Karaoke Forums

I know, what funny timing, huh?! Good thing I wasn't taking a sip of coffee when it popped onto my screen this morning or else Hey, maybe the editor at Yahoo.com has been following this thread. naaaaaaawwww  LOL

Hugs  :hug:

No boob job yet... but, i am taking donations.... (and accepting squeezes).




(And, Crystal, cute in that hat, babe;)

Well, okay, it sounds like a good cause so I just donated 10 points to you but I'd be real careful about using a cosmetic surgeon who accepts KaraokeScene Forum points. Still if you do...I've got my pixel mask on and a microphone in my pocket and I'm ready to hold up the Point Bank for this worthy cause. (Hey, is that a microphone in your pocket - or are you just glad to see me?)  :D

Here's the squeeze... ... hope it was good it for you, too.  LOL

Christopher, I don't think there's any way for people to be completely objective; it is always going to be subjective and have all these variables that were mentioned.

If anyone doesn't listen to your subs based on other people's comments, they would probably find some other excuse anyway.  Personally I don't read other people's comments, for the most part, but if I did, it would be after I listened and posted my own comments.

I think it would be a great idea to have the ranking and comments separate.


Jean--as far as telling you significant other the truth, it would depend on the kind of relationship you have, and the person, I would think.  Giving critique to someone you know very well (and intimately) is very different from critiques to a bunch of strangers you will probably never meet.  So it's not really a good comparison.

I don't think genre makes much of a difference to me....if anything, I am more likely to be lenient on people who do punk or rap because I can't judge it as easily as pop/rock/country.

Otherwise, I have no idea what you're talking about must be some good drugs!!

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

After reading through this thread........I really think that there are some that
take this commenting and ranking way too seriously.   We are talking about
Karaoke singers.  The majority of us are not pros and not looking to become
pros.  We are just having a good time.  Most of the people on here are KJ's or just
everyday Karaoke singers.  The ones who are trying to make it in the
music industry have other ways to go other than Karaoke.  
I could very easily be one of the ones you are talking about.........always saying something nice.  I believe in encouraging people and not bringing them down.  I may give a comment sometimes such as the mic is too loud or such but on the most part I don't give negative comments.  I don't think it serves any purpose in Karaoke plus I don't think I'm qualified to tell someone what is wrong with their singing.  Everyone has different styles and such things as cutting their words short or such could just be that person's style......it doesn't mean that it's wrong.  When I do run up on a sub that I really don't think I can honestly say something positive about........I just don't comment.  If I comment........I really did find something in it that I liked.   I just don't believe in picking something to death.
I don't mind someone giving me constructive critisism and I do try to take the advice
and work on these things.  But I don't intend to take it personal either.  I'm a Karaoke singer and that's as far as it goes.  We would all like to be better than we are.  And this is a great place to learn and try new things.  I learn alot just by listening to other singers.
I think this is a great site with a bunch of very super people and some great singers.
But sometimes I think we just need to chill out and enjoy it for what it is.....Karaoke.

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SAY IT WITH MUSIC!!!!

I agree, In My case I did karaoke shows as a KJ for 3 years, and am fortunate enough to have a full time job now, and not a need to fall back on karaoke for a living. I am Playing with a Hard disk recorder right now, and have been trying to get the mic adjustments right on it, and quite frankly it is easier to record into a computer on a all in one through a mixer take then it is to record and combine tracks.

I am not a professional singer, and at best I have an average voice. WHen I go out to Karaoke, I like to play dress up, and wear "Look alike aparrell". The Elvis Photo I had posted was from Halloween a year ago, and the Eric Clapton Look came from a comment the wife Made. Actually I have a grey BEard, But she said If I died it I would look a lot like him. So I did. Boy, I wish I could sing like him.

I try to Honestly tell someone what I think about their posts, But I don't want to hurt Feelings. In Most cases, If I don't like a performance, I just don't comment. But, That doesn't mean that every song without a comment is a bad song. I don't listen to every song, I don't have time, Only The ones I recognize. But we all come from Different cultures, and Backgrounds, and I doubt if more than 2 or 3 of us are going to agree on what is good.

I recently posted a song on here, and No one even listened to it. I don't figure it is because it was a bad song, Probably just the luck of the draw.

My Point, is enjoy yourself, this board is for fun, Entertainment, Try not to be too serious. at least thats my take.

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

Sometimes I feel like a broke record in the forums, but then I remember that new folks come in who haven't seen all of the 'karaoke singer'/'serious singer' debates (and all of the others having to do with critiquing, honesty and so forth), so I guess it's ok to repeat myself. Besides, opinions do change over time.

I agree that 'most' of the folks here are 'just karaoke singers'. However, there is a significantly large portion of us who are 'serious' vocalists in one capacity or another. Either we sing with a band, or we're trying to get into the professional solo artist world, or a myriad of other things inbetween.

The thing is, as a listener, theoretically, we never know WHO might be trying to 'make it' as a singing professional, or if not that, at least become the best vocalist they could be. Therefore, when someone says 'critique me', it's certainly not an obligation for every listener to critique, but if a person chooses to, there is no reason for the listener to say to themself 'this person is only a 'karaoke singer', so why bother to 'really' critique them?'. Essentially, if it's asked for, it will probably be given.

I'm sorry, but I have trouble with the 'karaoke singer' label because I believe that although some people truly sing 'just for fun' and don't give a hoot who likes their voice, MOST people 'secretly' (or not so secretly) want people to listen and really enjoy what they hear. They want to be proud of their singing and have approval from their listeners. Most people, if they really believe they were 'that bad', would never put something up for public display. When people offer the opportunity to critique, I personally feel an obligation to be honest with them about their singing, to the best of my ability.

It seems to be forgotten.........this is a Karaoke site.....Karaokescene.com.
And the few who are trying to make it big don't need to stop making
it fun for the ones who want to strictly do karaoke.  Karaoke is for everyone,
whether you are great, good or somewhere below that.  As for the label....Karaoke
singer........that's what it is........I don't mind saying....I am a karaoke singer.  I am
not a professional and don't claim to be. If this is a site strictly for the professionals and the professional want to be's then the name should be changed to reflect such....because as it is now....It's full force "Karaoke".   I don't know what the answer is but I sure hate to see the average karaoke singer get discouraged because of what might be said on this site.

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SAY IT WITH MUSIC!!!!

[font=andalus]cgirl... I certainly agree with you that the people who are here just for karaoke and to have a good time, should be able to get that out of this site!  I think what syber is saying, is that IF you choose the "C" cataogory you are asking for MORE than just the "fun" side of things, and you are opening yourself up to critiquing and asking for honest constructive advice, and so if you choose that option, you need to be willing to accept whomever decides to offer their advice because YOU in a sense asked for it.   If someone on here is just here to have a good time and sing karaoke, and that is the extent of that, then.. COOL!  I think there is nothing wrong with that, and that is perhaps what the majority of people want from this site.  Then they should choose the Just for fun cat (which I think most do), and that will provide them with what they want out of this site.  I still think it's a really cool thing that we have those two catagories to suit both needs.  The singer who is here to get constructive feedback and advice, and the karaoke singer who just wants to socialize doing what they love and have a good time [/font]

Yes, exactly and of course, I have no problem with folks who are just here for the fun & social side... but just as they are allowed their 'fun', those of us who are more serious should be allowed that option as well without being admonished (not pointing fingers at anyone in particular here, 10c - this debate has been going on for quite some time) for taking it more seriously.

Just out of curiosity... and this again is not directed at anyone in particular... but what do you really see as the difference between a 'karaoke singer' and a 'serious' vocalist?? Because aside from the fact that one trys to make money at it and one doesn't, I can't see much difference.

Hi Jazzy,
   I meant no disrespect toward Syber in my last comment.  I highly respect Syber's vocal talent and opinions.  
   Since this is an "honest" thread I will have to disagree with "if you choose the
C category then you are asking for more than just the fun side of things".   As I said before.....this is a karaoke site and the ranking is part of the fun.  It's karaoke singers ranking other karaoke singers.   If I was trying to make it professionally I honestly don't think I would be seeking the opinions of us amateurs.  I would be sending my music off to some people that could give me a professional opinion.
Constructive critisism is good but sometimes I think you have to earn the respect to
be able to give it.  I know that Elderberries and Jee have given me some advice that
I am thankful for but......... they have earned my respect as some of the other singers on here.  
   I think we all have our own way of dealing with comments and how we give them.   There is no way I can listen to every song that is posted on here but I do try to get around to as many different singeres as I can.  And if being nice or "fluff" is the worst  people think of me......then I'll take it!  Nothing wrong with being nice.
   I would just like to see this site kept fun.  I've been on here for a little over a month now and I'm already seeing singers leave for other places and that's really sad because it really is a great site.  Oh well......I guess that's my  :2cents:.

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SAY IT WITH MUSIC!!!!

[font=andalus]oh gosh cgirl, I definitely didn't think you were being disrespectful in the least, I was just trying to clarify what I thought Syber was trying to say because I thought perhaps you misunderstood what she was trying to say.. that's all

I now understand what you are trying to say a little better.  I think you are saying that there are people who are here "just for fun" but who also enjoy being ranked.  I think that the only way to make room for that, would be to put another catagory.  Rank with no critique. As it stands, the "C" catagory is so labeled becaus it stands for "Critique Me" .. not rate me.. So by it's very name, when you submit in that catagory, you are saying you are willing to be critiqued and are open to that.  I think that's all syber is saying, and what i'm saying as well.

If there was another catagory that was Rate only, then maybe your needs could be met better?  The Critique me catagory was designed expressly for those who ARE here for more than fun (fun, yes.. but they are wanting more out of this).  It was designed for those who want advice from their fellow singers and honest constructive comments from those who are willing to offer them.  SURE.. you're not always going to agree with what everyone says, and of course, they have to earn your respect for you to even WANT to believe what they say, but the catagory just means that you are willing to LET people have their say (critique wise) on your song, and then it is up to you after that to take it to heart and use it to your advantage, or disregard it as rubbish and move on.  That's what the critique me catagory is for.. So perhaps we DO need another catagory for those of you who DO like to be rated, but don't want the critiques??[/font]

I don't mind the critique part on my songs.  I'm comfortable with that but I know there are some that are not and it's hard to tell which ones are.  I guess it's just
hard for me to be very critical of someone when I'm pretty critical of myself.  My voice range is very limited and I try to choose songs within that.  When I venture out
it is fun to see how they go across to other people.  
My point was that we are trying to mix two different types of singers here and there needs to be some kind of meeting in the middle.  When I see Karaoke.......I think "Karaoke" and not professional singers.   So my opinions are based on the average person.  When I hear one of the better singers.......I'm going....Wow!  and not really listening for the pitch problems and such.   I know we can learn alot from
each other but it's just hard to know where to draw that line.

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SAY IT WITH MUSIC!!!!

[font=andalus]oh.. I totally agree with you.  It is SO hard to draw the line sometimes.  I struggle with that myself when I comment.  I never know how far to go.  I have people who tell me to go ahead and get as nit picky as I can and really analyze the songs, but I'm not always comfortable doing that.  It's hard to know what people REALLY want..  that's so very true

I think that is why they started making these catagories, so that people could by picking a catagory, in a sense, let us know which of those types they are.. you know what I mean?  So those who pick the sub in the JFF, are those who are just here for the fun and to share their singing, and those who would pick the Critique catagory are those who either really want the advice or don't care either way, and are open to the advice for those who are willing to give it.  But of course, it isn't always that black and white, and you never can TRULY know just how much people want.  

I guess I just hope that people who pick the critique catagory are truly understanding that when they pick that, they are opening themselves up to critiques... both simple and complex depending on individual styles, and if they find that they do NOT like what they get, that they have the option to go to the "JFF" and not have to deal with that at all...

I wonder if there are people who don't want critiques but who still want to be rated? I wonder if there is a need for that or not?  I tend to think not because if you don't mind being rated honestly, than you're probably not the type of person who cares if you get a critique or not.  So you can just choose the critique catagory and decide for yourself whether to listen to any advice given or just take it with a grain of salt..  I wonder what everyone else thinks about that..[/font]

I guess that would be something to consider.  It just seems to be getting
more and more complicated.....   It's probably something that everyone
is just going to have to deal with.  I am here to have fun and intend to keep
doing that regardless.    :dancin:   I will have to admit....this has been an
interesting thread.    :handshake:

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SAY IT WITH MUSIC!!!!

I think people would use it, I know Phill was also considering adding a 'critique - no rank' option. ol

However, it would not avoid people having their feelings hurt because in my experience, people are more horrified at seeing their rank drop on a song than they are at reading a critique (unless the 'critiquer' is just plain nasty, and yes, we do have a few of those around). The problem is, even if folks were 'ranked only', those of us who are honest would still give (relatively) low ranks to songs not deserving high ones, we just wouldn't be able to explain the low rank and of course, people would be upset (even if the ranking were anonymous). I wouldn't mind seeing this option in place, but I still foresee serious problems from this, and potentially people being MORE upset than they are with the rank/critique option.

The only solution to that problem, is a 'rank-just for fun' option, which is basically useless because the person is essentially saying 'only give me a 9 or 10' (and some folks even get upset at 9s!!! So, what is the real point of ranking if one cannot be honest about it?

The bottom line is, if you are only singing 'for fun', submit in 'Just for Fun' or even 'Listen Only'. Otherwise, folks have to face the fact that they are opening themselves up to honest (and sometimes dishonest) critiquing and some of us will be fairly blunt. Most of us who have been here a while (i'm starting to fall into that category myself), have learned to be 'nice' with our critiques, but we will still let people know if they are singing off-key, if the song doesn't quite suit their range or perhaps style, etc. Again, that is what critique is FOR and 'just ranking' wouldn't be much different. In fact, I expect that such an option would generally lead to people have much LOWER overall rank averages than they currently get with the critique option.

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If you can't have fun...why bother?

Great post, tunelover.

a10c1girl, ITA with what you are saying...and I am not one of the ones that care if you make "fluff" comments.  I always love to hear positive comments.  Some of us, though, take karaoke seriously not because we think we are going to be great stars but because our singing is important to us and we want to improve.  So that's why we want honest comments and like giving them to others.  All I'm saying is that those who don't want honest comments shouldn't ask for them, or get mad when they get them (after they have asked for them).

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

I'm still somewhat new around here, but my thoughts on how I comment are this -

First rule for me is not to lie. I may omit certain things I think about a song, but I will never tell someone it's their best if I don't think it is, or say that I really love something if I really hate it.

If I ever say anything negative about a song, I will always try to balance it with something positive. If there is absolutely *nothing* positive I can say about a song without lying, then I don't comment. (If a singer is really so bad that there isn't *anything* good about their performance, nothing I say is going to help – but that’s been REALLY rare.)

If I don't know whether or not the person's feelings would be hurt by saying something negative, then I generally shy away from it until I have a chance to see how they react to criticism. Once I get a feel for people, then I'll feel comfortable giving some (hopefully) helpful hints. In other words, if I have to err on knowing how to treat someone, I'd personally rather err on the fluff side, and just say something nice that lets them know I took the time to listen. No sense in hurting people's feelings just for honesty's sake, since like Rita said, we’re all here because it’s fun for us to be here.

That said, I try to provide balanced feedback for two reasons – one) I think it does certainly help people improve, and two) if a singer gets used to me telling them my honest thoughts on their songs, then if I tell them one of their songs is awesome and wonderful, then it’ll be an even bigger compliment, because they’ll know I really mean it.