack "VooDoo", ... on my upper range: Goo Goo Dolls "Iris", Tonic "If You Could Only See", Spin Doctors "Two Princes", Edwin McCain "I'll Be", and then if you really want to rock out, Rob Zombie "Dragula, Metallica "Enter Sandman"

Josh Turner is the only singer mentioned here that can really sing anything in classic Bass range. Most of what's mentioned here is Baritone range. And I don't count falsetto singers as Tenors.

Most pop, rock and country male singers are Baritones, who in some cases extend into Tenor range, like a classical Baritenor.

I think it's easy for most folks to confuse 'timber' and 'range'.

Your mileage may differ!

Ever heard Randy Travis doing "It's Just A Matter of Time"? Amazing bass.


I disagree with the "most pop and rock". A large percentage are tenors.

This is why I became acquainted with country music at the age of 50. I found that there was very little material in rock or modern pop that was suited to my voice.


It appears to. I wasn't aware that timbre had anything to do with range.

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

you might try:

Black Hole Sun
What I Like About You
Takin Care of Business
You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet
I melt With You
Safety Dance
We Just Disagree
Red, Red Wine
Road House Blues
Steamroller Blues (James Taylor)
Sweet Caroline

Reggae/house music songs by Shaggy, Sean Paul, etc.

Pearl Jam
Godsmack
Hootie & The Blowfish


And if you're back to country - Garth Brooks
George Strait
Johnny Cash
Alan Jackson (Remember When especially)
Jason Aldean "Red Dirt Anthem"
Zac Brown Band
Trashy Women (Confederate Railroad)
will sometimes even bring drunken girls to the stage to dance with you.

It really doesn't, but many confuse a fuller, deeper, and richer timber/tone as not as high in pitch.

And BTW, Travis is a Baritone who can sing into the upper Bass range, just as many Baritones can sing up into the lower Tenor range. I'm using classic modal voice ranges here, and there are always exceptions.