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Do you remove songs from your songbooks?

Anything that doesn't fit in another category.
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Do you remove songs from your songbooks that you don't want people to sing at your shows?

Yes
6
35%
No
11
65%
 
Total votes: 17

How to Build a Home Karaoke System
Bigdog
Posts: 2937
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

Karaoke is called karaoke (Means singing.)

Advertising karaoke means karaoke. (singing)

Advertising DJ means dancing. Not mixed with karaoke.

Then you should advertise Karaoke/DJ or DJ/Karaoke, so people know what they are getting in to. It would help me make up my mind real fast, as to whether I would enter the bar or not.

If I'm out to do karaoke, that's what I want and that's all it better be. I can waste my time and money, not singing in my livingroom.

Why should karaoke be mixed with anything but karaoke?

If you want to be an entertainer, don't do it at regualarly scheduled karaoke. Do it on a different night, if you're so good. You can entertain on a sepeate night. Leave the singers have their own night.


If you are such a good entertainer, then entertain with pure karaoke. I can.

I'm a karaoke entertainer. That's what I do. That's my entire business. Anyone can put on some dance music to keep people entertained. Do it with pure singing.

When all you play is dance music because you chased away all the singers to another bar where they do all karaoke, the bar owner will figure out that a DJ can do what he's paying you to do.

Just like shipping all the jobs to Mexico for cheap labor. We don't have jobs anymore that pay over $7.

Chase all the singers away and you won't have karaoke anymore. There will not be enough interest or participation. So it won't be worth having a KJ to do what a DJ can. Don't need a guy with microphones hooked up to play dance music all night.

You call it versatility...I call not being good enough to keep a karaoke crowd (singers and non singers) entertained, without all of the distractions.

Would you call your gardener to do brain surgery, if he did it on the side???

I am a KJ. I have perfected my craft. 14.5 years worth. Still 100% pure karaoke music at all my shows. Always will be. That's called being a professional expert.... Karaoke entertainer. I have the versitility to entertain everyone in the bar. It's what I get paid for. All of my shows are successful. Without dance sets wasting valuable singing time. I will not bow down to non singers that think they should take over a karaoke night. They can go to a DJ.


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wiseguy
Site Admin
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Location: WV

Post by wiseguy »

Very few karaoke entertainment companies, and I mean VERY FEW, perform karaoke exclusively. Nearly all advertise "DJ & Karaoke". You are a dinosaur of the live entertainment business. I can imagine that your karaoke shows are as boring as your repetition of the same statements over and over again here.
letitrip
Posts: 341
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:47 am
Location: Jackson, WI

Post by letitrip »

You know, I've been trying to be objective and non-insultive here, but wiseguy is right. Your ideas seem quite antiquated. They work for you and that's great, more power and success to you. However, I've yet to come across the club that's looking for a show like you've described. Now let me address a few points.

First, I never said 50/50 (with regard to house music vs karaoke), it's not even close. Karaoke is still our top priority and our rotation dictates how much house music we play. What I said is that if people are getting into the house music, I'll let them dance to the remainder of the song. It gets/keeps the party atmosphere going which is what gets people drinking more. That's ultimately what your there to do in the club scene, get people in the bar and drinking.

Second, I know many KJ's that play house music between songs. It runs in the background of the entire show (muted when singers are up - should be obvious but then you've missed some other obvious assumptions) and we crossfade to it between songs. I've never yet heard of a KJ losing business because they play house music. In fact, the feedback we've gotten from club owners and our guests is that they prefer the fact that we play both.

Finally, I totally disagree with the idea of running your show like a marathon of singers. Chasing after people to have them ready to sing the minute the last is done just seems downright silly. Guess I'd have to see one of your shows to really judge, but it seems like a lot of cattle herding or drill sergeant-esque as opposed to entertainment. I've never seen a KJ run a show that way.

Finally, the one thing in all this that I still fail to see is what value you add to your show. I asked this before and you didn't respond. If you do nothing to work the crowd and just simply play one track after the next, what differentiates you from a Karaoke Jukebox? Your 14.5 years of KJ'ing have done one thing for you, they've made your show inflexible, unimaginative and archaic. I'm reminded of a bumper sticker I once saw: "A closed mind is a wonderful thing to lose".

You've attempted to paint me as a DJ who just happens to do Karaoke on the side. Well I think I've illustrated here time again that my business partner and I are anything but. Karaoke was the reason we started the business and remains our inspiration and primary business. We run our shows the way we always dreamed we would when sitting through KJ's that we didn't like and the feedback has been nothing but positive. You've attempted to paint us as defrauding the customers by calling what we do a Karaoke night. Well you'd be hard pressed to find any of our clients or guests that would agree with you. Now, I could speculate on why you feel so threatened by what we do, but that gets back into the realms of personal attacks which I've tried to avoid.

So since we seem reduced to that level, I invite your next response to me, but I'm checking out of this thread. As I've said countless times before, you run your business in the fashion that works for you, great. We've got our own business plan, goals and vision and it is working wonders for us. Our clients love what we do (they tell us so) and the guests keep coming including regulars that follow us from club to club (even if it means a 45 minute drive for some of them). We respect ALL of our guests and clients, whether they sing or not and we don't pretend to be their moral conscience, dictate their behavior or judge them based on their idea of having fun.

-DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke
DJ Tony
http://www.letitripkaraoke.com
LoneWolf
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:57 pm
Location: Southeastern West Virginia

Post by LoneWolf »

As a karaoke singer, I am one of the ones that bigdog seems to cater too. There are lots of us out there. Those who get aggravated when with 20 singers in the rotation, the dj (kj) says something like "we'll get back to the karaoke in a few minutes but first we're going to do some dance music" and then proceeds to have half a dozen dance songs. As a kj myself, I agree with wiseguy that I find out beforehand what the owner wants. I also agree that you can certainly chase away the singers if you play too much dance music. My partner insists that you must have at least a few dance songs in the show. I disagree. But it is not something that we fight about. I am convinced that you will bring in more singers doing strictly karaoke, than you will chase away by not having dance music. I also agree with the kings that to have filler music play out if folks are enjoying it is a good thing. I am not tied to just one option here. But I will say as a singer I get frustrated if I go to a place and they claim to have karaoke and then do 2 -3 dance sets.
"Come Sing with the Wolf!!"
Bigdog
Posts: 2937
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

Nothing personal taken or given. :D

I find shows like yours, keep me working steady. Maybe its a regional thing. But all of my singers absolutely hate it when a KJ plays dance music. They see it as wasting valuable singing time. I totally agree.

If I worked in your area and singers found out how I do business, I believe they would all come to me. The serious ones anyway.

I have singers that will drive that far to sing with me. Doesn't make me antiquated or out of style. Don't say I'm unadaptable. I don't have to fix anything, because it isn't broken.

Karaoke is karaoke. Anything else is not, and takes advantage of the singers that come to your show faithfully.

What would you be if you had no singers?

What would you do if somebody like me moved in and they left you high and dry??

What if it happened night after night? You would become an instant steady DJ and your business plans would change in a hurry.

The value of my show is the quality of the sound. The song selection. And my no nonsense approach to karaoke. That is my claim to fame. I am not the star of the show. I provide what serious karaoke singers want and dream of. Total karaoke continuosly with no filler added. I work 5 nights a week. Had 3 systems working till my divorce. All the exact same format. The competition KJs that play dance music, are not as busy.

Tonight I had 18 singers all night. Many more non singers. All of which stayed all night. There was dancing. To karaoke music. :shock:

One person asked me to play a dance song. It was her birthday and she wanted to slow dance. I had a singer do Garth Brooks the Dance for her. She was happy as a pig in it.....So was the singer..... :wink:
Marlena
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:25 am

Post by Marlena »

hmmm. I play 10 minutes of country music before a show while i'm setting up and 10 minutes of dance music when i tear down. Which doesn't take long because everything i have stays where i play. I have to agree that if in the middle of karaoke a host plays music for any other reason than an equipment problem, i get up and leave. exspecially if it is not advertised as kj/dj service. again i'm there to sing and hear other singers not regular music or other annoying additives.

I really did toy with the idea of playing music between songs so i wouldn't get any dead air, but i really couldn't see the expense or the benefit.

If people want to hear a song well i know i have at least one singer who can sing it or give it a fair go. I sing mostly rap and pop stuff myself so it makes it very easy for my younger clientelle to get up and dance if they like.

I leave the country and rock stuff to my customers.

Marlena
Bigdog
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Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

If you used 2 machines you would not have the dead air. The singers could sing more songs. The flow of the show would not be interrupted.

:idea: Spend a few hundred dollars and you just put yourself up another level in the playing field. :wink:
LoneWolf
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:57 pm
Location: Southeastern West Virginia

Post by LoneWolf »

Since we use the computer format, we have the background music on the hard drive, so in between we play some and like you said before we start we play some rock and country. I never had a problem with the in between stuff, in fact the best show I was ever at the lady had a 5 disc player that she loaded all types of music into, and between singers a different type would come up each time. Sometimes it was just a few seconds, but other times as the kings said the crowd would love a particular song and the dance floor would be packed at which time she let the music play through.

Sorry I have seemed to take us so far off the original topic. Have a great day and weekend folks!!
"Come Sing with the Wolf!!"
Marlena
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:25 am

Post by Marlena »

no more players or discs for me Bigdog, I'm computerized in 1 week so right now i'm biding my time. I toyed with the iead of a second machine for a while as well. I wanted to do it, but with all the machines i have boughten i really haven't like any enough to buy 2 of them. now i don't have to worry.
Bigdog
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Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

My karaoke songs sung per night, average about 60, give or take.

That's 4 hours worth. At 4 minutes a song.

If you play 30 seconds of filler between each song, 4 hours later you lost 32 minutes. About 8 songs.

Now add in the 3 dance songs per hour and you lose 12 more singers.

That equals 40 karaoke songs sung per night. How is this making the singers happy?

Just a thought.

Even if I sing 5 times all night, I'm still not wasting as much singing time.

And I played 15 more singers. Someone has to be happy with that amount of singing time.
wyndy
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:08 am

Post by wyndy »

Staying on topic.
IMO, too many KJ's make light of the offensiveness of vulgar lyrics. Thirty years ago, it would have been a moot point - there were no inappropriate lyrics and those singing in public did not use profanity.

Are we better off today because there are songs with profane lyrics? Are we better off because we can find those vulgar songs in karaoke catalogs? Are we better off because karaoke now makes it possible for anyone to sing in public and spew profanities? In fact, karaoke singers have been known to spew vulgarities even when the original lyrics contained none.

For you younguns', I assure you that we had freedom of speech thirty years ago. Do you really think you freedom of speech is being infringed upon because Big Dog removes certain songs from his catalog? Would you accuse a KJ who doesn't have every song you'd like to sing of infringing upon your freedom of speech?

Now here's the tricky part for me. I am an adult and I don't care to listen to vulgarities. BUT THERE IS NO UNIFORM STANDARD OF WHAT IS BOTH OFFENSIVE AND CRUDE. That determination is subjective. And while some today might find “Stand By Your Man” offensive, it wasn't offensive when it was written. More important, even today, no one can refer to that song as being “vulgar” and/or “crude”.

Furthermore, I find the "I-95 Song" funny, not offensive and would be hysterical if it were followed, immediately, by “A** H*le”. I reminisce when I hear "Ode To My Car". However, I don’t want to hear a song about how good she f***s.

So, I'd forego the questionable songs from above that I enjoy, in order to be spared the ones that make me want to walk out of a karaoke venue. Why are there those of you who have vulgar material in your catalogs that are unwilling to do the same?

And, is it good business to offend some in order to please others? Can't those others be pleased in other ways? There are tens of 1,000's of other songs to choose from!
Marlena
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:25 am

Post by Marlena »

well here is my thoughts back to the original topic.

Someone said and i can't quote and i'm not going back through a hundred posts to find it. lol..

something to the effect of radio startions, jukeboxes and tv don't play those songs with profanity.
Seems to me you have'nt really listened to a satilite radio station yet and as far as juke boxes go, i'm sure that buckcherry is in each jukebox you see.

Although wyndy I do not find Stand by your man Crude or profane, I still disagree with the message it sends, but i have not removed it from my play list and if i had time i would probably find many songs that offend me if i really wanted to go through it.

I find that new song which has the lyric " i like your pants around your knees, i like it when your on your knees" also offensive to myself. but i will not invoke my preference on others. Again it comes down to drawing the line and where the line is.

At the same time as talking about profanity and offending customers. Where does it end, and how stupid do some customers have to be. here is something that just happened this last week at the club i play.

I start at 9:30 every saturday night, and @ 10 p.m. a reunion of old folks come into the bar. Now although Buckcherry was being sang they stayed BUT had the nerve to sit right under the speaker when there where 10 other tables farther back in the bar. Then came up and asked that the music be turned down because they couldn't here each other talk. That takes talent i tell ya!

This issue is the same thing as to:
smoke/non smoking
nude/not nude
drink/not drink
profanity/no profanity

I wouldn't use all my music in a library or a school dance as i would in a bar.

Bars were created for the drunken sailor or the average rig hand. Somewhere originally to get away from the acceptable public norm. Heaven forbid even a place to get away from the wife. NOW although the bar industry has changed immensely since the days of NO WOMEN ALLOWED. I DOn't think that the bar scene should become the acceptable Public norm.

If my grandmother wants to go out for a night, she doesn't look to the barroom for a place to go. If my children want to go out dancing they don't seek out the bar scene, they seek out the sock hop. If the ladies auxiliary club is looking for fun, the go to a quilting bee or bingo.

If My pastor wants to go out for a good time, He isn't going anywhere in his own town and yes i've seen them in the bars in other towns giving it up like the rest of us.

If my doctor/lawyer wants to go out they go to the gentleman's club. If the millitary goes out they go to their designated bar on Base.

BUT if the average blue-collar worker wants to go and have a great time not hurting anyone. They want to rant and rave about the horrible boss they have or how bad life is. They have the "BAR SCENE" to do it in. Nothing Gives any of these groups I have mentioned to oppose their beliefs on the Bar scene. NOR do i want to see my doctor or my lawyer at the bar in which i work.

EVERYONE knows the stereotypes of a bar setting, SO are you SURPRISED to hear these profanities used when you go there? and WHY? You knew what you were in for when you left the house.

If your going to Karaoke to showacse your talent, Your going to the wrong place, Try STAR SEARCH or Canadian/ American IDOL.

If your going out to have unhibited fun, with lots of laughs, some profanity, some good dancing. Just letting your hair down and be yourself. You go to the BAR!


I'm sorry I'm here to cater to the average Joe and what he wants, I'm tired of everyone Getting SO offended over every little thing.

ARE YOU OFFENDED? (not speaking to any of you in particular just talking generally)

Then It's Time to do 1 of 3 things

1)Suck it up Princess!
2) Build yourself a bridge to get over it
3) Stay home

I'm tired of society Norm imposing iself on the average Joe And therefore, It's not going to affect my show or it's content. It's a BAR it's X Rated, hense the 18 and over rule that the government has imposed.

I'll even go a step further, If it ain't illegal or hurting anyone else PHYSICALLY, then Where i'm concerned all the power to you.

I Say GO To The AVERAGE JOE!

Marlena
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wiseguy
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Post by wiseguy »

Well stated Marlena. Your sentiments echo those of myself and nearly every KJ I know (and believe me, there are many).
DanG2006
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Location: USA

Post by DanG2006 »

LoneWolf wrote:As a karaoke singer, I am one of the ones that bigdog seems to cater too. There are lots of us out there. Those who get aggravated when with 20 singers in the rotation, the dj (kj) says something like "we'll get back to the karaoke in a few minutes but first we're going to do some dance music" and then proceeds to have half a dozen dance songs. As a kj myself, I agree with wiseguy that I find out beforehand what the owner wants. I also agree that you can certainly chase away the singers if you play too much dance music. My partner insists that you must have at least a few dance songs in the show. I disagree. But it is not something that we fight about. I am convinced that you will bring in more singers doing strictly karaoke, than you will chase away by not having dance music. I also agree with the kings that to have filler music play out if folks are enjoying it is a good thing. I am not tied to just one option here. But I will say as a singer I get frustrated if I go to a place and they claim to have karaoke and then do 2 -3 dance sets.
While I do both, I lean towards karaoke if I have a large rotation. If I have a short rotation then I will place breaks of dj music between the rotations (never longer than 3 songs - exception is if no more slips have been turned in which is rare if not never seen at my shows).
wyndy
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:08 am

Post by wyndy »

Marlena/Wiseguy

ALL HOSTED KARAOKE SHOWS ARE NOT DONE AT BARS
I'll repeat for both of you a couple of questions from my previous post that went unanswered.

I asked in my prior post what harm would be done, in effect, to "play it safe" and exclude all vulgar material, even though I admit I enjoy some songs that others might consider to be vular?

If "harm" would be done, what problem exists for a KJ who doesn't have offensive songs in his/her catalog simply because they were, due to an OVERSIGHT, never purchased?

POTENTIAL GAINS OF LEAVING VULGAR SONGS OUT OF YOUR CATALOG IMO:
No one can be offended/no one will walk out

When you display your catalog to the owner of a venue that is classier than a sailor's bar, the owner can't use the offensive material in your catalog as the ratonale to hire someone else.

When you play a venue that is classier than a sailor's hangout, there is the potential for more people to be offended. If there is no offensive material in your catalog, there is no chance for anyone to be offended.

Oh, of course there are those of you who will than say, I don't let offensive songs to be performed around kids. So, you have a double standard? You cater to the "AVERAGE JOE", so long as he/she doesn't offend kids.

And who is the 'AVERAGE JOE'? To me, average in this context would mean 51 out of 100 people. Do you really believe that 51 out of 100 people would be offended/disappointed/go somewhere else if a KJ has no vulgar material in his/her catalog?

Recently, in some thread on some forum, a poster offered four reasons why people sing karaoke. It was a well thought out opinion. That, among other reasons, make me doubt that there even is an "average Joe"

AND FOR MARLENA, WHO HAS IMPARTED THE WISEDOM UPON YOU TO DEEM WHAT OFFENDS ME IS TRIFLING? AND WHO HAS TAUGHT YOU TO DISMISS THE OPINIONS OF THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH YOU?
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