Illustration by Athena Little
These four useful points will help you achieve musical enlightenment
By EG Manilag, Staff Writer
The holidays have arrived, and with them come seasonal parties. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other non-denominational parties often have one main thing in common: Karaoke. If you want to be the star of the show in front of your co-workers, family, or friends, the Other Press has you covered with this essential guide on becoming the deity of that small dimly lit stage you’ll be performing on.
Prepare your arsenal
Preparation is the best thing you could ever do to step your karaoke game up.
1) First, always prepare a lot of songs. It doesn’t matter how you do it—whether you memorize the numbers of the songs in the karaoke book, list the songs in your smartphone, or even write them down on a piece of paper—the choice is yours. However, don’t forget to be versatile, remembering that you need to entertain your friends and family as well. It’s best to pick the songs that suit their interests—they should be able to jam to your song choice.
2) When you’re completely locked and loaded, the next thing to do is vocalize. It doesn’t hurt to try. Amateur or not, it’s always good to know if you’re at your best vocally. Just sing a few bars before hitting the stage. It can help break the tension in your vocal cords.
3) This last step is a very crucial one. Seriously. Many have tried this, but few have survived. You always need to memorize and finish the songs you sing. Don’t just mumble the verses then perfect the chorus. That is not only weird, but it’s highly contagious. Almost everything—with few exceptions, such as high notes—must be consistent and clear. This is so the audience can appreciate your full performance.
Be egoless
We all know that one friend who sings like Beyoncé or Bruno Mars every karaoke night. We can’t help that from happening… that’s just the way it is. It’s their forte. Get this though, we can help ourselves to not to get eaten by insecurities in those moments. Instead of feeling overpowered, focus on yourself. Don’t be afraid to sing and have a good time. Don’t stop even if your voice cracks, if no one claps at the best parts, or if no one claps at all. Just remember this: it’s karaoke, not a paid gig. So, leave the ego at the door.
Make gestures
This is my all-time favourite. I don’t know about you, but I’ve naturally developed this awesomely weird gesture—or whatever you call it. Whenever I try to hit some relatively high notes, my neck just turns to a 45-degree angle (or more, depending on how high the note is).
I think it’s cool, but my friends used to laugh at me because thought it was weird. But gradually—after numerous karaoke sessions—their perception changed, and they became fascinated with my “technique.” Since then, it has become my signature move. Ultimately, what I want to impart is that when you sing, especially at a karaoke bar, you should develop some “moves.” If nothing works, you can always play with the microphone. Start by using your hairbrush at home—works like a charm.
Be a fan
According to author Mark Twain, “The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.” The message is clear: it’s all about mutual relationships. In karaoke, we should always cheer and clap for our friends whenever they’re singing. It will not only boost their confidence, but also their performance.
A social psychology textbook on oOpenTextBC reports that “The presence of others can increase performance on many types of tasks, including jogging, playing pool, lifting weights, and working on mathematics and computer problems.” Researcher Geen and colleagues stated this of their social psychology study. It’s always better to be a good sport. After all, you’re going to find yourself up there eventually.
