Karaoke Forums

I'm not talking about the over the top drunk. I'm talking about your regular whiner.
The other night this guy insists I turn the music up when he sings. Okay - I urn up the music as loud as is allowable for that bar. he complains again, so then I turn up his monitor. He continues to whine. I precede to do the KJ trick of pretending to turn it up. After dealing with his crap for 4 songs I turn to him and say," Why don't I just turn your mic off instead if you don't want anyone to hear you?"

I felt horrible. I usually can keep my cool, but this guy really got under my skin. He went off pouting and preceded to tell everyone I was crabby. Aaaarg ! I wanted to kill him. In a nice way of course.

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Sometimes I'll just come right out and say, "You know, I'm not having the best night tonight." Then I'll say something about some other fictitious singer who is really getting on my nerves and if I have to deal with one more thing, who knows what'll happen. That usually makes a lot of people think for a second  and wonder if they want to be the one to finally push me over the edge! I'm always very happy and pleasant to people so if I all of a sudden pull a mood, it scares people! Gotta love a menopausal woman at a sound board.

I've been very lucky that I don't have to deal with those kinds of chronic whiners. Maybe they're scared to say anything!?!?



K

Babs, you're crabby!!!!  

Singers are funny, aren't they?  I can go two months without a complaint, then one night, 'turn it up', 'turn it down', 'give me some echo', 'more echo', 'less echo'.  My favorite is mid song, 'can you bring that down two?'.  I can handle these types okay.  They're usually just prima donnas, or wannabes.  Don't most people know, they just sxck and there's nothing we can do for them?  :)

The types I can't stand are the people that follow you around all night.  They're lonely, oaky maybe I should just adopt the ... seriously though, just because you pay them some attention once every hour or so, you're their best friend.  They're there at setup, they hang on the stage (or near it) all night long, they're there when you escape outside to have a smoke or waiting outside the bathroom, they're there at teardown.  Dude, do I have to spell it out for you?

To be honest - I test the equipment and know how it should be set.  Usually someone I know (and moreover someone who know's my setup) sings first.  I can use that as a benchmark.  Also, my regulars can give me the usual hand signals if something needs a slight adjustment.

When someone attempts to tell me how to set it up, they are doing this for one of a few reasons:

1) They assume they should hear themselves a LOT louder than they really should
2) They have no idea how to handle a microphone
3) They feel that echo should ring in everyone's ears
4) They are attempting to show off

I don't mean to sound arrogant, because I know I have a lot to learn.  But I use the equipment a lot, they don't.  I host karaoke shows, they don't.

If someone has bad mic skills - this is no surprise - I don't play Wembley and so I don't host recording artists - why would they know?  I show them on a muted mic, and if needed tell them after (if they are to sing again).  On Compuhost I have a little message flash up saying "Hold it closer, it won't bite".  Have some fun with them  A lot of people truly appreciate it.

If someone is just unsure of how it sounds I usually just tell them this: "It sounds fine - you are singing, and so don't hear yourself over yourself."  Reassure them.  Maybe do the little act of turning it up a touch.

If they are acting like jerks and ordering me to turn it up, I could do the same little act.  I could do the same act and turn it down (ha) or just tell them after that it is ok as is.  If they push it - I'll just explain that I know what I'm doing and leave it.

As a singer on the other end, I find that a lot of hosts have the vocals way down in the mix. It's like they are trying to hide the singers! This honks me off, especially when they sing and boom, there they are right up top.

And yes, this frequently happens.

I feel your frustration Babs

When I get these types I usually try to meet their needs on the first song. Then when it's over I ask them to stay by the booth until I get the next singer up and mixed. Then I ask them to spell out exactly what they want if it's reasonable I will give it to them on their next song. If I cant, then I give them tips on mic control and make suggestions on what they can do to help.

If I can't meet their needs then I just put them on ignore from that point. If the ranting gets worse I suggest finding another bar that might be able to mix the way they want.  

The ones that want you to crank the volume above the bars limits just don't understand your limitations and never will. There is no sense even trying to explain it to them.

Have you ever noticed that the more alchohol people have their hearing gets impaired? Either they are not listening and tune you out or they really can't hear
you


 LMAO

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

I can sympathize with mckyj57's comment.  While I don't think I've ever told the KJ to turn it up, a few times I have held the mic up and given the mic a puzzling look like "hey is there something wrong with this mic?"   Last week the karaoke was great, until a certain point in the show when a guy sang Roadhouse Blues by the Doors.  His voice was turned way down and the music way up.  It sounded very bad.  I thought it was a pretty good song, but maybe the KJ didn't like it or something who knows?   A place I went to last month the sound was mediocre through the show, not great, but when the KJ sang the last three songs of the night all of a sudden the sound was crystal-clear-perfect.  It sounded awesome--I like it...but I wish it had sounded awesome the whole night!!

Reasons a mic can get turned down

-By accident (this should be pretty rare, if ever, and can be remedied before the song is over)
-It gets turned down to properly adjust audio for the previous song, then they forget to turn it back up (again this can be fixed quickly and shouldn't happen often, especially to the same singer )
-KJ doesn't like the singer's voice or the song (maybe it clashes with a more up-tempo song that was just sung and they don't like the obvious contrast)

I've also been to shows where the KJ starts out with a "cold mic" for the first couple rotations, and then turns up the volume as the night progresses.  This seems a little odd.  If you went to a rock concert, and the musicians did this, it would seem strange!

I've seen KJ's lose their cool when the singers swing the mic buy its cord (wireless mics are eliminating this antic), and also when someone rushes the stage for an unasked for duet.  I think I've only heard of a mic being thrown once.

Mjk- I tend to et this complaint a lot, followed by the inevitable "Can I just use your mic?" 9 out of 10 times, the reason singers are 'buried' in the mix is mic control- not the mixing. I hate it when I have a mic turned up to the point of near feedback, and the crowd is yelling "Turn her up!" because they have no idea how to use a mic.

The problem I have, is at the end of the night, I shut down 2 hours before the bar closes. This bar is known as an 'after hours' place. When people come in with 30 mins to the end of the show, OR 15 mins into OT, and then b!tch and whine about why I can't slip them in for one song. Some even have the cajones to go to my books- stacked under the table and start looking up songs even after I tell them politely no. They then cry to the bartenders/managers who in turn tell me to "just do 1", which then P.O.'s the other people I told no to.

Any good ways for dealing with this without coming off like an a$$hole?

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

Then you are saying everyone except the host has no mic control and can't sing loud enough to exceed the gain before feedback level? I don't believe it, especially since I can.

Some people just don't want to be heard. If you're holding the mic a foot away from your mouth that is the only reason I can think of. I will whisper in their ear first that no one can hear them to hold the mic closer because actually grabbing the mic and moving it closer doesn't work. They'll push it back. They're scared, I understand that, but why sing if no one can hear you? If it happens more than once I'll ask them not to sing because there is no point. That usually does the trick. Reasurring them they sound fine and people would enjoy actually hearing them helps.

Then you have the rock stars who put their hand over the mic or point it up or down instead of directly at their mouth, Aaaarg ! I'll explain when they're done singing how a mic works, so next time maybe it won't happen. If they do it again I'll grab the mic and show them.

When people yell from the crowd, "I can't hear them". It gets irritating when you know it's the singers error and not yours. I'll tell the singer," Did you hear that they can't hear you. Get that mic right up to your mouth." If it's still happening I'll say over the mic. "Everyone sing along to help so & so. They are timid to sing into the mic. That informs the audience it isn't you.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Confession:  I intentionally hide some singers.  Some singers sxck that bad.  But it's my call, I'm not going to put a screamer at the same level as someone who can sing.  Many people don't know how to use a microphone, or their voices for that matter.  As the KJ, I make the call.  I give 'em pointers and try to help them, but for those that come up drunk and don't care, I'm going to let the music speak for them.  Remember - they sxck, so I'm doing them a favor.  :)

I have strayed off topic here, so I will move it to another topic.

The one time I lost cool with a singer was when they grabbed two wireless mics, knocked them together like castenets, then cupped both of them and yelled into them. When I yelled "Hey!" they did the usual "I didn't do nothin', man!"

I lose my cool when people bang on the mic to "see if it's on."  It's hard on mics, amps, speakers, etc.  I don't tolerate it, at all.  I have a large sign that states that fact.  Some people are too stupid to understand, but I tell them that I don't allow people to abuse my equipment.

Yeah-    Everyday... ME !!!!  Just look at how many years I've aged since I decided to learn how to sing back in November

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

I yelled at a guy once.  He kept trying to bribe me to let him sing next.  He is a regular and he does this all the time to any KJ in the place.  He claims the other KJ's do it for him.  I flat out told him that I was not going to continue to argue with him and that he needed to go set his happy arse down or I would have him kicked out.

He has been pretty nice to me ever since and doesn't try that crap with me.

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Mjk- I meant 9 out of 10 of the COMPLAINERS. Sorry if I didn't clarify that. I do not have the most expensive system around, but I recently won a prize for the best sound in South Florida in a karaoke host competition, and am always told how people enjoy singing at my shows because they can actually hear themselves.

Pleas, when you make it to South Fl, stop in- 1st drink is on me Mjk....

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

Your reaction is very natural Bab, nothing wrong with it. But if I was in that situation I would just pull the mic fader down when he ask for more music vol. The effect is the same.

Some folks are mic shy and they usually complain that the can't hear themselves when the mic is at full gain before feedback. They are usually mouthing that they cant hear and I just ask them to hand me the mic and I say hello in a normal voice and it comes through lowd. I just smile and say hold it closer and use more volume.

It's funny but these are the same ones who make a big deal out of the microphone feeding back and have no idea why.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

I know how easy it is to be misunderstood, I am the master at it. I never mean any harm, but sometimes I come across as antagonistic. (Probably because I am fairly intense.)

Actually, I don't complain. I watch the host do it to everybody. I have had hosts specifically once or twice turn me down in the mix, but I didn't complain -- I just left and never came back. Those types of shows don't last long.


I will in fact be there May 18-22, so I might stop in and collect a Virgin Mary....I run off Steve's floridakaraoke.com like it is a bible. Let me know which show is yours, and I will make every attempt to show up, assuming it is within an hour of the Miami airport.

Only once....May he R.I.P !!!

                   Donny "B"    8)

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It's a wonderful life!!