Karaoke Forums

We just had a contest down here a few months back.  The contest ran for about three weeks - everyone paid five buck each week to sign in.  On the last night the bar owner let a friend of his not only enter the contest but the judges selected him as winner.  Trust me when I say he wasn't the best singer.  I didn't enter the contest but if I had, I think I would have lost it.  I've given heck of a lot more than 15 bucks away to people that I thought needed it, but I'll be you know what if I'll stand by and let someone steal it from me.  A lot of people warned me about contest - now I know why.  What I really thought was sad is that a few of the individuals that entered the contest and lost were some of the ones that warned me.

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Singing just for you

Of course the licensing is covered!  The club contests are hosted by KJs and Club Owners that operate their karaoke shows according to all ethical practices and have their licenses all sewed up.
Why would OnlinePopstar endeavour to create rules that respect copyrights and ownership if it were our intent to break those same rules?  Use your head, for Pete's sake!
I don't get all the negativity and sniping...  I came on here to ask for help with a contest...it's a GRAND-Scale contest and I wanted some helpful input...this is a KJ forum; I thought there'd be some professionals on here...aside from 2 or 3 genuinely helpful or informative comments , all I've gotten is negativity and people who, I suppose, are here for the entertainment of other misbegotten bitter souls that want to trash my question...WHAT GIVES??!

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[align=right]OnlinePopstar...The World's First and Only Online Karaoke Competition [schild=1 fontcolor=DC143C shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]Check it out![/schild][/align]

here, here.  i, too was ignoring this one, but i am interested to see how it plays out for you, onlinepopstar

I absolutely KNOW why KJs might hate a local contest; the politics, hurt feelings, favoritism, and alcohol can all combine for a pretty heady mix in your local pub!

The OnlinePopstar contest takes the competition from a local realm and puts it on a worldwide scale. (Who's someone gonna blame when they don't win? Online voters?) There's a lot to this contest that makes it so unlike a regular karaoke contest that for KJs to come on here and trash the contest is a little trigger-happy.

And for one KJ to blatantly declare American Idol as stupidity on a mass scale; this may describe his personal opinion, but ignores (or is ignorant of) the fact that American Idol attracts thousands of would-be contestants each year and hundreds of thousands of viewers each year.  Plainly put, that show is GREAT for the karaoke industry and a real boon the many, many KJs out here who need people to go to clubs to SING if they want to make a living in this business!  

JMHO

Roxie

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[align=right]OnlinePopstar...The World's First and Only Online Karaoke Competition [schild=1 fontcolor=DC143C shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]Check it out![/schild][/align]

If you really think it will work, then it will. Just because many KJs here do not agree with your idea, does not mean that it will not have the support you hope for. There is life/hope outside of this BB too. Opinion of people here can be quite harsh. You do have some support here.

And please dont post those 'advert'. You may find your post gone.

Good luck

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

I'll tell you what gives... YOU.

You came onto this site and solicited something, and I have no problems with that.

But the FIRST sign of negativity, you immediately retorted and told me I should have kept my mouth shut. THAT prompted the other sarcastic responses.

For someone that asks for professionalism, you didn't see my well wishing on the post. Instead all you gave back was crap. AND people responded.

You're a fine one to talk about professionalism. My post was all about that. Although opposed to your idea, I wished you well.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

I was under the impression also it was more to promote your idea than to get help. Besides the question about who to speak to the KJs or the bar owner - which it seems you have figured out on your own. What help do you need? I haven't read a question since than yet?

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I am sorry you took it the wrong way...Only trying to help.  Again, to cover you butt, have you obtained permission from the origional copyright owners to post songs of h=theirs on the net?

And again, I state, IMHO, that I have NEVER seen a karaoke contest that has been fair, and I have seen a lot of them.  THere have been a few that have come close but somthing always has gon wrong.  Althought having your "GRAND-Scale" contest, is a twist on the same idea, it basically is going to be a poupalirty contest if the public is voting on it.  

Example....
someone enters a local contest, and win because
1.  they know a judge.
2.  Female singer wears a reveling outfit, and the male judges like that.
3. singers tells sad story about singing this song to his/her dying relative/pet/plant.
4.  Or on the ODD chance they may actually deserve to win.

Then it goes to the internet...
1. singer emails every he/she knows and ask them to vote for him/her and tell everyone they no with an IP# to vote for him/her too.

2.  Spend $1000, get acces from a compnay that can dump you browsing out on about 20,000 different IP#, and load the ballot box him/herself.

3.  or on an odd chance, they may actually deserve to win.

Yes a lot of negativty in this post, but it is deserving becasue a karaoke contest will never be fair no matter on how grand of a scale it is.  As in your contests, the winner is voted on by the patron that attend the contest at the club it is held.  What if one of the contestants "loads" the audinces with freinds/family to vote for him/her, even if he/she is a bad singer, how can that be fair.  Andon the other hand, if you have judges selected, they can and are bias too.

I was at a contest about 3 weeks ago, and the crowd favorite was one girl, who was from out of town, and she was actually a very good singer.   The contest was judged by bartenders, and a locl person won, and the entire crowd was upset at that decision.  And on the other hand I was at a contest that was judged on crowd favorite, and the winner, not a good singer, won because she had about 30 people that she knew chearing for her.

Once again there is no fair way of judgeing a contest, unless judges selected to judge the even, ar not from the area, aand know no one that is in the contest or associated with the contest.  And IMHO, that will never happen.

If you can find a fair and balanced way for winers to be chosen at a local level, contest are a good idea, but it can never happen.

Hi all,

My original question pointed to the fact that, in my promotional work to the karaoke clubs, the owners/managers didn't seem to have much clue as to what was going on in their clubs and kept referring me to the DJs and KJs that they hire...  I was concerned about contacting the DJs and KJs because the participation fee for the club should be paid for by the owners, NOT the KJs!  

I was just looking for some feedback from DJs/KJs as to whether it would be worthwhile, wise, or prudent to involve them in my promotional work...

When I didn't get any response from this forum, I just went ahead and made some calls "in the blind" to see what feedback I'd get; and it worked out.  I reported this on my own post, just as a courtesy to anyone who may have felt obligated to answer, and to let anyone who read the post know that I'd answered my own question.

I do appreciate the feedback that I've gotten that a lot of you folks detest contests, and believe me, I do understand why; I'm not new to this industry.  The fact that no contest can be 100% iron-clad unbiased, completely fair, and glitch-free does not mean that all contests (of any sort: political elections, sports events, Grammy awards, Oscars, Olympics...) should be dismissed as unworthy.  It is the responsibility of the contest officials to endeavour to ensure that the contest is run as fairly, evenly, and honestly as IS POSSIBLE.  No one can control all the other external factors mentioned in the posts above....

Will contests ever be shunned, banned, ignored, or abolished? Never!  

Should they be? Of course not!  It's human nature to compete and to strive for that #1 spot.  No matter if the contest is for fun, money, notoriety, or just plain intrinsic satisfaction, competition will always remain in human culture.

Roxie

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[align=right]OnlinePopstar...The World's First and Only Online Karaoke Competition [schild=1 fontcolor=DC143C shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]Check it out![/schild][/align]

First of f,I do wih you the best in your endavour, my comment were not ment to hinder, but to show you my thoughts on a contest, in hopes that you may actually be able to run a fair (as possible) contest.  But as I metioned in my previous post, and as you have said [highlight=yellow"]No one can control all the other external factors mentioned in the posts above...."[/highlight] I just don't see how an karaoke contest, no mater how good intensions are, can be run in a fair manner.

Again, Best of luck with your endavour!

twansenne,

Please know that your comments on this post show you to be thoughtful, intelligent, and thorough.  Believe me, I really do appreciate your input because it really helps to clarify all the issues for me...and I do consider your points to be very valid.  
Thanks for your help!

Roxie

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[align=right]OnlinePopstar...The World's First and Only Online Karaoke Competition [schild=1 fontcolor=DC143C shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]Check it out![/schild][/align]

Sounds like fun.  Get in touch with Bob Palmer at mary's outpost  the website is of the same name.  He can get you a really great group of contestants, he has a very talented clientele.

I'll have to admit that most contest do have all of the "issues" surrounding them.  But I have to tell you all about one I like to participate in every once in a while.  It happen every Sunday evening and has been going on for over a year.  This place packs the people in for this and the prize is only 25.00 for 1st and a free drink for 2nd and 3rd.

Kamikazie Karaoke contest.  Only 20 people get to enter, it is first come first entered.  Names are then thrown into a bucket so you have no idea when you will sing.  The songs, are picked by an innocent by stander by pointing at the book without looking, 15 guys songs and 15 gals songs.  When you are drawn to sing you go up and draw your song, without looking at it you hand to the KJ,  You know the song only when it comes up on the screen.  It is so much fun and everyone just gets crazy, guys trying to dance and sing like tina turner and such.  It is so much fun and this place is raking in the dough.  The contest ends that night and doesn't count for anything other than bragging rights.

That's too funny!  We play the same game at our home bar (it's called the R&R.) Since having 3 kids, we found it impossible to go out anymore, so built a bar in our basement and it's the hot spot for all of our friends...

About once a month we have about 20 people over and play Kamikazee Karaoke, but after about half of the singers sing, it turns into Guerilla Karaoke (where the songs picked are more for revenge-heehee)  On New Year's Eve, we recorded it all and will be releasing "Guerilla Karaoke LIVE 2005" in a select release!  (It had better be a select release if I wanna keep my friends, )

Another fun game is to just pick a disc (Siniatra, Southern Rock, Girl Pop, etc.) and put it in the player, then have all the singers go in rotation; when your number's up, you sing!  (Think: When Paula Abdul says, "Wow, you really made that your own...")  Haha.

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[align=right]OnlinePopstar...The World's First and Only Online Karaoke Competition [schild=1 fontcolor=DC143C shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]Check it out![/schild][/align]

Thanks, Isis...will do!


Roxie

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Hello all,

I'm adding my two cents... In the friendliest way possible, be careful my dear. Have you done much research into the idea of an online singing contest? I researched this idea myself some time ago, so I'm wondering how viable you find it from a business standpoint... I wish you much luck.

Sorry, one more thought.

I realize this is probably part of your research... posting on forums to get a general idea of the market opinions.  Has your research so far shown a positive possible outcome?


Elisha

Sorry, one more thought.

I realize this is probably part of your research... posting on forums to get a general idea of the market opinions.  Has your research so far shown a positive possible outcome?


Elisha

Hi Elisha,

Sorry to be so long in response; I never saw your question.

I have done immense research, and a lot of it on karaoke forums...What I've found is this: KJs do indeed hate contests. (Although a high percentage of our members at OnlinePopstar are KJs.)  

Owners have a love/hate relationship with contests depending on how they're handled.  On the one hand, they love the revenue it brings in, on the other hand, they're afraid of alienating their regulars.  

The big factor is the singers...they LOVE the idea of an online karaoke contest.  OnlinePopstar has experienced a membership explosion, 300% growth each month!  So, if that tells the tale, it seems the singers are excited about an online contest.

I think the rules that we've developed are as fair as you're ever going to find, anywhere.  Specifically:

1. Even if a club contestant loads the audience with friends to vote for them, they still have to compete online against many other singers.  Besides, each patron gets one vote only...not too much room for favoritism.
2. Our online voting software and methods are iron-clad to flesh out and delete cheaters.
3.  The finalists are chosen by entertainment industry professionals...so any favoritism up to the point of choosing finalists is cancelled out!

Looking forward, I think it's going to be a great contest, and a whole lotta fun for a lot of singers!  
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OnlinePopstar - The World's First & Only Online Karaoke Contest

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[align=right]OnlinePopstar...The World's First and Only Online Karaoke Competition [schild=1 fontcolor=DC143C shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]Check it out![/schild][/align]

Hey onlinepopstar....

You may be getting a bit too sensitive on this.  You asked for opinions and you're getting some pretty consistent ones from KJ's who have done this.  That's the key, they're not poo-poo'ing it as a bad idea.  Just one that has had less than stellar results in their experience.  

That said, I saw one that seemed to go ok-- really good singers, separate judges (although I never did see them).  But I can certainly see how it would go awry.

My gripe about contests is it seems that the majority of the evening will be dominated by the "competition".  So if you're not in it, how much are you going to get to sing?  Probably not much.  I entered one-- only becuase I wanted to be able to sing-- I didn't care if I got thru or not.  8-)