I have a friend who has a great voice but no musical instrument ability. He has shown some interest in wanting to emcee events and maybe sing solo (& maybe a capella). I explained to him how I do my shows for small groups and such and he wants to know how to get started.

I can help him with a lot of stuff, but I'd like to find some video online that might give him a clue of what to do and what kind of backing music to use He is bi-lingual and actually wants to sing Polish songs and Christmas carols.

Any help? Suggestions for a keyboardless solo singer?

I would say it's something that can't be taught it has to come from within. This is a hard road to follow for someone with no musical ability....I would go out and look for other people doing what he wants to do to see if he can handle it.....and then dig in and take the years of preparation,rehearsal, backing track editing, or pay someone to create the song tracks & arrangements in the right keys, etc, and perform everywhere and anywhere to get the experience to fine tune the act before you even think of playing for paying customers...
this is a tall order that can be done, but it wont be easy.
good luck

Let me try this again; I think I started this all wrong.

My friend wants to do a OMB type of product, but he doesn't have any instrumental ability. He's a great singer and does a fine job of conversing with the crowds. He wants to focus on a Polish-American style, but needs backing music. He can easily do a capella, but I feel some sort of MIDI, mp3 setup would be better. Looking for music source suggestions...

Actually, you can teach him to be an emcee, and or, singer. There are lots of great community college courses that offer courses along these lines. The best advice I have is to have him look into courses in broadcast news, which will provide him with the proper phrasing techniques to be an emcee as well. I took a course called "Voice and Articulation" at the local community college, which was provided by a local jazz singer. It was a great course, and for me, it was highly beneficial in improving my breath techniques and song phrasing diction.

Now, getting a job as an emcee will be a challenge in itself. You can have the best voice in the world, but getting your foot in the door in this business can be very difficult. Usually the first step is to get a job at a small radio station as a newscaster. It will not pay very much, but he will get some great, on-air experience. After a couple years on the air, and recording local commercials, he might get lucky and be able to work his way into a larger station, then pick up some voice-over jobs. I was able to do this, which eventually led to me emceeing the largest fishing/boating expo in the mid-Atlantic region. The job paid very well, and I had that job for 25 years. However, that emcee job was only 4 days a year. I tried to get into the wedding hall emcee business, but after trying for a couple years unsuccessfully, I gave up.

As for the singing aspect, well, Cass, you know how fickle that business can be. If he's good, and he could well end up being quite talented, he'll have to pay his dues as a business person as well. He'll have to be a salesman, PR guy, bookkeeper, accountant, soundman, etc..., all balled into one neat package. If he's willing to do all that, well, then maybe he has a shot at it. But there's nothing online that will teach him all that stuff. Like Donny said, a lot of this has to come from within. You have to really want it, and there is no short cuts, no instant gratification.

Good Luck,

Gary

Based on your opinion "He's a great singer and does a fine job of conversing with the crowds." sounds like he should give it a try. He will always regret not trying.

Here is a source of Christmas Karaoke. He doesn't even need a karaoke machine, since they will play on a DVD player hooked up to a Monitor.

http://www.polandbymail.com/d/258/karaoke-vcd.htm

Good Luck.

Jerryghr

Tell him to sit in at open mic nights and hang out with every solo artist he can find. Watch and learn. Then, when he's ready, he'll have an idea of who went over best in his travels. Working a crowd is a natural gift, as is singing. You can teach breathing and diction, but not singing. Best singing lesson I ever took was studying clarinet. It taught me phrasing, articulation, dynamics .... it's all there.

As for gear - a laptop, ipad or even ipod will do the trick, but the larger the item - the more complicated the setup. Personally - if I ever started just singing over tracks ... I'd use a DJ style controller linked to a laptop ... and into a BOSE, of course.

cass ... reading your second post made his goal a lot clearer to me ...
I would agree with some of the other comments such as singing at 'open mic' nights, karaoke clubs, etc. so he gets a feel for performing in front of a crowd ...
As far as music accompaniment, in today's environment a lap-top or iPad would certainly suffice, and backing track sites can be found all over the i'net ...
Basically, to me, it sounds like he wants to become a 'karaoke' act ...
Good luck to him ...

It sounds like he just needs an MP3 backing to sing to.

"and then dig in and take the years of preparation,rehearsal, backing track editing, or pay someone to create the song tracks & arrangements in the right keys, etc,"

Donny, I disagree. from what I've seem lateley Nigel has the answer. Get the tracks, an all in one Kareoke machine, and lots of them have transpsoe adjustments so he can find where he feels comfortable, and go for it. If he can be personable on stage and sing decent he's there.
Very few acts are putting in years of preparation anymore. Everyone who can sing or thinks they can sing is out there.

And this is why I say again .....
"The more they play, .....The more I make"

If that's whats happening in your area go to church every morning and give Thanks. I really don't believe the general public is that aware. In a Jazz club yes but in the typical scenario no. If it sounds OK, no matter how the music coming out is produced, the vocals are passable, has a beat they can dance to, and of course price, your in.
Spoke to another guitar player last night who works pretty steady during the Summers here. Can't read or write a note of music, knows little to nothing of harmony. Plays basically three note chords on his guitar and sings. Admits he's not a musician in any sense or a great singer. Says he also has a sarcastic sense of humor with the patrons which works for him in the tip cup. And they're not going to dump him because some other guy can play better chords or sing a tad better.
Now tell me how many years you think he spent working on his craft.

Bill, I saw a lot of those guys in Florida - "Have Guitar Will Travel" types that worked one day a week and thought they were the cats meow. (old folks expression - I know.) These guys played three chords, lived and died by their capo, were mediocre singers at best (and I'm being generous), knew a couple dozen songs, and ever song sounded pretty much the same. Now, at one day a week performing, they consider themselves heavily booked. Some actually had two days a week - WOW! These guys spend very little time perfecting their acts, but in some areas of the nation, they're the only game in town so they tend to get hired. There's a guy who has been working Friday and Saturday nights at a local golf course country club for the past two years. He sings the same two dozen songs every time he appears, the drunken young girls at the bar love him (don't know why, though) and he gets paid $75 for 4 hours. The CC asked me if I would play for them for Wednesday Happy Hour, which pretty much lasts three hours, 6 till 9 p.m.. They offered me $75 plus tips. I told them my fee ($125 an hour) and the manager nearly passed out. That ended that.

Cheers,

Gary

Bill now tell me how many "Years" in advance he is booked?..
nuff said.

OK, I'll keep it going. Donny you are in a very unique situation and I think you know it. I've done some events for a string of years and actually am doing a Xmas gig in AC for probably the 20th time. As for the other stuff most places or groups don't care. How many times I've done a great job and been told so by the people who hired me and next year "the committee" decided to try someone's cousin or someone cheaper.
What that has to do with this I really don't get it. The business is flooded with mediocre entertainment and that usually doesn't tramslate into more jobs for the better acts. A lot of them I've seen in the same places for a few years, what does that prove ?
In your case you do a good job, they know you, and your a perfect fit for the demographic area you are so fortunate to live in.
It ain't like that in most places.

Gary

I hear you and have seen the same thing. Its sad when I think of how hard musicians workd to be good at what they do in the past.

Chaz

Here's referance video for your friend. They love this guy at the Wildwood Elks. He also does the Italian Festival in Wildwood. If he wants to do a Kareode act here's a good starting place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpNxHTCC22o

Phil has been around the block a few times

Versatility is key. I do lots of jobs because I know lots of styles.

R.

Very true, Russ. If you don't have the variety you cannot appeal to a host of different audience members. I try to do it all, and sometimes I actually get away with it.

Cheers,

Gary