Karaoke Forums

Every karaoke visitor is different and wants different things.

#1 and first and foremost important factor:
What really makes the best karaoke places are the crowd. Hands down, that is what karaoke is all about. It is a social event where people can participate and sing themselves. If it was anything else, then you would go to a concert or buy a CD or listen to the radio or a DJ. Depending on what kind of venue you are running, you should try and foster the crowd and make them feel at home and welcome to your show. Everything else is secondary.

When people are having a really good time and enjoy themselves, they won't care that much if your system is a little under par or if your singers are really bad. In fact I would hate to go to a karaoke show where everyone is a pro. Karaoke is all about mainstream, it is singing for the "people" since they can't participate in TV events, concerts, make CDs, sing on the radio etc. This is a forum for "everyone else" that just wants to sing without ties, anyone making fun of you or stress.  Interactive entertainment is the proper label and the audience has a say so and a leg in on what is being played by their own submissions

Of course all of this is asuming that the KJ has a decent sound system, is nice and has a decent song library. That is all that is required. No matter how good your system is, how many songs you have etc. It is not going to get you a better venue unless the crowd is happy with the social aspect, get food in time, drinks and enjoy each others, you are encouraging as a KJ. Slipping in a nice comment after someone sings goes a long way. It makes the singer feel happy and will come back the next time.

There will always be "odd balls" coming to your show that complains about this and thats. Specially with singers, there are alot of prima-donna's(both male and female). If they don't like it, let them go. What matters, is what most of your main crowd wants and thinks.

1st thing is sound system-if it don't sound good and isn't mixed well then I wont  be back. Need to hear myself also.

Selection isn't important as most if not all don't have the stuff I sing(primarily blues and swing) as I end up bringing my own disks anyay (just 10-12).

Songbooks--they better be clean and well organized--I like to look thru them just in case they have something I like. But if the books are nasty--filthy stuck on food, wet beer pages, then uh-uh forget this place. If they're chaotic, then forget it.

Songbooks--They better not have 6 versions of EVERY song and be advertising 50,000 song selections-when in reality if you boil away the duplicates, there's maybe 8000 actual titles. TRUTH in ADVERTISING is a key. This is a particularly annoying thing to run into.

Crowds are crowds by and large. It's up to the KJ to get them involved.

KJ's personality on stage. If all he or she can say when speaking on the mic is OK BOB YOUR TURN, then they're BORING and I won't be back. The KJ is the MASTER OF CEREMONIES and HAS TO KEEP THE PARTY ROLLING--not put people to sleep.

Lots of dead airtime between songs is a deadly killer. Put on some good fill music between songs! DEAD AIR is well, DEAD. So I won't go back to a DEAD AIRTIME SHOW.

Encourage dancing---if its one of these shows where dancing is looked down upon as it might interfere with singing--then I won't be back. More dancing the better, but with a balance with the singing. Whats best of all is to get up and SING A DANCE number and have a bunch of CUTIES slithering around you while your layin' the groove down. If its a place where all you do is sit in your chair all night long---then I wont be back.

Shows where a particular type of music is discouraged or prohibited--IE rap or even country(ive seen that before too). To me this is a form of censorship and quite frankly not every rap song is bad. Some are terrible--but many are REALLY GOOD DANCE TUNES that people of ALL AGES get up and dance too! So if they say NO THIS OR THAT I wont be back there. Prohibiting foul language is ok tho.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Kurt,

Ok, but what if they list duplicates, have 15,000 listed and claim 9000 unique tracks?

I have a problem when they list all the different times they have the song but don't let you know who the manufacturer is.  How do I know which disc to use when you list 4 versions and they're just listed by where they are in a speed rack?  And if they're different versions let us know that to.  Is it the radio edit, the album, or extended version?  Inquiring singers want to know!

That too!

_________________
"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

We list all and say we have over 20,000 selections about 14,000 non-repeats and manufacturers listed.  All artists and songs listed the same way  ie J-Lo is listed as Lopez, Jennifer, reagrdless of what name she uses, the same with Janet or Beyonce (Jackson, Janet and Knowles, Beyonce) or songs (Oh Pretty Woman, not Pretty Woman).  If we're in doubt, we check with the original for the proper name.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

1) The equipment quality, sound and mixing ability of the KJ
2) The equipment quality, sound and mixing ability of the KJ
3) The song library.  Not just any old tack to fill out the book.  Also like to be able to sing quality manufacturer versions, poor versions turn me away.  KJs who respond to singer requests or look after my discs carefully, get my patronage.
4) The KJ - fair rotation.  Fairness in all things. ( I resent sitting all night and watching newcomers slotted in - let 'em join the end of the queue so they only sing quick if they're lucky - depending where the KJ is in the Q).  I dislike seeing singers jumping up more than once till I sing again so I like the "duets/group songs count as a go for each singer" rule.  I don't need to sing 3 songs a night, or even two - not phased by a long queue if all else is in place.  I like the KJ to be genuine and care about what he/she does.  I like there to be some control and order.  I actively try to only support KJs who pay their dues to the industry and are legally compliant(those are the ones who contribute to future song production).  I will not return to a show if I see evidence of illegality (and that includes venues with no licence).
5) The Venue - safe, clean, welcoming (no louts, trouble or "out of control" atmospheres).