posted
Nope, I make sure I haven't heard the song in at least 10 years before I try it. Makes it more interesting that way.
Posts: 1691 | From: USA | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
I make sure I know a song before trying it in front of people. Some songs seem like they would be easy, and you think you know it pretty good from the radio and stuff, but it's a WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY when you get up there. Good songs to avoid are the ones where the vocal part "jumps around" a lot (examples: "Mr. Jones" by the Counting Crows or "Hunter" by Dido).
Practicing is fun! I usually do it twice a week (1 or 2 hours at a time). I own CDG versions of most of my favorites, and I try to at least somewhat know it before doing it live.
[This message has been edited by Mark Cheetah (edited January 03, 2002).]
posted
I usually practice new material at home until I'm comfortable with it. Sometimes its once, sometimes its 20 times. There are times though when I haven't had time to practice something or I just really wanna sing it so bad that I do it live in a show. Last night was one of those nights. Dead bar so I sang true virgin material except for two songs. It was a blast but I still don't like it when I bugger something up. As a host I think we are responsible to sing well. Its a different attitude when I'm at someone elses gig, then I just don't care. No pressure!
Posts: 531 | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I practice often. I also record my singing so I can hear the parts I need to work on.
The public library has been an excellent resource for finding old songs that I'm learning. I borrow the CD's for three weeks and can sometimes renew them.
I don't practice the songs I plan on singing at karaoke that particular day. I sing other songs to warm up my voice.
The reason I practice is that some shows have heavy rotations. I want to enjoy singing my two or three songs well.
[This message has been edited by Connie (edited January 03, 2002).]
posted
I try to practise when i can, but that isn't often. So most of the time i do new songs on the fly. But I'm working on getting a music room made up, so I'll have a chance too practice more. It kills me to mess a song up. Not because I'm a KJ, I'm just that damn picky, even befor i became a kj.
Posts: 342 | From: Indianapolis, IN USA | Registered: Nov 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I do not practice at home. Unless I heard the song so many times that I already know it cold, I will break in new material during slow nights. Otherwise, I break in the new stuff early or late in the evening when the crowd is at its minimum.
Posts: 1025 | From: San Francisco, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I practice songs whenever I can--have to do it when my Mom isn't home, 'cause it gets pretty loud.
Like Connie, I track down CDs with what I want at the library. I tape what I need, check out other tracks on the CD that are available for karaoke (to see if they're to my liking). I have dozens of tapes of songs I want to sing, I just have to execute.
Best,
Mark
Posts: 1595 | From: Willoughby Hills, Ohio, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I practice at home first. I'll play the song once or twice (to familarize myself with it), and then I'll try it once to get the feel of it. Unless it's a Show Tune, I'll then try it at the Venue. If it sounds workable and receive a semblance of a good response from the audience, I'll either sing it again or fine tune it at home before bringing it out again.
Posts: 235 | From: Forest Hills, NY | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm kind of like l'op except it's songs I haven't heard since high school (27 years). It used to really p**s my ex off that I could nail a song that I've never done and remember it that well, but forget Friday is trash day.
Bob
Posts: 139 | From: Spokane WA usa | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't really practice singing the song out loud, although that may change now that I've broken down and gotten a small home machine. If I'm satisfied that I know the song, or I stumble across something in the book that I decide I just want to sing, I'll sing the song "cold". Like some of the other people here, I'm more inclined to do that in front of smaller crowds but I also enjoy the challenge.
If my sense is that I sort of know the song or don't know the song but want to do it anyway (because it's on a disc I have and seems interesting for some reason) I'll try to listen to the song a couple of times, with the last time being on the way to the karaoke show.
Posts: 1261 | From: Milton, MA 02186 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I also do not wait until I know a song 100 percent before trying it in front of an audience. If I feel that I know a good amount of the song and can fill in the rest on the fly, then it is time to unleash the song on the public.
Posts: 1025 | From: San Francisco, CA, USA | Registered: Jul 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I always practice before trying out a song. The length of time I spend depends on the complexity of the song. Sometimes I practice 1 hour, sometimes more than 6 hours. By the time I get up on stage, I have most of the lyrics memorized. The best practicing tool to use is a portable MP3 player.
Posts: 1487 | From: Irvine, CA, USA | Registered: Jun 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm one of those anal-retentive type A perfectionist types so I like to practise my stuff before I inflict it on the public. Usually my first song is a new one and they I go back to the more comfortable stuff for the rest of the night.
I use a midi-karaoke program since I can't afford a karaoke machine (someday, though, someday)
posted
The only place I really ever practice a song is in my car driving to or from work. Sometimes if I want to learn a particular song I will tape it off one of my cd's from home (yes mine, not an .mp3!) and listen to it in the car. Or more recently I just listen the radio and find a song I like and sing along with it till I feel comfortable with it, then I go hunt for a Sound Choice version of the song, knowing that SC is most likely going to produce it if it is a good song, and they will most likely produce a "Radio Version" thus I will have practiced with a very accurate version. I like that Sound Choice more often than not produces the radio version. Works for me!
Now every now and then I will attempt an old song from the 60's or 70's and not have practiced it, nor even heard it for YEARS! That is pretty much "SCARY-OKE" but is really fun anyway, even when I make a complete idiot of myself. I'm not that "AR" about my singing, hehehehehe
PS, guess I'm far behind the times because I do not own a car cd player or an mp3 player.
<edited to remove old link>
[This message has been edited by Diane (edited July 11, 2005).]
posted
I sing, sing, sing, sing, sing all the time. I sing everywhere and anywhere. Always have a song in my head that's going non stop. Then of course I have my Singing Machine player hooked up to my stereo so I can partice new songs as they arrive. I maybe the1god but I didn't get tht way by just singing anything cold turkey. You never know how the song is going to sound and how well you know it until you try it.
Posts: 1795 | From: Fall River, Ma | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sometimes I practice sometimes not but it always sounds better with a beer and a shot.
Posts: 95 | From: Norwalk, CT USA | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Practice? You can also call it trying out a song you don't know. I have done this. If there is a song out there and it is on a CD+G, then I'll give it a try at home. I may not know it, but given time and practice, I may like it and pull it off. Hell, I may even give it a new interpetation.
Posts: 2246 | From: Palmdale, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm curious, would that be a shot of that delecious ever smooth old #7 that goes down ever so......((drooling))...........
Posts: 1795 | From: Fall River, Ma | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
That'd be a Shot of Irish Wiskey, Jameson, Bushmills, what the hell a shot of anything will make me sound better. Mind you, everyone else is doing the shots. I sound really bad If I start doing shots. My rhythym goes to hell and forget about pronunciation.
Posts: 95 | From: Norwalk, CT USA | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would have to say that I agree with bits of what everyone else has said... there are days when I sing all the time, there are days when I don't sing all that much. There are days I feel brave and try something I just KNOW that I am going to mess up, just to get out of the rut... and then there are days I stick to the stuff I have practiced over and over again.
I have to say though that there is nothing like working through a song that is tough just enough times so that you have the basic working knowledge of it's structure, and then absolutely nailing every bit of timing, pitch, intensity and walking away shaking from that awesome adrenaline rush that at one time you thought was pure nerves. The first time I sang Tool's Aenima (and infront of a full house), I was blissfully "high" for ten minutes afterwards. It became my biggest request (next to Crazy On You by Heart) until the bar told me I couldn't sing it anymore because of the content and the "feel" (heaviness) of the song. Those 10 minutes were awesome though... trust me, and it was because I was very unsure of how the outcome would be and I was almost positive I would screw it up.
April "muzikfreek"
[This message has been edited by muzikfreek (edited January 12, 2002).]
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic
