Karaoke Forums

Oh yes, I am getting bitter. I am getting sick and tired of people pretending to be KJ’s. Don’t people realize that to be a good KJ, you need more then just a mixer and a CDG player??

As a long time KJ I spend quite some time on the different karaoke forums. What I do notice is that there are always a lot of questions regarding “What do I buy?” That, I think is a very good starting point for a new KJ, what does bother me though is that nobody ever asks “What can I do to make the system sound good?”

You can have a crappy system (so to speak) and make it sound good, but without the right know-how, you can make a good system sound crappy. I am getting so tired of going to karaoke places just to be disappointed by a KJ that bought a low end system, a couple of disks from Wal-Mart and now hoping he/she can make a quick buck or 2 (Normally less then $100 per night)

The worst thing for me is to walk in a karaoke bar, seeing a great system, and then just to hear that the mix is absolute junk. Why does the music have to be louder then the mic?? Does that KJ never listen to music on the radio? If you are a KJ you should be proud of what you’re doing. Get up from your lazy butt from where you sit/stand when someone is singing and listen to sound QUALITY. Does it sound like the CD in your car? (Quality wise, not necessarily vocal wise) If not, learn how to mix. Another thing……….when you setup the mic you as KJ use for singing, give that same mic to your guests. Why are you as KJ using a great quality wireless mic when you sing, but your guest gets a crappy $29.00 mic??? This happens ever so often.

Remember people, not all singers are a bunch of drunks trying to impress their friends. There are a lot of serious vocalists out there.

Heard a perfect example of that last night. Went to a show to check out a contest that my club is in as well - just checking out how their crowd was. They had a great sound system - equipment wise (Mackie CFX12, 4 SRM 450 for mains & another for monitor - set-up behind the singer, JVC trip tray, some decent processing). The sound was so tinny, no low end whatsoever, mics adjusted too loud over the music on some & too low on others, floor monitor barely had any music in it but the way it was aimed behind the singer, you could hardly hear it anyway, the video screens were so static filled you could hardly see the words. Didn't get a good look, but they could have been using all burns as well as most of the songs had graphics garble. Out of turn rotations & long song breaks in between. Books were thick - LOTS of duplicates, averaged at least 2 duplicates per song but I did see up to 10 on some. They did have a lot of discontinued discs which makes me think they are using burns - since they've only been in business for 2 years.

Oddly enough, the place was packed!

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A serious pet peeve of mine as a singer is when the KJ is off playing pool, or talking to his girlfriend, or whatever else he is doing, and I have yet to sing my first note! Unless the KJ is EXTREMELY familiar with my singing, how can I possibly sound good?

I took over a friend's show a couple of years ago, and he gave me two rules:
1) The discs are not frisbees.

2) Never, ever, ever, leave the machine until you've got the singer dialed in.

Neither of these rules are terrible difficult to follow, but so many KJ's have a hard time with the 2nd.

Most all the KJs I know run decent shows...people having fun and the bars realizing a profit.

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

Hi y'all

marty3, tell me where you are, I'll move to your state.

karaokefun, I couldn't agree with you more. Fortunately my days of frisbee's are over (I'm using Hoster). Regarding your second point, a KJ should be fired on the spot if he starts playing pool. Doesn't he/she realise that being a KJ is not only fun, but more importantly, a job that he/she is being paid for!

Lonman, isn't it sad to see a place packed when the sound sucks? Can you imagine what you could do to the same place hosting with a good mix?

Allstar- looks like u need to get back into the business, and show the places there what karaoke is supposed to be.

And as far as asking how to make things sound good, I have, and unfortunately, the response has always come back with the same 2 words "IT DEPENDS"

Of course, this is true- everything 'depends' on circumstances. I wish as much as the next person there was a manual we could all follow, but it would be interesting to see some basic guidlines from the more experienced KJ's.

So, any sagelike words of wisdom for us newbies?.....

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

The reality of karaoke as well as any BUSINESS is that some people do a GREAT job ..most do a Good JOB and there are plenty of people that just don't give a damn and are in it for the MONEY only... Those people usually don't last too long.

Kjs should love what they do ..providing entertainment and an opportunity for people to get up and BE A STAR for at least 4-1/2 minutes anyway.

I have my current job because the last KJ played POOL all night long and didn't run a good show(according to the manager) . Played TOO much filler music and had HER friends all hang out ...Last straw was when one of her friends passed out in the back room and got locked in becuase no one knew he was there ..tripped the alarm at 4:30 AM.

To these KJS I say THANK YOU ..... MAYBE I'LL PICK UP SOME more BUSINESS

Hey JamKaraoke

I hope that you are right in saying

The annoying part is that they are still there, and probably always will be.

To dbk1009
We've been doing karaoke now for numerous years and I would like to give you my humble opinion (which of course depends.... )

My opinion is don’t invest billions in sound equipment. Spend some quality time with your sound, get to know your mixer. A good way to start is the following.

Setup your karaoke system in your house/room/basement.
Put your favorite CD in your hi-fi system (in the same room) and listen to it.
Now sing through your karaoke system. You have to mix your karaoke system until you sound like the CD. Here are some pointers.
Let somebody sing a song (unknown to you, the song that is) and write the words down as he/she sings. If you can do that, your mic is set pretty good.
Listen to a CD, you will hear the vocals over the music, not the other way around.
If you don’t know the dynamics of an equalizer, don’t use it!!!
Start your mixer settings with everything in the flat position (middle). Your karaoke CD&G was recorded in a studio, if you have a good sound system; you don’t need to enhance the CD&G. Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t tweak your system, what it means is don’t go fully clock/anti-clock wise with your bass/mid’s & tops.

When you play a CDG over your system listen for the following
Can you hear the clear sound of a symball? if not, add some tops (or treble)
Can you make out the words of the vocalist (not yourself, cause you know the words) adjust your mid's

With equipment (here we go....) Bigger speakers don't mean better sound. Normally bigger speaker without a decent active cross-over system means a muddy sound that you can't mix clean (due to the dynamics of the speaker) Another thing NEVER BUILD YOUR OWN SPEAKERS, unless you have a design from a well know brand. Speaker design is a science, not something you do in your garage.

I have 2 JBL Eon 15's with 2 JBL sub's for my overall sound with a Peavey Kosmos. That give me a great kickstart for overall clarity in the mids and tops range, with and kick-ass bass.

If you want to be very very impressed, go and demo a Peavey Kosmos. It's guaranteed that you will buy it.


Good luck karaoke'ing

Suburban Chicago. I know of shows/venues that have much turnover because of problem KJs - I choose to stay away from them, as do most of the people I cross paths with. There are enough shows around with well established KJs that are fair and personable, sound decent, promote fun for the customers, etc.

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

So much of how your equipment sounds really is dependant on the room you are playing in. I have some venues where it is very easy to get my stuff to sound fantastic, and I have others where I have had to experiment and play with speaker placements in order to get a decent sound. Usually these are the bars that have odd shaped spaces (trying to get good sound in an "L" shaped bar is tough if you are set up in one end of the "L") vaired ceeling heights, etc. I've actually started making notes about what works and desn't work in these places so I can get the best sound the next time I'm there.

Bottom line is that a KJ has to care about the show and the singers who attend it.

As a singer, if you don't like what you are seeing at a show, vote with your feet and move down the street!

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Spreading the karaoke gospel

Hi Big Mike

Couldn't agree with you more, on all statements. A question though.....

Have you ever had it where you play at your normal gig, knowing your setup and always sounding good, and then one day, out of nowhere, you suddenly cannot get the sound you're used to?

Hi Big Mike

Couldn't agree with you more, on all statements. A question though.....

Have you ever had it where you play at your normal gig, knowing your setup and always sounding good, and then one day, out of nowhere, you suddenly cannot get the sound you're used to?

Sound is all important to me...I sing, that's what I do.....there is a KJ in our neck of the woods that has a super system, and flaunts it....trouble is there is also a KJ in the same woods with an old beat up system and his sounds better to me.....

a lot of it has to do with the KJ's ear....the first guy is well established...I believe he started out as a DJ, I'm not sure....but he has no music background....did I mention he couldn't carry a tune in that bucket we so often speak of....the other guy spent his whole life preformin' music ...

the room is also important....there is a place where the venue is so small that they have you sing in what I refer to as the "closet"...a small game room off the bar(very small)....I refuse to sing there...but hey they have a crowd of regulars...go figure...

did I mention that the first guy gets really pissed if you try and tell him how to adjust your sound....he says he's been in this busniess for .....and he should know how to set the sound!!!....and I agree he should...but he don't....

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[glow=blue]Tequila & A Song
KKid[/glow]

I will sometimes get up and visit with customers during the songs, but not until after I'm happy with the sound. And I do adjust to each and every singer. Some songs are louder than others, some people are louder than others and ya need to be able to adjust to each. Usually when I hit the play button for the tract to be played, I have one hand on the music volume and the other on the mic volume. Once set, the reverb or trebble/bass etc. may need a little tweek, depending on who/what is being done. Once all that is taken care of, then you can wonder around a bit, checking out what it sounds like out in the crowd, and even maybe visit a little with some of your customers. They will like that, because not only are you checking out the sound, but you're letting them know you appreciate them being there. A little of that goes a long way when it comes to making loyal followers. But no, I'd never go over and play pool or any other game in the middle of the show. That just shows them they aren't that important to you. I know one who does do that, but he does make sure the settings are right before doing it. It's just not my cup of tea because it can easily give the wrong message.

Hey All star--

The one variable that you can never take for granted is the ability of the human body to absorb sound. Some of the rooms I play in sound like an old barn at the beginning of the evening as the sound bounces off the four walls, but by the end of the night when the place is full the sound really "comes in" and sounds good.

I'd just say that you shoud get the best setup you can while setting up, and then tweak away at it as the night goes on. An easy way to check yourself is to just make a round of the room while someone is singing. Say hi to a few people along the way (people like a sociable KJ!) but listen hard to what your stuff is doing. Go back and adjust accordingly.

Your ears are your best tool!

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Spreading the karaoke gospel