Karaoke Forums

Being a total nubi. to Karaoke, I would like to know...
Do you give singers foldback.
I realise some singers cant sing, and if they could hear themselves
they would be very upset and never sing again.
I want to burst no ones bubble
but I do want the singer to hear a good sound (sorry BD In the UK optrex works.)

If you are singing from the stage and the main speakers is infront of you, yes. You need the monitor.
Where I come from, no. I have never seen them in a karaoke club. The main are mounted on the walls and there is no need for monitors. The singers can hear themself from the main.

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

I am assuming that for those of us on the wrong side of the Atlantic, "foldback" and "feedback" mean the same thing.  This being the case....NO!

It is completely unimportant how badly they murder the song.  It is important that they have a good time murdering it.  Karaoke is not about the music it's about the party.  Don't burst their ego bubble no matter haw underservably large that bubble may be.  Have another pint and go on to the next singer.

I say Yes, usually, though there are places that I have set up where there simply isn't room.  I n that case, placement of the main speakers where people can hear themselves (and the music they are singing to) helps all but the worst of the worst.

Yes and no to monitors.

My singers can sing from anywhere in the room so they can stand right in front of the main speakers.   I never use an audio monitor.


If you have a stage set up you may need them.


What is optrex???    You mean a name brand of video LCD???

No BD. Optrex is something that removes earwax. Allows you to hear again.
Read your topic on Speaker EQ. Loved it. Now your saying singers can sing in front of your main speakers. You must have excelent mics not to get feedback.
Got to say BD, your system does sound like the one to have.

In NZ optrex is an eye wash, try sticking that in your ear...I guarantee your ears wont be bloodshot

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Your Right. Duh...
It,s a similar name. Can't remember what it's called.

anything to do with the ear is otic

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Okay, it appears that the ol' exweedfarmer has gotten his wires crossed again.  What is "foldback"?

I will about betcha he is talking about Echo......... If I have bad singers,  it don't make them sound better, you just can't hear as much of them.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

He is referring to a monitor speaker on the stage.  The idea is that normally the speakers are pointed away from the stage, but with a monitor, the sound is "folded back" toward the stage, so that the performer can hear better.

 
No, but interestingly, stage monitors are also sometimes called feedback monitors, for a similar reason to the above... the sound is fed back to the performer.  (not the squealing feedback, though)

Thanks Meep, I should have clarified.
I hear some people say
I'm not singing hear again, I cant hear myself.
Others saying I dont want to hear myself,
Some walk forward from behind the speakers because they couldnt hear the music properly, and invariably get feedback.
I've also seen some people simply put the mike down and walk off.
I've always used foldback, but karaoke is differant.
I know some people who love karaoke but would never sing again if they heard how bad they were !!! OR  would foldback enable them to sing in key.
I need to learn from you guys. You do it.

Some will  sing better if they can hear themselves, and therefore learn to control their pitch better, but others will be absolutely frightened by how they sound.  It varies from person to person.  I prefer to have it, but there are people who don't like it.  Just as you have observed, each individual singer has their preferences.

I think that having foldback, but knowing which people you should adjust it for (or even  turn it off for) is probably the best approach.  You can't please all of the people all of the time, but having the proper equipment and not being afraid to adjust it for each individual singer can certainly go a LONG way toward that goal.  Just my opinion and experience.  I am building a small, powered monitor for the stage that will mount to a mic stand.  Now, you have me considering placing a volume control that the singer can adjust themselves on it.  Thanks for the idea!

Thanks. That was the info I was wanting to hear.
When my sister started singing (not karaoke), I made a 30W wedge for her
and put a volume controll inside a cmall case and gaffered it to the
mike stand. It worked a treat. She loved it.
I ended up with a big rig and 500W monitors.
Didnt give her a volume control.
However loud I had it, and I did a pretty loud sound check,
I usually got... Turn it up I cant hear it.

Okay, now that I'm less confused let me recant my earlier statement.  Yes, abso-frigging-lutely use stage monitors.  I can say that not only as a KJ but as one who sang for his supper for many years (while holding various instrumnts to deflect the thrown beer bottles.)  If there are no stage monitors and you can't hear the mains distinctly all you are getting is the muddy reflection off the back wall.  That reflection is out of sync with the actual music from the speakers due to travel time.  The singer also needs to hear the end product of the mix so they know how to use the mic properly, in on the too low notes and out for the broadway belt, are they popping their Ps etc.

Over here I have never seen monitors used for karaoke.
I was wondering if there was a blaringly obvious reason for it.
There are bound to be some, just that I've never come accross them

Presumably it is because the FOH speakers point back enough at the singer to obviate their need.

You need some sort of foldback, be it from the main FOH speakers or a monitor, or it is extremely difficult to sing -- even for a bad singer.

I am not the best nor the worst singer you would ever hear, but the better I can hear myself the better I sing. If I can have just a bit of reverb on the foldback, even better yet.

Sadly that is not the case.
Even most bands dont use fold back, and you know
what it sounds like behind FOH.
They are invariably, not always behind.
They could get away with a bit if they paid more for
their mikes.
My sisters bayer cost me £240 yes thats GB pounds
twenty years ago.
Not many people would pay that now.
I could no longer afford it.

My.... sister weight 240 lbs.  :O