Karaoke Forums

I had a patron complaining to me that people were telling him how to sing.
I told him I totally understand. It is like when people tell me how to run my equipment and he high fived me. The funny thing is the week before he was telling me to take the reverb off his voice. It was a busy night and I was already pushed to the limit. I had a not very nice look on my face and told him there wasn't any reverb on it. (dummy)
It really gets under my skin when a patron tells me how to set my board. They have no clue what they talking about.

It really bugs me when a patron tells me how to run my board.
This one really gets me - turn the mic up. Well if the person didn't whisper and hold
the mic a foot away from his mouth you'd be able to hear him.

Or turn the music up - they only want me to turn the music louder because the are scared to sing and they are afraid someone will hear them sing. And some songs have a soft intro and then are blasting loud. I have to explain it will get louder on it's own before you sing.

Or the know it all - I want a lot of reverb on my voice. Okay I'll make you sound like crap is there anything else I can do?

Or the I'm going to impress you guy that owns a stereo at home - You should set your equilizer like this. Eeek get away!

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

When the owners come up and try to tell you how to do your DJ'ing. I dont tell them how to do their job. I dont allow them to presume how to operate my or anyone elses show for that matter.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

This is where an independant monitor mix comes in handy, you can adjust how they want in THEIR monitor while leaving the main mix intact & sounding good!

I just go with it, if they want some effect, i'll give it to them.  I am always tweaking effects for different songs, so people know to ask if I can do something like that for them too.  No big deal to me.

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

I LOVE it when they walk up, say something into the mic. in their normal voice, and then tell you to turn it up...before the music even starts. Usually have to point out to them that their "singing' voice is going to be a lot louder than their "talking" voice, so I won't know till the song starts. You almost wanna yell "PLEASE TRUST ME!!" over your microphone.

Think it's kinda funny when once in a while they say they can't hear the music, and yet they're totally singing ON key with perfect timing.

Yeah, sometimes I feel a little guilty if I don't give them enough mids, highs, lows, or reverb for their standards, and then it totally destroys their chances for world-wide stardom . Thank goodness for the vast majority of other singers who are there just to have fun!! Without them, I'd be pulling my hair out sometimes.

Will always love K.J.-ing, but yeah, I wish some of them would stay at home with their Voco-Pro's where they would be a "satisfied" customer.

Usually always adjust levels and effects singer-to-singer anyway, and most of the time that makes everybody happy...I think.

What bugs me is the insistant 'c'mon get me up next'.
STORY:   Had a girl last night LIT OFF HER BUTT first off asking me what song she should sing/recommend, never saw her before, I asked what do you like, she said everything, so I suggested a couple songs, she said no I don't like those, I suggested a couple more, no I don't like those - back to square 1 - WHAT DO YOU LIKE?  Again she replied - oh I like everything.  OK, THIS is starting to get annoying, all the while I am trying to get the next song cued up before the current singer is done (45 person rotation mind you).  Anyway, I finally told her she needed to go look through the book & come back when she figured something out - I don't mind helping someone choose a song, but am not going to name everything in the book until you find something you like.  Anyway, she found someone to sing with & they picked a song.  There was at least a 45 minute wait for new singers, oh boy, NEW CAN OF WORMS!  Now she was stating how great she was going to be, she's an entertainer & was going to rock the house.  I said great, in 45 minutes you'll be able to do that.  She started going of on other singers how they sucked - I stopped her right there telling her HEY, you DO NOT belittle other singers especially in front of me, everyone is there to have fun whether they can sing or not.  She kept on coming up every 5 minutes, trashing the current singer again, I told her last warning (yeah I know TOO patient) if she did it again she wouldn't be able to sing at all.  She then made the statement that she had never done karaoke before & didn't understand how it worked & why she couldn't sing now, I told her the rules & how everyone here had already been waiting an hour to sing that had been there & she would have to wait like everyone else.  Then she proceeded to jump on the stage with the current singer, I grabbed her down & had security remove her from the premises.

SEE YA!

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

Use the old sound engineer trick, guitar players are notoriously wanting MORE guitar but it works with anyone in the band, when I would run sound, they would always look over to me to have them turn their guitar up in the monitor, well they were already pretty much maxed out to a point before feedback, what you do is put your hand on the knob, LOOK like you are making an adjustment, look over to the player for approval & 9 out of 10 times, they will nod stating yeah that's better!  
Works with live bands, works with karaoke singers too - try it one night, you'll be surprised .

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

KJs are my heroes!  

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[glow=violet] **Sing like nobody's listening...live like there's no tomorrow**[/glow]

I think I will try that one night, Lonman. Good trick. I may even turn my hand clock-wise over the board for even more realism . Musical Jedi mind tricks.

You were right about indepent monitors. We've got two on the stage, and the singers can barely hear the mains on the side because they're so spread out, so it's a lot easier to tweak singers on stage without sacrificing the sound to the audience.

Totally respect the patience you showed with drunk girl last night. You lasted longer than I could've. Just out of curiousity, when she jumped on the stage, did she have a chance to belt out a few notes to prove how GREAT she was before you nabbed her?

Thanks Sinnamon!! We need more people like you! You wouldn't mind telling that to my bosses, would you ?

Hey no problem...I know ya'll just about need a masters degree in diplomacy...and being a singer(sorta) myself I know how fussy some of us can be...hehehe  :D

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[glow=violet] **Sing like nobody's listening...live like there's no tomorrow**[/glow]

I for one sure don't mind telling the KJ if IMO he needs to turn me or the music up or down. I've done that plenty of times... matter of fact, twice last night. CD volumes are too different. I can sing one song, and it's fine, then my next song.... not be able to hear the music near loud enough. (or it's too loud, etc...) I'm not "rude" about it, but plenty of times I'll request them to up the music a tad, or let them know if I'm having trouble hearing myself, so they'll bump my mic up. Not once-ever- have I had a KJ complain about my asking, or seem mad that I asked.

It's terribly hard to sing and be comfie with it, if you don't have a good mix going, and it does change alot per song/CD. And the KJ is not standing beside you singing along with you, so they wont know if you don't tell them.

As far as effects, I would never say anything about that. If a KJ obviously can't/wont use effects properly.... I most likely just wouldn't be inclined to go back there.  But I surely wouldn't feel it my place to ask them to add or remove effects while I'm singing.  That...does sound a bit high handed.

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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. ♥

In my experience, and this doesn't make it right for everyone, but - I personally
don't want someone telling me how do my job.  I learned from someone who knew what they were talking about.
As far as someone asking me to turn off the reverb!  Nope- won't happen.  I may have bumped it down a bit, but will not turn it off.  I am not about to jeopardize my sound for someone who thinks they don't need it.  Especially when that person isn't all that great.  What if someone new came in, as that person was singing, and it sounded like he/she was singing in a box.  They may decide not to sing there at all.  If they know I can help them carry a note they may otherwise not be able to carry, then I know I can expect them to return again and again.  Do not ALL artists use reverb?  Or is this just my imagination!
Again, as many of you said - We don't tell them how to run the bar, nor do we tell the clientele how to do thier everyday jobs - Don't tell us how to do ours!!!!!!!!!!!  
I would never compromise the reputation that we had.
As far as turning up the music or the mics, a good mixer shouldn't have to be told.  We listen!  We don't throw in a disc and walk away.

If you are just asking if you can have more/less music or more/less effect or what not, then I don't feel it as someone trying to tell me how to do my job, it's a simple request.  You are the reason WE kj's are working in the first place - i'm not going to say no to a simple request.  I have people on rare occasion ask for no reverb - I turn it off - in THEIR monitor, the main mix is not affected.  Most people are asking to be buried in verb to cover up their voices - trust us, it don't make you sound good AT ALL!  Now some kj's do use entirely TOO MUCH effects & if i'm singing with one that does, I will ask to turn the reverb down on my vocals, if they don't, I simply won't sing anymore & probably would leave going to another bar that will work with their customer/singer.
Now if you come up to me & say "what I need to do" ..... as in I don't know what i'm doing, I may look at your suggestion, but if I feel it don't need to be done, then I smile & say thanks i'll keep that in mind or make it look like i'm making an adjustment behind the effects rack & say that better - they will usually agree (not always)?

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

Very true Charmin...mic/music volume is about the only thing I will ask to change...I have to be able to hear myself...so I know just how off key I am...

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[glow=violet] **Sing like nobody's listening...live like there's no tomorrow**[/glow]

Also there are those out there who do not have a clue about what they are doing.  But then I usually don't stay if there is another option.  I was at one in another place and the host there (working for a company) freely admitted she did know how to use a board.  So there are cases.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Yeah, it's really not a huge deal lowering and raising sound levels on the stage for most of the singers who ask, like you all were talking about. I guess my biggest gripes are with the minority of singers who don't understand that we try our best to make the show sound good for everyone, and we still have to meet their reverb, E.Q, etc., demands like they're at a recording studio, instead of a karaoke show.

One of the tricky things, from what I've seen, is that so many different singers have so many different preferences as to what the "appropriate" levels of sound should be when they sing. Some people like louder vocals on stage, some like louder music, etc. Then you have to come up with a happy compromise where everyone can hear both vocals & music, even though it may not be a prefered level of loudness for some of them... occasionially making a temporary adjustment for those who ask.  One person's "pleasure" is another person's "please turn it up"

Will always love running karaoke no matter what the situation, but I still wish some of those singers would show a little more understanding when it comes to their "demands". But hey, we're all human I guess.

The first page in my song book is a full page explaining about the effects and we will not be turning them off.     If it's good enough for every recording artist for the last 50 years, since they've been invented, it's good enough for you and your "never had a hit song mentality."    Not in them words.   Most people never listen to a song on the radio and hear everything that's going on with the music and the mix.    I make you sound just like the lead singer that made the song famous.     I 've had people tell me they want to hear their voice.    Trust me nobody else does.    I can turn the effects up and down, but it ain't going totally off.   Good singers love the way I can enhance their preformance.     You don't like it, gather up $50,000 and do it your way.    Put me out of business.      Make my day...... Do you feel lucky punk?      Well do ya?.......  Ooooh   wait they could deduct $200 for the reverb unit they won't be needing.     Then everyone will suck, just like them.    LMAO

i have a way of making sure people do this only once.....as they come off stage, i announce that the microphone only "looks" like male genetalia and that it won't hurt you.  you should hold it closer to your mouth so we can hear you.  the crowd laughs hysterically and the singer usually loosens up.  nex time they sing, they've got the mic right where it should be.



on this matter i usually change the mix in the monitor so it sounds like they want it, then the main speakers i set where they need to be



when someone asks for more and more reverb (or worse - delay!!!) i hit the full reverb effect until they give me a funny look, then i turn it back.  i have no problem being a smart (@$%&#!) to some people as you can probably tell!



No-one, and i mean NO-ONE is allowed to touch my EQ!  i have presets for different venues, that took a great deal of time to set up.
now the one thing that absolutely drives me insane is the singer who constantly drops their arm so the mic is pointing directly at the monitor causing horrendous feedback.  these folks usually do this 4 or 5 times in one song!  i have had to shut a mic off before due to this.

one other thing, since i use multiple mics and keep the ones not in use muted on the board, is when a singer gets up on stage, grabs a mic, quickly tests it (usually by blowing into it, or tapping on it!) then moves to the next mic before you can get it unmuted.  then the song starts, they miss the first part because they're still F-ing with mics.  then they want you to start the song over.    okay, now i;m the one starting to vent!


in most cases using the monitor to make the singer happy works well, but i absolutely LOVE bigdogs response.  having a blurb in the book about the effects and sound board and such probably helps with alot of aggrevation.  i do not use omnidirectional mics so because i try to reduce feedback.  i had a singer who always sings acroos the top of the mic instead of into it.  finally i stopped the show, took the  mic apart and showed him how a microphone works so he'd understand.  no problems with him since!

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All work and no play make Homer something something

I guess it has a lot to do with if they ask or tell me to change something.
If they ask me to turn the monitor up so they can hear themselves better I don't mind. Some people are hard of hearing.




- I have done this. -  I thought I was being all sneaky - It is funny to hear I'm not the only one. I have a few guys that are so loud it pierces my ears when they sing. They have to be turned down. If they ask for it louder I do the pretend to turn the knob trick. Works everytime

I know the level of loudest that is exceptable to the bar owner and patrons listening. If I go louder listeners will complain. I can't just turn it blasting loud to make a singer happy. yes I can just turn the monitor louder, but sometimes that can be to loud too.
It may just be on the stage, but in a small bar it can over take the mains and make the over all sound in the bar to loud.

We have to do what makes everyone happy and that is a tough job. I was mainly referring to people that were asking for the above and beyond requests. The people who drive you crazy. Not the people who have legit requests like would you please turn the monitor up so I can hear myself more.

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

I guess there is a fine line between requesting and demanding.  I'm never happy about it but sometimes I do overlook something and I do appreciate it when someone brings it to my attention.

I'm fortunate that I've not had to have security step in to help me with a situation.  Hopefully I never will.

My goal is to make sure that everyone has a good time.  Unless I'm being asked to do something that will be disastrous I either agree, or as some of you have mentioned, I pretend to make the requested adjustment.

Larry

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"Life is too short for diet soda and lite beer"