Karaoke Forums

I had a problem last Friday with people singing about half a dozen slow songs in a row at the show I was hosting.  Friday night is "let loose" night.  Some younger people walked out because they said it was boring.  I can't blame them.  Who wants to hear "Tonight I Celebrate My Love?"   Anyway, how do I tactfully encourage people to choose livelier songs?

You can try a couple different things.

I don't get caught in ballad hell too often anymore because I have let my regulars know how much I dislike ballads, but on the rare occasion when it happens I sometimes make snarky comments about being caught in ballad hell over the mic. Another thing to do is to inject yourself into the rotation with an upbeat song along with a remark about wanting to wake up the crowd which has fallen asleep.  

You could also make some remarks about how you are trying to have a party, let's see if we can't find a couple good party tunes.  

You can also make suggestions to your singers.  "Hey, you know, with your voice (insert party song here) might be a good song for you to try."  Chances are good if they try it, the crowd will be so happy to be out of ballad hell that they will applaud enthusiastically which will encourage the singer to do other upbeat songs.

Good luck, you have my sympathies!

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Spreading the karaoke gospel

UHGHGH!!!! I HATE It when it people sing slow songs at karaoke..... Absolutely HAAATE IT! It surprises me that people don't "get" that..... I mean... the very first time I ever went to a karaoke bar someone sang a really slow one and everyone was completely bored.... I figured out the FIRST time that people don't enjoy slow syrupy ballads. The only time I've ever sang a slow sleeper was at the end of the night when everything was winding down and everyone was practically passed out anyway! If I HAD sang an upbeat song and told everyone to get up and dance... they'd probably throw a beer bottle at me! !

but yah.... singing sloooooooooow songs at the beginning and middle of a party just COMPLETELY kills the fun atmosphere.

just my two cents...

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I totally agree Crystal. I never sing slow songs at karaoke. I hardly ever sing them anyhow, but especially not when I go out. Too much of a "party" atmosphere for slow sappy stuff. And when others do, I find I'm bored with the listen too, and anxious for it to be over.

Actually, I'm lying a bit. I have put a few up over the years. Then if the person right before me sings a real upbeat song- I find myself running up to the KJ asking him to change my song real quick. I wouldn't want to be the "downer" of the bar.

Good topic btw TWIENT.  :D

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

I would think you should tell them to follow my rule:

"Whatever makes the young girls dance"  ;)

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I only date Karaoke singers.

You should have told those younger people to put in slips so they could sing fast songs.  I never tell singers what they can or can't sing (except if management has problems with certain songs, which hasn't happened yet).  There are songs i don't like and singers who couldn't carry a tune if their lives depended on it, but that is the nature of the business.  You may encourage someone to try something faster but never force it.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

At the bar I go to every week, everyone sings fast and upbeat stuff.  Never a slow song.  once my fiance and I did "Whiskey Lullabye" to close out the night and the KJ said, "Now there's a nice happy song to end the evening with!"

Well, there again you have a choice Dave:

You want them to dance a waltz to some slow song?

Or you want them to be up shakin' their thang?

I think you'd prefer the result of the more upbeat music too.  :dancin:

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

I agree here.  I will never tell anyone they can't do a slow song if that's what they want to sing.  I may ask but if they decline, then so be it & the night goes on.  I've worked nights where I didn't have a single fast song, the fastest was a handful of medium paced songs.  Yes the night drug out & I did cut in at the end of every round with something upbeat, but that didn't change the mood - that evening anyway.  Funny thing was, everyone was dancing ALL the slow songs & no one danced to the upbeat songs.
It's karaoke - it's going to happen - get over it!

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

one thing I do for ballad hell is to use mix music between the songs to change the pace. People know that they're gonna hear something different...

if people are doing slow, twangy country, then I'll throw in some good, classic rock. If they're singing the Rock ballads, then something like Travis Tritt (but not the whole song... I'll have it queued up and ready to mix in right at the 'good parts..." Heck, even DISCO at the right time will get folks tappin' their toes and smilin'!!

Announce a drink special: "The FIRST some biyatch that brings me a rock song gets a drink bought by me!" or "I got the dreadlocks if anybody feels like doing some Bob Marley!" or "First classic rock song tonight that comes up gets a prize!" (even if it IS something stupid from the .99 cent store!) Even if YOU as the kJ have to sing something different paced, like Big Mike suggested!

Queue up something funny, such as a comedy sketch, a blooper, a commercial... SOMETHING!!

Like Lonnie said, the nature of the karaoke business is the customers often set the pace, unwillingly. That's where WE as the kjs have to make announcements, banter on the mics, or do the mix music bit to add some pizzazz that might make people think of some other type of songs!

I sing ONLY slow numbers and CAN't sing fast songs. I don't hate fast songs and  I can't dance. thats me..

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I don't know about anyone else but given the choice of dancing to a fast song or getting v close to a beautiful woman to a slow song, the slow gets it everytime.

And we never, ever play music between singers as it takes time away from them.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

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I suppose I just envy those guys who can get up their and sing a beautiful love song and all the couples enjoy a slow dance.

Sometimes people dance when I sing "Georgia on My Mind."  Maybe I need to fall in love and I'll like slow songs better.

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I only date Karaoke singers.

It's like I tell the people who come up and make their complaints about the songs people are singing, just like I can't keep someone who is tone deaf from singing (and wouldn't we like to do that from time to time? ), I can't tell someone what to sing.  Unlike most areas it seems as though 'dance music' at karaoke shows is a no-no.  Thank goodness around these parts KJ's get to mix things up between regular music and karaoke.  So since we're not able to make someone sing a more upbeat song we are able to cut in and play a few regular songs to bring the party up again.

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Be Alert!  The world needs more Lerts!

I play music to break up slow songs. I play music inbetween all singers but if it sets boring I make sure to play upbeat current songs.

If there are too many slow songs I will go from the singers next slip or bump the rotation. It drives me nuts when people sing slow or country at my karaoke.

My KJ shifts the rotation around for the same reasons.  He is focused a lot on pleasing the crowd.  I suppose that get's a lot of singers upset.  I could care less.  I'm not that good anyway :)

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I only date Karaoke singers.

As a Kj my job is to privde karaoke weather it be slow , fast, country or rock. We have a diverse of singers and I don't tell them what they can or can't sing. If it's in the book  than you can sing it. I may suggest that someone choose a faster song but I will not skip, bump or mess with the rotation.

I am there for the singers and and if someone wants a fast song then they can either put it up for themself or see if one of the singers will sing it.

Yes I do hate having a string of slow songs in a row but like said earlier seems to get more people on the dance floor.

Let the singers sing what they want. You're just there as KJ, not the decision maker about who sings what. Damn, next you'll start telling people what to wear and what to drink as well

Allstar put a shirt on and start drinking foo foo drinks  LOL