Karaoke Forums

Ok.... I'm throwing it out there.  I am not only a KJ, but I've been attending shows for many years as well.  I think I have finally run across the worst singer ever.  

I actually have had other customers in the bar complain to me about this guy's performance.  And even before that, I cringed every time I even saw this guy in the bar.  

I cut the guy off tonight from singing towards the end of the night, telling him that I thought that he was a little too intoxicated to be singing.  Truth is, that was a lie, and I would be happy if this guy never got behind one of my mics again, no matter how sober he is.  

I had a discussion with the bartender after we shut down for the night, and asked her if she thought I was being a jerk for cutting this guy off, and she said no.

I would like some opinions from other KJs and regular patrons out there.  How bad does someone have to be before the KJ just says no?  Should I just let him sing regardless?  Am I damaging my show and therefore the reputation of the bar by letting someone this awful perform at my shows?  Am I damaging my show/reputation by establishing the precedent that I'm being judgemental of the singers that I will allow to perform at my shows?

I wouldn't have the balls to tell anyone to stop singing just because they suck.   If they were drunk and dropping the microphone yes.   That gets in to a very gray area.   You could offend them and any number of other people because of it.   I have seen people get up and leave when certain singers sang.   But they may have been leaving anyway and it just happened a little faster.   Very bad singers can hurt your show to an extent.   But so could shutting someone off.   People might think you are being a little too judgemental.   It is only karaoke.   And nobody is really expected to be fantastic.  What if they have friends and family there.   Most singers are really trying their best.  I don't think people want to intentionally embarrass themselves.   I have heard some really good singers, sing off key for an entire song.  They just couldn't find the right notes that particular time.   I wouldn't shut anyone off.   No mater how painfull.    Maybe in that instance a recording of them would be a good idea.    They might hear how bad they are and quit.

Is the guy a jerk or he just can't sing and thinks he can.    I did have a guy like that and everyone clapped and made such a fuss when he was done, he actually thought he was a great singer.   They made a bigger deal out of him than they did the really good singers.  So he naturally thought he had to be the best one.  From the crowd reaction.   Hand out tomatos or get everyone to not make a sound when he is done.   Making a fuss will cause him to think he was good.  I know we should be treating everyone fairly, but maybe an exception once in a while...

Bad singers get to sing at our show, if they enjoy it, why not - that's what karaoke is supposed to be about, having fun & enjoying themselves?  It's not idol search, if you want a club full of good singers then you announce that when you start the show!  If they are truly aweful, maybe turn the mic down in the mains, but leave the monitors up so they can still hear themselves.

There's kind of a topic already open on this debate.

http://www.karaoke-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=12349

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

I would give him a handful of drink chips from the farthest away bar that has karaoke on that night.    Tell him he's promoted to the next round of the competition.  And call him a cab.  LMAO  :hi5:  :wave:


Don't forget to tell him he's way out of his league here.

Awful singer, or awful attitude ?  To me there's a huge difference.  If the person just sucks at singing, surely there's a song out there that'd suit his voice somewhat better than his current choice, why not try to work with the person, and suggest a song better suited, OR like Lonnie mentioned, turn the mains down, and let the bar backs jam some noise turning bar TV's and bar music up, but since when is Karaoke about talent ?  Since I'd rather do other things at bars, I prefer to avoid Karaoke areas all-together because Karaoke is hardly what I consider a polished area of the performing arts.  A LOT of it is annoying. It's an interactive bar game.. Is it for singers or patrons who want to "play" ?  

Heck,  if kids smack each other too hard in school playing "Duck Duck Goose", doesn't the teacher tell them to ease up before not allowing them to play with the rest of the kids ?  Try other methods, do you have the right to tell a sober lucid person they can't play Karaoke ?  Seems the KJ has control of HOW abrasive the bad bad singer is.  He controls the board... consider that part of the "skill" of being a good KJ, trying to make it less abominable.  Why not allow a person to sing just because they suck ?  Yet if you find a venue that has ALL talented singers in CT let me know,  I'll start going.. I find most of karaoke annoying as a patron who wants to go out and just chill in a quiet setting.  Seems if you are going to start cutting off subpar singers,  the venue should just cut Karaoke IMHO..  Karaoke is fun for those who want to participate, but few others (at least around here),  Many would be happier with just a TV and stereo and pool tables.  It's for those that want Karaoke, not those that want quality stage musicianship,  If you turn him down, how is he that annoying ?

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Just turn the volume down way low.  That is what I do, because I have found the worst singers tend to 1) shout the loudest and 2) pick the longest songs. If they call me on turning them down, I will explain to them that they shout and pick long songs. If they will sing in a normal tone and pick 3-minute songs, I will be happy to turn them up. But I haven't been questioned yet.

MORE MUSIC, WAY LESS MIC!!

Then afterwards give him some coaching or have him try a different song to BROADEN HIS MUSICAL HORIZONS.

That especially works with the screamers.

Tell them to not sing so LOUDLY and let the MIC DO THE WORK---that can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!

But if thier obvioulsly way to drunk then jsut cut them off.

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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

we let everyone sing regardess of talent, but we HAVE dropped the mic in the mains and turned it up in the monitor.  this way, the singer can still hear himself singing, but the audience isn't subjected to torture!  everyonce in awhile someone from that singer's group will let me know they "can't hear the singer" at which point i have to tur the mic back up.  what're ya gonna do?
still, the point of karaoke is to have a good time, not win a grammy, right?

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All work and no play make Homer something something

I posted the following question on the thread about "bad singers":



So, I guess "Truly Awful" is even worse than "really, really bad"?  And if that's the case, I suppose we're all suppose to agree that "Truly Awful" singers shouldn't be tolerated by anyone?

IMHO, go back the the thread on "bad singers".  Nothing changes with your opinion that someone is "truly awful"!

Nope nothing changes, they are allowed to sing - bottom line!  May turn their main vocals down & monitor vocals up so they can hear themselves, but if they are truly bad (awful), again, it's karaoke not an idol search!  If people have to have a specific sound to have fun, then karaoke is no longer what it once was & I would sooner leave the industry altogether, than to tell someone, hey dude, you don't meet up to our standard with your vocals.  I know you support the bar, spend money, never cause troubles, but we just aren't going to let you enjoy your hobby anymore here.  So you can either stay here & shut your mouth or go down the street & take your money with you!

Now if they are trouble makers, don't spend money, try to scream vulgarities (which we don't allow either), general bad egg overall, then yes they should be cut off from all activities & asked to leave the bar!

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

One of my favorite sayings is "Singing is an expression of the joy in one's soul".  Face it, singing makes you feel good.  Whether you're tone deaf or spot on shouldn't make a dayum bit of difference to the kj as long as the person is well behaved and/or a good customer.  Monitors up, mains down, plain and simple.

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[shadow=white][scroll]Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.....It's about learning to dance in the rain[/scroll][/shadow]

My personal saying is Karaoke is 15% talent and 85% attitude. I have had many bad singers but if they have a good attitude and have fun doing it, there is no reason why they shouldn't sing at all.

Where I have problem is someone putting in a slip for someone else who don't want to sing and are terrible at it, but forced to sing because of the peer pressure. I tend to just ask them politely if they want opt out. Most of the time they do.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

Tell him he's killing your show.

Yeah he's so good the other singers don't want to sing because he intimidates them.

Ask him as a favor to you, if he could try not to be so good.

I'm just glad you guys that are in favor of banning a singer have never tanked songs. I know I'm not anywhere CLOSE to the horrid singer I used to be... lack of experience mostly, but there were some songs that I did that were so bad... when I heard the recording of myself, I almost stopped attending karaoke.

It was through nurturing and very forgiving friends that I stuck with it. and there are some times I STILL tank a song. Sure am honored to be with folks that are so good they will sit in superior judgement on  bad singers.

I'd have hated to have been at  your bar... chances are I'd never have graduated to the middle of the class!

if someone is singing deliberately bad then cut them for sure but if someone is giving it their all and experiencing the joy of singing then they should be allowed to sing.. Karaoke is about having a go...

I have to agree that karaoke is all about fun and not about music so it really doesn't matter how bad the guy is.  But I feel your pain, there were times when I just couldn't take it anymore even though I didn't tell anyone they were too hammerd.  That's when the monitors came up and the mains went down.

There are people who are actually tone deaf.  You can tell who these people are because they don't like music.  You're probably not going to see them at a karaoke show.  The rest can be saved.  Tweak the singer not the knobs.  Tell him he sucks.  Tell him very constructively why and how he sucks.  Tell him how to improve the whole suckage thing.  That will either make him quit or get better.  Problem solved either way.

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Okay, who took my pants?

While some of us know we suck, and welcome constructive criticism, in a "just karaoke" environment you don't freely tell people enjoying themselves "you suck", because it's a game where having fun IS ALL THAT MATTERS.  Telling a person who enjoys themselves and loves what they are doing or their moment under the limelight that they suck, makes little sense (although in a musician setting I demand it).. Is this JUST KARAOKE,  or not ?    This is what I've been maintaining all along,  to musicians, most singing karaoke SUCK...  It's a kids game for adults... "You too can sing on stage and suck" is what it's about, right ?  Otherwise few belong on stage at all..  But I agree,  and will go further,  MOST karaoke shows are annoying as all heck to be around (IMHO),  atonality and dissonance give me headaches !!!  As a result I've never sung on stage, nor will I..  I opt to pollute soundwaves over a computer admitting I suck as a disclaimer... Reason being, I want to learn to sing better.  Some do not belong on a stage, but unfortuntealy karaoke as a fun form of entertainment for folks with no talent, isn't an appropriate activity to ban based upon ability at all !

That's what stage singing was about PRE-Karaoke !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Yeah, but Kappy.... Isn't it a kindness to tell someone their fly is unzipped?

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Okay, who took my pants?

Not at on orgy where a guy's trying to enjoy himself !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Now there, you have me....

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Okay, who took my pants?