Karaoke Forums

Well, I respect that lonman, but calling me unprofessional was going to far.

_________________
Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

RIGHT, "TIPPING" is what we are talking about.  Tipping is a thanks, a gratuity usually given at the END of a service provided.  A bribe is given to someone to influence someones thinking to get something they want regardless of anyone else around....THIS IS NOT A TIP!!!
I would be willing to bet if someone in a "regular" job accepted bribes from someone else...let's say a person in charge of selling drywall got an order that would depleat his supply for a week.  He is getting ready to ship it & get's another order from someone else for the same amount of drywall that needs it today & offers a "bribe" to the salesperson to make sure THEY get the order before the other order, you don't see that as being wrong?  This is JUST a way of life & should be accepted?  I'm willing to bet their boss would & his a$$ would be out of there faster than he accepted the money.  Sorry, that is a warped way of thinking.  
The karaoke company I worked for a few years back used to FIRE people if they found out an employee was accepting bribes ie giving someone preferential treatment over another for money, tips handed to the kj at the end of the night for a job well done were fine.  I wished ALL KJ companies felt like that, that's the way it should be.
All you are saying is that you don't respect other people & CAN be bought, that's really sad if you think about it.

And as far as you asking YOUR customers to come here and post whether they like the way you run your show or not is kind of moot, again, it doesn't matter, they are already corrupted by YOUR way of thinking & are going to accept that that's the way you run your show.  Obviously THEY don't care either that you are putting yourself higher than anyone else to line your pocket.  It's the people that DON'T tolerate that behavior that came to your show & never returned that you need to query.  Probably more than you'd like to think, but as long as you got a set of regulars, the other people that come in & see that & leave don't really matter now ... do they?

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

Dude, we're talking about re-inventing the karaoke wheel, not your personal view on what is/isn't profession what is/isn't ethical, or who has the best software.

You took it upon yourself to start calling me unprofessional and unethical.  I didn't start that war, you did.  Your views on me have nothing to do with the parent post.  I gave my suggestions as a part of re-inventing the wheel and you're taking every oppertunity you can to continue this flame war.

Just drop what you think of me already. Try and stay on topic.

_________________
Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

Exactly.  Bribes are not re-inventing, bribes ultimately HURT the industry!

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

Well that's fine if you think that.  Would have been even better if you would have elaborated your previous counterpoints without resorting to the name calling in the first place.  Now without name calling, elaborate more on why you think it hurts the industry.

Notice that this is a counterpoint.  The only thing I critisized was the lack of elaboration in your counterpoint.  I didn't have to call you stupid or a moron to keep the thread moving, likewise you don't have to call me an unethical sleazeball unprofessional SOB.  So please, elabortate for me why you think it's unethical, and again, watch the flaming.

_________________
Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

Hi,

Yup another 7Bamboo fan here.
I don't have a PHD in Karaoke management, but I have to admit
that 7Bamboo show runs very smoothly and if you don't believe me watch
the feed.

Rather than discuss the symantics of tips/bribes , right/wrong
can you guys just agree to disagree?
At the end of the day whatever you do and whatever your morals are
and are percieved to be, you are a good K.J if you provide an atmosphere
and service that folks feel comfortable with, enjoy and want to come back to.

Democracy survives on bribes. Major parties couldn't run election campaigns
without donations and the subsequent lobbying for "pressure groups", and
we've all had the "reduced income tax in exchange for your vote".
I am prepared to stand corrected but it is my firm belief that no-one has
ever "tipped" a politician.

Variety is the spice of life and if all Karaoke joints were the same
it would be BORING. If all K.J s were the same it would be BORING.

On the topic of re-inventing the wheel, I live in South Wales U.K.
Here some pubs have regular karaoke nights ( once a week or once a month!!!)
where some guy turns up with his mobile kit and a flashing light and stumbles
haphazard through a few hours. The punters still have a good time, they still
enjoy themselves,have their 5 minutes of fame , have a few drinks, have fun
and go home happy....
It's a novelty night out.
In South Wales our wheel is still square..........

In London and other major cities, there are far more professional set ups
which are "in" places to go and they get a large regular patronage.

I am a fan of what Toqers done with technology, and I have to agree on
the web-presence and community angles, because giving folks a focus
24/7 is such a powerful bonding tool for people who would otherwise
only see each other for a few hours a week in a noisy Karaoke Bar.

AUTOKDJ will not be every ones cup of tea. And thats cool!
Its one way of doing things that doesn't impose any rules, but
if the K.J is happy with how he does things and he does a good job,
who can complain?

Technology can make life easier, but there will always be people who
feel they do a better job without it ( and I hate it when they get
called Technophobes, because that is just crass...........),
and thats just fine.


Will.

I've explained why I think it hurts many times.

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

No $10 was missing from your wallet for a job they are supposed to do anyway.  It's their job.  I've had services performed at Sears (even with extras on occasion) & didn't have to pay anymore, had the work done on time & nothing missing....

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

Hey the man said extra work was done free of charge, can we evaluate this
before commenting?

Right. I've had work done free of charge too, no charge to me.  He didn't state WHAT was done FOC.  Fluid top off, alignment, vacuum the rugs, etc.  Jobs like these are sometimes required by Sears & Goodyear & probably others, but I couldn't say for positive.  I used to work at both of these places & we are told to "give" a little extra on certain purchases & promotions.  No tip required.

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

Okay I apologise. I have never worked in the industry, I have never recieved such
good service ( I do live in the U.K. so maybe we don't have the same commercial
perspective..........)

But, what are the freebies? Are they a moral bribe to get the customer to come
back, or are they a tip for good customers?

This argument is perfectly irrelevant now, but hey lets drag it out!

Exactly!!  THANK YOU for your patronage.



Unfortuneatly this is sad but true, but does it make it right?  Just because it's done, SHOULD it be?  Politicians are known to be liars most of the time, does it make it right?  Rarely does something they say ACTUALLY turn into a reality.

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

You live in the UK and are a regular 7bamboo patron (ok fan) which is located in San Jose, Cali.?  Interesting.

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

Its true. I've already explained that Karaoke where I live is Jurassic, and
I am not a patron of 7Bamboo, couldn't afford the air fares, but the web feed
allows me to be a fan. I am sure I am not the furthest fan away from San Jose
who watches the Shoutcast feed.

It is interesting, because if 7Bamboo didn't have the website and the Shoutcast feed
I would never have heard of them. So yes it is interesting..........

But hey, lots of interesting things are true.

Will.

I dont think this thread is about bribe or tips or the reinvention of karaoke but about the marketing of a karaoke outlet in NY. One of the Mod or admin should reread those posts. Now I know what bamboo is and yet I have to Google to go to some of the sr member site how have a ton of posts.
Fish and this is fishy and it stink.

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

I watched some of the webcam tonight.  That IS a cool concept I must say which is no bull, however from what I watched, I don't think I would enjoy the club at all.  Just 2 singers in, one guy walked off in the midst of a song, the host put him down, the next guy was a foul mouthed guy, couldn't sing & screamed obceneties over the mic at the top of his lungs & the hosts encouraged it.  Definately not my idea of a fun night.  But I can get a clearer picture of why bribes might be more accepted in there.

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

I have to admit its an open minded club. People are allowed to be "over the top
individual".  Jason whos Toqers co-host is well known at the venue and is
therefore allowed to put folks down - its his style of humour.

Like I said all clubs are different, thank heavens. Whatever you think of the
singers or Jason, it does run damned smoothly, but I fully understand if
its not your type of place. We're all different my friend.

Take care.

Will.

Again, I just have to stress to all my fellow KJ's... Stop worrying about making yourself the show.  To be a sucessful karaoke VENUE <--(notice the big shouting caps used to illustrate the importance of the word) you have to start focusing on making the venue a community.

This was me when I first started.



I had big hair, I was really into myself.  I did things how I wanted to do them and screw what anyone else thought.  I looked like a clown.  I easily spent over $500 last year in hair spray alone for one stupid gimmick.

We had our website go down for 2 months about 5 months ago.  That's when I realized what it was that was making us so successful.  It had nothing to do with my big stupid hair.  It had nothing to do with our song selections, or our computer based system.  Folks stopped coming in as much when the community website went down because they thought maybe the 7 Bamboo was dying when it wasn't.  No amount of hair spray was ever going to save people from thinking the community died.

I managed to get our website back up, and immediately things started picking up again.  

Karaoke singers don't care about your ethics or gimmicks.  All they care about is that you listen to them and treat them all like stars.  Part of them feeling like a star is being able to go to a club where they know there is a community.   Letting them actively participate in that community and rewarding them makes them feel like they're getting special attention.

I no longer host my own show. No seriously I don't.  I realized that the community was wanting a different emcee.  Jason was one of the best perfomers we had there, so I asked him if he'd do it.  He was more than happy to oblige.  Sometimes listening to the community means having to make your own big head go sit backstage.  

It may not sound like fun, but again that depends on who's best interests you have at heart.  If you're constantly worried about what you have to do to be a star KJ, VS listening and watching how your venue patrons react to things, then it's pretty obvious you only care about yourself.  Now instead of saying "I run the worlds greatest karaoke show" I get to say "We've built a great community and I started that effort"  

It's a complete paradigm shift from what i'm hearing others suggest.

Beyond your local venue community, all of us need to start focusing on the bigger issues of the global karaoke community.  

I'd say at least %50 of karaoke CEO's i've talked to do not want us hosting shows on a PC.  

The other %50 are to scared to directly say they support it.

There are songbook companies abusing the DMCA, claiming they own the rights to the entire list of all karaoke out there.  I've had a couple of friends have had their songbook projects shut down because of this.

I see the RIAA, MPAA, BMI/SESAC/ASCAP dictacting what we can and can't do, and taking our personal fair use rights away.

Reinventing karaoke is going to take all of us leaving our egos at the door and banding together to show them what's right.  It's going to take a few of the karaoke geeks out there giving stuff away code and time for free, just to make a difference.

Good Karma, isn't that what life is all about?

PS, for some extra good karma for myself, i'm going to again suggest you get in touch with the owner/admin of karaoke-forum.com webguru.  He has webhosting services, and i'm sure he can work out a deal for a pre-fab CMS/Forum site for your venue.

_________________
Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

Also tips are not always voluntary, in some areas they are mandatory.  There are restaurants out there, cruise lines, hotels, etc where a mandatory tip is added to the bill.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

The webcam is very cool, that definately a vote for the re-invent, I think that could help any club/company.  I did watch it for awhile last night after the 1/2 hour of buzzing.  Was that a typical night?  Not the buzzing, the crowd.  The host I watched tonight seemed more inviting to sing with for me.  How does that work?  Is the audio piped from the mixer or is it mic'd elsewhere & feeding off the speakers?

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]