Karaoke Forums

I am all karaoke. That being said I understand some venues are
different and depend on the music breaks to keep there crowd happy.
They do it to make money. If it wasn't working and people were leaving or complaining about it, I'm sure they'd have to adapt to all karaoke.

Money is the bottom line. In my bar I pull a karaoke only crowd. This
is what makes money. If I started playing music breaks I would loose a huge percentage of my crowd.

I understand there are some singers here that said they would leave if music breaks were being played. Unfortunately you are in the minority for some of these venues.
The bar has to try to accomodate the majority. You than find a bar like mine that is all karaoke instead. There is a place for both - neither is wrong.

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

But HIS point of view is basically saying that YOU are a bad karaoke host if those non-singers want & need regular dance music.  According to him, he is THAT good that everyone there at his shows is there for karaoke & nothing but.   No one would even think of requesting regular music because they are already entertained by the greatest self proclaimed host in the world & when he is in charge, everyone basically loses their REGULAR MUSIC desires & want to hear karaoke & nothing but.

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[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

Bigdog has once again stirred up the pot.

I think like this discussion the majoirty of what people want is what will happen.
No matter how loud one barks.

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

A hit a sarcasim I detect....
Yeah, supposodly works for him and that is all fine and good.  But where I live, BFE with a pouplation of 5,500, there is karaoke evey wed, thrs, fri, sat, and none draw a karaoke only crowd, including me. And I sure I am in the majority, of the types of crowds I draw.  Therefore you have to play to the masses.


[quote="Babs @ Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:17 pm"]LMAO Bigdog has once again stirred up the pot.[quote]
Perhaps a choke chain is needed Babs.

I'll buy.

What do they have on the sign out front.   Does it say KARAOKE?     Or does it say DANCE MUSIC AND SOME KARAOKE?     All of my signs say KARAOKE.   That's what I do.   That's all they get.    I can and do entertain many more non singers than singers, every night.   Without dance music.

3-T     BOB HOPE never had a web site.     I guess he never existed and never worked steady.    No need for a web site doesn't mean I'm not legit.    Or do not work steady.

Keep playing dance music more and more.   Soon you will be an unemployed EX-KJ.

Your only means of support will be DJing at kids parties.

I'm not calling anyone names.    I telling you that you are becoming a DJ.    Soon you will not fall in to the KJ catagory.   You need to play karaoke music to be a KJ.

Do whatever you think you have to do, you're still a DJ that plays karaoke music.

MY non singers ALWAYS out number the singers.    I still work 5 nights a week.    They all keep coming back.      It's an advertised karaoke night.   I do not even carry regular discs.   900 karaoke discs is all I need to work my magic.    :yes:    

I have been HOSTING like this for 14 years.     No need to adapt myself out of business.     Switching to a computer that will only contain karaoke music.      That is only a media (format) switch, not a DJ transformation, kit.    


I WILL NEVER HAVE TO RESORT (Stoop so low because of my inability to entertain the entire crowd) TO PLAYING DANCE MUSIC TO MAKE MY "KARAOKE" LIVING.  

Stop kidding yourself.   Admit you can't "hack it" as a pure KJ.   It's ok, DJ.

pfft.



Babs, yank the chain.

Then that's what works for you, don't go calling others unprofessional or less than good kj's just because their crowds want a little more variety.



Well ok, let's try & pick someone of the internet & world wide web age, however
http://www.bobhope.com/
So yeah, Bob has a website...even dead, so I guess you don't exist.



Your small minded opinion only.



You must have a major grudge against dj's, you sure do talk badly about them.  Not sure what the hell you are talking about kids parties here for anyway, we are talking adult clubs.



No you are calling them bad kj's.  Almost everyone here has stated their karaoke still outweight any regular music they may play.



No they are karaoke companies that on occasion play regular music.



SO glad that just doing karaoke works for you, with your unwillingness to adapt, you are not going to know what to do when more people asks to hear regular music.



The only one that will be out of business is the ones that don't adapt if the crowds warrant the change, yours don't warrant the demand for dj music yet, someday they might & may leave if they don't get it.  You yourself may be the unemployed "ex" kj in the future because of your unwillingness to grow/expand/cator to popular demand.
Switching the media is technically illegal BTW for use in a commerical venue, going from pro to illegal pro, not that anyone will prosecute at this time.



Again, self proclaiming your superiority over all others here because you only see things your way.  I'd still love for you to come out this way & TRY and make a living.  With your attitude, you wouldn't even get your foot in the door!



Maybe it's just that you are too afraid to try something different because it may actually work.

Now in your defense (can't believe it), if I go to a karaoke show, that IS what I expect.  If I see a karaoke show advertised & they play dance music regularaly, I will leave.  If they advertise it as karaoke/dj, & that's what i'm looking for...that does seem to be the new trend around here, then that's where I will go.  But to say someone is a hack for doing dj mixed in with karaoke is just wrong, it works for them & their club.  Think about this, they may not have a job if they DIDN'T play the dance music.

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[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

You said it yourself, if they don't want karaoke music at a karaoke advertised venue, THEN WHY ARE THEY THERE?   Why should you have to cater to a non karaoke crowd, on an advertsied karaoke night.    They can go somewhere else.    That said, if they come into a karaoke advertised night , I will do evertything in my power to keep them entertained.   I will not compromise my show and the way I do business to insult my karaoke crowd to cater to someone that wants to hear a DJ on a karaoke night.

That's the point.    I am not going to turn in to a DJ.    I got in to the karaoke business, to sing and play and hear karaoke.    As did most of you.      Once you start playing dance music you can not stop.    You will hurt your karaoke crowd.    You will hurt your karaoke business.

I wouldn't go to a square dance and demand the band to play DEVO.     Why should they come to karaoke and demand dance music.     You are changing your entire business to suit a non karaoke crowd.    What about the karaoke?    You are letting them turn you in to a DJ, plain and simple.  

I refuse to let that happen to the "karaoke" business I built for the last 14 years.     I WILL NEVER PLAY DANCE MUSIC TO KEEP WORKING.      I am a KJ and I will be a KJ until I die or quit.

Maybe when I die someone will build me a web site.

Just as a side note.   Elvis has made more money dead.

I WILL NEVER SELL OUT TO THE DJ CROWD.

Well if I turn back into a dj, then so be it - i've never been locked into one genre of entertainment.  I got into entertainment business to make money, not for anything but.  I went from running sound for bands every weekend (some weeknights, still do when I can) to dj'ing because the pay was better, when I made the switch from dj to karaoke it was because there was a bigger need for karaoke & could get a better price for it than dj'ing.  From there I made sure that I could be the best I could be, always trying to learn new things, & be one step ahead of the competitors.  If the demand shifts back to dj, then sure i'll dj again.  I'm in the entertainment business - live sound, dj, karaoke, musician, not just locked in on karaoke - although that is primarily what I do at this time.  When I do a karaoke show, I try to keep it strictly karaoke but I will on occasion slip in a line dance like the slide or the cha cha - believe it or not ALWAYS requested by the singers.  If I don't have too big of a rotation, i'll try to slip it in, otherwise no.

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Big Mike, I know you were agreeing with me. (I can't believe it ) But I wanted to give everyone else the run down.    That as a karoke Host.   I can and do sing at karaoke.   I do this to keep everyone, especially the non singers entertained.   That is my whole point.     If you were a good KJ and could sing many different songs, you could keep the entire bar entertained.

I know that my singing a song takes up someone elses "Turn".   But I find that more acceptable to the singers, than playing out right dance music.     It's only once in a rotation.    And not every rotation.    Only if the rotation is lacking in some excitement will I do it.   Most of the time I sing an upbeat rock song.    I pick one that will be most enjoyable to the majority, age group.     It will be a song that other wise would not be played.

But under no circumstance will I EVER play dance music.     Even if it means losing the job.     I am a KJ.   If you want a DJ, hire one.   I know many that aren't real busy.

Karaoke is my prime income.    I started a karaoke business, because I love karaoke.    I promote and perform quality karaoke.    If I wanted to be a DJ, I would have been the best.     I don't like Djing.   I hate it.   I don't ever like doing it, even at a wedding or a party.

Being a great DJ takes a talent of it's own.   As a KJ, I do not have that talent.   I am not going to pretend, that I am a DJ.    I do not need to work doing karaoke.    When the time ever comes that KJs are not needed, I will quit.    I don't think it will happen in my lifetime.

I personally think playing dance music is a cop out.    Be a KJ and make it work.   To me playing dance music means that you must not be doing a good enough KJ job.   You are letting nonsingers run your karaoke business.    Nobody runs my business but me.    I make all the decisions.   If I fail, I take the blame.   I don't see it happening.

NOBODY will tell me to play dance music at my karaoke.     For any reason.    Especially to keep the job.  

 As always Lon a breath of fresh air.... Thanks....

I got burned out after years of drunks singing the same old 3 songs over and over and over.  I was buying the THM every month and hardly anybody singing the new ones. It worked in one bar 3 nights a week for over 5 years and finally the crowd the owner and everybody got tired of it.

Through parties we gradually shifted the format and it was hard to build up a dj library (cost and time) and it was experiment and trial and error but we shifted In the process I learned from the kids what new songs are hot and what to get.. Both kj and dj now its double cost!!! But now we have a bigger singer base from teen to old and most ask for new songs and most even the old timers are singing new stuff.. WHEW!!  And the old crowd nonsingers and singers followed ..
 
If Id a  had a forum that had a good thread about a year or 2 ago about how to switch it would have been easier.. We seem to be 2 years ahead of the country in trends I dont know why we are in the middle of nowhere...So to those that understand get ready
 
I guess the possibilty of having an adult thread about things that work and how people are expanding both a kj and dj library or the difference and what methods are sucessful in keeping ahead of the competetion is impossible without it turning into a childish knock down dragout fight. I would like to discuss how they are handling the different music genres for particular crowds and other things. My bro does a show now at a popular night club and I helped him mon night. It nowhere resembles any venue described in this forum It is pure entertainment and we draw the best singers in the area.  

So if your method works there then do it. Im not telling you to change... But dont sit there anonymously behind some avatar and call us unpure or sellouts or idiots.. If I have something along that nature to say to a man Im looking him in  the eyeballs.. You know who I am where I live and where I work bigdog.... The offer stands come out and ill show you some new tricks...

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Again, you don't live around here.  Karaoke is not as popular as it once was, more dj & karaoke shows are popping up & many are dropping for other forms of entertainment altogether.  Many good shows are no longer around, I still put that blame on piracy in the industry & undercutters, but that's already been hashed to death.  



Just because a kj plays a few dance songs does not make them a dj.  If that's what the crowd is asking for & the kj does a few songs to keep them spending money, that's the bottom line.  As a singer, I wouldn't like it & would move on, but as a business owner, I fully understand.  There is no cop out as you put it.  The karaoke field is changing all across the board from manufacturer to singers, someday it will filter into your area.  



So you'd walk away from a couple hundred a night if the owner told you to play a couple dance songs through the night.  SMART BUSINESS THERE!~

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[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

Nope, it has to do with principals.

I'd walk.     I have a sack full of nuts.

I don't want to play dance music to cater to a younger crowd.   There is a bar right down the street that is an under 30 crowd.   ALWAYS trouble there.    I don't want them around in big unruly groups.    I will not play RAP or Hip Hop.     Don't want that crowd.    I'm not catering to the screaming drunk crowd.

I am dedicated to karaoke, that's what I promote.    I started a Karaoke business.    I could be a DJ if I wanted to, I don't.   As long as the bars I play are making money and everyone is happy.    It ain't broke and I ain't fixing it.     If your karaoke is broke, fix it.

Lonman sounds like he's just happy to be in the entertainment end of anything.   He has the technical knowledge to work all fields.     I went in to karaoke because I love it, I knew I could make money at it and I knew I could do it better than everyone else.

I have always attracted a more serious and more talented karaoke crowd.    Because I want to.     I have prefected my craft.     It shows.     It shows with the money I have made and continue to make.   It shows with the quality of my show and the sound system.   It shows with the steady work for 14 years.     Never had to resort to playing filler/dance music to do it.     And I never will.    Nobody will ever mistake me for a DJ.      The more you cater to the nonsinging dance crowd the more you will have to.   It's a catch 22 situation.   You have to do it because you keep doing it.   Let them come in on DJ night.     Let the karaoke people have their night.   It's why you are there.   It's your business.     K-A-R-A-O-K-E

Not DJ-O-K-E

Keep doing what you're doing.    It will make guys like me more valuable.   I'll be able to ask more money for good quality pure karaoke.      DJ-oke will be a dime-a-dozen.    The serious singers will promote me to the bar owners.     Your serious singers will be looking for another karaoke bar.    You will drive them away.    They are the reason you got the job in the first place.    Take the knife from their back.

The chief school administrators??? Methinks principles was meant.

Sorry Bigdog I had to do it.  Don'tcha love the english language??

Here's to the KJ's that with an open mind will continue to offer K A R A O K E
in the future.  This site being a KARAOKE site it is safe to assume that all here are true KARAOKE enthusiasts.  Whether your are singer or KJ or both - to be HERE makes you a TRUE KARAOKE PURISTS.

Every host dreams of a gig that has a large MANAGEABLE rotation ( Big enough for management - small enough for the "singers").  Those gigs do exist , usually mid week and generally for an older crowd. ( 30+) .  It is rare and considered a GREAT THING - if you have a weekend gig in which the majority of your crowd is there JUST for Karaoke. --If your lucky enough...Keep doing what you're doing!!!!

If you're a KJ that realizes on SOME nights it's OK to play a customers request for non karaoke music or the occasional requests for some Hip shaking dance music to add some variety to your show...You go !!!!  Afterall we are ALL trying to discuss ways to keep Karaoke alive and FRESH.  WE could ALL just play REGULAR MUSIC if we wanted ...But we are open minded business people who LOVE KARAOKE and want to evolve Karaoke into the future.  I think as a KJ I am more valuable to the venue if I can offer a variety. KARAOKE foremost, DJ if really needed , maybe some Music Videos in the  future.   Sure there will be a place for those hardliners who say KARAOKE OR IWALK ..EVENTUALLY YOU WILL KEEP WALKING AND WALKING.

I am a KJ - I love to sing and to host.  as many on this site I'm sure I never said I was GREAT or the BEST at what I do. ( May think it  lol)

Let's STOP giving attention to the ones that crave attention and controversy  --I'VE SEEN THEM BEFORE - THEY WILL GO AWAY WITHOUT ANY ATTENTION

Here Here to all the truE KAROKE ENTERTAINERS HOSTS SINGERS !!!!!

Wow, I can say last night was one of the best shows I ever had, started out kind of slow, only 8 singers, then about 10PM a group of 25 came in in which 22 of them were singers - very good singers.  Comes to find out they are a group of hosts from other clubs & some of their followers that get together once a month to go out to shows in the the general vicinity to party without having to worry about running things & the ones they like they return to, they said they'd definitely be back & asked me to join their group.  They were taking pics so hopefully i'll get those.  Fun group.  I can honestly say last night, the singers completely out-numbered the non-singers.

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I'm in.



<raising glass....

...and drinking>




We are still working on the size of our group.