Karaoke Forums

Hello, everyone.  I'm new to the forum.  I currently live in Dallas, Texas.

I'm interested in getting started as a karaoke host.  My idea is to combine karaoke with video production where the performers sing in front of a green screen and I superimpose a video background behind them for themselves and patrons of the event to see.  I'll also offer a DVD recording of the performances.  I'd like to partner with a KJ/DJ so this way I don't have to worry about the audio equipment and music (which I understand is expensive to accumulate).

My questions are these:

1. Has anyone done this or seen this done before?  If so, how was it?  Was it successfull?  If not, what do you think of the idea?

2. How would I even get started as a karaoke host in the first place?  Or better yet, how would I go about finding clubs or bars that would be interested (i.e., what do club/bar owners look for, selling points, contacting them, etc.)?  I know this question is asked all the time, so if you can please refer me to previous posts with some great informative answer to this I'd greatly appreciate it.

Any other advice you have is greatly welcome.  Thanks in advance.  

Welcome!

1st and foremost I believe recording and video taping a KARAOKE performance FOR SALE maybe ILLEGAL.  I would seriously look into the legality of your business plan FIRST.  I could be wrong but that's the first obstacle you should look into.  

Secondly the idea is a novelty and would not do well LONG TERM at a weekly Karaoke Show which generally relies on returning customers (regulars) .

I believe the idea would do reall well at venues that cater to TOURISTS or at FAIRS or amusement type gigs that get a lot of DIFFERENT people  walking in. JUST MY $02.

I mean how many DVD's would one need of them singing the same song every week?

"I mean how many DVD's would one need of them singing the same song every week? "


Yeah, that would be too funny:
Here kids, here's one of your grandma singing 'crazy by patsy cline' on 10/10/07 and here she is singing the same song again the next Friday 10/17/07.

Seriously, I agree with jam here on both accounts....

1) Check the legality
2) If would pry go over well in fairs and other gigs like that, not for normal/weekly karaoke.

Best of luck to you in your business adventure!

MrD

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I've seen the video part done off & on over the years where the singer was a background to the words, most people complained that they looked terrible or would purposely walk off camera view, it didn't last at any of them, it was a cool idea at first, but the novelty wore off quickly.  Hotels I could see it maybe doing something & it could be used as promotional throughout the day for part of the lounge activities.  
As far as recording, it would technically be considered illegal but agree with the others, unless you get someone SO stuck on themselves, there would be no return business for that part.

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Yes, it's been done.. even some low end systems have the video on video trick..

Like a lot of things, this too shall pass..

Hello,
I've seen it done WELL at Myrtle Beach at the Karaoke Cafe. They have a wall painted green, superimpose their own guys playing musical instruments, do an introduction welcoming you to Myrtle Beach, and record your song to video. They sell the VHS tapes for $15 a song or $25 for two.

This is not the same, but I have played my promo-only music videos on my infocus projector on a 6x9 screen for mitvahs. The singers stood in front of the screen and i tried to match the video of the same songs to the singer. It was never recorded or sold by me, but i did see someone elses video footage and it looked pretty cool. I only played the video part (on the screen) not the audio- audio came from the karaoke track. The kids read from a monitor placed in front of them.

Problems being, if you are mobile, then a lot of time and space is needed to set it up properly and the whole dynamic of having the videos for the songs gets rather expensive. A decent projector costs about $900 from costco- the screen $250, unless you buy the new kind that is basically made of spandex and stretches onto pegs in the wall ($100). Videos for new songs are fairly expensive, but old videos are cheap at Walmart. Recouping your time and expenses is hard unless you've got lots of tourists who want to pay, otherwise i fear your regulars will end up nitpicking at you for them messing up their performances, the video didn't look right, etc...all kinds of reasons for you to have to re-shoot it for free.

There is a california-based company (i'll look for it online and post later) that green-screens your HEAD-only onto dancers bodies while singing to their karaoke tracks. There is a guy here that does it at the flee market and sells the dvds for $25 each. The singers wear a green bodysuit and his background is a large green sheet.The thing is, the program only has 25 karaoke songs available to date. But the effect is hilarious since you look like a singing dancing Bobblehead!

The only other green screen effect i recall is outside of Harrahs in las vegas. They charge $25 to look like you're riding a magic carpet through the streets of vegas. It's pretty funny and a profitable venture. It is done outside however with lots of tourists looking on, and across from a popular outside bar. The foot traffic is why they make a killing.

If you can't afford a few thousand to get started, i would rethink the business plan- you don't wanna be stuck with expensive-useless equipment in case it didn't work out..... OR it could be ANOTHER reason to get a home theater system to watch movies on...

But DO listen to the guys here and watch for the legalities. Good Luck!

Yes the legality of the model is definitely iffy, or downright illegal (in the US).

That said, I remember looking through a major music publisher's website and saw that one of their primary artists was discovered by a sent in demo video of karaoke.
I cant remember the artist or publisher, but she was one I vaguely recoginized the name of.

It is the music publishers that would be enforcing the law, but I guess they look the other way if they realize that it can get them more money or another star.

The Hipocracy....

Found this link It has some legalities concerning recording. According to this this one recreation or recording does not require a license either video or audio.

We have done karaoke with a ceiling cam on the stage and projected on a wall but it was not that unique after awhile and was generally ignored.

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These are really great responses to your questions. I would just like to add:
You may want to start out step by step and then decide how far you want to take it. If you learn 1st what it takes to do karaoke for people you'll have a better feel for what it will take to take on such an endeavor. It sounds like a cool idea, but is the extra money it will take to do the video idea going to make you more money than just doing karaoke or will you lose money? What area are you in? Is it a tourist area? Will you have mostly repeat costumers or new people all the time.

I agree with the above that most karaoke depends on repeat costumers unless you have an influx of people I don't think the idea would work. I hate to discourage you. You sound very excited about it and it does sound like a fun idea. I just don't know if it would be as profitable as you think for the money it would cost to set up such a business.

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Yeah, definately illegal.  Not the video but using the audio to make a buck, but I'm sure you could get a license.  If you wanted to do the video in real time you would probably need a video mixer or a very heavy duty computer not dragging around a big operating system.  The big probelm I see is indoor lighting.  The singers would probably object to the strong light and bad lighting makes bad video.

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Okay, who took my pants?

Thanks for all your responses.  I have a better idea of how I can approach this.  Of course, I'm still working through it and will just have to try different ideas to see which would be successful.

It seems the main concern for everyone is the legality of the idea and whether or not repeat customers would like the idea or would want to purchase a video everytime they perform (I'd be stupid for even thinking that would happen, right? ).  I am definitely taking all of your advice into consideration and will keep these things in mind.  

Anyway, I already have all the necessary equipment.  I'm hoping that everyone can answer the 2nd question I asked as well, though....as this is my MAIN CONCERN.  In case you may have missed it, here it is again....

2. How would I even get started as a karaoke host in the first place?  Or better yet, how would I go about finding clubs or bars that would be interested (i.e., what do club/bar owners look for, selling points, contacting them, etc.)?  I know this question is asked all the time, so if you can please refer me to previous posts with some great informative answer to this I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for all your answers and help, really.  You are helping me tremendously.  This is all new to me.

I didn't catch that you never hosted before.  You should actually try to get on with another company to even make sure you will like it.  It is a job - if done correctly, even though it's fun at times, there are times that you are going to want to rip your hair out.  Plus this way you can start to build a following.  
If you insist on starting totally green, then good luck, it's hard.  Clubs generally don't like to hire new companies because they can't produce a following right off the bat, karaoke isn't the draw it once was where people will flock to the bar just because karaoke is on the sign out front.  Don't undersell yourself  either, big mistake, once you get a rep for low prices, you'll never get anymore.  You don't want to oversell either otherwise you'll never get a show either.  Find out the going rate for clubs from other companies - some will tell, others may not or lie about it, but at least you can get an idea of what to charge.  
Put together a promo pack with a listing of your books, maybe the equipment (though most bars don't care - some actually do), how you will promote yourself & the club ie print ads, website, web listings, etc...a little about yourself & karaoke background, hosting experience, etc...
Stay away from clubs that generally have karaoke - especially if it really IS a good show already, you also don't want to be a backstabber in your karaoke community, there are always new clubs looking for karaoke - you may have to seek them out, but they are out there.  It's good to have friends in other companies that can help you with booking ie if they overbook or can't do a show for some reason, than to never have that opportunity because you bumped them out of a gig.

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I would suggest that you first understand karaoke from the singer's perspective.  Go to a lot of shows, get hammered, make a fool of yourself and the next morning while the hangover is still fresh ask yourself what you did or did not enjoy about the show.  Next, understand the matter from the bar owners perspective.  Go out to the show and stay sober.   Food is a break-even proposition so monitor how much booze is he selling?  The more booze the better the show from the owners perspective.  This would have to be compared to the same time on a non-karaoke night.

Now you have the information necessary to make a sales pitch.  If I was starting cold I would go to a small bar and offer to do the show for whatever you think your break-even point is.  Make sure that you are taking to the owner.  I used to think $65.00 was about right but make it clear that this is a one time rate.  the gig is a hard part.  Put on a show.  Have the mechanics of loading disks or using your software down pat before you get there.  Then be all over the place making friends and be the life of the party.  Be ready to sing every single song if necessary but try not to sing at all.  If you have advertised karaoke for four hours do nothing but karaoke for four hours.  Keep the energy up.  Play that little bar until you get tired and then move up to bigger and better things.  Personally, I liked the little bars and what you could get away with so much that I just stayed.

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Okay, who took my pants?

Thanks for those suggestions.  That helps a whole lot.  I guess the main thing for me to do now is to pretty much 'pound the pavement' to see if I can drum up some business.