Karaoke Forums

Volume is definately an issue. I had a guy sub for me, and he has a near identical system to mine. When I came back the next week my regulars all complained that he didn't play it loud enough. He is an older guy, and thought it was loud enough.
My mom came to one of my shows and sat right in front of the speakers. She said it was too loud. I told my mom to move to a seat not in the front row if it is too loud for her. I explained that the people in the back want to hear the music too.

You have to have up to date music. I am current to June 2009, and everytime I add to my new additions, these new songs get sung. I had new singer come in who was very happy that I had all the current music she wanted to sing.

I don't buy that younger people and older people can't have a good time together. My crowd goes from the barely legal to people in their late 60's. You would be suprised how often one of my older singers is singing a great 50's or 60's classic, and all of the younger people are totally enjoying the singing, are singing along with them, and giving genuine loud applause when they are done. Heck, I don't want to hear only oldies, as I am a very young 40, but do enjoy them in moderation just like any type of music. I will sing an old song from time to time to fit in with a particular crowd for a night, but I mostly sing from the 80's to today, and my older regulars have actually started requesting me to sing songs like "Friday I'm In Love" by the cure. They heard me sing it, and have actually had it grow on them, and love it.

I have had some varying crowds lately. Last week I had the shortest singer list I ever had till about 10:30. There was only one singer per table for the most part, but the place was completely full with people eating, drinking, and enjoying the show, and they cam for the show. This year I have had a couple of slow nights, but usually the same week as say St. Patricks Day or Cinco De Mayo. I expect that.

Felix the KJ

There are people who cannot believe that karaoke continues to be popular - do you still get new people? they ask. I tell them that there is a huge percentage of the population who has never tried it...and who may never have even been to a good show. I think a lot of it has to do with the caliber of the show - if the host is personable, the sound is well mixed, the music is current, and the venue is clean and has good service, then why wouldn't someone be tempted to try it for the first time?

Another aspect of hosting that really doesn't get discussed on this board much is the inclusion factor. If a host endeavors to include everyone - including the audience, there is a sense of belonging that develops. People like to belong, and pretty soon their need to feel like they belong grows and is fed by a karaoke show where everyone seems to know each other and like each other. This has been the very basis of my show for years. If you make people feel good by creating a feeling with them that they belong, you have a singer for life (....combined with the other factors above). The danger comes when hosts develop that kind of closeness with only a certain percentage of their singers instead of everyone...those who aren't included have no reason to stay. It's almost worse to include only part of the group than it is to include no one in that case.

As hosts I'm sure most of us are over the issue of being "too shy" to approach strangers in your room. If you don't approach the new people, even if they aren't singers, you lose an opportunity to begin to build that sense of belonging in them. I know when I go to a new place, I'm always very happy to see the host step out of their little circle and approach me to find out about me, what I sing, where I usually sing, etc. It is obvious by peoples' response to my greeting and a personal interest in them that they are tickled by the fact that someone actually cares enough to talk to them.

I know lots will say they've never done this and they have a full room. There are as many approaches to hosting as there are venues. I have been a performer for years and I do what I know best - that is communication with people. It works great for me and I wonder if it won't work for others who have never given this approach a thought.

And btw, if you question the contagiousness of a laugh or smile, watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ5boOTy ... ture=email

I think you are right on Karen. I always try to introduce myself like you said, especially when I see them coming in carrying disc. Even if I am sure someone sitting at my show isn't likely to sing, I still go over to them, and give them the classic 3 minute conversation.

I also usually make an anouncement in the middle of my show saying that, "I know the economy is bad, and you have many options for your entertainment on a Saturday night, I appreciate you spending it with me".

Felix the KJ

Karaoke like a lot of other things is something that you have to constantly look for ways to keep it fresh and entertaining in order to keep people interested. Some people are connesieurs and like checking out various places until they find their ideal preference.
Sometimes what works well in terms of entertainment doesn't work well for another. At the place I'm doing it, it's more college students which works quite well with my sense of humor. As such, I can do things they enjoy that may not always be suitable at other establishments.
Perhaps to make it fun, they should add a cowbell to their list of props and have someone sing Don't Fear the Reaper. What I stumbled onto last week that was really funny was when a couple wanted to sing "I Got You Babe" In a flash of creative genius or extreme boldness loaded a nasty version called "I Did You Babe". Their first response was surprise but they continued singing while the audience started laughing hysterically. I record all my shows on a very nice Zoom H4n digital recorder I bought and they immediately asked me for a copy to send to their friends. I realize that probably wouldn't work with a lot of other places but hopefully you can glean some creative ideas to keep it fun and unpredictable at all times.

BO?

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

I think if the sound is good, the song selection is reasonable, and the rotation fair, people will attend the show. But nobody likes to sing into a mic that is at low volume. You end up trying to compensate with your voice and then wear yourself out after a song or two. I would crank the volume a bit.

There will ALWAYS be new people for Karaoke. Why?....... because LITTLE KIDS do it. Its become a standard feature of society. Little kids become bigger kids become adults who want to go do Karaoke AT A REAL KARAOKE BAR(if they havent already at all-ages shows). Its ingrained from a VERY YOUNG AGE. So they want to get in the act as soon as they can.

If a particular show is not CATERING to the up and coming new crowd then eventually IT WILL DIE OFF---from lack of NEW BLOOD.

Catering to the young crowd means UP TO DATE MUSIC(both karaoke and dance music) played at relatively loud levels.

They DONT COME FOR QUIET. They come to PARTY and be ROCKSTARS and AMERICAN IDOLS!

Sounds like this isnt happening at this show.

Oh and the bit about OLDER KJ's not being able to cater to a younger crowd---well thats just SO MUCH UTTER HOGWASH!

Age has NOTHING TO DO with how well you GET THE PARTY STARTED and KEEP THE GROOVE ROLLIN'!!

Nuff said!!

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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

Some of you have misread what I wrote. I did NOT say the Mic volume was low. I said that the Music volume was low. Granted, either one of these things can be a factor. I can understand this when Karaoke is hosted in a Restaurant (and there are still Diners that are not there for the Karaoke). I have even approached them on a few occasions about the music volume, and they said that the rest of the crowd prefers it this way (as versus they choose to keep the music low).

Cueball, they may indeed prefer it themselves and turn the crowd into the reason. I know if I host too many nights in a row, on the way home my ears ring horribly if the volume has been excessive - and yes, we do compensate for crowd noise - you know, that horrible upward spiral - crowd loud, music louder, crowd louder, music louder.

Yes, the Regulars have been going to other shows. As to the frequency of this, I could not say. Based on that, I could not say whether the state of our economy would be a factor in this either.

This couple do 4 shows a week (at different venues), and once a month at another place (making the total 5 different shows).

I don't think the volume of business at the restaurants where they have shows are a factor. After all, we're talking about the Karaoke Regulars that have been coming to their shows, not the amount of customers that have been coming to the Restaurant. If business were bad for the Restaurant, then the Restaurant would just6 cancel the Karaoke show and save a few bucks.

As I stated before, this couple is Disc Operated only. This couple does NOT use filler music, and they have the next Singer already queued up in their system to sing as soon as they get to the (proverbial) stage. Thus, there is no wasted time other than the Singer themselves in getting to the stage.

If anything, I have sung inappropriate songs, but not without crowd approval. And, if these people have stopped going to this couple's show because of me, then they might as well stop going out altogether, because I have seen several of them at other shows, and I have sung some of the same songs in front of them there as well.

To my knowledge, there have not been any price increases at these venues.

This couple have attracted a wide variety of people of all age groups at their shows.

There are other shows nearby, but as for them being packed, it's an on and off type of thing.

[Oh and the bit about OLDER KJ's not being able to cater to a younger crowd---well thats just SO MUCH UTTER HOGWASH!

Age has NOTHING TO DO with how well you GET THE PARTY STARTED and KEEP THE GROOVE ROLLIN'!!

Nuff said!![/quote]

To clarify, I didn't say that an older host wasn't capable of catering to a younger crowd. I said there was a perception among some venue owners that they wanted a younger host to cater to a younger crowd. I am 56 and a devotee of mixed shows shows so I know they can and have worked. But what I am seeing (in our area, anyway) are shows popping up that cater strictly to a younger crowd and when given the choice between a mixed show and a room packed full of young available bodies, the young people are going where there are the most young people. That makes it more complicated to attract and keep new (young, anyway) blood.

I'm with Swingcat, turn it up and make a friggin' party out of it.

My experience is that usually for any show there are a FEW people that are the leaders/organizers and a bunch of followers.

I know several of my regulars when the show up they will always bring 4-5 (or more) people with them. These other people often end up becoming regulars on their own but if the "organizer" stops showing up the group breaks up and many of the people stop going out to the show.

Clearly these "followers" were having a good time because they may be at the show every week for weeks or months in a row but without the organizer they just stop being regulars.

To see the crowd dynamic figure out who is the organizer for each group, and that is the person who gets the group to go out "lets do karaoke".

Once you have the organizer identified then look for the specific reason that person is not attending. Often, just one person being sick (or whatever) may reduce the crowd by 10. Sometimes the organizer moves, has other responsiblities, vacations, financial problems or has personal problems with the KJ, or other people at the show.

Sometimes if a couple breaks up who were regulars BOTH will stop going to the show, and if one of them was an organizer, then your crowd may suffer a lot.

Finally you have the "loners" or couples who are not directly contacted by the organizers, but they have a better time at the show when there is the bigger crowd that the organizers bring. If these people see a smaller crowd for several shows in a row they may stop attending as well.

My main point is keeping a very small portion of the regulars VERY happy is most important, I would estimate it is usually only 10% of the crowd that fall into this catagory. BUT if those 10% stop going then the crowd could fall by 75%.

Identify the organizers, talk to them. Find what they like/dislike about the show and improve. Also understand that there are many reasons why they may not be able to attend.

Excellent analysis, Fred. I see aspects of what you see in a lot of the shows I go to or run.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

"Regulars"=Following. Must have regulars and must keep them happy, but not to the point of letting them DOMINATE, MANIPULATE and CONTROL the show. Yes consult with them and ask their advice and make them feel IMPORTANT AND RESPECTED that way.
But must CONTINUALLY cultivate a "NEW" crowd for the reasons in the prior post.

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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

The mystery deepens.....it would be interesting if you ran into one of the former regulars at another show and asked them why you don't see them at the other show any more. Now I'm dying to know.

Other things that come to mind are the night of the show--around here Friday is now the big night and people have given up Saturday. Former thriving shows are still having good Fridays and much slower Saturdays. We lost some people due to a change of bar tendress (felt it was unfair--loyalty--boycott) plus the new one is charging full price for all coke refills (as instructed) and people are angry. So it could even be something to do with how the place is now being run and not the KJs. But I hope you can get to the bottom of it and let us know.