Tips For Getting the Most Out of Your Karaoke Performance
By Marcus Smythe

Karaoke can be a ton of fun or your worst nightmare. The thought of getting on a stage in front of a crowd of people (or sometimes just standing up at a party in front of your friends) can be intimidating, especially if you think that you need to sound like a recording artist in order to have a good time with karaoke. The thing to remember is that what is most important about performing with karaoke is the performance. With the right music choice and a commitment to performing, you can wow the audience and have them singing along with you all night.

Picking a song that will show off your voice can be tricky, but remember that an appealing voice doesn't have to be some sort of trained, powerful one. Many of the most successful singers have unconventional voices. Think of artists like Mick Jagger or Tracy Chapman. Sing along with the radio with songs that you like, and feel how they fit in your vocal range and style. Do you feel comfortable hitting all the notes? Some songs don't even require that you be able to sing at all: "Wild Thing" is more or less spoken, and it's one that everyone knows. Rap is an entire genre of spoken music. Many of Johnny And Roseanne Cash's songs have a less challenging vocal range as well as being widely recognized. Certain songs have become anthemic, and what that frequently means is that the song can carry you instead of the other way around. If I had a pound for every Bon Jovi song that made everyone in the bar sing along, I could retire by now.