Karaoke Forums

I have a problem and am wondering if anybody else here might be able to offer me some insight or advice.

When I sing, I pay attention to what goes on around me and to people's reactions. It is quite common for me to see people and(if they're close enough) hear them comment on what a great voice I have. However, that's as far as it goes. When I'm done singing, you could hear crickets chirping. I get nothing. But, I will get people that come up to me on a fairly regular basis and practically gush over what a "phenomenal" singer I am. These are not sympathetic compliments, rather sincere, enthusiastic ones. Even my wife has been stopped by somebody telling her that I have an amazing voice. So what could be the problem? Why do I barely get applause (even though other people do), yet people will personally come up to me?

Part of it might be that people need to be encouraged to clap. I'm assuming that there's nobody behind the mic saying "give it up for (you)". And (of course) you can't really say "I nailed that! Give me a hand!". Without that, my opinion is that people are going to be less likely to clap.

You might also look into what you are singing. If you're doing obscure, ho hum songs from yesteryear, that could be part of the problem, too. Test that theory with "Sweet Home Alabama".

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

If you are the KJ ...get used to it, it's normal. If you are a patron, I consider that a failure by the KJ to control the show. If the KJ solicits applause, it usually will snowball for the better singers, If the kj is lax, most venues will turn dead on the applause meter after a couple weeks or even hours.

It may have to do with song selection and whether or not the singer engages the crowd.

I have had dynamite singers absolutely nail a song and get the ho hum applause when finished and then I have had horrible singers who can't carry the tune or sing to the swipes on time so badly, that the crowd gets engaged in trying to help the singer out and when the singer is done the whole crowd breaks out into cheers & applause.

This baffled me for a long time until I realized that it is not about how great the singer is, but rather how much fun the singer and crowd are having together.

A good or great singer will get he same reaction if they are able to engage the crowd as well.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

As a host, that happens to me all the time. I put an applause track on after I sing sometimes and make a joke out of it.

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Birdofsong

bradcook315 - are you the host?

I have to admit, I was mildly surprised to discover this has happened to other hosts. It has happened to me, but when I get the silent treatment, I immediately move on to the next singer. It does not happen often, but when it does it can be very unsettling in the moment.

If a singer finishes their song and the audience hesitates, I always add emphasis and wrangle the applause out of them. I believe that it is my duty to the singer as host of the show. It is just another aspect of full service karaoke like sound, lights, song selection, etc.

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Never the same show twice!

I sing the first song of the evening and when I finish I many times i thought of saying "wellllllll alright then .... let's get XXXXX up to the stage" kind like when a joke bombs.

Some nights are definitely better than others as far as applause goes. Last night was a great applause night, everyone clapped for everyone (which is the way it should be). Other nights, I sometimes have to 'scream' over the mic to put your hands together only for a smattering of claps here & there. If I call for applause and get none or little, I'll fade up the fill and get right into the next singer so the lack of applause isn't as evident.

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

Don’t let it bother you. Remember, you’re in a club/bar environment & most people are deep into conversation with friends, some perusing books trying to decide what to sing, some just enjoying their food. It’s not auto-mode, every night is different depending on the crowd.

I always acknowledge ALL singers at the end of the song regardless of their performance. If I hear no applause I’ll be the first to initiate clapping, somehow it’s infectious they will start clapping as well. I agree, the kj’s job is to call it out “Put your hands together for.. or.. let’s give it out for..”. Otherwise, the result would be little or no applause.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

My rule, as a singer, is that I clap for everyone--regardless of the quality of the performance--because karaoke isn't necessarily about how the singer sounds. On the rare occasions I have hosted karaoke (I am now up to having run a grand total of ten shows for people in the past five years), I always encourage some kind of audience response.

The only people I don't clap for are people I have a genuine, personal dislike for, because I'm a mean, petty jerk.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

Everyone should clap regardless of performance. We used to say in 1990 when I was first starting karaoke, "Clap because they were good or clap simply because they are done - everyone that goes up to sing deserves applause of some sort!"

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

I probably clap especially hard for the bad ones hoping it'll guilt other folks into joining in. It could be the thing that makes that person's night.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

I think that used to be the case. The crowds have definitely changed from what i've witnessed where people aren't just there to watch everyone else - I often times see people buried in their phones texting or playing games, just simply waiting for their next turn not really paying attention to anyone else. Partly why I don't want to rely on internet/phone books only - at least a real book gets them off their phone for a few minutes

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

That is a point to consider. I am having a horrible time at one place. No one will clap. I always clap for each singer to get it going and no one joins in. I have encouraged, guilt-tripped, threatened--jokingly, played soundtracks of cheers and clapping. Last night I tried positive reinforcement and threw candy to anyone who clapped. But they just won't do it regularly. I even have a foam finger to hold up that says applause (with a Hannah Montana sticker newly added). Just nothing. As you say, they are all doing something else.

Part of it is the venue set up with the stage area separated from the seating by a row of pool tables. The other is that the bartender is a bit of a showman himself and is basically holding court at the other end of the building so people are talking and laughing and have divided attention. I'm trying to get him more involved in supporting the singers. I find that when the bartender takes a second to clap or acknowledge it can help to set the tone for the room.

HERE'S MY TAKE ON THE LACK OF APPLAUSE FOR A VERY GOOD SINGER. The venue is usually stocked with mediocre to bad singers and they resent the singer who comes in and makes them feel bad about their own singing because he sings so much better than they do. Have you ever heard someone get called up right after you and you hear them say that they don't want to follow "HIM". It's their own insecurity and jealousy that causes their behavior. Don't take it personally. They clap for the bad singers because they think that the bad singer needs encouragement to get back up on stage again., They feel that the really good singers already know that they are good singers and they don't need any encouragement to get back on stage. Some folks wish that the good singers stayed home. That way, they could feel like the big fish in the small pond for a night.

Applause is my #1 rule of my karaoke etiquette. It's on my website, http://firelightkaraoke.com/etiquette.html as well as in the front of my song books. I always encourage it no matter how you sang.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

Not the case at our shows, we typically get good singers on any given night as a rule, but even on nights when we get the less than avg singers, even the bad singers do not necessarily applaud unless coaxed some nights. Just really depends on the whole atmosphere as a whole. If applause is happening, then everyone will generally get in on it, if not, sometimes the host can coax the applause, other nights even that don't help!

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

It also depends on who is there for karaoke and who isn't. I've found that on nights where the majority of the bar is just there to drink and talk to one another, there is less clapping overall regardless of the singer's performance.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

I can see that on a bar with a 'karaoke night', but ours is a 'karaoke bar' (7 nights since '92). If people don't expect karaoke, they shouldn't be there in the first place. Most of the people that come are there for karaoke or darts (on the other side of the club).

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

Yeah, we have no dedicated, strictly karaoke bars around here.

Sadly.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast