Karaoke Forums

I was thinking about getting/bringing a few "accomponyment" instruments to my show to be used if wanted (ie tamborines, maracas, triangle, cowbell). A lot of the people at my shows have some (or a lot) of musical experience and might apprecieate them.

Is this a good or bad idea?

Any experience with such at shows you have run or attended.

I figure for most songs they wont be used, but they could be an extra touch in some cases.

I really don't want to go the inflatable guitar route, seen that and usually dont like it.

I have a COW BELL w/drum stick and a Tambourine and if used "sparingly"
they are a welcome addition.     Either I use myslef or have the singer use but I hacve noticed that if SOMEONE ELSE is banging the bell or shaking the tambourine
out of timing it could throw off the singer ..just my $02

I like them and you can get a Cowbell and a Tambourine very cheap

The instruments that make noise in my experience become real distractions to the singers (UNLESS it is the singer playing them by their own choice, often the audience members get hold of the instruments in question, especially if the one playing them are drunk & playing out of time, the singer hears this & gets thrown off).  I've had numerous complaints in the past because of audience members.  We have one group that brings in their own tamberines & marraccas & they are generally asked to stop after a couple songs.
We now have the blow up air guitars, saxaphone, stage props for the singers.  There are also the cardboard cutouts that look like real guitars that you might look into.

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More trouble than theyre worth. Too many complaints and distracting. Dont even care to use the blow up toy ones either---just another pain in the neck to have to take care of, replace and clean up--plus thay can become unsanitary. Just too much headache. Ill leve the blow up toys to the others. Maybe I might consider an actual electric guitar with no strings or an actual beatup old sax with no mouthpiece. But just another thing to have to haul around and take care of. Really not needed.

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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 have used maracas and tambourines at my shows for years. The maracas get used the most. Once in a great while someone will complain it throws them off. If that happens I just walk over and ask the person to not use the item while so & so is singing because they have trouble hearing the music. I have only had to do that a couple times. Most people seem to like the fact the crowd is getting into their song. They'll even ask me to hand them out before they sing.

My blow up instruments for the most part sit in a corner unused. I have never used a cow bell because there just isn't enough songs that a cow bell would be appropriate on and they are very loud.

If your purchasing maracas make sure to not buy the wooden ones. The handle breaks away to easily. You can buy pretty cheap plastic ones through Musicians Friend that will last forever. These are the ones I use http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Meinl-Plastic-Maracas?sku=446601 I was able to get my last tambourine from them also for $5 on sale. They still have it http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Pulse-Pro-Tambourine?sku=440436

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We have a box of instruments plus three non-working guitars and three tickle trunks (Rubbermaid buckets) of costumes, puppets, and props.  Some nights none are used other nights everything seems to get used.  The one "extra" trip to bring them in is worth it.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I have a guy that brings his own tambourine and i see him get dirty looks from some people and singers.

I at one time collected a real sax, guitar, snare drum and some other things to use at my shows, but i have never used them.

It would be alright if the singer and his group used them during their song, but i think using them during someone elses song might lead to some unpleasentness if the other singer thought they were screwing up their song.  

I also think it would add to your aggravation trying to police the crowd from using them during the show at the wrong time or if they were drunk.

Just say no.

I totally agree on the 'just say no' statement. Unless it is a private party, where everyone knows everyone and they HAVE to get along, I can see a lot of disruption brought on by an amateur banging away on a tambourine or maracas. I guess it depends on the crowd, too. Many singers would be easily taken off the track of the music by that sort of thing, I'd think. You might try it, but I'm thinking the novelty would wear off pretty quickly. No sense in making investments in stuff that won't get used - better to buy MUSIC! Always my solution - buy more MUSIC!  LOL

After thinking about it, my regulars will use them correctly on 5-10% of the songs, and may enjoy it.

On the other hand an occasional drunk intruder (and few of my regulars qualify) may go crazy with the toys and ruin or try to ruin the show. On balance it may be a bad thing, unless I give them only to people I can trust, and then that will possibly create resentment which is bad as well.

Resentful drunks without instruments can ruin shows as well....

But just like there is always someone that wants to grab a microphone and sing every song OFF KEY and in your ear, you will have the instrument hogs that think the same way.

And then you could have someone that wants to pretend they are the "WHO" and smash all the instruments. Possibly hurting themselves or others. Leading to legal trouble for you and the bar owner. You supplied the weapon. (a loaded guitar)

Just say no and save yourself the aggravation.

sidewinder makes some good points. After trying a whole slew of props over the years, we found all you really need is some elvis sunglasses and a blow up guitar!

we place the guitar next to the tv and 1/2 the rockers use it...mostly as their friends take pictures. We also hold up a HUGE APPLAUSE sign...works unbelievably well!!!!

Just because you as a host don't like the blow ups - I personally think they are tacky as well, however, that don't mean the customers won't like them.  Mine get used often - usually in the instrumental breaks of the songs they will grab it & do their best rockstar imitation.  
Sometimes it will actually get someone up to the stage to stand behind a singer to 'play the guitar' that may not normally get up at all & may build enough nerve to get them up on their own singing - have seen this happen on occasion.
And if you as a customer don't like them, then you don't need to use them, they are there for those who do.

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agree....tacky but useful. We always spray the mics and blow up guitars with Lysol at the end of each show. We used to offer afro wigs and huge hats, but  found that lysol won't do a thing against lice...yuk!

Lysol is a pretty cheap (costco 3-pack $8.00) and effective insurance against all the bacteria and diseases that thrive in bars....and in some people. We call it scary-oke protection!

Karaoke is usually pretty germ free, just don't use the restrooms.  Ever watch how many people don't wash their hands before they leave the restrooms?   Most of the time they are singers....  :O  :wave:   Hand me the microphone next please.

I'm really surprised at the negative press the maracas and tambourines are getting. I guess it does depend on your crowd if they will work in a positive way. All I can tell you is in my bar they work great.

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

I think it is a problem with attention hogs. If you have a mature adult crowd you probably dont have too many of them, but if you have a bunch of people in their low 20s the result would too often be a drunk that uses the tamborine for every song and won't put it down.

Let's see...I'm 44.  I guess that means I'm a mature adult?  Thank you for saying that!  :hug:  Many people would say just the opposite about me.    LOL

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You will always have the ONE drunk....we did have a girl who would come in and BEG for the tambourine so she could walk around the bar and shake her BOOTY along with the tambourine.    I admit some of the other patrons did not care for her shaking them in their ears!!!  

One time at closing I couldn't find the tambourine and it seems a few patrons took it and hid it under the pool table    LMAO  LMAO  LMAO

Like anything else TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IS BAD  :(

I don't know if i'd go so far as to say they're pretty germ-free, (unless run in a church) but anyplace with shoes, smoking, food, alcohol, stinky tourists minus deodorant, and a lot of sick people due to the change in weather, makes for a bacteria bath if you ask me!

in my venue i fear it's worse. Our air conditioner and water pipes are always wet year-round so the mildew effect is a breeding ground for 'fungus among us'.

..sometimes find the 'dew on the karaoke books, Yuk! Clorox wipes and Lysol do a good job of cleanin 'em up! Sometimes i'm tempted to lysol the tourists!

and yeah you're right. I rarely shake hands anymore- i give the old knuckles-to-knuckles hello seeing as the bathroom is right next to my set-up and i rarely see guys wiping their hands when they come outta there- they're usually still zipping up!

Oh what a great visual...NOT...