Posts Tagged ‘KARAOKE’

Karaoke: Mary J Blige

Buy and sell [Karaoke: Mary J Blige] at great prices.
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Price: 20.07

Promoting Good Vocal Model Awareness in Karaoke Singers

Promoting Good Vocal Model Awareness in Karaoke Singers

Cathryn Robson BA (Hons) Music, CT ABRSM

www.singshop.co.uk – Online Singing Evaluations and Lessons

During a recent conference I attended singing teachers discussed the concept of curriculum and arrived at a rather succinct description, that of it simply being a ‘From-To’. It was further qualified that this ‘From-To’ would inevitably vary with each student, depending on their particular aims.

Working in a tourist area where karaoke bars, venues and competitions proliferate, singers for whom karaoke is the sole vocal activity form a good 30 per cent of my studentship. The challenges karaoke singers present to a voice teacher are consistent; infrequent exposure to good vocal models, lack of imperative to memorise lyrics and weak internalisation of pulse and rhythm. While all of these musical criteria are important to address, this essay will reflect on some current curriculum tools for developing good vocal model awareness in karaoke students. The question ‘what is a good vocal model?’ is begged. Cultural context defines such an ambiguity and within Western popular music this could be anything between an effective to virtuosic voice. This essay should go some way to answering my own question.

Recent research shows that karaoke, second only to singing along with the radio, is the most popular vocal activity for adults who had a negative experience of singing during school years. Many of these belated singers are ‘…more likely to believe someone else’s judgement about their voice than their own’1. Whether or not this is due to lack of self-confidence, lack of musical experience or both the poor vocal models on the karaoke circuit cannot do much to improve discrimination. Curiously, the original singers who are good vocal role models can be forgotten, with karaoke singers self-referencing and comparing their own performances to other local karaoke singers. My own students reflect a pattern that is typical; several are naturally gifted while the remainder are challenged by pitching difficulties, poor support/breathing habits and/or a harsh tone.

Developing a student’s confidence in their own ability to discriminate is vital. In making curriculum decisions Keith Swanwick remarks that ‘…the only good reasons for choosing anything is that it has musical potential.’ 2 While the material karaoke singers bring to lessons invariably has musical potential I consider working with backing tracks anathema to the development of it. They are excellent practice tools but they go some way to annihilating what innate musicianship a singer may possess. In respect to vocal models they prevent a singer from truly experiencing their voice as an instrument but merely as another layer in the backing track. A recent student concert yielded some interesting responses; karaoke singers were critical of the live professional accompaniment and the lack of sound system believing that these elements had hindered their own performances. On the other hand, one student told me that, having had the opportunity to perform with an accompanist she now finds backing tracks intolerable. Both responses oblige me to consider how I can further encourage these singers to value their voices as independent instruments.

Aiming for this, in lessons I steer the student away from backing track dependency, using chord sheets to accompany them. While this may seem commonplace, with karaoke singers it isn’t, playbacks being preferred. Chord accompaniment exposes bad vocal habits. Ironically, my own deficient keyboard skills go some way to aiding the students. My keyboard accompaniment is sparse and as the singer does not have the support of the vocal line in the music it means that they have to rely heavily on their ‘thinking voice’. It is remarkable how dramatically breath control and pitching improves because of this. Getting a student to sing songs in both the ‘thinking’ and ‘singing’ voices proves to be a very useful exercise. Scales and arpeggios can be practised in the same way, helping to build accurate internal pitch. As there is no imperative for these students to learn to read music they are relying totally on aural skills to acquire repertoire. The popular tradition is aural and the learning style follows suite.

Paul Harris, in his book ‘Improve Your Teaching!’ remarks that ‘…one of the great things about the art of musical performance is that anyone …… can give a masterful performance.’3 This remark certainly held true for the student concert, with me having to privately acknowledge that one of the most moving performances came from a singer with poor pitch. However, this is unusual and publicly I am required to advocate good pitch awareness! Improvisation warm-ups are also proving an effective means of developing this in karaoke students. The student

Karaoke to Your Favourite Songs: Spice Girls

Track Listing: 1. Wannabe, 2. Mama, 3. Saturday Night Divas, 4. Stop, 5. Too Much, 6. Spice Up Your Life, 7. Who Do You Think You Are?, 8. 2 Become 1, 9. Naked, 10. Last Time Lover, 11. Something Kinda Funny, 12. Say You’ll Be There, 13. Move Over, 14. Never Give Up On the Good Times, 15. Do It, 16. Denying, 17. If U Can’t dance, 18. Love Thing, 19. Lady is a Vamp, 20. Viva Forever
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Karaoke: Michael W Smith 2

Karaoke: Michael W Smith 2
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Phuket woman arrested for ‘karaoke’ slot machines
Following complaints about slot machine gambling lodged by local residents, Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Chaiwat Auykham and Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Area 5 Inspector Sitthikiat Sr…
Read more on Thailandnews.net

World Cup 2010 – Best XI: Kings of Spain
Find out who produced the best performances in the semi-finals of the World Cup in our team of the round.
Read more on Eurosport.co.uk via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Sport

A whole lotta Rosie
Before this season, Justin Rose was known as the prodigy who never quite met lofty expectations. Yes, everyone remembers his magical run as a 17-year-old amateur at Royal Birkdale in the 1998 Open Championship.[...]
Read more on Barrie Examiner

Self-made instrumental on Lenka’s song “The Show”. DOWNLOAD: www.divshare.com Credit me if you repost this! Thanks! Lyrics: Im just a little bit caught in the middle Life is a maze and love is a riddle I dont know where to go Cant do it alone Ive tried and I dont know why Slow it down make it stop or else my heart is going to pop cuz its too much, yeah its a lot to be something Im not Im a fool out of love Coz I just cant get enough Im just a little bit caught in the middle Life is a maze and love is a riddle I dont know where to go I cant do it alone Ive tried And I dont know why I am just a little girl lost in the moment Im so scared but dont show it I cant figure it out Its bringing me down I know Ive got to let it go And just enjoy The Show The sun is hot in the sky just like a giant spotlight The people follow the sign And synchronize in time Its a joke nobody knows Theyve got a ticket to that show yeah Im just a little bit caught in the middle Life is a maze and love is a riddle I dont know where to go Cant do it alone Ive tried and I dont know why I am just a little girl lost in the moment Im so scared but I dont show it I cant figure it out its bringing me down I know Ive got to let it go And just enjoy the show oh oh Just enjoy the show oh oh Im just a little bit caught in the middle Life is a maze and love is a riddle I dont know where to go Cant do it alone Ive tried And I dont know why I am just a little girl lost in the moment Im so scared but I dont show it …
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Great Country Love Songs: 16 TRACK KARAOKE BAY CD+G : Formatted for worldwide use : Lyrics Booklet Included

One of Karaoke Bay’s most popular albums! Highlighted by classics like Crazy and You Were Mine, this album is a must have for any collection! Great Country Love Songs features karaoke versions of each song complete with onscreen graphics, background vocals and a lyric booklet!

TRACKS: In The Style Of
1. AMAZED LONESTAR
2. YOU WERE MINE DIXIE CHICKS
3. I COULD NOT ASK FOR MORE SARA EVANS
4. YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE LEANN RIMES
5. YOUR LOVE AMAZES ME MICHAEL ENGLISH
6. YOU’RE STILL THE ONE SHANIA TWA

Price: $ 3.54