OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Performance vs. sing-along There are two main intentions when it’s your turn to sing, Navarro said.

“You can pick a song that you’re going to smash — like a Whitney Houston or a Celine Dion song — and that’s when you want to show off,” she said. “But most of the time, to create a vibe, you pick songs that everyone knows to get the crowd moving, like ‘Dancing Queen.’”

If you’re nervous, she said, lean into the sing-along songs so you don’t feel alone.

Difficulty

Sometimes the challenge isn’t the vocal range but the rhythm. “Because you can only read so fast,” said Ho. “If the words are super tongue-twister-y, you kind of have to know it ahead of time.”

Other times, there are harmonies (“Come What May” from “Moulin Rouge”), vocal textures (“Sucker” by the Jonas Brothers), key changes (Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”) or octave jumps (Idina Menzel’s “Into the Unknown” from “Frozen”).

Most untrained singers have a range of about an octave and a half, Cabrera explained. Mariah Carey songs like “Emotions” or “Can’t Let Go” have a three- to four-octave range.

“In general, upbeat songs or power ballads are safer choices than slow or sad songs,” said Hinde. “Unless you’re really confident in the power of your voice.”

FINAL TIPS

Try a duet. “If you’re somebody who karaokes a lot, take on the responsibility of welcoming those who don’t and singing with them,” Rafael said. “That opens that person up to what the vibe of karaoke is, to know that it’s actually not an intimidating space.”