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Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
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Author:  srnitynow [ Thu May 10, 2012 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
What do you consider an audience video monitor, luxury or necessity? Do you connect to an "in house" tv or monitor, and if not do you buy your own monitor? Or do you consider it unnecessary? I personally connect to the venue "big screen", however I also have a monitor on my table (facing in my direction) which in case of an emergency (problem with big screen) I could just turn it to face the audience. This is of course in addition to the singer monitor. Ijust think it makes for a better show, as alot of people (audience) like to read along with the song. Any thoughts?

Srnitynow
Author:  hiteck [ Thu May 10, 2012 10:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
srnitynow wrote:
What do you consider an audience video monitor, luxury or necessity? Do you connect to an "in house" tv or monitor, and if not do you buy your own monitor? Or do you consider it unnecessary? I personally connect to the venue "big screen", however I also have a monitor on my table (facing in my direction) which in case of an emergency (problem with big screen) I could just turn it to face the audience. This is of course in addition to the singer monitor. Ijust think it makes for a better show, as alot of people (audience) like to read along with the song. Any thoughts?

Srnitynow



From a singers perspective I don't think it would be necessary, but would be nice to see. Having said that, I think the key to putting on a great show includes meeting and exceeding the venue's parton's expectations. I don't know that I'd consider it a luxury, but if it doesn't break the bank or a big screen is already at the venue I say go for it!
Author:  Lonman [ Thu May 10, 2012 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
I consider it a necessity. Part of the karaoke experience for me is to be able to watch the songs others are singing - one, to see if I could possibly sing them - somtimes you hear something you think you can do it, but when you actually see the words/swipes you can guage a little better, two, just to know what the lyrics are to some songs. Also if you are computerized, displaying the next 3 singers is very nice & you have to have an audience screen for that. Plus slideshows in between songs, scrolling marquees, etc.
When I do mobile shows, I would always try to drop a feed into at least one of the house tv's, flatscreens were still pretty expensive and CRT largerer screens were extremely heavy to carry. Today i'd probably still hook into the house screens but wouldn't hesitate to get 1 or 2 32" flat screens (maybe larger) for audience view.
Author:  mrmarog [ Thu May 10, 2012 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
Absolute necessity! Karaoke is all about the words being displayed to everyone, not just the singer. Everyone in the room likes to, at least, silently sing along.
Author:  chrisavis [ Thu May 10, 2012 12:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
I waffle on this one.

I have done a lot of karaoke over the years and I have found that if the words are on screens for the audience, they tend to look at that screen instead of the singer. I have been to karaoke clubs where the singer might as well have been a recording with words displayed on a screen since they were never looked at.

On the other hand, like @Lonman mentioned, I like discovering new lyrics, I like singing along to songs I don't know all the lyrics for and like @mrmarog, I believe Karaoke is sometimes (not all the time) a participation sport.

My compromise is to always make sure there is a lyrics display behind the singer on the stage. That way when people are looking at lyrics, they are at least looking in the direction of the singer. They still get to see the words and since I show my singer rotation, they still get to see who is coming up and any photos, graphics I decide to display.

-Chris
Author:  hiteck [ Thu May 10, 2012 12:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
chrisavis wrote:
...

My compromise is to always make sure there is a lyrics display behind the singer on the stage. That way when people are looking at lyrics, they are at least looking in the direction of the singer. They still get to see the words and since I show my singer rotation, they still get to see who is coming up and any photos, graphics I decide to display.

-Chris


Image
Author:  mckyj57 [ Thu May 10, 2012 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
If you put the screen behind the singer, they *really* look at the singer.
Author:  Lonman [ Thu May 10, 2012 1:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
No he said at least in the 'direction' of the singer.
I am actually thinking about adding a new monitor behind the singer on the stage, I have a blank spot in my new stage design that one will fit nicely.
Author:  BruceFan4Life [ Thu May 10, 2012 1:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
I wouldn't avoid a show if they didn't have an audience monitor but I certainly appreciate it when there is one available.
Author:  Paradigm Karaoke [ Thu May 10, 2012 2:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
since we dont have a stage area we just plug into the bar tv's. i tend to see people who never sang before singing along with the words on scree and get going that way. the audience doesnt necessarily look at the singers anyway all the time as you can sing from anywhere, but i think the ability to stay by friends instead of alone on stage in the spotlight allows the more nervous people to be able to sing. by default, they are kind of a necessity in my situation.
Author:  TommyA [ Thu May 10, 2012 2:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
We always carry a 32" monitor for the crowd and it typically goes on stage behind the singers (or as close to as possible...one place with a small elevated stage we place it in front).
Author:  Alan B [ Thu May 10, 2012 5:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
TommyA wrote:
We always carry a 32" monitor for the crowd and it typically goes on stage behind the singers (or as close to as possible...one place with a small elevated stage we place it in front).

What do you put it on?
Author:  BT Magic [ Thu May 10, 2012 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
I consider it a necessity. I feel that having a big screen helps to include EVERYONE...not just the singers. Over the years I have had lots of people tell me "I never really knew the words to that song, until I saw it on the big screen tonight!"
Author:  Smoothedge69 [ Thu May 10, 2012 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
It's not a necessity. Very few around here use multiple monitors, and it doesn't detract from the shows.
Author:  simpmech [ Thu May 10, 2012 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
While NOT a necessity, if we do not use the bar monitors everyone asks us why they arent on. Having said that, we always hook up to one bar t.v. I watch the crowd and every night I see eyes looking at it and following along. Nice for people to see the words and actually know the song.
Author:  Cueball [ Thu May 10, 2012 8:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
As a Singer (others have stated), it's nice to be able to see the lyrics displayed while someone is singing. This way, if I heard something that I think I could do, it's helpful to try to sing along at my seat.

As a KJ, it's nice to have an extra screen facing the Audience so that they too can sing along from their seats. I find it aids the show, so I would consider it a necessity. I have my own Monitor (13 inch) and TV stand that I hook up for the Singer. I also have a splitter and coax extensions to hook into 1 House TV (that would be facing the Audience.

A lot of times, you have people that would never get up on the stage to sing, but if they start watching the monitor that's facing them, they sometimes change their mind/s. Also, there are times when I have started a show, and nobody is getting up to sing. When that happens, I start going to AUTOPILOT, where I plop in one of my Multiplex discs, and play it (with the main vocals included). I'll then walk around with my cordless mic, and sometimes spy someone singing along. I then hand them the mic to sing along too. Usually after that, the person is willing to get up and try something on his/her own.
Author:  johnreynolds [ Fri May 11, 2012 12:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
Necessity!

Singers and non-singers follow along to learn the words.

Who the HECK wants to look at MOSTLY fat, unattractive, old, attention-seeking, singers and NOT have a tv to look at instead of
said singers!? :o

Oh, i see.... put a tv behind the unattractive singers and make people look at them! Got it. :roll:

for pretty girl singers, nobody is looking at the tvs but nationwide we have a serious obesity epidemic AND more old people than ever!

luxury? Is a MICROPHONE a luxury too then?

wait..maybe it's an expense thing for cheap kjs...buy a laptop but don't buy a tv for the audience for....."karaoke".

Perhaps some people believe karaoke is a "live music watch-ME-only event". NO, it's words on a tv that everyone tries to sing to.
Author:  syberchick70 [ Fri May 11, 2012 7:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
:shock:

Karaoke sure has come a long way!

The venue I went to, a little club in the backwoods of Oregon, many years ago, didn't have any of that stuff.

There was a mixing board, a couple of mics and a monitor for the singer to gaze at like someone under deep hypnosis. That all sounds pretty fancy! ;)
Author:  Bazza [ Fri May 11, 2012 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
At one of my venues, they have a very nice HD projector for ball games, etc. I use it for Karaoke behind the singers and it's awesome. Everyone in the bar can sing along! I wish every venue had one. I also rarely have to "name call" as everyone can see the "coming up next" scroll from Compuhost. People are onstage and ready before the previous song has faded out!

The only downside is that sometimes super-shy people will turn their back on the crowd and stare at the lyrics on the wall instead of facing the crowd and using the lyric monitor. Not very often, but it does happen.

Image
Author:  chrisavis [ Fri May 11, 2012 8:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audience Monitor (luxury or necessity)
@syberchick - What is your opinion on having a lyrics monitor in the audience?

I would love to hear the opinions on this from those that aren't running the show.

I am going to poll my audience this week to find out what they want. In my years of public speaking, I have learned that what the person on stage wants to convey doesn't always synch up with why the audience showed up. I have also learned that every audience is different.

In the case of karaoke, the audience one night may have different expectations that the audience the night before.

-Chris
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