Karaoke Forums

It was a photo, turned into a pencil scetch using a plug in with either Paint Shop Pro. or MS Picture It. Can't remember which one..

Don't look like that now. Have to look respectable with the jobs I have now..

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"Real life doesn't start untill the music plays." LSK.

I enjoy water colors...  I'm not good at actual "art" however... I still like it.  Horrible with intricate aspects such as profiles, and facial features... Still,  I try.. .
In college during art classes, I was always amazed at the girls that seemed to have a knack for super-realism... One girl freehand basically reproduced a container of ban deodorant on the convas in oils... From across the room shadowing, colors, everything appeared 3-D... Amazing... She really captured the glare and coloration of the silver top too...


I couldn't even mix my paints to get grey close to silver..

I envy all good in the arts... any art.

Since we're around the same age.  I loved the phosphorescent colors of the mysticism black light stuff done on velveteen backing,  and the peter max posters.... Those colors were amazing...  OK,  I'm getting a 70's flashback..

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

LMFAO @ Bigdog's avatar!!

sheesh..... that's pretty intimidating!!

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I use to do a lot of portrats in school. Charcoal and pencil.But since they came out with digital cameras and paint shop pro, I don't do hand art any more..

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"Real life doesn't start untill the music plays." LSK.

That's somewhat of a fear I have with the advent of technology.. Will a point ever come when advancements replace too much of actual individual artistic talent, to a point that people become less creative, and  less artistically skilled as we evolve into a more technologically advanced world..  Don't know what will happen in time.. As artificial intelligence advances,  will we become a less creative species...

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

I never worry about being paid at a party or wedding.   NO CONTRACT.   MY WORD IS MY BOND.    I like my money at the end of the night.   If they pay ahead of time, that's all they want to pay.    What happens if they want you to play over?   What happens if they really liked you and they want to give you more than the original agreement?   Happens a good bit.  They are having a good time and really like me, (how could they not)  :yes:  and they flip out more CASH than expected.    If it's a check or they paid in advance that's all folks.   They will NEVER rewrite the check, after they are drunk out of their minds.    But they will pull CASH out of the old pocket.    Thanks see ya.       I'll take my CASH at the end of the night everytime.  

Reading about all of those contracts and stipulations scared me off.  :shock:  Get a grip, it's karaoke not brain surgery.      

Sooner or later your gonna learn Bigdog isn't as dumb as you may think.

Starting on the 1st of Aug. I have 9 shows in 6 nights every week (2 Rigs) All pay cash if they say check I say bye bye. Love the green in my Paws.

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ROBDOG *WOOF WOOF*

Gotta love it.

Um.. not to sure. I see it in some people, but others are taking that and using it. Look at some of the new music styles, like trance and techno.The ability for a Quadra paligic to creat some of the worlds most amazing Scifi art. One of the car designers for one of the sports car manufacturers. ( not sure which as I only saw the end of the show ) is also a quadra paligic. So, in some of us, yes we will lose the desire to be manually creative, but other it provides an opening to a whole new world of opportunity. Not to mention all those hot blonds that keep chatting with me on the net.. ? They wouldn't lie to me would they... ? No... I'm sure they are real..

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"Real life doesn't start untill the music plays." LSK.

No problem with the arrangement to go over.

Prior to the event I tell them my rate per hour for going over time and that they pay the balance at the end of the evening for the extra time.

So getting the money up front is not a problem with getting paid for going over.

Again I only ask for money up front if I don't know the folks. Most of my private gigs are referral based so I generally know the people I'm working for.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

For weddings or special events, half up front two weeks prior (You never know if it gets cancelled and you've made arrangements to be there).  For regular club work cash or cheque is fine.  Never a problem.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

For private shows, 20% down (non-refundable), signed contract & rest paid prior to show start.
For clubs, never used a contract.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Sure as I lay bleeding.... Now everyone wants paid CASH..  :whistle:  :O

I guess it depends on where you are and how much control you have.

Our duo uses a contract.  It's not anything elaborate but it does serve to insure that everyone knows what the deal is.  

For private functions we get 50% up front.  That's non-refundable.  There are a few people we've played several private gigs for that we don't take money up-front because we know them.  They are the execption, however.

Club dates are kind of a different story around here.  By and large the owners, even with a written agreement, do not feel much sense of responsibility for making sure they live up to their commitments.

Every once in a while we run into a double booking situation.  I don't think it's ever been on purpose but an owner will get busy, forget to write something down and then book another band for the same night.  It doesn't happen often but it's aggravating because we have NEVER once been paid in that situation.  

Most of our bookings are done anywhere between a month and 6 months in advance.  We make sure the owners know that once we're booked we won't cancel out on them.  We also make sure they know that when we've reserved a night for them we won't look for or accept another gig that night.

But when there is a double booking and we aren't the first one to set-up we're SOL.  The owner appreciates the fact that we're not going to bump him for a better paying gig but they see no value in paying us for a gig just because they screwed up and double booked the date.

This situation is made worse by the fact that every year there are fewer venues in this area but there are about the same amount or more of bands.  So it's very competitive.  It makes it hard to increase prices and because you can easily be replaced on the schedule, the owners know they are in control.  If you want to ever play that place again, you've got to play ball.

The other issue is that there is a very active and strong bar owners association in this area.  All the owners know each other and they talk.  That has helped us because we're well liked by our owners.  We have a reputation for doing a good job, showing up on time and for our reliability and professionalism.  Even so, we know that if we give an owner a hard time, word will get out at the association and it's not very likely that we'll get booked again anywhere.

It sounds as if some of you work in areas where there is plenty of work and you have the ability to control things a little better.  I envy you.

Larry

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"Life is too short for diet soda and lite beer"

I uderstand that your word is your bond, and I think that most of us here are the same way or we wouldn't be in business very long!  However, it is the people we are dealing with who are the X factor in this equation.  Sure you show up and play as you promised, but at the end of the night they say, "Oh, we only have $150 in cash, we'll get the rest to you later."  Then what do you do?  Now you're chasing your money.

As far as overtime, I have that written into my contract as well.  It is very specific as far as rates are concerned and mentions that overtime is always subject to availability.

The last two events I played each tipped me $100.  One gave me a nice, crisp Ben Franklin at the end of the night and the other sent me a check in the mail about a week later.  I was happy to see both!

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Spreading the karaoke gospel

YEs, like any other person that is based in reality, I like to be paid in cash.  If they want to write a check, it is no problem either.  BUt if it is for a private party, as stated in my contracts, the balance must be paid by money order, or cash.  WE usualy tell the person that if they want to, they can pay the balance by chedk if we get it at least 2 weeks before the event.  My wife manages a payday loan company, so she knows how to garnish wages if we get a check that bounces, but so far it has never happened.