Karaoke Forums

I would like to hear how everyone keeps rotation order straight.  Also, what is your policy for duets, etc.

I had a computer program designed for my rotations.  It is a very nice tool that allows people to SEE when they are up & exactly how I run the rotation.  It also displays what time they submitted a slip, when they sang last & approx time they will sing next.  I use the insert method - adding new singers amongst the old.  It works well for me & our patrons know how it works - never had complaints.  Have tried the "rollercoaster" method a couple times & THAT was when I got massive complaints on the wait & others getting up a couple times - all I did was take slips & when a singer was done, they turned in another slip that went to the end of the line - it backfired drastically - at least in my club.

Duets will count for both persons turn.

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Having seen Lonnie's program, I can personally vouch for it.  Talk about Awesome!

Now, I use winamp as my player, and I build custom screens for my singers. It's kinda a pain, but once built, they are SOOO small that storage on my puter is not a problem! So I enqueue them into the playlist, and then their song that they're doing. and when you're a regular, I just pull them from a folder I have on the desktop called "singers"... so the process gets easier and easier when you have repeat customers!

In addition to this, I also still use the paper forms (as does Lonnie) that the singers' fill out and new singers go to the end of the line, duets are a turn for both, etc.

My rules are on my songbooks in the first page, and every now and then, I'll put them on the tv screens too!

Had a person stand in front of my main tv during a busy night, and the singers couldn't see the screen (this was before I got two smaller tvs and run a splitter cord to them!)... so after getting him out of the way, I made up a screen and enqueued it after the current singer... had everyone crying.

"Don't Stand in Front of the FU*CKING TV!!!"

First come, first served for the first rotation.

Every rotation after that, brand new singers go in the middle. Old singers go at the end after their song.

Duets count as both singer's turns.

No special favors, even for tips, even for regulars, EVER!!

It isn't always popular, especially around 1:00 a.m., but it is always fair, and everyone knows it.

I think more than any particular meathod, it is most important to have a stated policy in your book and consistently follow that policy for everyone without favoritism!!

And remember that no matter how fair you are in actuallity, there is always going to be the drunk a**hole that thinks they are being cheated or the or REALLY hot chica that tries to use her womanly mind tricks on you, but you just have to be willing to stick to your policies under pressure!!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

After much debate and thought I think its best
FIRST COME FIRST SERVED

And if you get there late in the night ----TOO BAD you wait -Come a little earlier next time and you can sing.   OH you were at the bar down the street until 12:30am
and now you want to sing before everyone who has been here all night long waiting.
 :wave:

Rotation doesn't matter.  Create a set of rules, post them, and follow them.  Your audience won't care what rules you use as long as you follow them.

That aside, I use a first come, first served sort of rotation 99% of the time.  Sometimes I get 'creative' since sometimes I do a show where I go from 5 singers to 40 singers in less than 10 minutes and you have to break the new singers  into 2 rotations and fill the 'existing' singers into the middle to keep them from leaving.  BTW, no one notices and everyone is happy.  One I hit the end of the large rotation 'explosion' I kick back to first come first served.  I know it doesn't make sense but when your shows 'explodes' like that you have to do what you have to do!

First come first up. under 5 singers new go to end. Larger rotation I insert new with the old. I generally call last call for slips at 1am even though most of the time a slip after 1am never gets to sing.

Yup yup, first come first serve at the beginning of the night.  Work new singers in as I go along but try (notice I said try) not to have any one person wait longer than the next.  Duets count as both singers' turns the same as all you others from the way it looks.  Pet peeve time--doncha just HATE it when they come up and constantly "how long til my turn, how much longer til I get to sing again"!!!  ARRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH, I push em til the end of the line if they keep it up and have even taken them out of the rotation before with no complaints from bar owners or anyone else (but the drunk doing the harassing of course!!!!!)