Karaoke Forums

I go out to karaoke shows and am constantly disappointed in sound quality of the system or the KJs lack of attempting to do any production work. A friend of mine used to KJ at bars and has since gotten out of it and I am trying to get him to go back into it. How do you guys find the right venue that will showcase your style or have a KJ willing to turn it up a notch? Sometimes a given song needs volume. If I am doing White Wedding or Johnny B. Goode, I don't want some system stuck in the quite lite Jazz mode.

sometimes you have zoning restrictions or sound decibal ratings you can't go over, no matter how bad the song cries out to be jammed to.

Neighbors that need to sleep... sheesh!

But basically, I agree with you. Nothing is as disappointing as a show where some great singers and great tunes are playing, and the kjs just make it so BLAND...

or if the p.a is so shot that everything is muddied and distorted...plus no foldback..that is the only option here where we live. Little wonder I dont do karaoke

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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."

I stop going places that have really bad sound or really poor microphones, either of which turn me off big time. Fortunately for me we have quite a few hosts that have some kick-butt sound. And I have some kick-butt sound myself, and I do a lot of my singing at home.

There have been a few hosts who had the equipment, but didn't have the skill. I try to gently help them, but usually they are not interested in having anyone help them improve their sound -- which is why it is poor even with decent equipment.

I think you can make most equipment sound good, but it has to fit the room. One place I would love to go to more often is a converted supermarket, and it is very gymnasium-like with the boxy shape and large expanse of high walls. They mount the speakers way up high, which to my mind is exactly the wrong approach -- it makes the thing an echo chamber. They had one host who brought speakers-on-a-stick and the sound was better, but when they canned him (he could sing, but had no personality at all) they went back to using the house speakers and the sound was terrible again.

Plus you get some hosts that don't know their equipment or don't like certain genres (have heard of a few here) & will turn down certain songs.

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Just to play devils advocate for a moment-  Concerning the shows you are attending  WHAT type of venue are they at ?   What is the clientele and atmoshere at this venue?

If you're trying to sing White Wedding in a restaurant or some other slightly subdued venue maybe it's not the right song for the venue?

But your are correct to expect a pro audio sound and a KJ who is attentive to the singer and the sounds/effects/eq's and volume .  

A good rockin system is not measured by the COSTS or NAMES of components
a great sounding system can be had by a KJ who continual is adjusting and changing components to achieve a balance between sound and volume.  Volume alone does not make a ROCKIN system.   I think the term to steal fom Lonnie would be a CLEAN souinding system is better than a LOUD sounding system

Dear lordairgtar, I truly, honestly, FEEL your pain . The state of karaoke where i live which is a fairly big city, pittsburgh PA is absolutely depressing, 99.8% of the karaoke companies here come out with "systems" consisting of this: 1 underpowered powered box type mixer, 2 speakers that the mixer can't drive efficiently at decent volumes. so to compensate for this they crank it up so loud it becomes a distorted, unpleasant mess and 2 cheap microphones. I've even tried to steer some of these people to this forum so they could learn something about sound equipment and how to run it. The knowledge I've gained here for free from people like Lonman is represented in my equipment purchases for my basement system which not to be egotistic would blow away any I've heard here and I've been to hundreds of venues. I'm 53 years old now and I work alot of overtime at my job but if I were younger I would go into the karaoke Business and have a system that you would be proud to sing on!

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Man Must Know His Limitations -Clint Eastwood

A lot of newbie KJs get into the business not realizing it takes a lot of knowledge to run a good sound system. They think it is just turning on the equipment and playing a song. I've had patrons interested in working for me, but when I ask them specific questions about running a system they look at me all dumb founded. I don't mind training someone, but I'd at least want them to have basic knowledge of what it takes.

As far as volume - Sometimes this is out of the KJs control. I have people ask me to turn up the volume on occasion and I can't because management doesn't want it that loud. The place I work I need to keep the volume down until later in the night when we have a bigger crowd. I agree some songs just need more volume. If I can't turn up the mains I can at least turn up the monitor for them though.

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From one who has a good system:

The bar needs to be operating in the black enough to have a good staff from mngr on down.  A good customer base from good food leagues good service atmosphere and many other factors. They need to pay the entertainment what they are worth.

I wont go into a failing bar and try to save them with a good system and talent. Ive tried.. you never can establish or attract good karaoke singers. The first responsibility is the bar not the KJ.

The economy, more and more laws contributing to a business that is over regulated already and external laws are why you dont see many better than average karaoke shows. Conditions wont allow them to prosper.

I am approached on a regular basis by people begging me to play somewhere It is hard to explain to them why I wont. Im only paying $30/month for storage It'll sit idle....

Dont blame those KJ'S they are doing with what they have They are not making enuff to update or improve. Some are tone deaf

A couple of other current threads here tell me that the good karaoke shows will become less and less and then no more..

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Come to Players, 113 E Pecan in Pflugerville Texas.  :yes:

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All work and no play make Homer something something

Now that's straight and to the point.  LMAO

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

Heck of a drive, even in the HHR gas would be a bit much.

It's a huge drive for me too and I even live in the same state.

It's about 1800 miles round trip....

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