Karaoke Forums

Right now we have a big on going karaoke contest at Denny's.  It's being held every Wednesday and Saturday. All the winners from each night will compete against each other in the final contest at the County Fair in August.

It's a 1 to 10 rating in five different categories.
Singing ability, appearance, stage presence, audience participation during the song and audience reaction at the end of the song.

Now last night there were only five people who entered the contest.  The girl who ended up winning it technically had the second to the worst score in singing ability in my opinion (major pitch problems throughout the entire song).  Three other people last night had a better singing ability.  Yet this girl seemed to have high enough scores in the other categories to put her into first place.

To me, the winner of a karaoke contest should have the best singing ability first and foremost.  It's like a person can't win an Olympic meddle just because he/she looked "the hottest" in their outfit!  LOL

Anybody have any comments about or solutions for this kind of situation?

There's a less subjective criteria for what wins a sport's activity such as a marathon, than the critera people use for judging within the performing arts.  Despite lack of artistic talent,  attractive people win "talent" contest's quite often. Eye candy matters to many. Sad but true. IE.... Despite talent, many obese people didn't make it far in AI..  "Stage presence" is what all too many like. To some a "10" in a miniskirt, win's the contest. That's a "10" to them.

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I think that singing should be the highest points... then stage presence etc less points. I've never been to a karaoke contest mostly for that reason even though I know I can sing, and I will not have anyone tell me otherwise.  I have seen a girl who did a Christina Aguilera song (and yelled off key for most of it) get huge applause and yelling from the audience...just cause she was cute. Then I saw someone get up after her who was very unassuming looking and delivered one heck of a performance and got a few claps. It's sad that our society cares more about what people look like than what they sound like, but it's true. If contests were more vocals based then I would consider maybe entering one.

_________________
Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

Yup, stop having contest....I've never seen one that was run as it really should be..Gosh even American Idol is not judged right IMO

_________________
Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Yeah, I suppose this is just a continuation of an on going problem in the music biz in general.  It just seems that the singing ability points should be weighted more then all the other categories.  Because isn't karaoke supposed to be about the actual singing of a song first? Everything else should just be frosting on the cake! IMO

All depends on the "judges".  If I like musical talent,  and I'm one of only 3 judges, two of which favor DD's and tight skirts..  What I think isn't majority of those "judging".  Deaf people could judge alot of these talent contests, because in actuality looks does matter to many. Despite how good "acting" is, what draw's many to watch "Soaps" ?  Attractive people

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Actually, I was a judge in this series of contests when it started.  I quit because i'm friends with too many of the contestants.  I couldn't do it -- having to put one friend up against another.  

I don't judge friends,  nor do I like having authority over "friends".  VERY difficult. In actuality it's why I never proceded having another bboard of my own.  I have so many different types of friends, it just can't work.  Half hate one-another

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Well in that case, the judges should all be instructed to pay closest attention to the singing ability.  Maybe make the singing ability 1 to 10 and  all other categories 1 to 5 only.  There's a built in weighting system for when the points are totalled.

Agreed.  I don't like it when there's too little weight on what SHOULD matter to those of us with somewhat of a discerning ear.  Problem is, the damn book cover does sell in this country. Blame it on how many are brought up... Television, and Hollywood

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

The judging criteria of the World Karaoke Championship,  Malaysian Zoon.



But the best part is this information from there 'tips to wining'

_________________
I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Well, we can't change the whole world but maybe something can be done to set things straight right here in Canby 97013!    Where men are real men and farm animals have to be kinda careful.

Yee HAW !    I'd be afraid of date rape charges myself

(I'm getting off the computer now,  it's not safe for me to attempt any form of communication when it's close to 100 and muggy..)

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Jian, I like this kind of judging criteria!  This makes a lot of sense. 60% of the total score relates directly to singing.  Also, the judges would for sure have to know enough about singing and music to be able to do this right.

100 and muggy.  The curse of the east coast.  I couldn't live through that!  

Oh this is a hot subject with me.  I don't know how many times I have been beaten out by a size 3 or less.  Can they sing?  NOPE!  I do have one feather in my cap on this subject though.  I entered a local contest here.  Same scenario with the judging of the points.  Took me 15 different times to finally come in last place to enter into the semi finals.  I was ready to quit after about the 3rd trip but my husband wouldn't allow it.  He kept pushing me to go.  So the semi finals, again I came in 15th out of 15.  So we went on to the finals.  I was the last singer to go up...I did Pour Me, Trick Pony.  So it comes time to announce...they say 3rd place...then they say they have a tie for 1st.  They give the name of a girl I was sure would make it....Blonde, skinny, blue eyes....you all know the type.  Then oh my god they said my name!  The room roared!  The two of us had to just pick a song and go back up.  She picked Bobby McGee....and went first.  I finished with When God Fearin Women Get The Blues!  Seemed like forever before they came back.  They did a final score of 10 points, she got 6 out of 10....My score was 10!  I walked away that night not only with the huge trophy and a $1000.00 but my pride back in place.  I will not allow the size issue or society to kick me down.  I still enter and will give it my best.  If the judges are biased because they would rather look up a skirt, I figure that's their loss because they still have to listen to them sing.  I think the audience will also tell you, I have been told many times that they disagreed with the judges.  I just shrug my shoulders and say there is always next time and maybe we will get someone with more music sense that aren't thinking with their *****.

without wading through the entire topic (sorry, time won't permit right now) i'd say you should wieght each category with what you feel is the most important being the "heaviest".  if you feel that singing ability is the most important, make that a factor of 5.  if you feel stage presence and appearence are equal, mkae them a factor of 3.  personally, i take the audience completely out of ANY contest as it is way too easy for someone to stack the room.  if you must make the audience part of the contest, wight them the VERY lightest.  
Also, make sure your judges are completely impartial, which is very difficult at best.  usually, there are no "innocent bystanders" at karaoke bars.  everyone has a rooting interest.  one other thing, i don't think it's wise for the KJ, bartender, manger, etc to judge either.  i'm sure they would be impartial, but the contestents will always claim favoritism or bribery!  

all in all, this is the entire reason i stay away from contests!

_________________
All work and no play make Homer something something

Very good advice there Steve.  I agree with you.
SweetEMT, that is a great success story for sure.  I think I'll pass it on to a couple people here in Canby!  :)

Oh gosh Odie, don't get ME going on that contest last night. I'm SO glad I wasn't a judge in this one. Or, maybe, if I had of been, she would have gotten the lower score she deserved.  :reddevil: Cause she..... sucked. No other way to say it.  I've heard her sing much much better- to give her proper credit- but last night, good lord, she could not have sang much more off key than she did.

What's funny, you shoulda called it like it is Odie, your letting people assume she's some kind of Diva.... this girl most definately is NOT "eye candy"..... quite the opposite. She's one of the least attractive people who come in the bar. Not a size three either, maybe X's 5. (just being honest she's rather large built)

She just brought 2 tables worth of friends. When Linda came to me with the results, she showed me her score sheets... all numbers were 9's & 10's. Her overall score was 145.

But, on a quiet saturday night in a sleepy little town called Canby.... the drama has begun. I talked to both the top guys from last night (at the bar, and at safeway today) and they think it's a conspiracy to only let girls into the contest. I don't blame them though, it was obvious they were the top 2 singers last night, and they were ripped off. ( I mean, 3 of the judges were at her table for crying out loud)

Now ya see why I chose to keep my arse out of it? It's all a big bunch of drama, and the fair contest is gonna get some shyt flying. It'll be quite fun watching it all though I guess. And personally, I hope to gosh Des wins, she should if all is fair. Or Cat.  

But yeah, I think even the friends she brought with her last night were surprised that she won it.  LMAO

.

_________________
♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

All numbers for Nikki were 9's and 10's!!! That's absurd.  I didn't even give Desiree, PJ, Ginger or anyone that high of a score.