Karaoke Forums

Usually at the local karaoke show I go to, the host will sing at least one song a night. I had an idea. Wouldn't it be cool if you were a KJ who wrote your own songs and were able to produce your own backing tracks. You could really wake people up with a song they've never heard before.

I'm a big metal/rock musician myself and the pub I go to is full of the same kind of people. If I broke out with a song of my own (or even grabbed my guitar and plugged in during a gig) people would go wild.

Anyone ever try this or been tempted to?

Karaoke is karaoke, an "open stage" night is what you are talking about.

Because if you start doing it, everyone else will want to bring in their piano and tuba and harmonica and garage band.

I smell the beginnings if trouble in karaoke land..

I disagree. What wakes people up is familiarity, not novelty.

A lot of bands preface one of their songs with "Here's one written by us". For most people, unless they are among the small percentage really into a band, this is a signal to go to the bathroom.

Much better is to preface a familiar cover tune, and swing right into your own number. If people are caught up in it, and like it, they will be wowed when after the song you say "we wrote that one and it's on our latest CD".

I don't see anything wrong with doing that kind of act. If the crowd likes it, then keep it going.

[font=Verdana]My son did one of his original songs at one of the Friday night shows once, and the crowd loved it.  I wish he would do them more often.  He's working on one now that I think is even better than the one he did.  Hopefully, I can talk him in debuting it at our show.  He has the system now to take his guitar down and play it,  I think they would enjoy that too, but then they seem to enjoy anything he does.  He's building quite a following, I just hope I can do half as good as he has when I launch my show.[/font].

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Dusty Rose
Blue Rose Classic Karaoke
More Sound! More Selections! More Fun!
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This is amazing. I'm just waking up over morning coffee and here I am finding myself in total agreement with you sidewinder! You are correct sir!

I made a lot of mistakes when I started out doing karaoke. The first hard lesson I learned is that karaoke is not about you. Karaoke is all about them.

In my current home room I used to incorporate my own stuff into karaoke complete with keyboards. The only person that missed the keyboards when I stopped bringing them was a singer who liked it when I accompanied her.... not me.

At first I used to allow people to bring in guitars, sing, even read poetry that they wrote. People who came in to sing karaoke did not appreciate it. I finally had someone pull me over and say "You have to decide what you want to make this room. Right now it's not a karaoke place."

That was the end of that. When someone wants to do that now I direct them to a bar that has an open mic night downtown.

I get away from karaoke and play out two or three times a month. That's my outlet today.

It would be better done if the music backing is pre-recorded.

I agree - karaoke is karaoke. If you start letting people do the 'open mic' thing, you get a room full of people who question the karaoke commitment level and go somewhere else. I have, actually, allowed one of my regulars to plug his guitar in (if the whole process takes less than a minute) and try out a new song on people. Doesn't cut into the singer's time and they actually enjoyed it. He doesn't do that any anymore.

I do, however, think that recorded artists should make CDGS of their own stuff and sing it. I've been urging my husband to do that, or at least re-record some of his stuff without the leads and provide them. People do not know him as a recorded artist and would probably be amazed at the caliber of his stuff. I think providing their own backing tracks allows artists to get exposure, which is probably one of the most difficult things for original artists to do. With the available software to do that, it'd probably be a great thing for a lot of people who might otherwise be forced into the 'open mic' situation.

k

I know a couple hosts that are good guitarists & will accompany a singer while their song plays - with their permission of course.   Wouldn't allow someone to bring in their guitar.  Have an occasional harmonica player or two that come in - no problem with this.

As far as making a karaoke cdg of your own material, we get bands all the time that have done this - my old band included.  It's a way to showcase some of their stuff on off nights without having to drag all their equipment out.  Just pop in the cdg & their music is playing.  Sometimes it goes over very well, sometimes not as - but it also depends on if the band is known or not either.  Have had several bands form from our clubs karaoke night that are well known in the club, so when they bring in their stuff, people respond well.

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I totally agree, open mic night is what they call that and karaoke should be karaoke. I guess the biggest problem is you just don't know what you are going to get with someone who goes up there with guitar in hand. We had a guy whom we let go up and perform and he did some song about losing his daughter through divorce and even though we sympathized, man talk about a vibe killer. Plus he simply wasn't very good.

Then he got angry when people didn't respond to what he thought was an outstanding performance of a killer song. I actually wanted to do Alice in Chains       " Nutshell " with my nephew on guitar, but we decided against it because we felt it would open the door for people to ask to do their own songs too. In the end though, it's your show and if you know the person and feel comfortably about it, I guess exceptions could be made, you just can't let it get out of hand. Rudy.

I like to interject a 10 minute stand up routine into the show.....course, I read my jokes from the monitor, as to keeping with a karaoke type format.....

JR:

CAN YOU SAY 'ACERBIC?' - I LOVE your sense of humor. We need more of it on this horrid Monday.

K

say it?.......I can't even pronounce it........

[font=Impact][/font]ASS-ERBIC!  hahahaha....hey, it's Monday.

K

There actually was a VERY short lived line of comedy karaoke in the early 90's, if i'm not mistaken it was called 'jokaraoke' where there was a disc of famous comedy/comedians where you actually read the jokes.  Only problem is comedy can't be just read from a timed monitor - it takes feeling out the crowd to know when to actually produce a punchline and so forth.

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I also play guitar and have played at my shows and i am also an acomplished magician and table hop and do magic for the crowd.  The show is about entertainment and and anything to get the crowds attention is good stuff. When i play guitar on stage i don't take up any more time then it would take to sing a karaoke song and it breaks up the monotony. Keep on rockin brother!

I been thinking about doing some of my songs at my Wednesday night show the is smaller and more relaxed. I could never do it on a Friday night the crown is to large and intence.

Doing magic or anything else at karaoke is kind of insulting to the singers.  You are interupting their song by taking away the attention from them.  I would find it insulting if someone interupted my performance.   Would you?

It's still a KARAOKE night, nothing more.   Not open stage or last comic standing or whatever.  

Why does everyone want to disrespect the singers?     If you're such a talent go to Vegas.    Give up the karaoke gig and turn pro.

Why don't you put a song up in the Singers Showcase to determine whether you are worth paying attention to or not, it sure isn't intersting or even informative reading in this forum!



What disrespect, it's entertainment however you may not want to see it.  His crowd may love it, so be it.  I would love to see that show myself & I am a karaoke diehard.

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[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

I am not at all laid back during my show.  I try to create a high level of energy.
I interject whatever helps to entertain, excite and involve the audience
Of course, I first and foremost concentrate on accomodating the "entertainers" and keep them coming.

I've filled dead-air with one-liners.  
I do magic from time to time (FROM THE STAGE ONLY)
I let people play their guitar if it is to accompany their singing.
I'll throw in "the right" video if it fits the moment/mood.
I always do sing alongs
I NEVER sing if there are enough singers in the rotation. As good as I sing, one singer less won't be missed!

I agree with those who believe that people spend their money to first and foremost be entertained and don't care how that happens!   When a four-year old brings down the house singing "I Love Rock & Roll", is he entertaining because he is singing karaoke, or are there other factors involved?

I say entertain them and they will come!