Karaoke Forums

I just got a $50 raise on my Wednesday gig.  Of course I had another bar looking to take me on at 3x what I was making, so it's a bargain for the current owner - she couldn't have matched.  Despite, I believe for my area I'm the highest paid KJ now.  I get my fee plus drinks - two nights a week.  The bartenders actually pick up my tab, but it's still money I don't have to shell out.

I'm curious.  Are you all making the going rate for your area?  If you think you deserve it, how do you approach the owner for a raise?  Do you find they've been accommodating, or do they balk?

congratulations on your raise

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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'm ready to approach the Manager for a raise for 2008.  I would think that this bar pays on the LOW side by $25-$50 per night.  The problem is the OWNERS of the bar are cheeeeeaaaap.  I guess it can't HURT to ask for a raise but I'm afraid if they tell me NO ...my pride might make me QUIT.

I know I can make more somewhere else ..but this gig is NOT LIKE A JOB.
I've been there over 4 years and know all the regulars. Once the Manager leaves and most of the times he is not even there --I get FREE beers and as long as the singers are singing and the music flowing I can do whatever I want. NO PRESSURE so it's more like MY NIGHT OUT than a REAL JOB.

What's a guy to do.....

Nice...ask what other people are making, but don't divuldge what you are making.  Am I the only one that caught that?  With that being said, the area around my consistant gig the $ averages $75-$150 a night, with $100 being about the norm.  I have to 'really' struggle to get the norm from the place I'm at.  It's not that I'm the problem, the bar is going thru remodel and new ownership and is in a crappy area, so we don't get the cliental to support good pay.  Now when I play in the area that I'm living, which I'm going to get back to, the rate goes from $125-$200, with about $150 being the norm, which I know is LOW compared to what a lot of you get...but that's what's going on in my area....MrD

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

Mr. Delicious ... I didn't ask what you all were making.  I asked if you were making the going rate for your area.  Maybe why you're the only one that picked up on that.  With that said, I now make $125 on Wed and $150 on Fri. and free beers.  I so average $150 a gig.  The other KJs around here make $100 to $125.  If I sub for one of them, I use my own equipment and charge $150.

Sorry Croak, I guess I did misread your op a bit.  Damn speed reading...hehehhee.
Anyways, I was not offended....just trying to bring up the point!  Thanks for the info....MrD

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

It happens!

Current pay is $125/Night

The scale depends alot on the type of venue.  This place is a very small beer and shot place so $125 - $150 is the NORM.  The larger more UPSCALE yuppie type of bars and clubs $150-$175.   I think $200 would be the cap for a KJ around here unless you're in one of the BIG CLUBS down the shore where you might be able to get $250 per night.

It is hard to compare ourselves to each other because it depends on the type of bar and location. Not to mention people who only do private parties make a lot more.

That being said I work in a small neighborhood bar. It is less than a mile from my home and my equipment stays set up there, no set up or tear down. I think all these things factor in.

I'm making $200-$250 a night. It depends on if I stay the extra hour.

Tips can also be a an influencing factor.

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

As for asking for a raise that can be a confrontation that is uncomfortable for both sides. Of course if you ask for a raise they are going to try not to give you one. I waited until I had a good oportunity to bring it up. The bar owner had heard through the grape vine that another bar was trying to steal me away. I basically told him if he gave me more money I wouldn't even consider it.  :D

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

I wonder if we will ever really have a basic salary for what we do, we are not making more than 10 years ago, raises are nice, but with drink prices changing from year to year, inflation, gas, equipment etc, where is Karaoke's boundary?? If we provide a service as we do, shouldn't we have a scale to go by no matter where we play, or what kind of club it is? For privates and weddings etc we establish a higher ground for our services, shouldnt we have one for clubs as well?? It shouldnt matter whos working where, it should matter about what we should make to be able to afford our businesses, and keep our income up with other musical professions, not just hope we make enough to just get by. Congrats on your raise, lets all hope no matter where we work, that we be paid fairly and that all of us can prosper in our field.
MV

Babs I love you but entirely disagree with you on this one. We have a bond with the owner and mngr and constantly discuss ways of getting a crowd.  I have told them several times I do what I can so I can get a pay raise when we pack out (all the time).

We are with a little bar now that we go entirely by verbal contract. Usually when I get paid I shake hands We are in a bond that we can say anything to each other and understand what each other wants and expects.  A couple of weeks ago the owner said he checked out karaoke in another bar in town He laughed and said their system dont even come close to ours.

This little bar brought me out of retirement and any prospective gigs will have to be the same. I will flat tell them It's either this way or you can hire that flunky down the street.

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You can disagree with me anytime. Did I say that?

That's more me personally with confrontation with this particular owner. He watches his money pretty closely and anytime we have a discussion about it it isn't to pretty. Don't think I won't go there. I just have to wait for the right moment.

The night we had the time change he asked me if I was staying the extra hour for free on good measure. I just laughed and said ya right. I ended up staying. I got paid for the extra hour without question. He has no problem asking me to work for free, so I have no problem saying no.  :D

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Babs you know that TV show about swapping wives or whatever it is

You would move to colorado in a minute and I would straiten out out your boss in a second I would be in his face and telling him how he will treat you in the future.. In fact pm me with his phone #...

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DO NOT allow him to to INTIMIDATE you---which is what it sounds like he is doing.

You need to make an APPOINTMENT to sit down with him to discuss it--not just go up to him out of the blue--make it a formal sit-down discussion--a negotiation as it were. This will indicate you are of serious mind and not just whining.



**Lay out the fact that bar revenue has gone up such and such as a DIRECT RESULT of your being the host since beginning there. Make a point that he has not offered you a raise since your beign there.

**Point out the LOYAL FOLLOWING you have devloped.

**Point out the CONSTANT FULL HOUSES he enjoys as a result of YOUR HOSTING there and the resulting revenue increases that HE ENJOYS as a result of your labors and performances.

**Point out the size of the night's sales and their aveage(if youve kept track of that)

**Point out the HOUSE COUNTS you have been keeping track of(average crowd size and nightly counts---lets him know your watching and keeping track)

**Point out the nightly singer counts--and how that has grown over your time--slap some additional facts & figures in his face

**Point out the FAIRNESS of yourself seeing "SOME" results from your efforts and revunue incrases that he enjoys.

**Point out the size of the average nightly sales increase that has occured on your night(if you have those numbers)

**Mention that you have had "OFFERS" from competing bars to try to hire you away(Hinting that you have other options besides him and are strong enough and willing to excersise them at anytime). He may just be thinking that you are WEAK and would NEVER DARE to leave him, etc etc.

**Point out how much you really enjoy hosting there--add some postives into the discuss--flatter him about how nice of a bar and how the staff is very helpful and you do appreciate the initial opportunity he has provided you.

**Explain that you are not asking for a huge nightly raise----but a REASONABLE increase that reflects the INCREASED REVENUE that your hosting has brought/created for HIS buisess.



Keep your request to a reasonable amount. Perhaps 20% negotiable to 15%(or whatever you are comfrotable as a REAL goal).

Ask for only waht is a fair increase for the benefit youve brought him and will CONTINUE to brign him.

If he rejects you outright or trys to bully or browbeat you, then you will have your answer. He WILL NEVER GIVE you a fair raise and WILL ONLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU.

If he is a REASONABLE and INTELLIGENT BUSINESS MAN he will realize where his braad is buttered and meet you half-way and realize that he MUST keep you and KEEP YOU HAPPY.

Dont ask for the moon---but only what is REASONABLE based on the BENEFIT you have and WILL CONTINUE to bring him.

Listen to what he has to say. But be confident, adult and assertive in what you say.

Do not be confrontational--but niether can you be timid and buckle at the knees.

If he says flat out no then you have your answer and either have be content and learn to live your unhappiness or put the word out that you are availble as a free agent and start talking to other bar onwners and be prepared to follow through and leave. I assume you are not on cotract and have that option at anytime.

Any way it may come down to his take it or leave it an he'll never give u a raise under any circumstance and will contiue to take advantage of you under any circumstnces. If so either accept it and say no more about it or prepare to move on .


THere's a reason some of the KJ''s here have been at thier gigs for MANY years--and that's beacause they are PAID WELL AND FAIRLY and are not TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

Sounds to me like this guy makes a habit of taking advantage of his employees. likes to intimidate them and get over on them as he can and the only way he can be made to not do that is to stand up and firmly let him know that you dont put up with that kind of behavior from employers, co-workers, customers or anyone else etc etc.

Just my two bits.

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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

I'm in an odd situation too. I work for a company owned by my friend. We have a contract for a bar where we do Karaoke every night of the week. I have a pretty good idea of what he makes a night and I'm making less than half that. I work 5 out of the 7 nights a week and I'm unsure how to broach the subject with him.

I love my job. I worked for him a few years back and made less he brought me back at more around the begining of this year. It started off as my part time job and has morphed into my full time job. Which is cool.. I make as much doing 20-22 hours a week as I did at my day job working 40+ hrs a week.

Tips help a bunch though. Its taken me nearly six months to get the crowd to realize that tipping the DJ is polite and appreciated.

But as for what the "company" makes vs the average in the area... yeah we are on the higher end of it... what I make personaly is on the lower end of it. But since its not my equipment and I don't have to really do any set up or break down cause the equipment stays at the bar its not bad.

Now if I just convince the the bar to comp me like $25 a night in bartab i'd be in drunk heaven.

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KJ for Elite Entertainment at Charlie Horse Saloon in Ocala Florida.