Karaoke Forums

My singing coach arranged for me to do a set at a local club here in Minneapolis with a very well known pianist who works there.  Except for a one shot karaoke performance at our company picnic before, I 've actually never sang in public before. Any advice is appreciated! One thing I know from the picnic was not being sure how close to hold the mic--is there a trick to this?  Thanks guys, Michael

I've never played "clubs".... other than, duh, karaoke.... so I'm no help. I've played & sang live, but.... never alone, always have a group of musicians, and normally family, on stage too.  

Just, "sing like there's nobody listening".... that's what I always tell myself. I get too intimidated, and have to pretend I'm just.... alone. Close your eyes at first if ya gotta, until you get comfie with where ya are. Oh, heck, don't listen to me at all.... I'm a big ol' chicken (@$%&#!) on stages, lmao.


Good luck to you.... I'm sure you'll do great. There are alot of folks here (MrOctober for one) who play clubs, maybe they'll jump in here and give ya some tips.  :wave:

_________________
♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

with all due respect, I think that would be a great question for your singing coach who arranged the gig.....he/she must feel you are ready, so I am leaning toward the notion that it will come naturally to you once your on stage  good luck!

Thanks mizz.  Actually I have nerves of steel somehow when it comes to appearing in front of people (I've done stand up comedy--man that is the White Sands Testing Grounds for stage freight!) and you're right, the trick is to focus on maybe one person.  I think that is why those bright lights they have on you help so much--you can't see a damn thing in front of you!!  It's that mic deal that worries me a bit. I suppose my best shot is to stop by and watch her accompany someone else and see how they handle the mic.  It's a pretty large place if I remember correctly...

this looked interesting michael...

http://www.easy.com.au/callers/Micropho.htm

i have no doubt that you'll be a hit....best of luck to you!  

Thanks for the website--I'll be sure to study what they have up there!

Always say,  "What's the worst thing that can happen?  So what if I am so nervous that I end up wetting my pants in front of a crowd, and singing like a pug on helium.  The audience is my friend" !

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

As far as where to hold the mic -

Who is in charge of your mixer?
If you are controlling the volume yourself your going to want to be close enough to the mic so you know they hear you. If you are belting out a big note make sure you aren't to loud. You might need to back away from the mic a little when you know you are getting louder. This may seem like common sense, but I have this problem with a lot of singers.

Sometimes when people get nervous about hitting the note correctly they back away from the mic and no one can hear them. Sometimes they have a very strong voice and when they hit a high big note they blast out every ones ears. I have a few regulars who do this and I have to keep one hand on the volume. I prefer people keep their mouth about an inch or so from the mic. Don't put your lips right on it.  LMAO Yuchy. Only pull the mic away slighty if your going to get loud. It doesn't take much. You want them to still hear you.

I hope this helped - even though it sounds simplistic. Good luck and have a great time!

_________________
[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

But don't be one of those dumbasses who moves the mic closer and away from their mouths just because they saw it on TV. Also, if you are holding it, don't cup it like a rapper or you'll feedback (even rappers admit they only hold it like that in videos!!).

Just sing into the mic and as long as you can hear yourself and have a good ear for music, the rest will come naturally...

_________________
C Mc
KJ, FL

Good point Topher

Hold it pointed at your mouth - don't point it straight up and down and
sing over it.

I have a guy who insists on holding the mic this way. He holds it straight up and down almost under his chin. Of course I can't pick up his voice. He basically is singing karaoke for no reason because no one can hear him. I tried to move the mic once and he got furious with me.

_________________
[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Thanks folks! I think I've got what I need to mop up the joint now!

Pulling the mike in and out is done to control the volume, if you know your going to be hitting some really powerful notes.    It's called mike control and it serves a purpose.   So you don't put the signal into distortion. (RED LINE)   If it starts to distort it will be heard as crackling noise.

If you use a correctly set compressor you don't really need to pull in and out. but if you look closely at some of the singer who do that, many do not do it correctly. You pull out at the high vol and pull in when you tail out; many did it the opposite.

_________________
I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Good point.    But professionals do it right.   And it does serve a purpose.    I have some singers that have very powerful voices.   No amount of compression will fix it.   If I don't adjust the gain down, on the mike channel in the mixer, the signal will clip.(RED LIGHT)   The mixer is before it ever gets to the compressor.   The compressor is the last thing in the chain, before the amp.     Clipping is going into distortion.   Distortion will kill your speakers.     Sound waves look like ocean waves.    Rolling up and down.    Distortion makes the waves go square.   Your system cannot handle square waves.   Square waves equal blown speakers and other equipment damage.   The compressor will just try to compress the distorted signal.

The next lesson will be on proper mike control.    

Thanks Dog--you probably are the expert in this category so looking forward to any advice you have! Michael

Woohoo awesome Michael, glad to hear it. We all know you'll ace it though so don't be worried. I have done karaoke loads, I did an open mic (with a dude waving a tambourine in my FACE) and I got to sit in with a band. The same rule applies, remember you sound good and no matter whether someone in the crowd doesn't like your voice or something else... some people are going to love it. Concentrate on them. They are the reason you are performing As for your mic....play it by ear, if you get really lucky they will have a floor monitor so you can hear yourself... from what I have heard on SS you already know how to gauge yourself, so don't sweat it, you'll do awesome!  

_________________
Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

You don't need luck Mike just do it with confidence the audiance will feel it. P.S.(good luck)

_________________
ROBDOG *WOOF WOOF*

How exciting for you!! I have never sang in public, but I have performed in ice shows in front of several hundred people....and fell on my (@$%&#!) - literally.... At least your odds of that happening are very slim. You are just a dynamite singer and I'm sure you'll just kick butt!! Hugsssss, Drea

MJK.... where is the update?  

Great question BIgdog !   How'd it go MJK  ?  "Inquiring yenta's want to know"  

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".