Karaoke Forums

I think a PARTIME KJ is less likely to undercut than one who does it FULL TIME.

I work a full time job and KJ for extra money. Therefore my extra TIME is valuable and if I'm going to be away from the wife and kids ...I need to make decent money.

I have been in the situation where Sat was a big success and the owner is considering another night. I will do it form a reduced rate with the understandig that when we build up a crowd the rates come up. This is standard business practice however I'm not going to obligate myself at a super reduced rate because I can do parties or other gigs.The discout is usually $25 but once accepted a $50 discout for Thur.

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Having more than one night in a place and being able to leave the gear saves us so much time and energy. After years and years of moving equipment, it is EVER so much worth it to us to give a bit of a break. Kind of like buying volume?

If, on the other hand, I see that we're doubling a place's business, I may suggest a percentage over a certain amount, for example, 20% for everything over $1500 in a four-hour shift. Makes good business sense for them.

There are those who would have been better off had they been able to look into a magic window into the future and saw that 1) NOT EVERYONE will be able to bring in enough of a crowd to bring in that kind of business; 2) It doesn't take long for crowds to dwindle once the caliber of the show disintegrates; 3) not every place is going to attract a great karaoke crowd by virtue of reputation, and 4) bright and shiny new face guy with 100,000 songs doesn't have a following! Geesh...nothing like the seed group of about 30-40 people who help a show get going.

I never want a venue owner to have to sit and play with a calculator trying to figure out if I'm worth what they're paying or if they can afford me. The whole key in that situation is to work hard, if it's worth it to you, at making it a mutually beneficial situation. There are lots of places 'on the edge' right now, barely eeking out a living and being able to stay open. I don't want them to look at me as their savior for sure - those kind of places fail for a reason. I mean, I'm not Super Karaoke Woman.

If you were hired to do a different club with their house system that is not as good as your system, what would you charge? Would it be the same as your job? You are also part of the draw because people know you and how good you run your shows. That is worth money. Even if it's because you have to work harder to use the system to get it to sound as good as you're use to, if possible. That is worth money. Using your own equipment is worth money.

I think I would have to charge the same amount for my time whether it's my system or yours. If i can't get it to sound as good my reputation could be compromised. If i'm taking a hit, i'll need compensated for it.

There are a lot of factors that go into pricing, for sure.
I don't do private parties, I actually prefer the stability of a regular gigs in bars. My basic bar set is $200 for 4 hours, with extra time available for extra $. I currently work 4.5- and 6-hour shows. I have long-term relationships with the bar owners I work for, and I know how rare that can be.
I have generally gotten my new gigs from bar owners who have visited my then-current shows and been impressed enough to make me an offer. (Anytime I have solicited a venue, I practically begged the bar owner to simply come see one of my shows; as a businessman, I can think of no better enticement than to actually SEE what I do. However, I find that 99% of bar owners simply won't do it. They'd rather buy a pig in a poke before they actually go to another venue.)
I gauge how serious they are about nurturing a karaoke show and the needs of their venue. I also would assess how their venue would suit my show -- are the acoustics worth a d*mn, my travel distance, do they have a decent customer base, the bar's reputation, what genres of music are they geared for, location, etc., and very important, can I trust this bar owner?
I've been brutally honest with some bar owners -- that karaoke won't fly in certain spots, or at least not my show.
I also have to consider what nights I have available. Right now, I am a full-time KJ working four nights a week (-- I previously worked as much as six nights a week; I will not do that again unless I face financial devastation). A new bar will not get me for a rock-bottom price to take up one of my current days' off. Maybe for a good price or a premium, but not for a discount.
Also, three of my four shows are in one venue. I started out there offering a discounted price for the three-night package, produced good results, and now have worked up (in less than a year) to full price for all three shows.
I formerly worked 5+ years in another venue, 3-5 nights a week, but that bar was sold to a new owner who did NOT support karaoke. It cut into what I was able to provide to the bar and led me to gradually accept other jobs, from my current venues. My former employer (my last show there was Jan. 3) has now filed for bankruptcy. (I'm not saying his lack of support for karaoke killed the bar, but his attitude drove off a very dependable crowd of regulars, most of whom still come to my newer shows.)

If I was hired as a host only at a house that had their own system, I would charge what I would require as a host only. Being a trained sound engineer as well, I can typically make a crap sounding system sound worth while - although it's rare that I am hired as a host only, it has happened.
If it don't sound as good as my 'reputation' I let people know that it is not my system & am doing the best I can with what I have to work with. 9 out of 10 times, most are satisfied with the results. If I am not using my system, there is no way I would charge the same price as I would if I were using my system AND hosting, that's pretty stupid IMO, but again, that's just my opinion! If you want to charge the same price & get it, go for it - more power to ya, that's not the way I roll.

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It's still 6 hours of my time whether it's with my system or yours. I make the magic happen. As a host i must be the MC and entertainer if needed. I could do the same show with almost any system. Provided it has what i need to do that. The sound might be something we are not use to but the rest comes down to me. And isn't that the reason you were asked to do it. They could have picked another KJ to run the show. Since they picked you they must have had a good reason. Making it worth my while makes you money. That's why you picked me for my money making potential.

I work 2 nights a week in a bar that the owner came to one of my shows and requested me. I'm hoping he was to other bars to look at the competition and i won. That fact alone makes me worth something. If you have a good reputation it's worth cash. The bigger and better the more it's worth. The biggest part of that is your time. Nobody else can spend your time.

I only read the the first 7 words, "It's still 6 hours of my time". EXACTLY!


So if it take me an hour to set up, an hour to tear down, I play for 4 hours. 6 hours of my life went to karaoke. If I can leave my gear set up, now it's 4 hours of play time, 10 minutes to fire up and sound check, 2 minutes to shut my speakers off, my accessories, power down my laptop and put into my bag and walk out the door, I've invested 4 hours and 12 minutes.

Of course I can offer a discount. As an owner, I would expect to pay less to someone who can leave their equipment, even if they have to tear down and put in a storage room behind the stage as I do more than half the time. It's just a matter of negotiation and what you will accept in your area with the talent and equipment you have. If the owner is willing to pay me 200 bucks for one night a week but expects me to haul my equipment in and out that's different than paying me 200 bucks a night and I can leave everything set up.

My preference is to be able to leave my equipment at the bar. As far as gas money and wear and tear on the vehicle, in my case it is pretty much zero. I ride my bike and I have a Delta Metro Pannier that clips to my rack and allows me to transport my laptops to the show. Yes they are rainproof.

To each their own but there really are different price points for each situation.

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

Still don't get it do you? The only actual thing that made the bar owner money was the 4 hours of the show. Nobody cares what you had to do before and after to get there. The bar owner made his money only while the music plays. Not while you do the set up and tear down. So if you leave the equipment set up or not he is still only making money from you being there while the music plays. That is your total worth. Play time not setting up and tearing down. That is what makes me worth my total fee that i charge. My talent at playing the music. Any monkey can set up and tear down equipment. How many can run a money makng show? That is why i want my full fee. The magic i do during the show. Does Jon Bon Jovi want paid to set up equipment or sing? The equipment can be there but if he isn't there singing there is no show. No singer nobody gets paid but the equipment sat there. He is the show and without him, whoever hired him won't pay, no matter how much equipment they trucked in. I am the show and i want compenstated for being there and being the show. That makes my show my show. If someone else used my equipment and couldn't do what i do, is the show worth the same money? My time and experience is what i get paid for. It's what i do in the 4 hours they contracted me for. Not the hours before and after. That's my take on the subject.

I have a different philosophy, my show is all about the singers,not me.

Mojo

No, I DON'T get it! And I WON'T get it. You don't get paid by what YOU think is right, you get paid by what the owner of the venue thinks is right. If he wants to pay the same to a kj whether equipment is set up or not, fine , go for it. I would. Does Bon Jovi set up THEIR own equipment? No, roadies do and guess what, they don't do it for free. That's part of the ticket price.

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

EXACTLY!!!

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EveningStar Entertainment & Events
JR & Michele LaPorte
Peoria, AZ

When I had a pub I was paying high rent and extortionate prices for liquor.
I got a KJ who had a big following.
I paid three times more for him than getting a KJ with little or no following, even if they were the best.
Unfortunately your talent to entertain is not as important as your talent to fill the cash register.
Fair… We live on planet earth.

This is actually a good thread although quite off topic.

Karyoker, nothing wrong with your pricing strategy.
I think you may need to be more flexible, but it is your choice...
Hope it works for you.

If the 10 truck loads of equipment is set up and Jon Boy gets sick and can't sing the promoter isn't going to pay the roadies a nickel. The show didn't go on and nobody is getting paid. They are paying for a singing performance not a silent equipment display. No play, no pay get it? Other than that we'll see you in court.

The show gets canceled and every ticket holder gets a refund. Who gets paid? Not Jon and the roadies.

Hey! Wait a minute!


Aren't you the same person who was bewailing the loss of jobs or the threat of loss of jobs because of pirates in another thread? Hmmmmm seems you want to have your cake and eat it too....

Ooh. You noticed that too! I don't think pirates is why she's losing jobs.

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Dave's not here.

Still don't get it do you?

-My price also includes set-up & tear down time. When I don't need to set up & tear down, then my price goes down - I still get my hosting wages that I would charge, so I am out nothing. Again, no right or wrong here, this is how I feel, if you feel to charge the full price then do it. Why the arguement?

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Yes they will still get paid. There are reserves for these kinds of contingencies. Plus 9 out of 10 times the concerts get rescheduled so no one loses anything.

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