Karaoke Forums

Why compare a kj to tv repair men, lawyers, doctors, plumbers, etc?  A KJ IMO is first, and foremost an entertainer.  The audiance should be the one to decided if they are "certified" or not.

Kelly

This is getting too depressive for me Im gonna go sing Haggards Are The Good Times Really Over and forget about it...

That's the problem Ollie.  "Licensed" doesn't mean anything anymore.  Is it important that a person can pass a written test dealing with quantitative aspects of an area ?  Or as Kelly mentioned is it important that the entertainer can entertain ?  How do you test for that ?   Sure there was a day when we needed to take tests tp broadcast on more than 1 watt at around 28 mhz.  Something like elements 2,3, and 9 of the FCC test. Than we needed to pass the CW test at 13 WPM, and go on and take a generals test...  Now look at everybody allowed to broadcast all over the world littering telecommunications venues with SPAM, pornography, etc...  (computers) No test required.  Why not test for that too ?

If we are going to enforce taking tests.  Why the DJ or the KJ ?   What would the reasoning behind that be besides hindering free enterprise ?  Additionally, who would enforce this, who would pay for it, who would gain financially from this ?  Naturally it would be a large organization that couldn't care less whether the person who passed the test was qualified to entertain, it'd be another source of beaurocratic regulation.  They want your money, and give you paper for having the ability to pass a written test..  How would that ensure the person ran a fair rotation, was a people person, If you were a bar owner would you want some FCC organization stinging your establishment because a neighbor that didn't like you stated "you hired an unlicensed entertainer" ?  I think not.  What's really the point of this ?  How do the pros outweigh the Cons ?  This would not solve anything.

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

That'll likely happen after passing thru a park and watching a carriage pulling the horse.

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

Before I state what I'm about to state let me qualify it with I HAVE NO CLUE about how this stuff works anymore.


Aren't you folks kind've hinting at an Entertainers "Union" ?   Wouldn't that benefit you more assuming this could in fact be regulated from both ends ?

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

Ollie,  I have to disagree with this and here's why.  A good friend recently bought a Sony HDTV. Within the 90 day period part of the board blew.  (Remember I PM'd you about this back in May?).  She had to go thru one of the accredited repairman authorized by Sony in her area.  They lied to her, charged her for a trip out, MANY hours of labor returned the set, and they never even replaced the parts that were bad.  They refused to itemize the labor. She called Sony complained, and it turned out that one of the "authorized licensed techs" deliberately screwed her, they were hoping to let the retailer absorb the flack rather than doing their job..  Licensed means NOTHING anymore.  It doesn't mean honest, it doesn't mean there isn't some hack in the shop filling in who doesn't know the difference between a transformer and a picture tube who isn't licensed.  We run into the same problem here that we do with the principle behind the problems with how a monopoly or oligopoly screw the small person.  We are forced to use their service if we want the warantee coverage however this does not assure honest repair, or good business practice.

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

Ok l Lets forget about licenses, enforcement, regulating, requireing anything to work in a bar, unions, or fees, policing, special task forces, law enforcement involvement, deals under the table to circumvent..........

I dont know how you read anything like this scenario in my original post..These were promulgated by over active imaginations and a natural reaction to proposals...

Original Post


Now Im gonna sing Im Movin On

Today,  I would trust word of mouth referral, and I certainly WOULD hire the small repairman operating out've his garage to fix my electronic stuff..  The guy that wants the work, and wants repeat business !  I will usually favor the small businessman that doesn't believe plaques and certificates make him anything more than someone who can hoodwink with fancy ornaments.

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

Are there any TV and VCR online repair courses that can turn a fool like me into a tech ?  There's good money in this stuff ?  CD,  DVD player repair.  I could make a fortune..  Well maybe not.


Ollie.  I have 5 VCR's downstairs.  They all do the same thing.  Grab and snag tape, pull it out've the cartridge, and chew it up.   Is this an easy fix ?  Why does this happen ?  Can I fix this problem myself ?

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

Actually Im sitting here trying to figure this out... Has anybody done this


In fact go to microsoft and search karaoke they have vocal removal and all kinds of stuff...

I posted similar things 6 months ago and everyone wanted to hang me.    I spoke of the misinformation and inadequate and sometimes just plain bad information given to newbies.  About how they should be given business operation info along with technical info.    That a crafted guide line or baseline should be adopted.

Newbies asking about how to upgrade a inadequate livingroom stuff on a $200 budget.    So they can go out to be a qualified undercutter.    If the quality and professionalism of our craft is to be uplifted and maintained, we need to amass a set of minimum standards.    We would all like to make more money.   It will not happen if we keep setting up the newbies to be undercutters.   We need to have quality competition to help bring up the price we can ask for our services.    More misinformed newbies, is not the answer.

There are some on here that are over-qualified to give out bad information.

Google electronic certification tests  Some are free We used to use them in conjunction with courses... You dont need to pay out big bucks to self educate.  These tests and library books....I never did pay to get certified


Your vcr's are repairable but it takes a good amount of skill when they are eating tapes.  My last real shop was vcr repair on a campus... Those dirty movies do it every time..

A newby here with two cents to add... I think the gist of what I'm reading in these posts and what I know as being in the occupational safety profession leads me to believe that the KJ profession does not lend itself, at least at this point, to a form of certification.

Instead, what I have learned in scanning these posts, is that of an association wherein the members would voluntarily abide by a 'code' that would describe the minimums of professionalism defined by its membership.  It would probably address issues of ethics, how to treat customers, interactions with peers, etc.

Many of you are entirely correct in assuming that a venue owner (bar, pizza joint, etc.) won't pay more for a KJ simply because they are a member of such a group.  The group would have to become established, create a track record of proving that the members provide a much higher level of service and generate a greater return on investment.  Say about 50 years of proof before they would pay more.  The main benefit reaped by the ones who began such an organization would be the moral satisfaction of being able to say "We are the best ... and this is why."  But, by improving their skills through discussions such as are held in this forum, they will be in greater demand and thereby earn more.

I think we should delete all the other posts in this thread and just leave this one.....
Ive been trying to say this for 2 days Good Post.......

Actually whether certification is used or not it would be interesting to create a test for KJ'S If anybody would be interested in helping pm or email me...

Okay Karyoker - I think I understand now> If I'm not, I'm trying.  LMAO

You know my big fear would be it being taken over by people that are more interested in making money off of the karaoke industry than our best interests.
Say they make it well spread knowledge that if you have a certification from say,
Certified Karaoke Professionals, you're getting quality services. Now this company
would be able charge us what ever fees they wanted just so we could say we are a member. Now we are a slave to what ever continuing education they say we need to keep that certification. They can charge us what ever they'd like for these classes and decide how often we need to go. Sounds like a money maker to me. Now would this help me make more money now with my current situation - no. But it might have people start asking me, are you certified? Then I'd feel like I would have to do it to proof I'm qualified.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

At one time I was a certified electronic tech.. If I did pay to take the test it was maybe $5 or less. It was not from a company it might have been administered by an RCA instructor. All he was interested in did I at least have a good knowledge and foundation for him to spend time teaching me. He had no control where I worked what I charged or even how I represented his product. All a certification does is indicate that you have certain qualifications nothing more nothing less. It opens certain doors and qualifies for certain courses of instruction

When your high school issued you a diploma did that bind or regulate you to anything?
IT IS NOT A LICENSE....It is not a contract...They are very cheap and not money makers. The work is in studying and passing them.. Google certification tests and you will find them on everything under the sun..Some of them are free.......I really dont understand this paranoia about regulation and control and somebody out to get rich...
The concept presented above we used in pool leagues dart leagues and I have used it in hiring    An actual organization probably wouldnt have that as a requirement It would optional. If there was a test on Public Relations, Business Practices, Karaoke Morals, Sound, Tech, Legal Requirements that all pertained to karaoke would you be interested in taking it?

Now that makes me feel better.

I guess I was going off my experience being a personal trainer. We paid big bucks to be cerified and pay for credit hours to stay certified. Not to mention there were 2
main certifications that eveyone looked for, so we'd have to do double duty to have the appearence of being professional. Did I get paid more because I was cerified with both - YES. so it was beneficial. If I was guarenteed better pay I don't mind getting a karaoke cerification. Heck maybe people would take us more seriously.
I hate when people get the perception anyone one can KJ it is a mindless job that you just do for fun.



No, but gosh I have paid thousands of dollars for my kids to go to public school. Just for one child this year I paid $250 for registration and that didn't include sports, band or choir fees. That was just to have her attend school.

I can see good and bad in this conversation. If it worked out like you said I'm all for it.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

We can decide our future or we can let the undercutters decide it for us.    

Which way do you want it to be?

well governments have the tendancy to fund the strangest of things...
e.g. a mobile phone texting class. No wonder the NHS is in such a state!

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Dan Bayley