Sing It Slant

December 29, 2009 11:27 AM

I am curious about karaoke musicians. What I mean by that is that I have noticed that a lot of karaoke music are re-creations of the original recordings. I am interested in the business, process, and culture of the musicians who re-create that music. We often get articles from reporters "embedded" in the entourage of a popular touring band - I was hoping that someone might recommend a feature article or book about the lives of these *ahem* unsung musicians. Thanks!
posted by Sully to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (3 answers total)

hmm Even though he is not a karaoke musician he does do the music for guitar hero and the like which i guess is similiar.

His name is nick gallant . hes on facebook and myspace.

He also has his own original music cd's. So if your looking for insight you might look him up. HE taliks to anybody who befriends him on facebook. :)
posted by majortom1981 at 11:55 AM on December 29, 2009

You might be interested in the Karaoke Labels page of the KIAA. And here's a page about auditioning to be in a karaoke studio band.

Almost karaoke musicians, from what little I know of the industry, do some kind of work in the commercial music industry--i.e., literally heard in commercials, the knockoff tracks in television shows, etc. Here's an op-ed about talented jazz musicians who slum it with commercial gigs.
posted by Benjy at 12:22 PM on December 29, 2009

Speaking as a guy who sometimes recreates existing music as bed tracks for other purposes, the glorious and interesting process goes like this:

A) Sit in studio.
B) Make tracks that sound similar to the original.
C) Get paid.
D) Hand off tracks to client.

I'm not sure what you were imagining, but aside from my underground pleasure dome of hookers and blow, there's not really anything exciting happening over here.
posted by Aquaman at 2:26 PM on December 29, 2009 [1 favorite]