Karaoke Forums

Hello everybody!
I've been thinking about this topic as I've been posting and critiquing.  I've started to feel like sometimes I am too rude, sometimes I am too nice... and I'm not sure I even understand what the point of these sites are.  I've read a couple other posts talking about this topic in detail, but the biggest thing I've been wondering is what IS good singing!?

Last year my apartment received some international channels like ZTV and other asian/indian stations, and they had some sort of starsearch-India type show.  I was fascinated by how differently they sing from Western cultures, a very fast-moving, high pitched, "Christina-Aguilera on drugs" type scale-spanning.  I thought the females sounded like they were trying to sing like little girls.  Although perhaps I'm ignorant, maybe this does not characterize Indian singing, only a part of it.

The more I listen to "international/world" music the more I like it, because it is so different from what I am used to and it makes me question what i consider "normal."

But I'm wondering what others thoughts are on the question of 'is there really is a universal "good voice" style', a set of characteristics that anyone would agree sound good no matter what their cultural upbringing.  

Has anyone heard of any other unique/cultural singing styles?  I'd love to broaden my horizons.  

~Electrophoretic

This is a copy of a post I made months ago.. Music is like love it leaps across borders in a heart beat , does not have boundaries, totally embraces all emotions and blends them together to make new ones. Music bonds many souls together that otherwise would not even meet..  One does not need a perfect sense of beat or a fine sense of pitch to sing for if it comes from the heart it sets souls free and gives life a real purpose and meaning.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first year of the sixties was probably about the worst time to go into the military. But times were good, a man or woman either one could work forty hours a week and support the family before the lawmakers convinced everybody that they were responsible for the economy. We had the best music in the world Johnny Cash E P and all in between. With two A M radio stations you could get the best country or rock. At two in the morning right after a drag race Shreeves Port L A was kinda good too.

The bands in those times were country that could rock and rock and roll bands that could play country but all managed to play a couple of gospels sometime during the night. They started setting up with wierd lookin geetars leaning against the amps and I dont know whether it was the booze or all the gals in tight jeans but god we rocked.

About four years later I found myself with about five other sailors in a little bar in France on the southern coast. We were yearning for Trader Vic's in Portsmouth and a band who could really rock doin Long Tall Texan and others. There was only us the barkeep and a few old Frenchmen who would pounce on the cig butts we were snuffin out and smoking them in their pipes.

An old man walked in with a very old violin and threw his tam on the bar which we found out was to collect the few lira for entertainment. Bobbie Darr, a Texan looked at me and said oh god we got to listen to this crap now. After a couple of songs I didnt have clue what they were, I said I'm gonna hit him with Wild Side Of Life. I walked up put a dollar in his hat and belted out You woodnt read my letter if I wrote yuuuo. All of a sudden I thought there was a fiddle player out of Memphis or somewhere for he kicked in the best country fiddle moanin you ever did wanta hear.

We sang evey song we knew learned some Medditranean stuff and even when we were doin cattle call and yodeling and screamin even the old guys were screamin and laughing and crying..I sat down awhile to catch up on the drinking and he played songs that made me weep, laugh and feel emotions that one seldom ever feels. He opened our heart and gave our soul wings. It took one whistlin and a couple of us humming but we taught him Orange Blossom Special. I dont know what I'd give to listen to him play just one more time.

And when we were walking back to the ship I realized that my appreciation for music had changed forever. I dont hardly classify or put music in specific genres. If it's good it's music.
And it dont make any difference if it's comin out of a big array or from an old violin if it makes your soul fly it's music That old man gave me a music lesson.....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Never let your heart be biased but embrace all beats and souls then you will be free....
Reply With Quote

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

Since we all have different opinions about music in some degree.......I think whatever you like is "good" music.   I can't stand Rap but apparently some people do so I guess it would be considered "good" to them.  And I know some people that can't stand "Country".....(don't know what's wrong with them!....)

Music is kind of like beauty - It's in the eye of the beholder.

Interesting topic.  My personal observation has been that the more musically talented people tend to appreciate the merits of most any musical style, even if it isn't their own.  I could use myself as an example; I have no musical training, don't generally listen to music except at karaoke, and don't play any musical instruments, and I have absolutely no appreciation for opera, and very little for country or rap.  I'm one of those people who has to hear a song about fifty times before I decide I like it.

This is hardly a scientific answer, but with such a question probably about as good as could be expected.

_________________
Reward: nine yen in drawer.

The old man was paid in lira in France? No wonder he didn't make it

Music will stir the soul.. Provided a musician is involved.. Too many "wannabees" think that talent isn't required to get a contract and record.

The best karaoke is when the singer "feels" the music. (and knows the words)  LOL

As for me, I just do the best I can. Nobody runs for the exit, I win.  LMAO

I usually get late-night swamped at my Thursday gig with foreigners - a large consulting company has their global training center nearby and buses them out to us before they return home.  (yeah, we're often looking for lost passports and the like after closing).  In any case, I've tried to build up some "international" karaoke offerings for our clients - while most of them sing fairly standard stuff, with a twist (heavy U2, ABBA, Robbie Williams...thanks to Zoom Entertainments!), periodically a German, Italian, French, Portuguese (Brazil, not so much Portugal) or some other language will get sung - they always go over well with everyone.  Generally looking at large group numbers, even for the native English speaking visitors.

Nevertheless, if anyone can hook me up with Dutch karaoke (frequent visitors from Amsterdam) in CDG format, please let me know.  I've found acekaraoke.com, a sponsor of this website, to be a good source for foreign material.  Just can't get it in Dutch...

In the midst of the madness, the regulars will do "God Bless the USA", "Courtesy of the RW&B" and other American favorites (it's a country bar on the other nights).  It's all in good fun and everyone seems to accept what it is and has a good time.  In fact, "New York, New York", is one of the top picks from our foreign friends.

_________________
Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

Yeah it will always be a cultural bias. What sounds good to some people may sound bad to others. And what sounds good depends on what you are used to hearing.
It is all in the ears of the beholder, just like any other art. Van Gogh looks completely ugly to the untrained eye, but to the people that are into art it looks heavenly, it is exactly the same with music and singing/styles. I for one, can not understand how people can even listen to high pitched singers that do Mariachi music for more than 10 seconds, to my ears it is fingernails on a chalk board, but yet to Mexicans it is completely awesome and they go wild when they hear it. But the reason I feel this way is because I didn't grow up with listening to it I guess.
So we are all bias.