A REAL MAN'S GUIDE TO SINGING, PERFORMING, AND KARAOKE

Before you head off to a karaoke bar, jump up on stage, make an ass out of yourself and embarrass your woman, there are few things you need to know.  After all, you don’t want to be one of those guys who look awkward, sings like a coyote howling at the moon, and can’t even read the words off the monitor.  You’re there to impress, not to offend.

Here are the keys that will turn you in to a top performer and the women watching you into quivering vixens.

• Select two songs to master
• Find two songs that you like.  Make sure they’re in your vocal range.  In other words, make sure you can comfortably hit all of the high notes as well as the low notes.  We’ve all heard someone try to sing a song out of his range.  People cringe, glass breaks, and the dogs next door begin to howl.  It’s an embarrassment.  Don’t be that guy. 
• Pick upbeat, memorable songs.  Two guys get up to sing.  One guy sings a slow ballad, the other guys sings a song that rocks where everyone is out on the dance floor smiling and living it up.  Which guy would you rather be?  Exactly.  Pick two songs that are recognizable and beg the listener to get up and dance.

• Memorize the words
• Most guys get up on stage, start to sing, and end up staring at the monitor the whole time.  I know singing in front of a group of people can be terrifying.  But whenever you perform, you need to project yourself to the audience.  You can’t do that if you’re staring at the monitor the whole time.  Memorizing the words sets yourself apart from the others, gives you additional confidence, and frees you up to focus on your performance.

• Practice your songs with the artist singing
• Sing along with the original artist.  Pay attention to the phrasing, the inflection, and the dynamics they use.  You don’t have to sing it exactly like they do, but the closer the better.

• Practice with the karaoke version of the song
• Once you’ve learned the words, and can sing your songs forward and backwards singing along with the artist, it’s time to take it up a notch.  You need to get the karaoke version of the song and try singing without the safety net.  This is where you’ll really get an idea of how well you know the words and song, and how well you can sing.  Practice over and over, until you can sing it exactly on key, and without forgetting any of the words.

CONTINUED - PERFORM LIKE A ROCK STAR

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