Karaoke Forums

I have never used the Key Change or Tempo Change features while performing Karaoke, and I've never personally seen anyone use them. I'm wondering how often these are actually used in reality? I would love to hear from KJs and avid Singers who use this (which likely includes almost everyone in this forum!).

My reason for asking is, I often see software promoting the fact that it includes this feature, but in all my years of Karaoke, I have never experienced its use. (. . . or maybe I have, and just don't know it! )

-Mike

Some nights I can go without a key change the entire night. Other nights I am using it constantly. Nice thing about my software is it will store all singers key change (and tempo if I used that) so they just need to ask for their song & the key is already what they need it at. I do try to educate people if a song is too high or low for them to sing to try a different key. Many take the advice, others that don't give the reason - that is the key the song is written in and that is the key I shall do it in even if I can't hit it! . Makes me laugh everytime I hear that, even the real artists of the songs often will drop their own songs to do them live or as they get older to fit their voice because they cannot hit the highs they used to do.
As far as tempo I rarely use it.

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Does your player or software have a key changer to start with? If so, do your customers know that it is even an option? I have key change up/down on my request slips so people know it's an option and it gets used LOTS.

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I wasn't speaking in reference to any software in particular. Most software does have it. Which software do you use? Thanks for the great feedback though! I'll have to try it myself sometime. Good tip to have that option included on the slips. If it's used often, people must already know what key they sing in for a given song. That's surprising!

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~ Mike

Key change gets used with regularity at my shows too. I use key change about once a night.

Mushmomike,
When using SongbookDB Integrated with Hoster, the singer can select the Key they wish to sing in, +/- 5 and when it comes to Hoster from the Cell Phone App, it is in the key they selected. So then you as the Host do not have to do anything!



Bryan

Thanks! I'm not interested in songbookdb, but the key/tempo modification feature itself. It sounds to me like it's definitely used often enough that it's an important feature to look for in any karaoke software.

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~ Mike

I have never been asked to change the tempo, but I have done HyperKaraoke nights where we play sped up version just for fun.

Key change gets used regularly. Steve Perry can't sing his own songs and I can't sing most of them any longer myself. I find myself key changing songs I have performed for 20+ years. Beyond that I have a number of people that ask for the key to be changed across all the venues.

I think the key to the use of these features is letting customers know you can. Many singers don't know the key can be changed so they never think to ask for it.

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-Chris

I was asking about the software because you stated you've never had anyone ask - just wondered if you had the ability to be able to have people ask. I use MTU Hoster personally.
It's not necessarily a know what key they sing in for a given song - it's more like that song is too high or too low can you raise or lower a notch or two. So if they already know a song is too high for their range, they will ask for the key drop.

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

All of our "regulars" know that both key and tempo change is available... Most don't bother, but we have a few who tend to change key for many, if not most of their song choices. In fact, I have one singer whom I refer in my own mind to as "Down One"... He's just that predictable.

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

If your singers know you offer it they will request a key change. almost always 1 or 2 down. I have never been asked to change the key up yet. I use MTU Hoster as well but have never used the tempo change. I have it listed on my request slips as well. And yes I consider it a valuable option. I would not use any software that did not offer it. I use it at least once or twice per show at a minimum.

Key change and tempo are invaluable especially when you are on the road and the only version of a song the KJ has is not in the key your usual version is in or is faster or slower than you like.

Tempo is also nice as sometimes for whatever reason the KJ's system is slow. (usually because they are running Karaoke software that is not self contained and have somehow managed to bump the tempo slider and it does not reset to 0 on subsequent songs.

Good KJ's will know when someone is struggling and offer to change the key(Notice I said offer, NOT unilaterally make the decision and raise or drop the key on the singer in the middle of the song without their consent.)

I have several singers that love sing all the higher pitched songs but can't quite hit the highest notes. So when they give me a song that I know is out of their range I will drop it 1 or 2 steps without them knowing. On a couple of occasions I have had them tell me that they can only sing that song well on my system. It's my little secret

I literally only those features about 10-15 times a year.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

As a side note, I was speaking to the owner of a box-style Karaoke business in Seattle, and he has a large clientele of Japanese customers who frequent his business. He says they use the tempo change feature of tricerasoft ALL the time for some reason. So, if you're a KJ who has a lot of Japanese singers, that might be a feature they'd be interested in!

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~ Mike

As a singer, i actually prefer to sing higher or lower, as required than to change the pitch thru the computer. In my experience, it doesn't quite work out when the computer does it. Always seems to affect the tempo ever so slightly, or the CDG sync timing

-James

Guess that would depend on the program. A straight key change in Hoster doesn't affect timing/sync whatsoever, and if it did, I can live sync it back up as necessary.

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Yup. Use both features with Compuhost. On the rare occasion that I play a long song, (most of the time I refuse) like PBTDL, I speed the tempo up quite a bit. Sometimes I tel them and sometimes I don't. Being in SW Florida, I have a lot of older folks who like the option of dropping a half key, etc. so it's nice to have those features

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Sound Choice and Chartbuster Certified

The "Last Time Ever I Saw Your Face" gets sung a couple times a year. I always increase the tempo 20% and the song and it is still sloooowwww, but it is over 20% faster.

I'm happy to report that I had my FIRST experience KJ'ing a club last night! It was thrilling, and everyone was super happy. FYI, I'm not a KJ by trade, nor looking to become one. My wife wouldn't be cool with me getting home at 3am on a regular basis.

. . . My point is, just as most of you said, I got 3 requests for key changes! Nothing like real world experience to get my question answered!

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~ Mike