Do you want your karaoke songs to stand out from the crowd? Singing karaoke songs is the same as singing any other songs. Even though the KJ at the karaoke bar can alter the key and the pitch on the songs to better match your voice, better singing techniques will empower you to deliver a better show.

Learning and practicing these singing techniques will go a long ways toward letting you belt out those karaoke songs like the star you are. You will find that you can develop a stronger voice, with a better range. You will be able to hit more notes easily without straining. Your breath will last longer so that you don't end up having to stop in the middle of a line to take a breath. You will be more relaxed. All in all, your karaoke songs will sound a hundred times better than before you knew all this good stuff. So let's get started.

Just as athletes warm up before a game or a workout, you should always warm up your voice before you sing. Here are some good warm up exercises:

1. Take a deep breath while you count slowly to four. Hold it while you count to four again. Then let it out with a hissing sound, or a ssssssssssssssss sound while you count to eight. Do this a few times. You can vary the counts also.

2. Take a deep breath. Sing "aaaaahhhhhh" until you run out of breath. Let your voice start quietly, and then get louder and louder as you let your breath out.

3. Sironing. This technique lets you warm up your entire range of your voice. Start as low as you can. Then go up to your highest note you can. Then go back down to your lowest note again.

4. Sing your scales with each vowel sound. Do the "do-ra-me-fah-so-la-te-do" up and back again.

5. Say some tongue twisters as fast as you can to warm up your tongue, your cheeks, your lips, and your mouth.

One of the most important vocal techniques you can learn to enable you to sing your karaoke songs like a pro is to breathe with your diaphragm. This is the area below your rib cage. You can feel it expand to bring more air when you take a really deep breath. Concentrate on keeping your lungs expanded, using up the entire space provided to you when your diaphragm is expanded. When you breathe out, don't push out the air, but let it escape with your melodious notes. This is naturally a hard thing to do, but, with practice, you will notice that your voice is much stronger and easier to control.

There is an area at the top of the back of your mouth called the soft palate. You can feel it rise up when you start to yawn. When it rises, it opens up your throat. Concentrate on keeping this soft palate raised while you're singing your karaoke songs, and your voice will sound better.

You also want to learn to keep your larynx, or voice box, lower. You can feel it in your neck, at the front of your throat. Put your hand on it, and practice vocalizing a note without the larynx rising. This may take awhile. When you've accomplished this, move on to practicing your karaoke songs while keeping your larynx down.

Your karaoke songs also sound their best when you are relaxed. Release all the tension from your body, and especially your upperbody, neck, and throat. Here's a trick that works: Lie down. Totally relax. Then imagine any tension that is left moving out of your body as you flex and then release every muscle, one by one, starting from your toes and working up.

By the time you get to your head, you are one relaxed singer! Stand back up, move your head around to make sure there is no tension, and sing!

Congratulations! You've just learned some professional tips to help you sing great karaoke songs. Practice them, and then go out and have fun!