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OK here it is something "new" to discuss
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Author:  jclaydon [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:59 am ]
Post subject:  OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Being one of those 'idiots' who inadvertantly started another piracy thread, I thought it would be nice to discuss something else for a change.

It might have been discussed before, but I'm too lazy to go back and look! :wink:

How did you get started as a Karaoke Host, and why do you do it?


here's my story which I have copied and pasted from another board..

"Hmm good question. The how is a lot easier than the why.

My background is I was part of a large *120 voices* church choir in Burnaby and an aquaintence at the time *he's now pretty much my only TRUE friend* invited me out to karaoke. I figured "what the hell, I've got nothing better to do"

The funny thing about it is he said if I went I HAD to sing, and obviously because of the choir, I couldn't just make up some lame excuse like "I don't sing"

The first song I ever tried was "Higher and Higher" by Jackie Wilson.. Now for those that don't know, jackie wilson is a HIGH tenor.. I am a bass, or on a REALLY good day a baratone. Needless to say the song was a complete disaster. But everyone in the bar stood up and applauded and cheered like I had just sang the best song ever.

That was pretty much it.

Flash forward 8 years later, and I was still singing karaoke at a friend's show and I decided that I wanted to try and do this for myself, so I went and talked to my parents, and they lent me the money to get some really basic equipment and a starter set plus I had quite a collection already from stuff i had bought just for me.

I started out working for that friend. I seemed to have a real gift for the hosting side of things. I helped make her show ten times more popular than it was *the only discs she had were the SAVA set and a few others* after she and I had a falling out, that's when I decided to go it by myself *I'm still wondering if i would be better off trying to find a multi-op somewhere, but that's an entirely different story*

So why am I still doing it? Well there are many reasons but what it all boils down to is i love music.

Music has always been a part of who I am, and what makes me keep trying when everything else is turning to crap.

It has helped me turn from a total hermit and hating the whole world into to someone who merely tolerates other people and maybe form one or two close friendships..

I haven't completely come out of my shell but compared to where I was, it is a VAST improvement.

Music is what basically keeps me from becoming totally unhinged. I would say it keeps me sane, but that ship sailed a LONG time ago. Besides, who the heck wants to be sane, it's much more fun to be the misfit.

I love entertaining people, and when I'm on stage I'm a completely different person. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure everyone is having fun. And if that means acting like an (@$%&#!), singing off key, starting a conga, mock stripping I'll do it.

The other reason I do it is because I love "converting" people. You know the total skeptic who absolutely hates karaoke, until I can convince them to get up on stage and give it a try.

The look on their face when everyone applauds is like crack to me. I love entertaining people.

The last reason is it makes me feel useful as a human being. As someone who is mentally and physically disabled, virtually everything I have tried in my life has been a complete failure. The only two real successes I have had are my music and graduating from high school. Finding something i am really good at gives me a reason to keep trying and a reason to get up in the morning.

-James"
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Heres the short ..played Keyboards and Vocals in a band growing up ,through High School and for a few years after. Band broke up due to familiy obligations and memebers just going there own ways. .. ANYWAY since I love to sing I started out as a singer. Meet a girl ( KJ ) who got me started in the business. Seemed like a natural fit ...2 things I love coming together SINGING and MONEY. Started buying discs and equipment, started DJ'ing for friends etc and 10+ years later here I'm am . Currently hosting shows TUESDAYS / FRIDAYS / EVERY OTHER SATURDAY at 3 different venues. pLus holding down a full time job and a comercial cleaning business ... talk about busy LOL
Author:  srnitynow [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
I'd been a karaoke singer for quite a while, even met my girlfriend at karaoke. We became "regular" karaoke enthusiasts (singers). I retired from my regular (very stressful) job, and thought about doing something else with my life, so I returned to my roots of art and music. So I now sit in front of the art table, and draw portraits of family, and the like, and started a karaoke business. I keep myself pretty busy between the two. Currently we (girlfriend and I) are hosting every other Friday at a hotel lounge. GREAT venue, very enjoyable. We also just hosted a wedding, and a house party for some of our karaoke "regulars". That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!!! :shock:

Rosario
Author:  Lonman [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 1:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Completely by accident. {longer story than I planned lol}
I played in bands here and there from my high school days (never sang). Started to learn to run sound and was doing that since 86. My parents around 88 or so bought a basic little tape karaoke machine. They were going out almost 3-4 times a week to clubs that were still using tapes & printed sheets. They met a host that was using something that actually had words and video on the screen (lasers), and bought their first laserkaraoke system around 89. The company that helped them double booked one night & asked if they could rent the system and discs (back then there were about 25 discs available). Well the company actually did not know how to hook this system up & my parents asked if I could help them. I went and got it all set up for them. After that the company asked if I could do all their set ups/tear downs as they really liked the way the system sounded. I agreed, so was a karaoke roadie in 89. I was setting up up to 5 systems a day - some up to 100 miles apart. I was making $50 per setup plus gas expenses - this was also back when a company could make $300 or more per gig on a regular basis.
Eventually in 91 this company split up and went their own way. I worked for one that was a little closer to home until 94. About 92 is when the owner put me up as a host for the first time, this took me by complete surprise because I had no interest in it, I had only started singing a couple years before. I hosted the first time, thought I did a great job, the owner was very impressed - she got a call the next day that we lost the club - they said it had nothing to do with me. Well she put me in at another club & did the night, even brought a birthday girl to the stage & sang 16 Candles, the night went great - the next day the owner got a call that we lost the club - COMPLEX. Well she did it to me again (with the club I am currently running today), I decided maybe I was too over the top & toned down a bit, we got a call the next day ALMOST losing the club - the host was too blah :roll: . So I went back to high energy & the rest was history.
I started putting together a system of my own, I wanted something that would stand out from the rest at the time, but still was on a budget so I pawn shopped much of my first system but it consisted of a decent mixer, processors & bi-amped with subs and a stage light system. I was acquiring discs that I wanted & was picking up cdg's as they were just coming out. I had to rent the rest of the discs for a basic library when I went out on my own from a local store, but still had a bunch of songs from my personal purchases that no one else had yet. I would buy at least 1 new disc from the rental library from each gig. My first gig was in 94 and one that was handed to me as the company that was scheduled could not do it, a Valentines Day show at a local Dennys with lounge. That same company decided to give me another Dennys they had as they did not think it would go anywhere, I built it up and got 2 nights. Another club owner came in and liked the show, hired me for 2 nights at 2 of his clubs, so within the first week of owning my system I had 4 nights working without any effort.
Eventually the club that my former company was at called me & said she is not showing up and blaming her other hosts that were not scheduled, I told them I would take the job but only after a 1 month cooling off period and to give me time to give notice to my other shows (1 was actually ready to quit it anyway due to ASCAP hounding them). The club hired another company for one month & I took over and have been there since 94, 7 nights. I had acuired another complete system & was doing mobile shows as well at the time, but stopped doing the mobile gigs a few years back.
Author:  twansenne [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
I got lassoed into it by my girl friend (now she is my wife).


We started dating about 7 years ago, and my wife with her father and step-mother had a KJ business. They had been doing karaoke for about 12 years already. So after our first date (dinner), she had a show to go to. I tagged along, met her dad, and watched for about 1 hr before going home. Well after a couple months of dating I started to help with the shows, and it was a LOT OF FUN!!!!!

Well after 1 year of dating I proposed to her, in the middle of a karaoke show. So then it was official, I became a KJ.

Being that I was a computer nerd, I started searching the www on how to computerize the music. Took about 1 year to get everything right. Man it was slow ripping CDGs on a 266mhz computer. The Wife's dad and step mom decided to leave the "Selective Sounds" name and venture out on their own, I think it was more of them being scared of using a computer to host.

So FF 7 years.....karaoke is still fun, making GOOD money, and hope to go another 15 years or more.


So basically I married into the Karaoke biz.
Author:  Dr Fred [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
I started singing pretty much on a whim and really enjoyed it and was a regular singer for about 4 years.

The shows that I started at and was a regular at had what was for me the right vibe, and was a lot of fun. I did not enjoy other karaoke shows anywhere near as much.

Eventually that bar moved (about a mile into a different neighborhood), and the kj moved away. The karaoke scene which was very active at that bar pretty much died. I found another bar with a decent karaoke show, but after going there for a couple years, that KJ had to move to another town. I offered to start running the karaoke at that club (once a week). I now do many occasional songs elsewhere as well but I am not able to commit to much more than 6-7 times a month due to my day jobs. I turn down a lot of gigs.
Author:  karaoke for food..... [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Honestly? remember you asked....Been a working musician for 40 years. Till the club owners in my area thought it was cheaper to pay 1 guy playing cdg's then 5 dudes standing up on stage with multi thousands of dollars invested in gear, and years in lessons and hard schooling on the road. Almost all band jobs were lost to dj & kj's, so, can't beat'em..join'em... kinda reminds me of what we all say the pirates are doing right now...turn around fair play? Just an honest respectful answer is all..... :D
Author:  eben [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Totally by accident on my part. I was a regular at a Sunday night Karaoke at a bar hosted by someone who became a good friend. We had a regular group that played in a pool tourney at the bar and started to sing regularly to pass time. The rig was own by a multi rig company and my friend just showed up and hosted.

One night, my friend had a car trouble and couldn't show up at the last minute. The equipment was there and I knew how to use it so as a favor to the bar owner, I filled in. That was the first time. Since then, I have been a sub for KJs around here for many years. About 7 years ago, I got my own gig together and started to do private parties as a second job and have been doing it since then.
Author:  Karen K [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Been a singer/musician my whole life, did a lot of musical theater, then on to arranging for 4 and 5 voices, got absolutely burned out doing too much music. Relocated and starting singing karaoke in about '92, I think - my neighbor whom I had just met brought over a tape of her singing...told me she was goin' into town to sing karaoke and did I want to go....sure I said....FF a few years, got a divorce, took a lump of the money I got in the separation and bought a really nice setup (a lot more than most people spend, just because I got top of the line pro gear), spent $3000 on CDGs the first day, went home, learned how to use the equipment. Fiance (at that time) and I went to a regular show to sing, the show was dying because the host was burning out badly. A friend of the owner suggested that I could take over...Built it up to an amazingly fun place, spent 4 years there, doing adults and kids shows.

I always tell the snooty "musicians" that it is the most fun way to keep chops in shape - I've done stints in bands over the years as well as done studio work as a backup singer for a lot of bands. I have spent years dispelling the horrid myths about krappyoke...seems like that will go on forever.

All our friendships have grown through karaoke ... ALL OF THEM. Seldom do we meet anyone with whom we share a lot in common away from karaoke.

Burnaby huh? Interesting. I grew up in Surrey, lived in the West End and Kits during college years, and went to Langara campus of VCC. There's a BIG nursery on Lougheed in Burnaby that I am connected to...see last initial.
Author:  Avg Joe [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
jclaydon, nice topic. It's nice to hear everyones start. After reading from all these people for a bit over a year now and getting to know them as you can here it's kinda cool.

I can't really add other than that because I'm just a singer now for about 10 yrs. I've been asked to sub, (and only have for a bathroom break) but my machine shop ears makes it tough to tune others in. But my wife has great hearing, so it'll be a little learning curve for us to do as a couple. But I think it could work.

The funny part is a few "accidental starts" I've just read, sounds like it could be me soon. My collection of discs is building. And with my daughter loving karaoke too, her music and discs are starting to thin out my basic country collection.

My simple music background is that I was raised on lite rock. Dad could sing. No country at all. Found out, I'm not a big fan of music, but a fan of lyrics and the song, if that makes sense. Karaoke reminds me of years ago learning songs by taping them off the radio to learn them. Play, write down a couple lines, stop write more. Same thing singing along except alot of rewinding til I felt I got it right.

Again, great topic :!:
Author:  DannyG2006 [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 7:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
I got started as a host when I decided that I could do a better job over the clowns that the local big boy company had. Most of them would play favorites and try to limit certain singers on how much they sang. They lost the fact that the show is all about the singers and not what the host wants. So I purchased my first system in 1993. I went through several setups til I got to the one I have now.
Author:  Brian A [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 7:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Used to be a Mobile DJ doing weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, etc. This is from way way back early 80’s in Southern California. Karaoke at the time was in the earliest stages of infancy.

A store called Federated Group (similar to Best Buy/Circuit City) introduced the first Pioneer Laser Disc Karaoke. The store has the laser disc machine playing, graphics on the tv monitor. I grab that microphone (with my wife’s amazement and embarrassment) and I started singing “Strangers in the night” followed by “Breaking up is hard to do”.

People were curious and started gathering and joined me for a singalong of Runaway by Del Shannon, then Paul Anka's Diana. The manager was impressed and asked me if I would like to sing, demo and sell the unit on weekends. I work there for 3 weeks, then I convinced myself this is my calling. I don't want to be a DJ. I want to be a KJ.

To make the long story short, I started with a Pioneer dual laser disc player at $1,600 insanely priced at the time, a set of 30 Pioneer Laserdisc at $150.00 each. (24 songs per laserdisc), followed by 99 DKK’s 5 years later, then Music maestro…….. and the rest was history. Still a KJ to date and No, I'm not using the laserdisc anymore, lol,
Author:  mckyj57 [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 7:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
I never really sang -- the choir teachers, both church and school, were always trying to get me to come out. But I had no real desire to sing like that.

Everybody sings a little -- Happy Birthday, along with the radio, etc. I had one thing I would do every year at a 4th of July party, sing around the piano. One year I quit smoking in August the year prior, and went to sing around the piano in July as usual. My father's best friend heard me singing and said "I never knew you could sing!" I told him I had been standing next to him for the past 10 years singing. He said he had never noticed me before, and he said it must be due to not smoking. I filed that away, I guess, though I went back to smoking not long after.

Fast forward 15 years til I quit smoking (now just over 5 years ago). Just about that time I ran into karaoke for the first time. I don't drink, and so didn't go to bars. I also don't watch TV, so between not seeing American Idol and not going to clubs I didn't know karaoke existed. I got up and sang, and had a blast. When I quit smoking a month later, I decided I would start singing as an incentive to stay quit.

I started out by buying some DJ speakers (after I blew my HT speakers) and a PG58 mic to go along with a VocoPro karaoke mixer. I started buying CDGs and got MTU Hoster and all the accompanying programs. Pretty soon I started doing parties for friends and charity, and after I bought equipment for a while I even farmed some out for bar gigs. Now I have enough equipment to do a live band, a van to carry it, and almost a 1000 CDGs worth of music. I have backed off the business for a while, as I just travel too much to pay enough attention to it. But I still sing a couple times a week, and I travel all over the country going to gigs. I have been to over 300 different shows in 143 cities in 28 states and provinces.
Author:  Cueball [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
I started off Karaoke as a Singer in 1995. It became an addiction for me. As I started to discover other places to go to for Karaoke, I also discovered that some places did not have the songs that I was used to singing. In 1996, a Karaoke Store opened up in Manhattan, and I started to shop there. On my 1st visit, I bought 2 discs. Then I went back 2 weeks later and bought another disc. Then 2 weeks later, another disc or 2.... and so on, and so on, and so on. After I had about a dozen discs, the owner of the store talked me into buying a portable unit and a Key Changer. Now I could practice at home.

After a few months, I had accumulated about 30 discs. There was a small Italian Restaurant/Bar that I was hanging out at for Karaoke (at that time), and they only had about 15 discs in their selections. I used to bring my discs along with me, and let the people there sing from them. One day, the Bartender told me that if I kept coming back there and allowed the people to use my discs, my meals would be free. Well, that was the beginning of my exposure leading up to KJ-ing. Attendance started to die down at this place, and eventually the Karaoke was canceled.

I started to find other places to sing at, and I was still building up my personal library (and still allowing people to borrow my discs to sing from). At first, my collection was just my personal tastes in music, but that started to expand to the tastes of some of my close Friends. They would mention a song that they would love to sing, and then on my next paycheck, I went out and bought the disc. After about 2 years, my collection had built up to about 200 discs, and I was bringing them with me wherever I went. In some instances, I had a better selection than the KJ did.... and I was still loaning my discs out to everyone to sing from.

I was still buying 2 to 3 discs every 2 weeks, and I finally hit the point where my personal tastes had been fulfilled. My Friends no longer had any songs requests for me to get, but I still was buying discs. Now, I started buying other music (such as the Top Hits Monthly's that were just coming out at the time), just to start rounding off everything I had.

Fast Forward to the year 2000. I now had about 400 discs, and was still taking them out with me to shows. I was still just a Singer, and KJ-ing never even entered my mind. A few people had asked me why I didn't host my own show, and I told them that it was because I didn't have a Car or the right equipment to do this. Well, around May of 2000, my company had announced that effective July 3rd (which just happens to be my Birthday), we could borrow money against our 401K plans. I decided that this was my perfect opportunity to buy a Car. I still consider this Merrill Lynch's birthday gift to me.

When I made this decision, I also decided to borrow a little bit more, so that I could purchase the proper equipment to run my own show. I had borrowed 25K from my 401K, and allocated the funds as such.... 21K for a new Car, and 4K for everything I would need to run a Karaoke show. I already had a great library (which I was still building upon), so all I really needed was the Hardware. I really do not know much about Sound Equipment. At that time, most of the KJs I knew of were using (what I referred to as) Standard Issue equipment --- The VocoPro 2000 (I think) Amp/Mixer and the JVC 3 Tray or the Pioneer 2 Tray machines. I got myself the JVC machine, and one of my Co-Workers (who used to be in a Band) recommended I get the Mackie 408S Amp/Mixer and some Mackie C300 speakers to go along with that. That's what I bought.

Once I had everything I needed, I started to go out to Bars and try to sell them on my services. I wasn't having much luck. Then, on a few occasions, a KJ would call me up and ask if I could fill in for them. I did that, and I was happy. I was averaging about 1 show a month this way. Eventually, I found myself a gig or two, but because of my regular work schedule, they never lasted long. I didn't really mind, as I was/am still doing this more as a hobby. I have been offered a few gigs over the years, and have turned them down because they refused to meet my price of $200 for a 4 hour show. The only compromise I have done is offering a 3 hour show at $150.

Currently, I have 1 gig that is held every other Saturday (on for 3 months, off for 3 months to accommodate my work schedule), and it is a 3 hour show (with the possibility of being extended (at Management's discretion) an extra hour if the place is busy). I also have one other place where they want me there every Halloween Weekend, and New Year's Eve. This place has also called me back there once or twice for Valentine's Day weekend and St. Patty's Day weekend. I have tried to talk them into doing something regular, but they just want Karaoke there on special Holidays.
Author:  jclaydon [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
Avg Joe @ Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:33 pm wrote:
jclaydon, nice topic. It's nice to hear everyones start. After reading from all these people for a bit over a year now and getting to know them as you can here it's kinda cool.

I can't really add other than that because I'm just a singer now for about 10 yrs. I've been asked to sub, (and only have for a bathroom break) but my machine shop ears makes it tough to tune others in. But my wife has great hearing, so it'll be a little learning curve for us to do as a couple. But I think it could work.

The funny part is a few "accidental starts" I've just read, sounds like it could be me soon. My collection of discs is building. And with my daughter loving karaoke too, her music and discs are starting to thin out my basic country collection.

My simple music background is that I was raised on lite rock. Dad could sing. No country at all. Found out, I'm not a big fan of music, but a fan of lyrics and the song, if that makes sense. Karaoke reminds me of years ago learning songs by taping them off the radio to learn them. Play, write down a couple lines, stop write more. Same thing singing along except alot of rewinding til I felt I got it right.

Again, great topic :!:


Well I can't take credit for the topic, I stole it from a different forum from someone who also happens to frequent here.. :)

keep the stories coming tho..

-James
Author:  jdmeister [ Sat Jul 03, 2010 9:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: OK here it is something "new" to discuss
I was drunk at the time.. Never did sober up..
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