Karaoke Forums

It's a little early, but these books work 7 nights a week and they're falling apart, so looks like I'm printing books 3 times this year.
I had an idea about mounting them to some sort of book stand. I looked on Amazon, and found all sorts, but nothing really satisfied. Unfortunately I need them cheap (8 books = 8 stands), but I also need them durable. The drunks don't respect my books, I don't expect them to respect my stands.
The owner expressed some concern about them getting in the way on the tables, so I guess as vertical as possible would be preferred as well, I looked at laptop stands, and they just took up too much room.
I just want my books to stop being used as coasters. I switched to spiral bound a couple years ago, and even though they fall apart faster, I prefer them to binders.
So am I going to have to run down to Home Depot for a DIY project?
Or does anyone have any insight?

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If you're going to eat my mic, do you at least want some condiments?

DIY – before going to HDepot, do the homework first, what are the items to buy; it'll save you the trip of going back.

Write down the measurement of the cabinet you intend to make, it will depend on how many tier, how many books. Once you determine your measurements i.e., vertical sides, back, top & bottom boards, compartment trays, etc. Buy 1 big a** plywood at hdepot (I don’t know those flatboard measurements) then have them cut it for you. First 2 cuts are free, 50 cents per cut thereafter (no room for error). I normally cover the inside boards first prior to putting them together. Outside wrap around is piece of cake (I want one + cup of coffee).

Put it together with wood glue & screws, then like I mentioned above wrap around with black dj carpet. Use utility blades, not scissors. http://www.ebay.com/itm/15L-backed-BLAC ... 4158e6bb1d

You will need glue spray. 2 cans should do it. http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Super-77- ... /100067550

For laptop, make a wing to the left or right supported by an “L” shelf bracket. http://m.homedepot.com/p/Richelieu-Hard ... 202205509/

All available at Hdepot except the carpet. Don't settle for substitutes (or you may but the links above are highly recommended for good permanent adhesion).

I posted this before. See? Easy does it. Good luck, Michael!

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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!

I've been using the same 1" ringed binders for about 6 years now, with very few problems... They are pliable and durable plastic covered... I have about 20,000 songs, but only include about 4,000 of the most popular in the book. The pages are enclosed in plastic inserts, for added protection, and ease of cleaning. I put out 12 books that have Artist, Title, Duets, and a Spanish section, for my Mexican clientele ( I'm on the Arizona/Mexico Border, South of Tucson )... then I add New Song page(s) every month, and if justified, I'll print a new book every couple of years by adding new songs, and culling about the same number of old songs that haven't been sung... Mind you, I only work 3 or 4 nights a week, but this system has worked fine for me, and the books fit in a plastic box, that this old man can still carry in!

You can even do a one page of the most popular ones.

ooops! I should've mention that my gig is in a permanent stationary installation. Wouldn't do it this big if I'm mobile. Maybe just a smaller portable version that's easy to carry.

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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!

...or you can use a kiosk and do away with books altogether.

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

I really like what you have done there, Brian. At my permanent, 7 night/wk gig, I am looking to do some permanent shelving and other fixtures to clean things up. I love building things and the folks at Home Depot know me by name. Looks like I have some projects to schedule!

I have a new gig plus most of my books are over a year old AND I have added close to 2000 unique new tracks since the most recent printing in Dec 2013. I am WAY overdue to print new books. I am not looking forward to the bill this time around - 10 Bars with 8-12 books. Let's call it 100 books to print!!

When I think of it this way, kiosks become a lot more attractive!

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-Chris

Why would one want to get rid of books? I like offering books and singers enjoy looking at them. Offer a kiosk along side the books.

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

I have a very distinct customer segment at practically every venue we work that loves the books and the way I do them. You simply can't replicate that experience in a digital format. I may supplement with a kiosk at some locations, but I will always have printed books at every venue.

Besides, the cost to install kiosks at 10 bars would be way more than printing books for every venue. Equipment maintenance for me including travel time, parts and updates could easily equal the cost of printing books regularly.

Books are here to stay.

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-Chris

Thank you Brian! That's some good advice there, I'll be making it smaller to fit on table tops.
And Alan, I don't think a kiosk would last a week at this location before someone tried to steal it or spilled a drink on it.
What I've done of the past couple of weeks to keep the books from losing more pages, is I just keep them in a stack by the slips. If someone wants one, they can get one.
This is opposed to me putting one on every table, and one on the bar. When people see them on the table, they browse through them, and often times, someone who wasn't going to sing, will. Many of them (despite people singing) don't even realize it's karaoke until they see the book.
I've been seeing a lot of new faces lately because School is starting up, and basically, it's kind of bad for business to protect my books by keeping them aside. But I've got to protect my investment at the same time, so rock and a hard place kind of thing.

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If you're going to eat my mic, do you at least want some condiments?

I don't put books out on the tables anymore. I have them by me and announce that anyone who wants one is free to come up and get one and bring it to your table. This way, books aren't sitting on tables where people sitting that have no intention of singing.

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

Yeah, I agree. Wouldn't want to encourage any new and possibly shy singers to come forward, don't need or want any new singers.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

You'd be surprised, Chris, how much your discriminating customers would feel about having a kiosk. I have been amazed at how cool everyone thinks they are...even people who are not so technologically savvy. I get compliments from new patrons every night I work.

It also cut down on our overhead in a very huge way. It costs nothing once you build the kiosk, and with ours, we built them with Windows 98 machines that someone was throwing out. We bought used touchscreens that had been photo kiosk screens at a drug store, and mounted the whole thing on a simple dolly. It cost about the same as your cost for printing one set of books.

I really thought we'd have some complaining when we got rid of the books, but I haven't had even one, and we've been using a kiosk for years.

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Birdofsong

Books on tables where there is no chance of the people sitting there are going to sing is a waste of a song book. This is from years of experience. And yes, I used to put books all over the place. So, think what you may but a book on a table of non singers does NOT encourage them to get up and sing. Again, from experience.

If someone doesn't sing, they're NOT going to sing no matter what. A song book in front of them isn't going to sway them into singing. I've even tried to entice non-singers to get up and sing by offering to buy them a drink, food, or prizes such as tee shirts. Even money! The point is, someone that is not a singer, does not want to sing, or doesn't care to sing is not going to sing. Got it, RLC??

So again, why waste songbooks on tables where they're not going to be touched.

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

Do you think you could post a picture of one of your kiosks?

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

i don't get this part.
Equipment maintenance for me including travel time: what kind of maintenence? have not had to touch any of the computers yet for maintenence.
parts and updates could easily equal the cost of printing books regularly.: no parts, not even replacing a mouse. updates are free so $0 cost.
you saw my $99 think pads, loaded free Lubuntu on them, chrome with a whitelist add-on only allowing songbookdb pages to be displayed, and thats it. reprinting twice a year averaging 10 books per venue is about the same price.
other advantages aside, price alone makes it logical.

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

It's not a matter of discriminating customers liking or disliking a kiosk - I personally don't want that as my only book option. When I go to other shows, I (me) personally want to see a book, I like to flip the pages & look through the artists maybe sparking something that I would never have thought of with an electronic device - so a book will be something I will always offer, and yes they are appreciated by many of all ages. I also have phone app books for anyone to use, they also get used and have used 2 cheap tablets setup as a with my books as you would search them on my main website (they could actually take them to the tables with them). But the books get used the most.

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

I really am open to the idea of trying a kiosk at certain locations. In fact, I am starting a new gig this Monday night at a somewhat geek themed bar. The folks here are tech savvy and would probably love having a kiosk. I have been looking at kiosk software again as a result.

But I am still printing 12 books for them.

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-Chris

You have not seen some of the places I work. I would have to have multiple kiosks at some venues. The kiosks will have to be locked down (as in physically secured from theft). I can't necessarily keep them within eyesight. There aren't even good places to put the kiosks at some venues due to how crowded some of them get. Things WILL get damaged at some of the venues I am in.

Believe me, if there was a way to implement kiosks in a cost effective manner I would be happy to reduce my book printing costs.

But I still believe there are advantages to printed books that can't be matched with a kiosk. So no matter what, I will always have SOME printed books at every venue.

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-Chris

The part where the screen is attached adjusts up and down so it will fit in our minivan.

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Birdofsong