Karaoke Forums

Hello Everyone,
This is my first time posting,and also want to say that I have gotten a lot of useful info from this site.
I have been doing karaoke since around Febuary of this year.I have done around 40 shows.Mostly in Bars.
The poblem I am having is in 2 bars in pparticular.People come up and want to sing with a person who is singing.They usually ask the singer if it is OK .The singer usually says it is ok.But I think the singer is just being nice,like I have been before.
 
At both Bars ,it seems like it is the owners,that want to jump in and help sing.I am afraid this might run off the few good singers that I have following Our gig.
Sometimes ,after they have helped every other person sing,they have the nerve to ask when they are up next.I then,usually show that singer the long list of people that want to sing.Then explain to them that they cant singevery song.
I was able to discourage one Lady,that tried to sing with me,(after I said it was alright).I told her to just go ahead and sing the song.And I let Her have the mike to her self.Then,she cant sing the song,and pleads for me to jump back in.I dont help her,then she sits back down in the middle of the song.then ,I finnish it.
When someone just comes up and grabs the mic,I usually just dont turn the mic on.

Am I being rude?How can I handle this situation better?
Thanks for any advice

I know as a singer I wouldn't come back.  Probably wouldn't bother telling anyone why, just take my money & go somewhere else.

As a host, you need to keep control from people jumping in on other singers - be it the owners or drunk patron.  If the owners continue to behave in this manner, i'd find a new venue.
If someone jumps up on another singers turn when I am hosting, I will walk them back off the stage.  If they give me a hassle, I will shut the song down until they do (only happened once in 14 years - but is still my policy).  Usually they will accept the fact that they are not welcome on stage - at that time.

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

Yeah, I've been to bars where there are those people who just can't seem to understand they don't own the mic... so what the KJ's I know have done is either A. Turned the mics off... B. Kept the mics back with them and let the people know the song is solo, the person singing did not request a second/third microphone... C. Tell the person who is persistently disrupting the songs that they will have to forfiet their songs if they continue to interrupt others... if it is the owners I would let them know that there have been complaints (even if there haven't been) from customers about their "jumping in" on other's songs and that it is running business out the door. That should take care of the problem, due to the fact that most owners/bartenders will want to keep business for $$ purposses!
~Manda

I have a list of rules right in the front of my songbooks, and one of the first on the list is that if your name isn't on the slip, you aren't singing.  If someone insists on jumping in, the first thing I do is not turn on the mic.  The crowd often gets a good laugh looking at the moron who THINKS he's singing along.  However, if I can see that the person is annoying the singer, I'll come over and ask them to go.  

If it happens repeatedly, they just don't get to sing their own songs because one of the rules in my book is that duets count as a turn for each singer in that rotation.  Since they sang with someone, they go back to the end of the rotation and have to wait to sing their song.

As an aside, that rule has helped to cut down on group singers as well.  There may be one or two people who want to sing with all their friends and then have their own song too, but when they don't get to sing their own they are a lot less likely to sign up with others.

_________________
Spreading the karaoke gospel

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the advice.I think I will start with what Big Mike said.Add a set of rules in the front of my song books.Then,I have something to refer to when someone breaks these rules.
I do turn off the mikes at this time.Unless the singer says it is alright for the other person to join in.(Knowing that the singer is just being nice).

Lonman,As a singer I would probably do the same,leave the place and not giving a reason why.I try to put myself in the singers place.That is why I was affraid of lossing the good singers.

One rule my wife and I had from the beginning,when we started this business,was that we ourselves wernt going to hog the mic.Some nights we sing 1 song apiece.
If it is a slow night we might sing half the night.

As singers ,we got tired of going to someone elses Karaoke,and the host would sing a ton of songs,while there were a lot of slips in

Here is a copy of the rules page from my books.  Some of it I gleaned from this website, the rest just comes with experience.

Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with our rules...

•You can turn in as many song requests as you’d like, just be aware that if you do this Big Mike will play them in the order that HE wants.  If you want to be sure to sing a certain song your next time up, then just turn in one slip and when you come up to sing bring your next one.

•Singing with Big Mike is like getting on a ride at an amusement park.  When you turn in your song slip you get in at the end of the line.  After you finish singing, your next slip goes to the end of the line to wait for your next turn.  

•Singing as part of a duet or a group will count as one turn for each person.  If Bill signs up to sing a duet with Joe and one with Mary, either Joe or Mary will be waiting quite a while since Bill can only sing once per rotation.  The other person can not hold a spot in line for Bill.  If Bill, Mary and Joe also turned in solo songs, they will be played first so that all three can get in the rotation.

•Anyone discovered submitting slips under a different name to jump the line will be removed from the rotation & not allowed to sing for the rest of the night!

•Please be courteous to all performers.  Please applaud after each and every singer.

•Rudeness will not be tolerated!  Give the same respect to performers as you would like to see for yourself.  Getting up to sing in front of people can be very intimidating if the crowd isn't encouraging.

•Please do not use obscene language over the microphone.  You will be asked to leave the stage.

•Please do not swing the microphone by the cord.  Not only is it bad for the cord, but the microphone could fly off & hit someone.

•If a dance floor is available, make full use of it.  There are many varieties of dance music on karaoke, and we love to see people dancing to the songs we sing!

•At times a rotation may get a little long.  PLEASE BE PATIENT.  Your turn will eventually come.  If you ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WAIT, see me for a “Bump Me Up” application.

•The most important thing to remember is we are all out to have fun.  Either singing or just listening, please support the club you are in and PLEASE show your appreciation of your servers.  Remember--if your favorite karaoke club does not make money, they will not continue the service for you!!

_________________
Spreading the karaoke gospel

Thanks Big Mike for the rules!!
I will use most of these,and add a few to it,like,no screaming into the mics,I need these speakers for the next show.
I like the duet rotation rule.It seems easily explained.
Sometimes I have up to 8 people with the names being  mixed around into duets.
It sometimes gets to be a little confusing.

I will also incorperate,If your name is not on the slip ,you are not singing!!
I hope this will take care of the problems.
At the beginning of every show,I explain how the book is set up.So,I will now ask everyone to read the set of rules in the book.

By the wayStrmbreez,As far as the owners go,I like your Idea about the complaints from customers.(WETHER THERE ARE OR NOT).I WILL USE THIS!!!
Thanks again guys!!  :D  :D  :D  :D

I've been wanting to add a list of rules to my books as well, but didn't know how to word them so that I didn't sound like an (@$%&#!).  If you don't mind Big Mike, I'd like to use yours, with a little modification to fit my personality this will bring a sigh of relief to refer singers to these rules.  By the way, one of my pet peeves, the "bump me up" usually gets them "bumped down".  Do you really have a "Bump Me Up" application?  If so, I'd like to see it, that would be hilarious!  If not, sound like it's time to put one together, I'd love to hand them out to the nagging "bump me up" singers.

One additional rule I would have to add is for singers to fill out there own request slips.  The "Hey, Put me in for such-and-such-song" singers are even worse than the Bump-Me-Ups!

Thanx Big Mike!
---wallyd

_________________
---wallyd

Wally--feel free to use any or all of my rules page.  I wouldn't have posted it if I didn't want to share it.  As for the singers who just come up and say, "Put me in for such-and-such" you simply have to tell them that you are busy and they really need to fill out a song slip or you will forget them accidentally.  Let the rotation roll by them once like this and it will not be a problem in the future.

The "Bump me up" form is an idea I got from knightshow, which I changed just a bit to suit my needs.  Just for the record, I've actually had one person complete the form and turn it in with the correct dollar amount.  I used his money to buy drinks for everyone in the queue to make up for their inconvenience and the rest went in my pocket.  Here it is:


Dear Singer,

WHEN YOU JUST CAN'T WAIT
Here's your ticket to instant karaoke stardom.  Build your case in easy-to-follow steps!

Simply complete the form below selecting the most appropriate statement.  Please select only one choice from each set of options.  Fill in the blanks where you see____________.  Complete the declaration and return to your KJ for prompt and efficient attention!
_____________________________________________________________________

It is imperative that I sing the next song because: (select one option from section 2)

Section 2:
a) (circle one) My mother / my father / my brother / my sister / my best friend / my_____________ is dying / has died and this is / was their favorite song.

b) I am the best singer you (circle one) will ever hear / will hear tonight.

c) I really want to sing...NOW!!! - forget everyone else, they'll never know!

d) I'm only here in this (circle one) bar / town / country for the next (Circle one) 5 minutes / 10 minutes / half hour / hour / evening / day and I want to sing before I go.

Section 3: Gain some extra leverage by choosing one of the following:

a) All my (Circle one) friends / family / friends and family, are here and want to hear me sing.

b) I am a (select one) close personal friend / relative of the manager / owner.

c) I've been here all night.  I'm a regular!

d) It's my _____ birthday today

Section 4.
I will give you (circle one) $50 / $100.  (Please note that the $50 selection will get you one song away, the $100 selection will put you up next.)

My name is ____________________ and I want to sing song number ____________

_________________
Spreading the karaoke gospel

lmao...  thanx again.

_________________
---wallyd

if you want to see the original, it's on my website... I actually got it from a British friend, and liked the wording so much I just leave it as is, despite the variances in our language!

Hey alot of those look real familiar  :D

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

I know what you mean. However here in Sydney at some venues they go one better. You are singing a song..solo.....when all of a sudden..another person comes up to join you. No prior warning or anything. This is what I hate. I do not mind doing duets...however I'd like to be told beforehand.

Matt, you don't have a www button for us to click to visit your website.

_________________
Spreading the karaoke gospel

How do KJ's feel when someone uses their own music?  How do you get in line to do a song when you have your own music and what's the best way to make sure the KJ keeps you in the mix? How about using a CD-r with no lyrics on the screen?

What do you think of just letting some one do their 2 or 3 songs in a row and then call it a night?

Thanks, guys.

Don't really mind unless it's a song I already have. Then I kinda annoys me.

Fill out a slip like everyone else.

Hand in your next slip when you get up to sing

Absolutely hate it when people want to sing along to non-karaoke songs.  

Not every gonna happen at my show.  The bar/club/whatever pays us to keep people there, not get them and and rush them out as quickly as possible.  That's why I never get it when somebody comes up to me and ask me to move them up because they have to leave.  That's them basically saying, "Hey treat me better than all the other people here who are gonna actually stay and pay your bills for you for the rest of the night."  Just makes no sense at all.  I would be more likely to move you up if you told me you were gonna stay till the bar closes.

ditto to pkircher's last post.

I understand.  That puts things into prospective.  Thanks for your responses guys.

One time I thought I would try to sing one of Shania's songs which weren't totally for women.  Can't remember which one.  Then this woman came up and tore the mike out of my hand and told me it was a woman's song and I wasn't singing it right.  I got angry and it was a bad scene.  Based on that experience, I think letting other people jump in on songs might not be such a good idea.

_________________
I only date Karaoke singers.

The only time someone gets to share my mic. is if it's a duet by two consenting adults !!!!  Otherwise wait your darn turn !!!!  LOL

Luv DI xxx