Karaoke Forums

Let's put it like this. How many host's would go to a restaurant where every time they went in. They had to wait until their waitress/waiter was done eating before they were served?

Or go into a tire store to get tires then find out that they won't get their tires on until after the sales man get his tires put on 1st.

How about waiting at an ice cream shop for your ice cream but the server is making themselves a cone and the line of people in store is long. But they are making their first.

in most businesses I know the salesperson or host would get fired. Unless Your a Karaoke host. Many of them feel they are entitled to sing before their customers since it's their equipment and they are doing you a favor by being there.

There is nothing wrong with the host being part of the show to get things going and get them moving. But at some point (some hosts feel at 5 singers some feel 7 - 10) they need to let their customers BE the show. Making customers wait so they get to have their turn is arrogant and selfish. Plain and simple.

Either you are providing a service where the customer is king. or your doing them a favor. Because you are the most awesome'st host with the best set up the best song selection and the customer is only equal to the host and your doing them a favor by being there providing a service they are paying for while you the host is being paid to not allow them to sing as much as you do. After all the Bar is paying you to be there. obviously people want to hear you sing. Personally if you think that your customers really came to just hear you sing. Then why call it karaoke. Just call it your show and put on a performance.

One place I love to go as a customer has the hosts part of a group that puts on shows all around LA. But they also work as Karaoke hosts. When they are hosting they are not singing every turn. Occasionally they may sing one song in the night. Sometimes never. The pace gets packed almost everynight. Some nights are better than others depending on the host transition times, sound, etc. But the common thread is that they are there for the customer. If they want to put on a show they do it on the nights they have a show scheduled at another venue. I would go there more often. except it takes us an hour to get there and the bar prices are a bit prohibitive to constant patronage. Now there is a place a 2 minute walk from my house. A bit more affordable but, having waited through over an hour and a half for the rotation to get to me, and having the host being more important to himself than his customers I got up and left. I know many of my friends would have and have done the same thing. I also had that happen at another bar the opposite way also within walking distance. Thought it was going pretty well They had about 20 singers. Got new singers in pretty quick. But the Bar had 5 people working behind the bar. After sitting there 20 minutes I finally went to the bar and ordered me and my girlfriend a drink. I had actually sung my first song before i got a beer. My first impression was the Karaoke is great but were are is the wait staff. So I finished my beer thinking that maybe there would be someone coming around eventually. No one ever did. I had another song in so I don't mind waiting and applauding for everyone else. but finally went back to the bar to get another beer. This is when I noticed there were five people working behind the bar now and two of them had been in the back singing. After getting back to my seat and watching as everyone in the room got up to sing (as it should be) it appears we get to the top of the rotation again as the host sings. then they start bringing in the bartenders/staff to sing. Now I must be just crazy. because having 5 people working in a bar and customers going to the bar to get their own drinks then making the customers wait as the whole wait staff is paraded in to take turns at singing. Just seems really ODD to me. I left and have no desire to go back.

Some people say that I'm jut complaining. Is it really too much to ask that when you are paying for a service you expect that service. As a customer, I'm paying to be at a karaoke venue. I'm buying beer, food, sometimes at higher prices because of the entertainment provided. Many hosts feel they are the stars of their own shows. I don't go back to those.

And to those who think people that leave are just bar hopping. I would say they are looking for good service. As I've mentioned before in other posts. Captian Curt's in Sarasota was packed. But it was one the best Karaoke Experiences I've ever had. Can't wait to go there again one day. Host didn't sing, Bar was packed almost a 2 hour rotation. When the show is moving along it's exciting and entertaining. I talked to the host for a few minutes and one of his hosts for over an hour at the bar. (didn't know it at first until she told me) But he has a rule for all his hosts. Most important rule is they not sing. She had told me he has only sang once at one of his own shows. But he was there as a customer and it was his birthday. Now there is a Host that understands running a business and customer service. There are other hosts that feel the same way. Many posting on these forums. I only hope that more of the hosts that feel they are the stars of their shows keep running them that way. It will eventually open up more opportunists for those of us who do treat our customers as kings and not as if we are doing them a favor.

I only sing if the rotation is vary short or if someone wants me to do a duet with them . I hate going to a bar that lets it's staff sing and not bring me my drinks.

Let me get this straight... if I sing at the beginning of the rotation, whether or not it's to check mics/volumes, it's perfectly OK... but ... if I sing at the end of the rotation, after everyone else has sung, I'm a terrible host?

That's what I like about this board. I learn something new every day.

By the way, as mentioned in an earlier post, I allow early birds to sing while I check settings both from the board and from various positions throughout the room... and this is always done prior to the official start time.

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

I guess if someone owned a restaurant that served half way decent food and every other restaurant for miles had terrible food, the restaurant with half way decent food would be very crowded. Just because the place is crowded doesn't mean that the food is great. It just means the food there is better than the crap down the street. It does NOT mean that there is no room for improvement. Just because there is a 35 person rotation, doesn't mean that all of those people think it's a great idea that the host is taking up a spot when the place is jam packed. They just are willing to suffer through it because the other karaoke bar is even worse. The crowded bar is simply the lesser of two evils and the host doesn't care about doing it the right way. He is only interested in doing it HIS way because he really wants to showcase what he considers to be his talent. It would be like the bartender sitting on the customer side of the bar, enjoying a nice cold beer, while there are 15 people waiting to be served. A kj's job is to cater to the customers; not himself. Singing the first song of the night serves a purpose. Singing the 36th song of the first rotation is only being selfish. The bar owner didn't hire you to be one of the customers. He hired you to work; not play.

I have no problem if the host wants to sing in every round. It's when the host is singing in every round AND sings duets (or jumps in to harmonize) AND will sing a special request in the middle of a round or the songs they sing are 6 minutes or longer. Those are the hosts that I will avoid - I have seen them and worked for them in the past.
My preference at a show is the host shouldn't sing, but if a host is just singing at the end/beginning of a round, does not bug me and I'm not going to judge their hosting ability because of it that is just my preference.

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

Ted, and if not singing brought the rotation up to 45 or more singers and you now will be lucky to get a second song will you still be coming to sing? you need to realize that 35 is a high end of a sustainable crowd, that is ~ a 2.5 hour rotation. in a 5 hour show you will get 2 songs, 45 singers (getting more because the host is not singing and chasing you away) means a 3 hour rotation, if you are lucky and there at the beginning, you may get 2. if you know you are only guaranteed one song are you still coming out?
you sound like you are only coming out to sing, the numbers you showed put the rotation at just over an hour.....big difference in popularity i would say.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Sorry, but unless you only had 3 or 4 singers the host should NOT sing, period! Karaoke is about the singers, not the host. It's very rude for a host to include himself/herself into the rotation. Not very professional. You're only taking time away from your customers. They don't want to listen to your sorry (@$%&#!), they came out to sing. KJ's that do this makes me want to spit in their face.

I run a very professional show. It's about the singers, NOT the host. And I see to it that everyone is treated fairly and gets to have fun.

It's all about the singers. Hosts that include themselves into the rotation in my opinion are pieces of s--t!

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

Very nicely put Alan. Very eloquent. First, I'm a terrible host... Now I'm a piece of s**t...

(By the way, I'd LOVE for you to spit in my face. Now, THAT could be fun!)

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

Don't forget selfish.

It's like Santa Claus taking some of the presents home with him instead of giving them to the children they were meant for. Very sad.

I'm sorry little Johnny but Santa wanted a new X-box too. Maybe next year?

The hosts that I enjoyed hearing sing were professional entertainers who had way above average singing abilities, knew showmanship in their presentation, engaged each member of the crowd and were so talented that they had even written their own compositions, one of which had been recorded.

The owner WAS paying them to sing and a good deal of the crowd came to hear them. Some of the singers complained and went elsewhere but they would end up coming back as the place was the most fun with a good and appreciative audience who danced for every song. They also had some of the highest caliber singers I have ever heard. They kept it going for 16 years before retiring.

It may not have been everyone's cup of tea but it was nothing to spit at. Not every show has to follow someone else's "rules." Different strokes, I guess.

I think that karaoke is for pure amateurs. That's why the words are put on the screen. I think the professionals singers belong at open mic nights. It's funny how so many of the "pros" seem to only show up at karaoke when there is money to be won. They wouldn't be caught dead there otherwise. I think if a host wants to sing, he should go to someone else's karaoke show and support the industry that way...as a customer.

I was at a very crowded show one evening and the KJ must have sung 4 duets during one rotation but he still sang on "HIS" turn when it came up. Some KJ's just don't give a rat's a$$ about the people who keep them in a job. Most KJ's will get asked to sing a duet here and there during the course of a night and that should be enough for someone who is getting paid to provide a service to others. If a bar owner is hiring a particular Karaoke host because he wants that host to sing and entertain the crowd; It should be advertised as such. There was a show around here where the KJ would do a 45 minute Acoustic set in the middle of her karaoke gig. It was like having to sit through an info-mercial that you had no interest in. That bar no longer has karaoke at all because she turned off most of the singers that would go there. She also played favorites if she knew that you were also in a local band that she was familiar with. The place went from being packed on karaoke night to being little more than a ghost town.

Bruce, guide me to these owners who have "hired us to let the customers sing." I think I've only had one who got it and backed out when things got busy. Otherwise I've had to do battle to keep them from singing several songs in a row because "they are paying for it" or telling me who they wanted to hear next or even firing me mid show for not dragging a regular off the stage mid-song so that their visiting nephew who was spending more money that night could sing.

Are you sure you have gotten the true lowdown on this?

The bottom line is...

The Karaoke Host Should Never Sing!

A good host will never include himself/herself in the rotation. I would never go to your show for that reason alone. It's rude and pisses people off. If you do want to sing that bad, go to someone else's karaoke show.

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

Just because some bar owners are jerks, doesn't mean the KJ has to be one too. If a KJ told me that he had no choice but to put up the owner's friends; I would still patronize the KJ's other shows, but not the show with the douche bag owner.

I love how people twist things. It's just like Lonman and a few others said. At the beginning of the night. to check you equipment and sound and/or to get he show going. Is most appropriate. If it's a small rotation peple don't want to be getting up every 10 15 minutes to sing they don't come just to sing and would like to be able to drink their bear and socialize. But to sing every rotation and as many hosts I've known do "sing more than your customers" that's out of line. Every bar that plays favorites I've seen either close or cut back on nights they are open. When the host considers himself to be the center of the show. He essential makes himself the favorite.

Either I didn't explain correctly or you didn't read the whole thing and made assumptions. The whole point of the situation I was talking about was that the Bar was packed. I didn't mind waiting and am looking forward to going back. WHY because the host had excellent transition time and didn't waste the customers time with getting his turn in. I never expected to get in another song. But the excitement level was high and entertainment value there. My point being why would a host impose themselves into a rotation even at that size when there are obviously going to be people that will not get a chance to sing. I mentioned that I cannot wait to get a chance to go back there. (maybe that was the post that somehow was removed from the board.) But I did explain somewhere in this thread basically Knowing that the host isn't wasting our time. I would definitely go to a show that I knew I may only get one song in or get there earlier in order to get in two. It's a lot more fun when a show is run well, than going to a show where you can sing 10 times in the night and drags. But that is only my opinion.

I do get asked to sing duets on occasion, and in that case I would consider that my turn as well and would not sing a solo (on any standard night - there may be exceptions to the rule). As a rule, I do not sing, but again unless a host is hogging the show with duets, solos and requests, as long as they aren't singing more than anyone else, I don't judge them.

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

then i guess i suck and should never do karaoke again. i had 32 singers tonight in the first rotation and 38 in the second and sang twice...on a wednesday....in a venue with a 85 cap.
i will now go hang my head in shame as the 10-20 singer in a 150 cap bar hosts tell me how horrid i am.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

If you had that many singers and still allowed yourself to sing, is really pathetic.

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