Karaoke Forums

Tips - Has anyone ever accepted a tip to play a dance song or just a particular song that someone at the bar wanted to hear?

I have and will do it just about any time it is offered.

That is a direct quote from your post CHRIS. JUST ABOUT ANY TIME IT IS "OFFERED".

So you do take bribes at your show, but not to bump people up in the rotation....but you'll take a bribe to push people down in the rotation in favor of some cute girl who wants to dance. I couldn't be happier that you live about as far away from me as possible and still be in the U.S.

Like I said; anything for a dollar.

Going with Lonnie has said more than once here, I advertise as Karaoke w a bit of DJ.

Going with Lonnie has said more than once here, I advertise as Karaoke w a bit of DJ. However, if I have a good rotation going, I won't play DJ dance songs unless I read the room as needing it. A bit subjective perhaps but it's worked for me.

Bruce you can come to my show anytime and I will play your discs,,,,, if you make me a karaoke version of "I Need You" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

And no one but you seems to mind.....

Sorry I am such a crappy host folks.

-Chris

If someone is singing and you like their singing, then by all means, tip them. A KJ is not singing for their supper and they are not really entertaining the crowd. They are facilitaters for others to entertain the crowd. It's been said by many that a karaoke show is about the customer's singing experience and it is not about the host trying to showcase his or her singing ability. A karaoke host gets paid to bring in the equipment and push the buttons properly for the venues's clientelle. Doing those things does not require the patrons to tip. I never feel guilty for not tipping a KJ because they display a tip jar, and I have contributed to the hat passing to get the KJ to stay an extra hour. Putting out the tip jar, in my opinion, is an attept to make me feel guilty but it doesn't work on me. I tip when I WANT TO TIP.

I was at a show just last night where the rotation was well over 25 singers and yet, the KJ still sang in every rotation...all 3 of them. . He'd be more likely to be tipped if he would have taken himself out of the rotation so more customers could have sung.

Now as to tipping the cook or chef: I'm sure it happens but I would think that it is the exception more than it is the norm. No. Not that Norm. Let me ask you this? Did the cook or chef come out of the kitchen and place a tip jar on the customer's table and head back into the kitchen, or did the patron who tipped him do it of his own volition? My guess would be the latter. I think you will get tips if you do your job well. I don't think that you need to prod people into giving you a tip.

If you're out on the street playing your guitar and singing and you have your guitar open on the ground and someone asks you to play a particular song; then that is a situation where you are sort of obligated to tip the performer. Same thing with a DJ if you request a song and he or she plays it for you. However, a KJs job is to take requests from everyone in the rotation. Now if you ask your KJ to go out and pick up a particular song that you want to sing, then I think you should leave a little something for the KJ for going above and beyond; whether there is a tip jar being displayed or not. I just think that the tip jar is tacky. It is like tapping every singer on the shoulder before he leaves the stage and giving the old fake throat clearing (AHEM) and pointing to the tip jar as you do it. It's almost like saying to the person, "if you don't want your next song slip to get "misplaced" you better drop some cash in the bucket". It's no different to me than the server who asks if you want any change before they even look into the "wallet" to see how much you put in there to pay your bill. One night my tab was about $55 and I paid with a $100 bill. The server asked me if I wanted change. Normally I would have left a $10 tip but because of that ridiculous question, I only left a $5 tip. Are the servers that lazy that they can't just bring you your change and let you decide what you want to give them? Does a server really expect a $45 tip on a $55 tab?

Let's face it. People who put out a tip jar are trying to plant a subliminal message that you SHOULD tip them. I tip the guy who cuts my hair $5 every time I get my hair cut. That's a 33% tip. If he put out a tip jar, I'd give him $2.

Not to stir up a hornet’s nest: Cupid Shuffle was the most requested dance song @ my show. But the ‘non-dancers’ weren’t happy because according to them “I just added another 5 min to their waiting time”. And then, others want equal time. They say if I can play cupid shuffle in-between karaoke songs, then I could also play their favorite line dance tunes & started handing me their cd’s of Electric Slide, Harlem Shake, Cha-Cha Slide, etc. Grrrrr! Can’t please everyone!

Policy change. No offer of bribes or tips would I do otherwise, then or now. You want me to play your line dance tunes; it will be on your turn. Pretty much put a stop to that. Dance to what’s playing - from karaoke.

Hoping that's a TIP and NOT your pay Chris

Beat my tips last night... only made $73. no bribes.

I won't ever be at either one of your shows so I don't care how you run your shows. If you guys want to beg for tips, go right ahead. If you don't care how it makes you look; why should I?

I won't ever be at either one of your shows so I don't care how you run your shows. If you guys want to beg for tips, go right ahead. If you don't care how it makes you look; why should I?

I won't ever be at either one of your shows so I don't care how you run your shows. If you guys want to beg for tips, go right ahead. If you don't care how it makes you look; why should I?

I don't have a problem with someone giving a tip without being prompted to do so by the presence of the ever present tip jar. The obvious tip jar reminds me of the homeless guy holding up a sign asking for money.

Nope. More like getting it on record so that if you ever show up I can have you forcibly removed.

-Chris

More like getting it on record

-Chris

forcibly removed.