Karaoke Forums

Hello everyone.

I am wondering if I should start business as KJ. Can you please advice me about the market?

I have both MIDI and audio karaoke system. MIDI's benefit is portability as you know. Is MIDI karaoke popular? Can I obtain lots of MIDI data?

Some says karaoke has dead. However, I found still some are paid as full time KJ. I think this is because of good targeting and segmentation. Which kind of people should I advertise to the most? is main customer? At which area karaoke the most popular?

My last question is what do you think about future karaoke market? Do you think karaoke market is growig?? I would like to know as much as opinion about this.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Ok,

Before you start anything you need a business plan. What are your intentions, how much do you plan to invest and what type of return do you expect.

I would suggest contacting a lawyer to help setup you business format, sole-proprietorship or corporation. You business lawyer will also be able to provide drafting of contracts, for your prospective clients.

The next step would be to obtain financial backing for your business investment. If you have $10,000 to start you can obtain a loan from you bank under the business name.

Now that you have a plan, and a way to purchase your equipment. The 1st purchase you should make is your insurance. You should purchase liability as well as protection for your equipment. a $2,000,000 lib / $100,000 equipment will run about $600 a year.

While you are making all of these preparations you will have a few months to read everything you can on the Internet about running a successful karaoke operation.

Learn to find bulletin websites like this and read until your brain is full.

If you treat this like a business it will be a business, it will be a business.

MIDI karaoke is not popular around here.  Basically the quality sucks.  Sorry, but there is a huge difference in a band producing the music then in one person on a keyboard trying to imitate the band.

Kelly

Yeah I agree...with MIDI..the quality is NOT there.  MIDI is fun to play with, but it's not for running shows, that I know of.  Think long & hard before you make the jump..but if you decide to, do it whole heartedly....It's sometimes a rocky road, but if you've got the passion, you can make it happen!  MrD

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[highlight=midnightblue]MrD - KJ/DJ Specialist
Visit MrD on facebook - mrdsentertainment
& on myspace - larrynance[/highlight]

I would say that making a living as a KJ is difficult. There are a few people that do it, but the most successful ones have been at it for a long time and have mutliple rigs and have certainly payed their dues.

As we were discussing in another thread, at least 80% of KJs do it part time as a second job to augment their full-time day job. The reason for this is that as a KJ (as with any small business owner), you are going to have to pay 100% for your own benefits. No subsidized health insurance, no 401k, stock options, company matching, no bonuses...all of that is your responcibility. I know that my health insurance at my company is paid 40% by the company, leaving me with about $65 a month for top quality insurance. As a small business owner in the import industry, my father pays about $135 a month for his insurance that is not nearly as comprehensive. Likewise, my company matches 50% of my 401k and 33% of my stock options plan each quarter, while my dad is responcible for putting away retirement $ on his own in an IRA with no matching or assistance.

So those are a few things to think about before you go full time. You definately need to have a good amount of capital once you start out because you may run into some lean times at first while you get established and build a reputation. It may take you 1-2 months to find your first gig, so you'll need to have $$ put away to support you in the meantime. Likewise, the first gig isn't going to fully support you, so you'll need to have extra $$ put away while you fill your schedule. I think you realistically have to be working at least 4 nights a week to break even as a full-timer, and unless you get lucky you are not going to find a bar that is going to hire you for more than 1-2 nights a week, so you'll need to book multiple locations to get to where you are making $$ and supporting yourself.

Since this is going to be your livlihood, DON'T SKIMP ON QUALITY EQUIPMENT OFF THE BAT!!! Like someone said, you will probably want to look into taking out a business loan and getting good stuff before you start. Good equipment will be well worth the investment, as it will directly help you land and keep gigs!! And MIDI is the LOWEST quality of karaoke out there. Most people will not even use it for home use. I honestly don't know of ANY professional karaoke KJs that have ever or will ever use MIDI karaoke in their shows. CDGs are going to be a large expense for you out of the gate to the tune of AT LEAST $1500-2000 to start out if you really want a good selection of up-to-date music, and there is not way around that cost.

Also be realistic for yourself before you start spending all of this $$ and ask if you have the personality and lifestyle to be a KJ. I think personality is the #1 trait of a karaoke KJ. You need to be outgoing, PATIENT, even tempered, and be able to have conversations with all different types of people. You also have to be a night owl who doesn't mind giving up your nights and weekends to work. If you are full-time, your social life WILL be at your job. Friday and Saturday nights are still the most frequented karaoke nights, so ask yourself if you can give up your weekends for the next few years and be OK with that. And besides a few of us (me not included) it is pretty difficult to find replacement KJs without a good bit of notice. That means you will be working when you are sick, you can forget about vacations and even some holidays, and will have those days when you are just absolutely miserable but you have to be there with your happy face on until 2:00 A.M. whether you like it or not. The show must go on!!

BUT, the good news is that for me this job is rewarding and tons of FUN on most nights!! I get to be the center of attention and in control of entertaining a large crowd that are all there to enjoy what I have to offer! I meet a boat load of people and am well known and liked by people I don't even know around town and in other entertainment circles, especially the local music scene and hospitality scene. I work part time and have a full time day job, so I don't have to deal with the stress of karaoke being my livlihood. It is all supplemental income for me and I know I could lose all my gigs tomorrow and be just fine. In the meantime, however, I throw 75% of my karaoke earnings into extra principle on my mortgage and have paid down my $129,000 loan to $98,500 in the last two years.

Likewise, the karaoke industry is alive and well and certainly on the rise. It is a inexpensive form of entertainment that smaller venues that can not afford bands can afford and larger venues can use to make more money than other forms of live music.

So that is my experience with this industry! I think I have the best part time job in the world and would recommend it to anyone who has the tools to pull it off, but I couldn't imagine doing it full-time as my livlihood without striving to be a multiple rig (i.e., other people working for you as KJs using your equipment) entertainment company that did KJ and DJ work (weddings, corporate events, etc.). That's what I would strive for if you want to start your own company.

Hope that gives you some insight!!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

The advice the others have given you is excellent so far.

You gave little back ground on yourself. What country are you in? You say you
have audio equipment. What kind? and what experience do you have?

I can say definately no to Midi. I suggest starting out part time until you can increase your business to stay on the safe side, unless you have money to get you through the start up phase. There was a very good point made about having to supply your own benefits because you will be your own employer.

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

You,
When you refer to "midi" do you actually mean COMPUTER BASED  mp3+g files versus CDG discs????

Lyquidye offers GREAT advice..

But if you ask yourself the 1st question -
Full Time vs Partime?

If you are looking for a partime 1 night a week gig , I think you can approach it a little differantly than a FULL TIME CAREER BUSINESS.

Do you have any Karaoke DJ/KJ EXPERIENCE?? If not you better get some before you go out buying a bunch of gear, music etc and trying to get gigs. Best to go to work for an established DJ service or a bar that has its own gear and just hires people to KJ/DJ. If you go out and try to do it cold you will certainly fail. KJ'ing not something you just start doing. It's way more complex than it appears on the surface--particularly if you intend to be and independent mobile KJ/DJ service. Start up costs are high for gear, music, promotion, marketing etc etc. Competition is CUTHROAT!! Best to get some field experience first before going head over heals.

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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

Before setting up a business, check out the demand for what you wish to offer in your area.  Find out what similar or identicle business people are offering.  Learn about what you wish to offer. If you haven't a clue, best not consider "business" in such a venture until you do.

In a perfect world (IMO of course),  I'd be able to turn my yacking in chatrooms into a lucrative profession.  Unfortuneately there is little demand for what I excel at.

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

Hi Kurt  :wave:  - that was my concern too. Not to mention he writes
like he is from another country. I can't give advice on how to approach a
karaoke business in a foreign country. The laws would be different then the US
governing copy right laws and business procedures.

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

Some very good info, some can be passed over.

Every business should be treated like a full time business, even if you only do it once a month.     You still have all of the issues to contend with, be it full time or part time.

These include your reputation, up-to-date music, insurance if you want it, equipment maintainence and repairs, etc.    These don't diminish because you only work part time.

Take all of your information from someone that is doing what you want to do and is where you want to be financially.

Even a part time venture will require more time than you think.   If you expect to be good at it and successful.  

All on here have been witness to many KJ failures in the past.   We have seen many under prepared, under qualified, under funded, KJs go down in flames.    KJ success is not an accident.    WE all work extemely hard at being and doing everything needed to be successful.      There is not magic pill to a fast success.   You can not "cheap" your way through it.

The midi info is correct.    Kids birthday parties will be the only place you'll get away with that.

Karaoke singers are somewhat particular about how they and the music sounds.   There are many so-so disc companies, producing so-so musical renditions.   Most of them have gone out of business.   The more popular companies charge more for their discs, but musically they are worth it.

I don't think you will need a lawyer for anything.     But you will need a creative income tax man.     You will need a business plan in the sense of detailing how and why you will do everything needed.     MONEY is your biggest obstacle.   Do you have enough to invest properly.     We all know many unemployed KJs with crappy sounding systems.   That includes the music.

Amen to that!  Allllll of that!

Susie

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You do it in the shower,
you do it in the car,
Ccome do it with us,
and be a star!!!!

Karaoke with Full House Entertainment

[scroll]Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...... [/scroll]

Above all do not go in to any business, if you just want to make money.    I don't know any one that doesn't.

You should have a passion for it.   It should be something you really love to do.     Something that is going to be more work than you think it is.   It will require lots of your time and money.    It takes money to make money.    

I have seen way too many get in to karaoke business thinking they could make a lot of money.   If you don't have the investment, the time and the committment to make it work you, like so many others will fail.   Plain and simple.    If you don't want to do it whole-heartedly, you will fail.  

People go in to business everyday.   Just as many fail everyday.    1 out of 5 business's fail, within the first 5 years.    A machine and some discs doesn't make you an instant KJ.     It's not an automatic thing.    

It will take careful planning and the proper financial investment.