Everyone loves to sing karaoke. Non-professional singers love performing some of their favorite songs amongst friends and strangers.
Pro singers like me love to sing their favorite songs for fun but also find it a great way to practice for upcoming performances and other creative opportunities.
It's like having the best of two worlds when it comes time to partake in a karaoke session or game!
With karaoke games, you can have fun and sharpen your singing skills, memory, freestyling skills, stage presence, and much more.
There have been a ton of singing games popping up over the years, so I want to point out some of the best options you have to sing alone or with friends/family. It's always a great idea to have fun and be productive at the same time.
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This is the most simple yet effective way to have fun while playing karaoke. Who doesn't love a little friendly competition? All you need is a few judges to be able to judge the singers involved objectively.
A simple way to judge the singers is on a scale from 1-10. Singers that get the same score can then have a face-off until there is one lone winner.
A lot of people are getting hip to this fun singing game. With this one, all you need to do is come up with a random word, then get another player to start singing a popular song that uses that word within 10 seconds.
If the player comes up with a song, they get the point! If not, they lose the round.
My current favorite source of song association entertainment is Terell, a popular Youtuber that brings celebrity singers onto his show to provide a ton of talent and laughs.
To make traditional karaoke more challenging, you can get the singers to have to pick from a set list of songs to add the element of chance.
They will have to perform whatever song is picked, whether the method is putting a few pieces of paper in a hat, or using a random song generator online. You have to be a big music connoisseur to win this type of game.
Spice up karaoke nights by adding an extra challenge for the singers to overcome! Get the singer to close their eyes or hide the words every few lines to test how much they truly remember one of their favorite songs.
You'll be surprised and entertained by how many people don't know (or do know) phrases for hit songs. Test how good your and your friends' memory skills are!
Don't want to be limited to just singing? Switch things up and turn everything into a rap instead of a song. See how creative you and your friends can get with putting emotions and emphasis on your vocal delivery.
This will be really fun to do, especially for songs that don't even mix well with rap.
Speaking of songs that don't mix, try changing up the genre for all the songs that are sung on your next karaoke night! If a Beyonce song pops up, do your best opera impression throughout the whole thing.
For your favorite Beatles song, add a bunch of country flavor to it just to see what it would sound like. This idea goes really well with some drinks involved.
You don't always have to follow the lyrics to a tee when it comes to karaoke. Add a little element of freestyling into the mix and get the singers to perform parody versions of the song that is chosen.
This is also a great time to put a lot of energy into the physical performances for the game! You can get as crazy and inappropriate with the parodying as you want as long as the people in your karaoke group won't tell.
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Want something more challenging than adding a few new lines with parodying? Scrap the original songwriting completely for the karaoke tracks, and start coming up with your own melody and lyrics on the spot for a cool karaoke game.
This is a great choice for professional singers who make have a bit more freestyling ability than they would think, and it makes great practice for songwriting.
Add an element of mystery to your karaoke by not revealing the singer and having people guess whose voice it is.
This works really well for a group of people who are strangers or associates and wouldn't easily recognize someone's singing voice in the room.
You could go all out and do costumes that hide everyone as they have on The Masked Singer show, or you could just blindfold people in the audience and trust that they won't peak to find out who the singer is.
Here's another great game for pro singers to have fun and challenge themselves at the same time. Instead of singing the melody for a song, sing a harmony part instead.
This will work really well if you get another singer in the room to sing the main melody so that you can hear how well the harmonies blend with the original vocal line.
It's even more fun if you have three or more singers to fill in multiple harmonies at the same time!
When playing karaoke games with friends, focus on creating a positive and supportive environment. Encourage each other, applaud everyone's efforts, and celebrate each performance. Remember, the main goal is to have fun and enjoy the experience together.
To keep the games exciting and engaging, mix up the order of participants. Avoid having the same person start or perform first every time.
Randomly determine the order or take turns being the game leader to ensure everyone gets a chance to participate and enjoy their time.
When playing games that involve song choices, ensure there is a diverse selection of songs available.
Consider the musical preferences of all participants and include a variety of genres, eras, and styles. This way, everyone can find something they enjoy and feel comfortable performing.
Before starting any karaoke game, explain the rules and guidelines clearly to all participants.
Make sure everyone understands how points are awarded, the order of play, and any additional rules specific to the game. This helps maintain a fair and organized game session.
Karaoke games are an opportunity to let loose, be creative, and have fun. Encourage participants to embrace their individuality and bring their unique style to their performances.
Don't be afraid to try new things, improvise, or add personal touches to make the games even more entertaining.
As a session singer, writer, and producer that has worked with over 300 clients to provide high-quality jingles, singles, and features, Yona spends her time creating and marketing new music and helpful resources for creators. Check out Yona’s latest releases on her Spotify, her Youtube and share if you like it!
If you are in need of singer, songwriter or song producer services, see what Yona Marie can offer you on her services page.
