Karaoke Forums

AtM, Isis, Texas Gigi and I were discussing our local watering hole...oops, i mean karaoke bar.  We were talking about how we would do things differently.  (The owner has gone on a rampage about the music being sung!!)  (I believe that is another topic that has been posted a while back.)

Please understand all of us have been kj's at one time or another, and we have discussed opening a karaoke bar.  We understand the "business" end.  

This is just a question to get some idea or whatever about what all ya'll ks junkies think.

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[scroll]we're men, manly men, we're men in tights[/scroll]

other then sexy women........good equipment and a KJ that knows how to use it

I agree with Kevin... I also want to add a decent songbook. The place I went to tonight had almost all country... I had to scour for rock music. It was a pain in the a$$. I ended up digging through and finding a half dozen ones I liked and could sing, but I will be doing do-overs if I go back.

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Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

What really helps karaoke make it big is drink specials. I know another KJ who just got bounced from a great bar.  His one constant complaint was that to bring in the crowds he needed some drink specials. The bar thought karaoke would bring them in but it takes both to make successful karaoke for the bar. A Full house equates to lots of return customers and few dead nights.

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Who loves ya baby?

Another thing is decent karaoke labels. I went into a karaoke bar and sang Jimmy Hendrix "All along the watchtower" and the version was by some knockoff brand. I was horrified because I have it on Sound Choice.  The words were different and I think someone swallowed their kazoo while recording it.  It sucked and so did I because I was busy trying to figure out if it was even the right song for about 20 seconds. (It was horrible! So I ran, I ran all night and day....I couldn't get away.)

Damn I'm an idiot. But that's my best feature really.  :hi5:

We all know we can get All Hits, etc for about $35 on ebay for 65 discs, but ya gots ta have a few of the good ones (all, really)

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Who loves ya baby?

I wanted to record Castles made of Sand and the display not only had wrong lyrics but the song was missing the last verse.. I mean wtf??  :shock:

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Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

gosh darn! gosh darn! gosh darn!  Sounds like Gomer Pyle is writing in here.

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Who loves ya baby?

Yeah I know it's a (@$%&#!) (@$%&#!) how they censor the goddamn forums  :dancin:
EDIT: goddamn worked! goddamn worked!!!    :dancin:  :dancin:

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Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

You just had to get me started.....    AS a singer I expect to be in the rotation just like everyone else.   Not skipped two rounds, while I watch everyone else sing.    A KJ that knows what he's doing.    I expect to sound good, with reverb effects.     A good selection, with good versions of the songs, as they sounded on the radio.    The air works in the summer and the heat works in the winter.    Drink prices that are not out of line, for the area I'm in.   A place to sit if, I'm spending the night.    Food.   I expect the crowd to be under control, with NO A**HOLES around or running the place.    Service from the staff in a prompt manner.     The same things you would expect.        Not a real big rotation 15-20 max.   Pinch me so I can get out of this dream.    LMAO  

Oh man I would flip... the last time I went to karaoke, the KJ gave away my last song as I was supposed to have my turn next... I was upset cause I had been working up the courage all night to try it and he gave it to some drunken boob who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket  :madgo:

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Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

Wow I think Bigdog hit all the key things I would look for. I do like to
be able to hear myself when I sing. Some KJs don't have a monitor and
put their speakers way out front. If I can't hear myself singing and he is standing near me how in the heck does he know how to adjust the sound.

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

I set up so everyone is in front of the speakers.

All karaoke, no filler music.

No waiting for "X" number of singers to start the show.
No waiting for any "game" on TV to end.
No crowd killing contests.
No smoking.    :shock:
No cover charge.
No going up on stage.
No corded mikes.

i'd have to say that  as a KJ it's not the bar's job to bring in a crowd for you.  it's your job to bring in a crowd for the bar!  the reason bars pay for karaoke is to increase their business.  if they have to run drink specials to get customers in the door for karaoke, why not just run drink specials and not have karaoke?   as for the other things needed, obviosly, as kevin pointed out it helps to have good looking people there, but that's like saying you have to have good singers.  of course it helps, but it's not neccessary(sp?)  bigdog pretty much hit it on the head......a good selection of songs that are quality arrangements is a must, good equipment and someone who knows how to use it.  Food is a great idea (we have pretty darn good barbeque at our venue).  the show needs to start promptly and needs to flow, but i guess that goes along with a KJ who knows what he/she is doing.  the last thing a good show needs is a bar owner/manager that will get the f**k out of your way and let you do what he/she is paying you to do...that is bring customers in, get them to have a good time and come back, get them to have a few, but not too many, and pump up the staff.  If you can manage this, your venue will be successful, you will be successful, and the staff around you will be successful.  that's not so much to ask, is it?

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All work and no play make Homer something something

Most of the time when a new karaoke show starts up, no one even knows it's there. It gets out by word of mouth to the regular karaoke peeps. Drink specials bring 'em in quick and a crowd develops even quicker. Once the drink specials are over, they stay for the karaoke.  KJ's are often under pressure to bring in the crowd but a bar that knows how to get that started is well ahead of the game. Anyone who knows the business wants drink specials. It makes for better karaoke all the way around.

Yes, I totally agree that when it is supposed to start, start it yourself or with the one or two peeps who have come to sing. Waiting for a certain number of singers is the worst thing to do. Reward the singers and make them feel appreciated for being there.  MOst karaok-a-holics want to sing all night long anyway.

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Who loves ya baby?

I stay til last song when I go! Although I didn't last night cause I got to sing like 6 or 7 songs by midnight anyway. I am going Monday night though and I will stay til the last song is sung! Yeah, my name is Lisa and I'm an addict. You're right about the drink specials though, sometimes cost has been a factor in whether I even go to karaoke.

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Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. (I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.)

i understand your point about drink specials, but i will still have to politely disagree.  if you, the bar owner/manager are already paying for a KJ to be there, why would you pay for him to have singers, which is essentially what you're doing with drink specials.  the purpose of having karaoke is to give people a reason to stay in your club.  if you give drink specials, you are giving them a reason to stay so you don't need karaoke.  again, we can agree to disagree, but having been a bar manager, if the KJ told me i needed to run drink specials so he/she could have a crowd i'd ask him why he/she is in my bar running karaoke.  that having been said, i have, as a KJ, held asked trivia questions and such and given away drinks for the correct answer, but i did that on my own and i paid for the drinks.  i'd be interested to see where other KJs come out on this.  i may be in the minority, who knows!

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All work and no play make Homer something something

We do plan on running drink specials.

That was one of the fun parts of the way the club used to run a long, long time ago. The drink specials were an event announced by the KJ. It almost seemed like the KJ decided to have the drink special.

There are a lot of good ideas here. We actually considered most of these while we were brainstorming last night. Some though, we had not even considered yet and I, for one, am greatful for all of the feedback.

Your point is easily understood. Karaoke here in central Texas is averaging $150 per night. One friend of mine (John at excitement tonight karaoke) commands better than that because he brings about 16,000 songs out and has a good reputation.  I have been to karaoke where they were paying these dudes the standard and every week they were bringing in 20 people to an otherwise dead bar. For larger venues, I think drink specials are important. The warehouse in Austin has combined drink specials with karaoke now for many years. They had 75 cent wells until 10:00 (or 11:00?) and the karaoke starts at 10:00. They have one of the longest standing and most established karaoke shows in central Texas. They have even had the local news do stories on the KJ. It's best case scenario. (Not for the smaller bars in every case) -those that struggle to bring in people can't afford it.

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Who loves ya baby?

steve is right, but i think we need drinks specials. we have seen this club with them and without them. with them is better.

let me skew the question a little bit. there are about 30 karaoke venues with say, 10 miles of this one. we have not visited all of them (durn!) and not all of them are 7 nights a week, but they are around. anything you would do differently?

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[glow=darkorchid]Musica delenit bestiam feram[/glow]