Karaoke Forums

I would like to get some opinions on KARAOKE SHOW PREFERENCE, looking through the eyes of a KARAOKE SINGER, not a KJ. 1. THE REALLY BIG SHOW. GREAT kj, GREAT equipment, ALL of the bells and whistles. BEST tracks money can buy. Large venue approximately 30 singer rotation. You MIGHT sing TWICE, if you're there START to FINISH. 2. MEDIUM SHOW. Kj has the personality of a GOLDFISH. But has EVERY SONG EVER MADE ON CDG. MEDIUM grade equipment, but VERY abused (dented mics) duct tape on the video monitor, (you get the picture). MEDIUM venue, approximately 15 to 20 singer rotation. You get to sing MAYBE 3 and POSSIBLY 4 songs .If you're there START to FINISH. 3. SMALL SHOW. Kj is VERY HOSPITABLE. Has FAIRLY GOOD set of cdgs, VARIOUS MANUS maybe 10000 songs (maybe half of which are top manus). GOOD MEDIUM GRADE EQUIPMENT for the size venue. SMALL venue, 10 to 15 person rotation. You get to sing 4, and MAYBE even 5 songs, if you're there START to FINISH. I'm just looking for some opinions. WHICH SHOW DO YOU FREQUENT THE MOST?

THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSES

Rosario

Small show, as described, hands down. I also like the "karaoke family" feeling of that sort of show. Everyone gets to know everyone else. It's great!


The answer above is from my gut. Were I to think about the phraseology a bit, I would have to ask for more info on "medium" equipment. I don't worry so much about whatever brand a host is using, as long as all of the vocal and musical options needed for karaoke are available. For me, digital keychange is a biggie...

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

You should have made this a poll instead of just a topic.

But my personal vote preference is number 1! MAYBE number 2.
Number 3 I have no interest in for a regular haunt unless they knew how to make a singer sound good (this is also very important in my selection) and not too many crap versions. Fair rotation & club atmosphere is also a major part. Small clubs I feel like I could be in my living room. I like bigger clubs personally, no they do not have to have every song available to mankind, but do have to be of quality sound. ANY show the kj needs to know how to mix well - which is rare around here. Most either have effects set too high or drive the system so loud that it becomes piercing on the ears, or vocals much too high or too low.
And you can still get that 'family' atmosphere in larger clubs. Small bars that everyone knows everyone you can be snubbed really fast because you are not of their group/clique. Larger clubs you can at least move to other area of the bar, to different tables.

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

All I'm looking for is a place that runs fair rotation and has a good atmosphere.
It the atmosphere sux, you can have the best of the best and the greatest kj around, you won't find me there (unless they're paying me to be there! ).
I don't care so much how often I get to sing as much as if the rotation is fair.
Beyond that, I'll visit any show. I don't care.

4. Small show, great equipment, plays my disks, KJ who knows sound. And an appreciative audience that pays attention to the singers. That is the holy grail.

I am a #3 man, myself. I don't care that much about selection. If they play my stuff, fine. If not, fine. I can find a dozen songs to sing in every book I have ever seen. I do like some quality tracks, but if they play my disks I have that. I don't want to cool my heels all night to sing one or two songs.

I like shows where I am comfortable and I sound good. I like a bit of an audience. The better the equipment and the more appreciative the audience, the more comfortable I feel. When I was new, it took all that and the moon being in the right phase to make it seem right.

Nowadays, if I can relax I feel good. When there is crappy equipment, I am on edge because I am expecting it to sound lousy. It usually does, in spades.

I believe it takes better mics and better eq to make a baritone sound good. Tenors and female singers pretty much can walk into any venue and find something that works. But lots of crappy mics sound real bad in the lower register, especially when no effective attention is paid to equaliization.

Above all, I hate it when there is tons of large hall reverb and everyone's voice sounds the same.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

As a KJ I can find flaws in any show but I never concern myself with that as a singer. I do enjoy a good sound and good singers but I've never been to a karaoke show I did like.



Karaoke is just another way to have a good time with friends. So any karaoke show is good for me.

As a singer ..hmmmm

I would want the biggest audience with the best sounding equipment and discs.....
But reality is I would choose #3 as a prefer to sing as much as I can if I'm there to sing . I prefer a KJ who is personable without being overbearing or in your face.
Good equipment is fine for me as long as it sounds decent.

This may be a small hijack, but Mcky, I can't tell you how much I agree with the above. A great point made!

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I like ALL types of shows. I can have a good time in about any kind of show. If it's ultra busy, then I can sit down, drink and eat and enjoy my fellow singers. Usually the heart of karaoke is the comraderie you have of fellow karaokers... who will want to look through your collections, talk about their favorite haunts, etc...

The ultra small shows I don't REALLY like. To me, it's not all about me, it's about the experience. If I want to sing five or six or twelve times, I'll stay at home! !

Me too

Can't we have a small show with great sound and great music selection?

Also I like cheap stiff drinks!!!!!

I'm a #3 man myself.

Probably because thats how I started singing, no pressure, laid back, many friends, etc. Then again, thats pretty much my venue, I think I do exceptional as a host, I have pretty good song selection, not enough current hits, but some, not great, but middle of the road equipment. 10 -20 rotation, fair but I'm not strict. Most important is that my customers have fun. I prefer the same as a singer. I'll go to a big venue, a small place, whatever, as long as myself and friends are having fun. But I prefer small, no superstars or divas, fun laid back atmosphere where the guy right next to me might buy me a shot by nights end just cause I'm a cool guy even though we've never met, or I might do for him or her. I tend to gravitate to other people or them to me, even with not hosting. I probably just talk too much.

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I am a number 3 man as well.
Sound wise in my opinion, if the KJ doesn't know how to use their effects to improve the vocals would make me want to leave after my first song. I went to an old bar where I use to run the show and every singer was dry, the good, the okay and the bad. And you could tell which was whichfrom the get go. I lasted one song and left.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Been awhile since I stuck my in any of the topics as of late, but this one caught my eye. I started as a DJ back in the late 70's.......took a break....then started frequenting the karaoke clubs. As a singer, was fortunate enough to be able to experience all three as described in the OP. I personally enjoyed the smaller venues ( #3 ) basically for the same reasons as micky. I've walked into "neighborhood" clubs....not knowing a soul.....definitely a stranger to the "regulars"....but I was accepted due to NOT being overly aggressive in making new acquaintences. I just bought a beer....listened and clapped for the singers.....got a feel for the crowd.....carefully picked a song....sang it....and more times than not..was able to be considered "one of them". The fact that one might be able to sing 4 or 5 times was a plus. Sorry, but where I'm not knocking the larger venues, it's nice to be able to get to know a lot, if not all, of the singers on a first, and last, name basis. As a DJ.....or a dancer.....definitely want the larger venue,....BUT....as a KJ....and one who still likes to check out other shows....I still prefer the "intimacy" of the smaller venue......hands down!!


DONNY "B"

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It's a wonderful life!!

As a singer I wouldn't touch karaoke with a ten foot pole. It's music with training wheels. Doing someone else's arrangements of someone else's songs who are we kidding? There is no creative process and therefore no art. No criticism of anyone is intended, that's just my opinion.

I will hang out with the crappy collection, crappy equipment, and an up front in you face KJ who keeps the party moving. I'll drink myself silly and probably not sing at all until too toasty to operate the floor, if then.

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Okay, who took my pants?

Had that tonight. We had four singers all night at our service club -- $1.25 beer and about 20 people as the audience. Our sound is just about the best in the area, too.

It is why I do that gig.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Singing dry is tantamount to torture to me - not only for me, because I'm not used to concentrating so hard at singing perfectly, but to have to listen to others singing dry when you darned well know if they had just a little delay or plate they'd sound fabulous. Doesn't make sense, especially if the board is equipped with built-in effects (happened to me recently).

For me as a singer, I want a venue that doesn't have a huge rotation. It is about me. Unlike other posters previously, if I want to sing, I don't stay home and sing. In fact I never sing at home. I will some times listen to a new disc, or talk the vocals to get the timing down, but never really sing at home.

That being said, I want to sing as much as possible when I go out. A bigger rotation doesn't seem as big when the KJ is efficient. If the KJ has tons of down time between singers, I won't be back. If the KJ thinks that in between songs is time to practice his standup routine, I won't be back. If the music mix is bad, or the mic is constantly feeding back and killing my ears, I won't be back. If the KJ hands me a piece of crap mic with a LED lighting effect built into it, I won't be back. That actually happened. If the alcohol is over priced, I won't be back no matter how good the sound is. When I go out, I want some damn beer at a fair price, and I still sound good. If the KJ does a bogus rotation where they allow people to sing two songs in a row, or many times in a rotation, I won't be back. If the KJ doesn't allow me to play my disc, I won't be back.

The place I prefer is the first place I ever sang, and the first place I started KJ'n. It is a realatively small bar with it's own system. The system or mics are not as good as mine, but sound good enough. Everyone here knows me. There are great singers, and some bad ones, but everyone gets treated nicely. I love 2 out of 3 KJ's there. I don't go on the night the Angry Gay Guy KJ is working. The beverages are priced fairly. Since the beer is priced fair, I am way more likely to tip the KJ well, since I didn't get robbed buying a beer or three.

A good KJ, reasonable rotation and beer prices, and a reasonable system is what I look for as a singer. How many good singers there are has nothing to do with it. I am a good singer, so I am not intimidated by other good singers. As long as the people are trying, and not yelling or cursing, I enjoy the bad singers too.

Felix the KJ

I just started and I'm feeling extreeeeemly inadequate (in a good way I think)
I really hope I can learn from all the experience on here.
I thought I was a great singer until I started running the show. I’m not yet worthy of being called a KJ or a DJ, but I’m learning. I probably have more trouble than anything with the feed back problem getting good sound for some people. About the time I think I have it figured out, something goes left.

All in all I’m enjoying it, and so far in our small town I’m at least getting a little crowd at the local establishment. I’m hoping that’s keeping my head above water.
I surely didn’t mean to hijack a thread, just wanted to say I’m enjoying being here, Thank you!

Weed, I don't know about you, but I've grown as a singer...

so it's training wheels... it's worked!!