Karaoke Forums

Ok, what if a singer wants to sing the same song every Friday night?  Not me of course....it's a friend of mine.   He will sing various songs, but the staple of his "rotation" is always "Bon Jovi's 'Wanted Dead or Alive'".  I do a fine job of...I mean, HE does a fine job of it, but is it too much if he does it every Friday?  I realize the crowd changes from week to week, but he's paranoid that people will think he's a dink for singing Dead or Alive every week...  What should I tell my friend...I don't want to hurt HIS feelings...

Tell him to learn new songs.  I don't see a problem with a once a week singing it, I have several that do the same thing.  It's when it's pretty much the only song they sing is when it starts getting irratating.

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Here's a tip:

1. Try singing other songs from the same artist.  If the show doesn't have any others then pick up a single disc that has  more of the artists songs on it and give it a shot.

Once you've done that....

2. Try singing similar artists in the same genre that are often confused for that artist.

Once you've built up on that....

3. Start looking for artist in other genre's that have the same vocal range but perhaps a little different style.

And then?

4. Try something completely off the wall within your vocal range.

Next thing you now you'll have 50-100 songs in your repetoire.

I'm always super-paranoid about this... I have about 80 songs total in my repertoire, and I carry a list with me to mark them off when I do them so I don't do the same ones week after week. Of course, most people that sing at the place to I go to have about 2 songs in their repertoire, so I'm probably being WAY oversensitive about it...

Is your friend fairly new to Karaoke?  Most new people only have a couple
of songs that they are comfortable with.   Tell your friend to get a karaoke machine.....they sell them everywhere now and pretty cheap.  Get some CDG's
that have some songs you would like to try and learn new songs.  I've been singing
for several years now but I still don't like to try a brand new song in public.  I like
to try them at home before taking them out to the shows.    Most KJ's will let you bring your own disc if you are more comfortable with the version you have and they
don't have it.   Happy Singing!  

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SAY IT WITH MUSIC!!!!

As a KJ...it never bothers me....or our crowd. If that's what makes your friend feel comfy....let him. But do encourage him to learn others.....it's fun!

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I don't see any problem in singing the same songs every week, as long as you do try a new one from time to time.  People will be so surprised, and you will add to your list!  Now, if you sing the same song more than once a night (like a client of mine does every Wednesday), then I think you might have a problem.

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"Life is the song, Love is the music"

At the bar we work there are a few people who will only sing one song, If that is all you are comfortable with then sing it. We also try to encourage them to try other songs but we will not pressure them. And for the most part people at the bar know them and what they sing so they will go up and ask them to sing the song for them.

Sing what you are comfortable with it's KARAOKE.......

I have regulars that seem to sing the same songs week after week.
MOST singers ( and KJ'S) have there   SIGNATURE SONG that they feel is there #1 song...
NOthing wrong if they or you sing it every week  :)

thanks guys and gals.   I was being facetious when I said it was "my friend"...  I feel better after reading some of your posts.  I really only feel comfortable singing about 6-7 songs and I really like singing one particular one whenever I go out...and no, I don't sing it more than once a night....   Even though I don't go every single Saturday or Friday, I feel paranoid that people will roll their collective eyes and groan, "oh geez, that guy's gonna sing that Bon Jovi song again".  To date, no one's done that (that I can see...in the dark... with stage lights in my eyes....) and to be honest I usually get people singing the chorus along with me as well as getting a nice raucous applause afterwards...  I've even had people make requests and ask me when I get to the bar what songs I plan to sing tonight.  So I'm getting positive reinforcement...it's the insecure "voice" inside that's trying to fight for a front row seat in my brain.  I'm just a newbie who's just getting his vocal chords "loosened up" in this business and worried about making a donkey of himself.  :D   Thanks again for your advice.  :oh yeah:


ps. I am trying out other Bon Jovi songs (not a big Jovi fan....but for some reason I like singing them...could be the gal's reactions....).

I sing a lot of different songs, but there are a couple that people like to hear me sing, so I do them often. One that has recently gotten in my repetoire is Ride On, from AC/DC. I sing it most weeks, but I try to change it a little every week. The trick is to improvise it, and make it your own. Tyr not to sing it the same, and it stays fresh.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

When I first started singing karaoke, there were perhaps 3 songs I would even CONSIDER singing, even though I know (by heart) more songs than I'll ever admit to.  It took me a few years to get over a bad case of stage fright to where I would even turn in my slip to the KJ... let alone try a "new" song outside of my usual 3 "comfort zone" tunes.  However, I have an unusual ability to remember music (the rhythm, key changes and lyrics) after hearing it at least twice... but even though I KNOW so many different songs, this does not mean I CAN or WILL sing them.  They're either out of my vocal range, too obscure for most people to recognize, or ones that everybody and their dog sings week after week.

Once I became more comfortable singing karaoke, and eventually getting over the stage fright and shaky-hand syndrome... I felt it was time to start singing some other songs.  I felt I was being pigeonholed by the singing the same songs over and over and possibly boring everyone by it.  I started going through the KJ's book more thoroughly in between the rotation and writing down songs on the back of a slip to listen to at home and maybe try some other night.  Once people became more familiar with me and what I am and am not capable of (vocally) I felt more comfortable pulling out the obscure songs no one else tries.  I don't stick with a particular genre, either.  This is now pretty much expected of me, in that no one knows WHAT I might sing that evening.

Since adding to my repetoire over the last 2 years, I no longer sing ANY of the songs I first started with in the beginning.  And what's funny is that people ASK me to sing some of them at times, and I'm like, "UGH!  No way!!"  I'll be the first to admit that I try not to bore people with my song choices.  There are many people where I go who may only sing 1 or two songs, and they will do those every night you see them.  I'm OK with that, especially if that's all they are comfy with... but after 2 years you'd think you might hear a new song or two from them.  Nope.  I don't mind these people singing the same things week after week, but where it starts to get irritating is when OTHERS also sing those same songs as well.  Might hear it twice in one night.  At places where "karaoke ettiquette" is practiced, most people won't sing something that is ordinarily done by a 'regular'.  And if the reallllllly have to sing it, they'll ask the other person if it's cool that they give it a whirl.

My suggestion to you, like many others have already said:  Try some new stuff as well as your usual 'Wanted Dead Or Alive'.  And by "new" I don't necessarily mean recent stuff that's just been on the charts or anything (although that's fun sometimes too).  Just something you've never done before.  You may discover something else that's just as fun and comfortable for you to sing as the one you normally do.  Just my babbling.... don't mind me.  :D

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Exactly How I started   Great advice !!!   was comfortable with 2 songs till I bought a deck and practiced at home.

Around here, Summertime is pretty slow...Everyone's going camping, to the lake, having fires, etc...So on those slower nights,  I like to play kamakaze karaoke with people who 'trust' me...I'll put a new song in and if they're uncomfortable, I'll either stand next to them and sing over their shoulder into their ear to help them along...Sometimes they'll want me to pick up the other mic and sing it that way.

Every once in a while we will have a few friends over to the house, drink some beer, eat some chips and have a "practice party"...We'll listen to the song first, then sing it, sometimes twice.  A good time is had by all.

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"Life is the song, Love is the music"

the same song can be sung with new energy also, slight shifts and changes, and if it's good it builds a following all it's own. I often do 'drift away' by dobie grey and it's become something that never gets old.

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It's Always More Than Meets the Eye!

Thanks for the advice guys and gals.  I've actually built my little song list up to about 12-15 I feel comfortable singing.  Of course, there's still one I really like singing and it's tough to let a night go by without doing that one....    :yes:

I am a Karaoke host, and I have about 80-90 songs I do well. If I want to try something new I usually go to someone elses show, and try it. Sometimes it is easier if no one in a bar knows you. I feel a lot more comfortable where I am not known......... altho I am having to go further out now to find places I am not known.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

I used to kamikazee myself all the time. I also have a huge taste in music anyway... many times I will open a book and say "I want to sing on THIS page"... and then I look and look until I find SOMETHING I can sing.

It's NOT important that you do the very best song you can do... it's important that you have fun with it. One of the funniest things I ever did was try a song, tank it so bad I just sat there and laughed at myself for even TRYING!!

Yup it is simple as that. I and others used to do a certain genre for ex old country. We would pretty much sound like the original artist and wasnt half bad. But like Matt, I love all kinds..  I grew up with the hit parade on tv. I have sang several hundred different songs I might go for a year and never sing the same song more than 3 times.

Now if I sing Half as Much by Hank it really doesnt sound total country just a generic song that can be sung in any age group. The challenge left long ago and when it does one has to find songs that bring challenges back.

My therory is karaoke is  3 stages and I can tell which one most are in First stage is hey I can sing. Most get to the hey I can sing halfway decent. The last is when one doesnt have to give a knockout performance eveytime but jams raps or whatever and is doin it for the pure pleasure.  When any show, karaoke or any reaches that stage then that is when is when the average singers bring the house down. And singers are flocking to try new ones that they always wanted to do but were afraid to.....Those are the nights that keep this old boy goin....  On a slow night I sometimes let singers do twofers but I pick the second song or kamikaze.....

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WELL said!

There IS a major comfort level going on with average karaoke singers. MOST never graduate to karyoker's third level. At best most MIGHT get to the stage two.  For purposes of this discussion, it's important to note that you MIGHT be able to get a stage two person to try a new song, but hardly EVER a stage one individual! So my personal recommendation is to determine which type of singer you're faced with before saying "Hey Bob, try THIS song!" or "Dude, some 70s glam rock is SOOOO you!"

Remember that their big experiment will be a bit traumatic for them... if it doesn't suceed, they may not want to branch out. And could even retreat a bit into a Stage One personna!

Once again karyoker, excellent job on the analysis of what a karaoke singer can be classified like!