Karaoke Forums

The biggest problem is that many singers bite off more than they can handle.

There are plenty of great songs out there that the origional aritst has a voice that not 1 in 1000 people can immitate.  On the other hand there are a lot of other songs out there that a larger portion of the population can sing and sound at least reasonable.

Many people may like Poveratti but practically no one can sing like him.

I have known a karaoke singer for several years now, he was just about the worst singer in the world as far as I was concerned (but a nice guy). Over time (4-5 years) his voice has improved a very little bit, BUT his song choice has changed to the point that he no longer sings songs that make people cringe in pain. He wont be winning awards soon but not all of the applause is pity (as it was in the past).

Karaoke is a social activity, if we discourage the bad singer too much then they stop going to the shows. Sure that bad singer being gone is often not a problem, but often they are friends with the better singers and eventually you loose your target audience.

The bar environment is designed to make people feel welcome, any time someone is not welcome (to sing or go there) unless it is a very obvious reason (smelly drunk, beligerent drunk) other people will think that the bar is not inclusive enough and the attendence will suffer. I am currently working at a bar where a friend of mine got "offended" 4-5 years ago. He is a great karaoke singer and goes out regularly, he still wont go to the show there, just because people have a long memory about negative comments.

Now in my opinion the only truly "bad" singers are the ones that get up to sing and dont even try (regardless of their ability) it really shows. The other bad singers are the ones that get up and mumble every 3rd word into the side of the mic in a whisper.

Often having a few "bad" singers in the rotation actually helps people who are nervous about doing karaoke come out and give it a try.

I remember my first night singing karaoke. I did not have much confidence in my ability to sing, but I signed up because I thought to myself "At least I can do better than THAT guy".

If it is only 1 in 10 songs or so that are truely butchered then just go along and grin with it.

At one bar there was a regular (with a pretty serious mental disability) who got convinced to give karaoke a try. Out of context it was about the worst singing I have heard in my life. But the guy was always cheerfull and friendly and the bar crowd practically gave him a standing ovation.

As for tricks to help the bad singer, all should be treated with caution. Singing along with them sometimes can offend. Using any voice tone corrector will only annoy the singers that know what they are doing. Just because you may think that the key is "off" may be the key that the singer wants it in. The singer also is usually adjusting their voice as well, especially the first song of the night. Many good singers are going to put out the first word or two in the wrong key, and then adjust with feedback from the monitors. If you are fighting them at the same time to "correct" their singing overcompensation is bound to result if not downright confusion.

On the other hand the truely bad singers in terms of key tend to go something like

Key Change A
Key change D
Key Change E flat
Key Change B

all in a couple of lines (or even the same line). I dont know how any hardware can fix that.

Exactly, they put in a slip they get to sing, period.  It's their time just like anyone else.  No prejudice at shows.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I just said it. and a few others too.



Any one who is not tone deaf can spot a singer singing off key. Even if one have no sense of beat and rhythm  people can see if the singer is way off tempo if they are reading the lyric.



We have original artists/band karaokeing their own songs.

So what was it that you want to say?

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I have one of those singers ........ nails on a blackboard  - ear bleeding HORRIBLE
She is a female,  for some reason who wants to sing only MALE ROCK SONGS.
Can not carry a tune if she had a bucket  LMAO

personally I could care less - But I do get COMPLAINTS from other patrons in the bar who are there trying to have a conversation and enjoy themselves.
As a KJ  I think you have to consider the enjoyment of ALL the customers not just the singers. BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO ???   as long as she is spending good money

GOOD MONEY ?
If she spends $20 but chases $80 across the street to the competetion thats not good business....

Why don't you turn her down? That and 5:1 compression is what we do to our worst off-key screamer.

embarrassed to say that I already turn her down ..(a little) - She seems like she LOVES to sing and that's what its all about ... But if it affects the rest of the patrons
It's a concern.    I would have to check the archives here but this is the same girlr I mentioned in a similiar discussion that someone actually THREW SOMETHING OUT HER WHILE SHE WAS SINGING.

My feelings are this, and they are mixed depending on degree of "offensiveness" and of course setting matters here too..  It's nice to be able to feel welcomed to participate in an activity and still suck (believe me I know),  Yet the KJ has the ability to mix the volume of we crappy singers,  and do some crafty EQ'ing assuming we've had one too many, and think we are Andy Williams on a manic night our meds ran out..

BUT,  this is also an area of aesthetics,  and something REALLY bad that goes unaddressed (and compensated for) can be bothersome to the listener or person that perceives the act (like it or not), and while socially certain things aren't deemed illegal,  the really loud fart during the Sunday church service doesn't get the person with poor sphincter control tossed out've the place of worship..

It seems since the consensus is "It's just Karaoke and it's for all and for fun", the aesthetic and talent aspects take backseat to "performing arts" and "audience" tolerance issues. NO POLISHED PERFORMER REQUIRED ON THIS STAGE is the tacit understanding. Similarly there's actual investing with real money, and monopoly "a family game for all".  Karaoke is A GAME, and as stated, the person as a patron of the bar, gets fair playing time in the "game" in lieu of just being in the venue.  Being welcomed at the venue is their "slips" to sing, nothing more.  Karaoke is for the participants, right ?   Not for all in a venues audience that don't like it..  Mixing the bad singer to become ALMOST tolerable is the job of the KJ IMHO..

I use karaoke as a session training tool, when I do it. and although polished mix isn't what I worry about at this point, when I expose others to the result I try to blend my inability (on the finished product) as to not interfere with the singers on the backing track, I can't help it, just how I was conditioned. If it's I'm doing it in public, I have the responsibility of seeing to it that it's NOT socially offensive, all part of maturity IMHO..  Thats just me.  I respect those that are "better" than I am in an artform, beit live OR recorded.  Karaoke is a party game, not a performing art for many here.  I just don't perceive stuff in the arts the same way.

Personally I see things just as Jian does.  While I consider myself a "Bad Singer", it's not something I wish to be, but I try to (as with ALL situations being an ADULT in adult settings) KNOW my actual ability and place and work accordingly in a social setting. Even in a bar, I think etiquette has it's place.  Not all expect this in many venues, as Kelly stated long ago "professional" is a life-style not a 9-5 activity.  So while it's fine to suck at certain activities, it's also a good think to suck graciously and with style !

(so-to-speak)

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

Don't be embarrassed. Turn her down farther. From the beginning. And use that compression! What is worst with a bad singer is when they yell into the mic and it makes everyone cringe. Just compress the heck out of her. Fast attack, long decay.


I think you are making too much of it. It is just one song.


Record her and make a gift of the CD to her.

Now that's not politically correct <snicker>

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

I didn't start this topic so it must happen elsewhere  LMAO

But I have to correct some --  I don't care what kind of audio engineering genius your are--- YOU CAN NOT MAKE A BAD  OFF KEY SINGER SOUND BETTER BY adjusting some eq or effects.

You can make the volume LOWER
You can make the music LOUDER
You can INCREASE effects to the point of no return

But you can't make some one who can't sing .. sound like they can.

An as a KJ ..That'st OK ...singers are allowed to SUCK ....  But if this person who sings once an hour ..is chasing people either out to smoke or across the street ...THAT'S A BAD SINGER    LMAO  LMAO  LMAO

I agree, I have seen real bad singers get better over time. Confidence is the key to getting better, and finding the right song for them. It's best to encourage them and help them the best we can. They are the customer after all and the last thing you want to do is chase off the bad singers. When newbies to Karaoke hear a bad singer they think, "Gee I can do better than that". But if all you have are Good-Great singers, newbies are put off and you lost another future enthusiast. Personally I like to throw in aspiring karaoke singer every 5 songs so new singers are not intimidated with the good talent out there.

I agree, turn her volume down and spare the rest of the patrons. Better yet, as mentioned on another thread, make her a copy of her recording as a gift and give it to her- if you dare!  LOL

Confidence is a good thing to have, don't get me wrong, but confindence will not fix pitch problems and that is what (as I understand the direction of this thread) the problem is.  I was at a friend's show some time ago and heard I think one of the worst singers I have ever heard in my life. Not only could she not sing, she was so butt ugly that it was almost repulsive to look at her.  She was completely convinced that she was going to go to Nashville and get a recording contract.  People would actually get up and leave when she took the stage.  At one point she sang the country song "Hey Baby Let's Go To Vegas," and I actually pulled off my hat and offered to take a collection to get her a one way ticket! She laughed! She thought I was kidding! She really thougt she was good.  All the confidence in the world is not helping her to get better! Making a copy of their singing on a cd or tape is not going to work either. Believe it or not, there are people who can not distiguish pitch! They can not hear themselves when they sing, and they will not hear that they are not on pitch when they listen to themselves on cd or tape.  They are unable to hear, for some reason, correct pitch.  It is hard for me to understand because to me is comes really natural. I feel for those of you who are Kj's, I would not want to sit and listen to singers like that all night!--Mike

THANK YOU to those who actually understood my original post.

In that original post, I was NOT asking about the mediocre singers, or the so-so singers, or the "below average" singers, or the "just OK" singers.

I was asking about the one singer who is so WAY off key that no amount of time, or key change, or mixing, or confidence is going to help.

I guess I should have titled the thread Really Really Terrible uh... "Singers"

I agree, it's all in fun. I like working with "below average" singers to make them sound as good as they can. Many ways to do that. Fun challenge!

And Karen's customer... we have a similar guy. He was in a bad car wreck a few years back and suffered serious brain damage. He's about the worst singer I've ever heard, but I'm glad he gets enjoyment out of it! He's welcome any time.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions so far! It would be nice to see more of those (if anyone else actually has the guts to post them), and fewer PC statements "it's all in fun, everyone sing!"

I know equipment can't make horrid sound decent Jam,  I was just trying to figure out the least offensive means of allowing my type to play too if they opt to




For a nominal fee.  I can be bribed into singing in the venue "across the street" and chase them back !

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

I got a couple of guys that come in that have Downs Syndrome, they get up, most horrid singers you can get, but you know what, it puts a smile on their face to be able to get up & do so!  The crowds are usually even more enthusiastic about it.
Again I don't care if you are the most horrid singer in the world, as long as you are having fun, that's all that matters to me.
There are some singers I do get complaints about, but generally these complaints are from non-singers so until they get up & try it themselves, then they have no room to complain!  I will tend to lower the vocal volume in the mains while keep ing the monitor vocals hotter on stage so they can still hear themselves.

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

In that situation it's more of a community service.


One more thing.

A person that can't sing as good as you think they should, is no different than a person that is shorter than normal, or heavyier than normal, or has a visable birth defect, or is menatlly challenged.


Who the H*ll our you to say they should or should not be singing?  :shock:  :(


Do what you are being paid to do.  That is make as many people happy as possible.  Keep as many in the bar as possible.

All karaoke singers are and should be considered equal.  ALWAYS

Record her and play it back RIGHT after she's done... watch the effect!

Why would you try to publicly humiliate a singer?  If they're having fun sobeit.  It's only four freaking minutes.  We have mentally challenged people, people whom I'd rather hear fingernails down the chalkboard, etc, but not for one minute will I get on the mic or do anything to humiliate them.  Man, I don't know about some of you people.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Lousy Singers come with the job.


Tim has a point of course,  do you take a second grade teaching job, and complain about the immaturity of the 7 year old kids ?


Have all good singers, and those bad singers you drive away (and their tone-deaf friends that think they should be on AI) might be considered by your boss (when all is said and done) the interest lost no longer making it advantageous to pay to have you furnish fun activity to his patrons.  I can understand how at times people get annoyed over stuff that happens at work, but while some are complaining about not being able to find work as a KJ, some KJ's are complaining that they have singers that suck..  YEAH..sucky singers have existed since people were given voice boxes and often the money they spend on booze enabling them to get up there (and hurt others ears) is exactly what the venue owner loves about these patrons that support a place of business. Those of us that can't stand hearing them make our own decision to stay or leave but assuming there's interest enough in staying in the venue, a sucky singer or two and an entertainer who's good at working his crowd (making things fun for all wishing to participate) won't be the thing that drives patrons out.  If I leave a bar because "A singer sucks", I was on my way out the door VERY soon anyway because in general, the place wasn't exiting enough to keep me there.

This is subjective too of course,  meaning it all depends on WHO and how many are offended, and who the singer is when he's not making a fool out've himself onstage according to some.  In the late 70's while in college, I got some jobs a few hours a week in local music stores, working around stuff I loved being around, while trying to make a buck. In those days, some music stores DID have the "NO Stairway to Heaven allowed" signs posted in a few guitar dept's.  (I'm serious) This was a time people were so SICK of hearing the song played and hacked, it was forbidden in some music stores.  I never agreed with that, and not because I wasn't sick of the song.. I felt that if you let the customer do as they please and play whatever they please, and keep it a positive experience, it's a potential guitar or amp sale !  Introduce the slightest bit of negativism into what the customer does, and you shoot yourself in the foot..  Who pays whom ?  When I become less tolerant of the customer doing his thing,  it's my time to leave retail.  Same with providing a service for a venue.  When KJ'ing gives you a lemon, add some sugar to the experience.... :something like that:

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