Karaoke Forums

I personally know of one in the Portland Oregon area who I have never heard sing. Furthermore, she commands one of higher going rates around. Otherwise their is nothing special about the show. Do you know of any, and how do they get away with it

I rarely sing unless I get a special request. A karaoke show (IMO) isn't about a host singing, it's about the customer singing & if I as a host sing in every rotation, I am taking that many spots away from other customers. This is partly why we are as busy as we are.
If I have a dead night, I may sing once every other rotation, but once I get over 5 singers, I am done.

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

I personally don't like going to places where the KJ doesn't sing. I find that most of the time these people are not a motivated to run a good mix. I think there are probably some people who do not sing but have enough integrity (and business sense) to try to make their customers sound good. It's hard enough to find people who know how to use the equipment .......even when they do sing, so I think it will be really hard to find a KJ who doesn't sing but knows enough about the equipment and sound quality to have a good show. If this particular person doesn't sing and still is being paid well and has a good following then I imagine she's good with the mix. I will support any KJ who doesn't make me sound worse than I already do. That's what is most important to me.

I don't do anything until I am satisfied with the sound on each singer. I don't sing to give the singers (you) more chances. I know hosts that sing every round busy or not & sometimes help do songs with other people or duets. They will do first & last song as well, if I do not have time to do last song, I won't, it isn't about me.
So basically if this host sings in every round - say 3 rounds for a decent night & the end of the night comes around, bartender says everyone has to go but the host still has 3 people that have been waiting that last round on the intention that they were going to sing their last song & now can't because the host sang 3 rounds, it wouldn't make those 3 customers too happy. Doesn't sound like a big deal but if it's a nightly occurance, this could add up to losing customers. A good host should know how to guage when to cut off slips as well to be able to finish out everyone in the rotation.

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

When I host a show I will sing.. if therotation permits it, but I think a good KJ will skip themselves if the rotation is big and the night is getting short. I still like to hear the KJ in the rotation occasionally throughout the night. It is sometimes hard for the KJ to judge how the system sounds to the singer on stage if they don't sing. The sound isn't always the same from the audience perspective and from where the KJ sits to know if the stage monitors are working or if the levels are right. I've gone to shows wher it sounds good from the audience but the stage mix was awful. I'm sure that you are very professional and have pride in your sound. Unfortunatly some KJ's are not.

I sing the first song, do introductions, explain how it works for the Virgins etc. That is MY JOB! I am the HOST.
I also introduce every singer, if it is their first time or 10th time. So many KJ's just say "OK SO AND SO" ... and that is it. Like making a roll call or something
To me that is tacky.

If YOU as the KJ do a good show, that is when you get tips. Just sitting behind a soundboard yelling out names don't deserve tips if you as me.
And if you don't accept tips, then at least your customers get to know you and your personality, and that makes a loyal following.

But I do know of a KJ in the past that didn't sing at ALL. wouldn't want her to. I never could understand the reasoning behind her show.
After all it is a SHOW and you are the Ring master.

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You can choose to be an Actor in your own life... or a Reactor in someone elses.

My job is to mix & make the singers sound as great as possible NOT to SING!! When I sing there better be a 6 to 8 piece live band behind me.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

I just feel more comfortable at a show when the host sings. It shows me they have confidence in their system and mix. That doesn't mean I wouldn't frequent a show where the host doesn't sing. It always comes down to how comfortable I feel while on the stage myself. Every host has their individual style and there are no hard and fast rules about how to run yours. If it is good and people like it they will support you if it doesn't work you wont be working for long either.

Between all the posts on this subject, I think we can agree on 1 thing. Everyone disagrees, one way or another. If you as KJ want/don't want to sing, or if you as customer prefers/doesn't prefer the KJ to sing, is all personal taste.

There's no right or wrong in this matter. Every word that was written in this sub was valid, for the person who wrote it.

If you're a Star, go where you feel comfortable with the KJ, and if you're a KJ, do what works to keep your gig the one the customers keep coming back to! This discussion could go round and round, and at the end of the day, we still won't agree!

I try to make it a point of finding out if there are songs that the bartender likes to hear. If there are some that he/she likes that I can do, I try to throw them in once in a while. A happy bartender tends to be good for business.

Other than that, I pretty much play it by ear as far as when/what to sing.

I like to start out the night, and be at the top of the rotation if possible. I also give out a free drink by taking all the slips for that rotation and picking a winner. When I get up to sing, that lets people know that the drawing is coming.

And Bryan- sorry karaoke singing is beneath you, but the next time I hear of a 5-6 piece band willing to play anything from Gloria Estefan- 50cent, all for different singers, with words on a screen, I'll let u know.

Sorry- but that comment rubbed kinda wrong.

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

dbk,

Actually.. my preference of singing is live .. I just don't sing my own karaoke shows, The singers that come to sing at the venues do.
Thank you..

Although I do sing karaoke.. so your point?


I thought so... there was none..

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Brian D.
(BHB)

I agree with the earlier post that a KJ should only sing if it's a slow night. I'm a mic hog, and I would sing every song if I could, whether I'm hosting or being a patron at another show.

But, when I'm hosting, I'm hosting. I may do one song about halfway through, and even then it's going to be a gag song like "The Rodeo Song" or "How Do You Milk A Cow?" But the time I'm alloted for the show is for the people who are paying to be there (if nothing more than by buying drinks), not for the guy who's being paid to be there.

Not singing has no effect on the host's ability to mix. Either he knows his board or he doesn't.

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Paid2Party
"I love karaoke. Where else can you get paid to come out and party with your friends?"

Brian- not looking to get into a p***ing match with you, but look at your comment:




To me, that comes across like what we do is beneath you.

That's all I was referring to.

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

DBK,
I wouldn't spend as much time as I do here if it was "Beneath" me.
I spend 70% + of my online time here on KS. You can usually find me in the "Singers Showcase"

I sure hope you'll join us.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

Most of the time I sing the first song to make sure everything sounds right.
I think of it as a part of the sound check.
On a slow night I may sing from time to time, or on that rare occasion when I happen to feel like it, or when sombody requests that I sing a partucular song, (believe it or not this DOES happen from time to time).
When tihs happens I generally ask them why they don't sing it, or why don't we sing it together.
I try to sing less so that my singers may sing more, and when it comes to the top of the rotation I say so.
To me singing the first song of every rotation is a pain in the rear.
Haven't I sung enough?
By not singing, I give myself a chance to take care of other things, like making sure there are enough tickets, keeping my area tidy, doing a little PR with the clientel, (singers and nonsingers alike).

One of my pet peeves is when the KJ sings and turns up the music for themselves but not for others. This goes parcel and post to singing every rotation. I know an unemployed KJ that use to sing 2 songs at the beginning of every rotation, AND the last song of the evening.
KJing is a job that gives me pleasure, but it is a job first.
If I don't do my job right then I may find myself without one.

Note:
Due to health issues I now KJ on rare occasions only.
My Last gig was last May at a "Relay For Life" benifit for The American Cancer Society. No charge! Doing this gig was my PRIVILEGE, not my job!

Kojak

Most of the time I sing the first song to make sure everything sounds right.
I think of it as a part of the sound check.
On a slow night I may sing from time to time, or on that rare occasion when I happen to feel like it, or when sombody requests that I sing a partucular song, (believe it or not this DOES happen from time to time).
When tihs happens I generally ask them why they don't sing it, or why don't we sing it together.
I try to sing less so that my singers may sing more, and when it comes to the top of the rotation I say so.
To me singing the first song of every rotation is a pain in the rear.
Haven't I sung enough?
By not singing, I give myself a chance to take care of other things, like making sure there are enough tickets, keeping my area tidy, doing a little PR with the clientel, (singers and nonsingers alike).

One of my pet peeves is when the KJ sings and turns up the music for themselves but not for others. This goes parcel and post to singing every rotation. I know an unemployed KJ that use to sing 2 songs at the beginning of every rotation, AND the last song of the evening.
KJing is a job that gives me pleasure, but it is a job first.
If I don't do my job right then I may find myself without one.

Note:
Due to health issues I now KJ on rare occasions only.
My Last gig was last May at a "Relay For Life" benifit for The American Cancer Society. No charge! Doing this gig was my PRIVILEGE, not my job!

Kojak

I think Lonman's got it right! It definitely irks me when there's an hour or more wait and the K.J.'s singing every rotation. I quit going to those places. If it's slow I don't want to go up every other time so I appreciate the K.J. taking a turn. It's not a bad idea for the K.J. to do the first song as a sound check unless he's got an eager singer who has to go first.
Kojak sounds like my kind of K.J. as well and I hope your feeling better.

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It's Just FUN!

I started a thread on another site a while ago and the general opinion was that all KJs should be able to sing but should sing as little as possible!

Another part of said thread was a simple question as to 'Why would you become a KJ if you couldn't sing?'

Not meaning to attack anybody, I'm just curious.

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Imagine!

Good question. Maybe the person just likes music and the general concept of karaoke?

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Paid2Party
"I love karaoke. Where else can you get paid to come out and party with your friends?"