Karaoke Forums

Well put.

_________________
All work and no play make Homer something something

I wish we had coffee houses, book-stores or even juice bars around here that wanted ear-shattering Rock bands for entertainment  LMAO ,  Even outdoor large parks...   DAMN,  I did a great rendition of doobie bros guitar-style and I'm aching to play "Another Park Another Sunday" again   Been years,  Eyes of Silver and other stuff off've "What were once Vice are now Habits" we ripped right thru that album.. Loved those days;  If people want to smoke, have a few beers out in a park sprawled out, THAT is certain a much brighter, more spatious enjoyable and fresh atmosphere (than crowded bars IMHO)..  October Fest, and Spring Fling style atmosphere....LOVED THAT STUFF !!!

OK,  I'm starting to get all teary-eyes reminiscing 'n stuff... somebody pinch me <I mean a female>

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

All the gals I know, make the most on "Private"..  LMAO

I know,  and I HOPE they are really "gals" !

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

I cut back to two nights a week about a year ago. I do parties and DJ weddings and get about 2 a month sometimes more. I agree that parties are the better gigs, although I sometimes am nervous that the crowd will not get into it.

I reduced my system down to a package that is much easier to haul and set up. I haven't sacrificed anything in quality, in fact I think it sounds better than my old amped system.

Most nights I still look forward to my gigs. Every once in a while I'm beat or don't feel well, and that kind of drags. Once the people get going, I usually get a second wind and am back into it.

Few know how really tough this job is though...

Just as most people think bartending is a great gig because you're in a party atmosphere, they think the same way about karaoke.  They see the "glamorous" side of the deal...the announcments on the mic, the chicks thinking you're great, the "power" you weild over who sings and when, etc.  what they don't see is the bother of drunks constantly spitting while they talk to you about what song they should sing, how you should turn them up, how bad the other guy sounds and he could do it better.  they don't see the work you put in setting up and tearing down, the purchasing of equipment and discs, the constant "why don't you have....." etc.

_________________
All work and no play make Homer something something

XX,

Oh, man that post was a downer...

I hate when people tell me you need to add this song or THESE songs, because someone that comes in the place every six months want to sing it. I used to add songs like that all the time, and then when the dang thing wasn't used, I came up with a different apporach to it. I ask my regulars to give me a slip with a song or songs that they would like me to get...and, I buy ones that I like when they come out. I also buy disks on Ebay, particularly the monthlys. If you buy them six months later, you can get them for $5 a disk or less. So, yeah, my songlist isn't current with the radio...but, the majority of the people in the clubs I play are older anyway.

The other thing that has really been bugging me lately are the guys that get up and think they are some big rap star and cup the mike. Jeez, they don't get it. I tell them that it sounds like your singing inside of a barrel when you do that. Oh, but all the big rap stars do it! Yeah, and most of them are not actually singing when they do it.

I always wonder how the poor sound man deals with that when they do it during a live performance...course they probably don't care how they sound, because most of them can't sing anyway...oops, showing my age again  :D

If the guys don't get it, when they cup the mike the next time, the volume goes way down. Then I tell them if you want to hear yourself, get your hands off the mike. Then miraculously the volume comes back when they move their hands. Funny how that works.

Oh, I was having such a good day...now what  :shock:

Terribly sorry Big D!  forgive me?  

The cupping the mic think has been discussed ad-nauseum in other posts so i won't go into that here.  

as far as the "set this song or that song" deal, i let folks know that i can only order so many discs each time i order.  i only order once every other  month or so and my regulars know this.  when it's time to order you should see the rush of requests i get.  i have one guy that KEEPs asking for "London Homesick Blues) which is a Jerry Jeff Walker tune.  I'm not sure how many times i have to tell him they don't make it.  alot of folks don't understand that just because it's a song, doesn't mean it's been made intoa karaoke song...no matter how old it is!

_________________
All work and no play make Homer something something

I'm the same way in that respect, I USED to buy just to have it first only to find that I probably have discs that have NEVER been pulled once!  Now it's ONLY by request only, I do a buy maybe every 3-4 months & will tend to get requests that I have more on the same disc (occasionally it will be a HIT song - but if I feel it has some staying power).

The other thing that has really been bugging me lately are the guys that get up and think they are some big rap star and cup the mike. Jeez, they don't get it. I tell them that it sounds like your singing inside of a barrel when you do that. Oh, but all the big rap stars do it! Yeah, and most of them are not actually singing when they do it.[/quote]

This is where a mixer with a swept mid comes in handy - turn the frequency to around 1K or so & CUT it!

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

Lonman,

You and I do pretty much the same with disks, you probably have a lot more than I do, but the one thing that is common, is that when you have so many songs that just are never played, it is hard to keep adding more (and expensive). I always ask them if they are a new singer, surely there is something else in my book that you can sing.

I agree you can cut the mids (and the highs), but I don't want them cupping the mike in the first place, so it's easier, and more effective to cut the volume. They usually get the message...

Oh the old cup the mic thing - one of my pet peaves too. I have a few of those right now. I don't think my guys that do it think they're being cool. I swear they think they sound better.  LMAO I try telling them not to do it and even try the volume trick, but they just don't listen. I've just given up and adjust the sound the best I can.

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

i thought about this the other day because i have a guy who raps and cups the mic.  i cut all the FX from his mic and it helps considerably since he won't cut it out.  i figger, he's not actually singing so he doesn't need FX in his voice, right?

_________________
All work and no play make Homer something something

You got that right ! Why add echo to a tin can with a blanket over it I say.

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

Yep anyone who does rap almost all but a miniscule amount (barely audible) of effect gets added to their vocal.

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

 LMAO  LMAO  I can't believe I read this whole post.....Kappy gets way into alot of stuff!!!
It is kinda depressing. I know you guys have a hard job dealing with the drunks and the regulars and what have ya. I always get the distinct impression that the kj lady where I go sometimes wishes she was somewhere else in a different life.  :yes:
That's why I'm not such a regular I guess. Heck, I'm lucky if I get to go do karaoke once a month now. I missed it altogether this month. But one thing's for sure, the same people, with the same problems, the same egos, the same hustlers, the same everything are attending this lady's show every single time.....it's gotta drive ya nuts!!
She tells me that the bar owners are upset when she has a fill-in because the patrons come to see her. She's tried to hire fill-ins who have not shown up for gigs causing her to lose gigs. And the last I heard, after she went on vacation for a couple weeks lost every gig except for a couple nights a week. I guess that's what happens when you live in a one-tooth town trying to make a total living off of karaoke. It could be different anywhere else.

I feel sorry for her, but I don't know why. We all pick our situations, our occupations, our destinies.
Working in a bar is probably fun for a while like some said here.
Maybe Mr. Right will come along someday and rescue a deserving princess.....or Ms. Right with alot of money for a righteous prince.....who knows?

I see alot of what I've read here, and I'm not a regular, so it's certainly not BS.

One day at a time.......one day at a time.  :wave:

Sat night was a typical example why I am burned out I set up the stage for pro singers  the monitor has little effects  and the vocal is higher than the music. There is a sweet spot where you can hear what your raw voice is or move a couple of steps and hear what the mains are putting out I had a singer that on the mic said turn the music UP!! I stopped the music and walked over and took his mic I said hey you want to hear what it sounds like then you walk over here In the meantime just sing an let me adjust the sound I DO NOT WANT TO HOST ANYMORE!!

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

yep, yer burnt out alright!

Sunday 3 AM

Sunday Afternoon




So how are we doing in this area Ollie ?  LMAO

Wait,  I think I know the answer !






.

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