Karaoke Forums

OK I haven't even done my first show yet! My system just arrives today! I have to put it all together and learn how to operate it!! Now to the Question~~ The average KJ in my neighborhood charges 150 bucks a night. I am new at this would it be appropriate to charge something like 50 bucks to just get started or is that just going to make other KJ angry and call me a CUTTHROAT!! I don't want that! So as a beginner Keep it cheep or keep it Competitive???? Thank you Brian V

Well, IMO, go with the standard rate that the others are getting. No one has to know just "how new" you really are. If you've got a decent library and equipment, then you charge appropriately. Like anyone else in business, your cash outlay has to be "recovered" by what you charge for your "services". Don't short change yourself because YOU know you're new. After you've managed to set yourself apart from the "others" (in a good way), then you can entertain charging a substantial increase to reflect that. Again, just my opinion......and good luck .

                                            Donny "B"    8)

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Go with the average rate.  If you go in low, you will be considered cut throat/undercutter plus you will get a low ball reputation & no one will want to pay more when you decide it's time.

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If you want to charge the same as the big boys then you better know what you are doing with your equipment.   If you don't they will eat you alive and you could get a bad reputation from it.

You could offer to do some cheap parties to get familiar with the equipment.    Don't approach any bars until you have a few under your belt.

Get your KJ routine down pat.  Learn how to do the rotation and the most important part, mixing the singers so they all sound good.    Learn your equipment and what to do if you have technical difficulties.    Learn how to hook up the TVs.  Sounds simple but getting the bar TVs to work right can be your biggest problems.

Are you disc or computer based?
Did you write your song book yet?
Do you have extra cables?

Practice, practice, practice.    Setting up and tearing down.    Have your friends over to help you learn how to mix while they sing.     When you feel comfortable then you can charge the same.

I have good equipment and a good start on music. 2000 songs on CD+G, all in a song book. I hope to get computerized in the near future and expand the system if this take off even a little bit. As far as my music goes I am trying expand my music about every 2 weeks. Thanks to all who have replyed to my post on this forum! airman~~~Brian V.[schild=6 fontcolor=C0C0C0 shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]sing me a song[/schild]

I couldn't agree with this more.  Don't go cheap, just to get the gig.  In the very near future...you'll regret it, because you'll never get the opp to go the other way and get what you think you deserve.  If you know what the avg rate is in your area, try to stay very near that.  Good luck, MrD

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[highlight=midnightblue]MrD - KJ/DJ Specialist
Visit MrD on facebook - mrdsentertainment
& on myspace - larrynance[/highlight]

well, 2000 songs is a bit small for starting. What I would HIGHLY recommend is going a tiny bit under what everyone else prices themselves at... and then after a grace period, go to the same rate...

and during that time, increase your songs by as much as you can. GOOD ones... SC, the monthly discs (which you can get on sale three or four months after their release time), CB, Zoom,...

And browse around here and see what others have said about good versions.

Don't know if you have the SC Foundation 1 or 2, but I HIGHLY recommend those as well

If you go cheap you will find out a vaulable business lesson and that is
how difficult it is to get a RAISE or market pricing once you set the low ball price.

If you want to get some practice in offer to work for $50  but you need an agreement that after a few shows your price is $150ish

Gotta be really careful with that low-ball offer just to get a gig. In our area, people who are known for that forever have a stigma attached to them - "they'll do anything to get a show, including doing it for $100" = Bad, bad, bad.... Not good for the market in general when those of us with so many years of experience and huge investments are getting less than what we did 5 years ago. I won't do my shows for less than $175, even in a small tavern, and when I know a room has been popular in the past but suffers because of bad karaoke, I will still bargain with them that they'll be happy they are paying me what they do because I'll bring it back for them.

It's very true in the karaoke marketplace, at least in the NW - "you get what you pay for."  I've always said that about everything. Don't sell out.

k

Hi Airman, One thing I can recommend is to go out to other shows and see how the local KJ's are doing there shows. Then try to do it better. Buy good music at the start, it's cheaper than going back replacing a bunch of junk like SGB or MM and reprinting your song books. Keep track of you rotation and most of all have fun. Price? You are being paid to perform a service. Do a good job and charge for it.

I agree with most here. I did my first show a bit over a year and a half ago. it was a pretty big deal. the bar had like 6 pairs of tickets to see Motley crue and areosmith the following night that I did drawings for. so its a no brainer that the place was packed.  I found out that my system was not as good as I had thought,(down on power) but i got by. In my area average KJs are getting 175  good ones with a good folowing get 250-275. I took 150 and was happy. it took me about a year to get to the 200-250 range (for fridays) and booked every week. around the same time frame I got myself booked every weds and thurs at different places. those jobs pay right about average for the area also.
   I do not believe these time frames to be out of line, But I would do as others here said. do some partys and practice setup and tear down in your home or garadge , be sure you have spare cords ect. Be ready when you start or it will haunt you. having a friend or significant other along as help for the night is also a BIG plus when you are getting started. If you "lowball" you will be stuck with that. youre better off going in for free for a couple with an agreement of a fair price for a coupple more I.E. Book 4 shows, with the first two free, and then two at the going rate.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas