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Can anyone give a few hints on handeling a large amount of song request ? We started at a small place and had a lot of fun , so we bought all new equipment  that kicks **** and people are comming by the droves ! We need some help on an arangement , book , ideas to help things go a little smoooother  [/b]

Computerize.  That's it.  That's the whole solution.  It doesn't even have to be a good computer.  There are many hosting programs, some are spendy, some are free.  Most of them will handle your rotations for you.  Some of them have remote song request stations (kiosks) so you don't even have to print books if you want.  It's a little more equipment to haul and set up but a whole lot less trouble on the job.

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Okay, who took my pants?

Well first off pick a rotation method & STICK to it.  Don't do one method one week & another method the next - this will have a drastic affect on your crowd.  Keep it fair the best you know how.  Are you going to work new people in or are you going to lump them all at the end - whatever you do make sure it stays consitent.
Not sure what you consider alot of requests, our Fri-Sat avg about 25-35 singers, large crowd to some kj's, small crowd to others - i've seen other kj's work with up to 50+ singers on reg basis, then others that generally won't get more than 15-20 - all depends on the size of the venue as well, 15-20 singers in a crowd that seats 50 IS alot of singers, 15-20 in a crowd that seats 200 is not - so it's all perception as well.  
Take your slips at the start of the night - to make it easier, have the people only bring one at a time until you get more fluent.  When they sing their song, make sure they bring another at that time so they can keep their place.  
Books?  Keep them neat, clean & organized so people can find the songs.  If you put new songs in, create a new section (don't need to redo the entire book everytime), add more discs - redo the ENTIRE new section - don't just put in more pages, this only gets confusing & looks sloppy to boot.  Also NEVER just take a picture of the cd cover - very sloppy AND lazy looking.  Get a good database or canned book maker.

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Rotation Management is one of the toughest duties of the pro-KJ
Easiest Way ...1st come 1st Sing  along with sing one Bring One ---explain

Have singers bring up song request slips filled out completely
announce these singers in the order your received the requests
when you call them up have them bring their next request slip with them
in which you put at the back of current requests keeping a moving rotating
line of singers ...simple ...like a line at a amusement park ...buy your ticket
wait in line ...when the ride is over...do it all over again..waiting in line behind all those in front of you ..again basic and simple ..keeps you out of trouble.

NOW ...you have to annouce the cut off time so the singers know when
you have enough requests to close the night...be up front and honest.
NOTHING LIKE WAITING 45 MINS TO SING TO BE TOLD ..SORRY WE'RE CLOSED !

one of the easiest ways that I know for fledgling kjs worried about requests is to do the "whiteboard"/Chalkboard method. Sing one, bring one.

Whe the person gives you their request, they put their name on the board, and request number (from your book). after they're done singing, they rewrite their name up on the board. Then go back to their seat and look up their next song! Then write that up on the board next to your name!

This is what's known commonly as a "line" method. First in, first out. all other requests go beneath the last person in "line".

Thanks for the tips. We went from 6/10 singers to  40 out of a little over 100 crowd . In 1 1/2  months, and everbody wants to be next. Weve been putting the request in  colector card page slots and writeing names  as they come in . That was what I came up with after being overwhelmed a time or two.     Thanks   jeff

Yep you have your hands full, sounds like you got a system that may work, just stick with it - even when you are slow!

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