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one of the letdowns of only having a couple singers, is the non-singing audience gets QUITE tired of the original three plus the kj.

Hence my reason for the filler music (or video). Just enough to break the monotony!

Ok. I give up. You win.
My point was my point and apparently you see what I'm trying to say. Good enough for me.
PS I wasn't castigating you, just making a point.

And the singers get tired of the monotony of the filler music as it cuts into the amount of songs that the singers will be allowed to sing. A good singer can sing and entertain the non singers as easily as filler music.

And I still recomend the White Horse Tavern . It is the typical drunks singing karaoke. I have over a 100 drunks to entertain and frankly I do not have time for your BS.

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Funny how you consider all of us karaoke singers as drunks. I guess it takes one to assume that everyone else is one??? As far as B.S. goes; It wasn't that long ago in one of your drunken rages that you said you were leaving this forum but yet, you are back spewing your hate and anger. You are the one who can't be taken at his word because you are the one who is often three sheets to the wind when you post here. I'm just a singer who likes to sing when I spend my money for entertainment. I don't have to get drunk to have a good time and I don't need liquid courage to get up and sing in front of people. If I were anywhere near your location, I would be happy to go to the White Horse Tavern rather than go to your show where 100 drunks hang out with the head drunk.

Ok. Are you done yet? Now that we have the obligitory spewing and thread highjack can we get back on topic, please?
The main thing here is needing to balance the wants of the singers vs the wants of the non singers. It takes experience and intuition regarding your crowd to know how to do this balancing act and try to keep the majority of the crowd happy. There will always be at least one guy who's not happy no matter what you do.
He's perfectly free to go home, if that's the case.
I, like some others on here, don't have time for self important prima donnas who think that only their needs matter.
My job is to keep the CROWD happy, not ONE guy (or girl).
As long as the till is substantially fuller at the end of the night than when I arrived, I've done my job and I'm happy.

But that goes into what you advertise. Is it advertised karaoke? Or is it advertised karaoke & dj? I agree if I go into a place advertising karaoke, that's the entertainment I go in for & expect. If I go into a place advertising karaoke & they are playing dj music half the time, that is not a karaoke night & shouldn't be advertised as such. Like stated, you go to a dj night, that's all you get - pretty much can be assured of that. But you go into an advertised karaoke night & HOPE it's what they advertise.
I run in a karaoke club, strictly karaoke all the time. RARE will I throw in a line dance song or two when requested, but no more than that - and even I feel odd about doing so, even though it is requested BY the singers. Anyone can sing & if you are the only singer, then you hit the jackpot. The non-singers know it's a karaoke club (after 15 years) plus the big sign on the jukebox stating karaoke starts at 9, no refunds will be given for unplayed songs.
I don't care if a host needs to read the crowd & play dj music accordingly, however all I would want is it to be advertised that way & not JUST karaoke night. Those looking for striclty karaoke would really appreciate it.

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Honestly, I have NEVER played filler music in between my sets. Once I start the karaoke, that's it. In MY show, if they want to hear a song, they can put a slip in and sing it. I agree with you, Lonnie, it's KARAOKE.
However, given that some on here are arguing the point of singers vs non singers and they want to accomodate the non singers' wishes, I made the above statement.
Not something I would do personally. After all, I host karaoke. I'm not a DJ and I hate doing it.
Also, I just wanted the arguing to stop.
You do what you do in your venue and it works for you.
The rest really has no bearing on you.
Edit:
"You" being meant collectively, not Lonnie, specifially, but ALL of you (everyone here).

I have to look at the bottom line and will do what's necessary to entertain as much of the crowd as I can. I don't care if the place advertises "karaoke". If the place advertises Texas Hold 'em does that mean no one can play darts that night, or listen to the juke box, or order food?

I had gone on for months, a while back, complaining about karaoke shows where too many self-centered singers spent little or nothing. Some members wanted to argue with me about the extent of the problem, because they never had attended any similar shows as I had described. In fact, some refused to believe that what I described actually existed exclaiming that "they never have personally experienced what I had in their local area(s)". My point, many shows in my neck of the woods cannot survive on what the karaoke singers spend. And while they often hesitate spending money, they don't hesitate letting want they would like be known!

I don't know why it is so hard for some to realize that their little part of the world is not necessarily representative of mine?

Yes, there are karaoke singers who believe that the karaoke show is all about them and their personal "enjoyment". Some are so fixated on singing that they don't consider that it would be fair and wise to spend some meaningful amount of money while enjoying themselves. Some, in fact, think they are the entertainment and should probably get paid for their efforts! Some begrudge paying a cover charge which some venues find to be necessary in order to justify paying the entertainer(s)

They just want to sing and believe that everyone else is in attendance because of them and the other singers. Well, sometimes that's the case and sometimes it's not. Sometimes the venue prospers for other reasons and believes that having some form of entertainment adds to the "mix" and helps to keep folks around. Here in Florida, most karaoke shows live or die based upon the karaoke devotees they can attract. Some venues, however, have a crowd of regulars that show up and probably would continue to show up without karaoke == maybe a DJ or a band or a singer/guitar player would accomplish the same for the venue's bottom line?

Some die-hard karaoke devotees feel that the job of the karaoke show is to maximize their opportunity to sing. Five minutes of bumper music here or there is unacceptable to them. I personally find it unacceptable to spend a lot of money while others are spending little. I personally find it unacceptable to spend a lot of money and get screwed over in the rotation. I DON'T find it unacceptable for there to be other "things" going on that is entertaining so long as I get a FAIR number of chances to sing. Sometimes that may be 4x a night, sometimes that may be 2x for the night. Most important though, is did I have a good time? If I don't like the place, the people, the KJ, the selection or anyone of a myriad of other things I might find disappointing... I won't go back regardless of how many times I can sing

I like to dance as much as anyone; I taught C&W dance. Why shouldn't I have the opportunity to dance during the karaoke show? That sometimes occurs while someone is singing. But what if no one is singing any "real" dance music? What's wrong with the KJ playing dance music so those who want to get up and dance can do so? LET'S NOT IGNORE THE OBVIOUS - many more people go OUT to dance than go out to sing or to listen to karaoke. And many more people relate to dancing in public than to singing in public. So it's "cute" to say as a singer you don't go up to a DJ and ask for a chance to sing... but IT IS "APPLES" and "ORANGES"!

And while there are many important considerations one must take into account as the businessperson/KJ/host/hostess that you are, none is more important that the statistic of whether the Z tape is growing or declining, regardless if karaoke is being advertised that night!

Talk about apples and oranges.....People can play darts or play billiards while other people are playing poker without those three activities interfering with each other. You can't have a karaoke singer singing a song while the DJ plays another song at the same time. You can also have karaoke going on at the same time as the poker games are being played. Every KJ has a right to run their show any way they choose. I'm just voicing a singers opinion of what I prefer. If you are the only show in town, I'm stuck listening to your filler music if I want to sing again. If there is another show down the street, or 15 miles away that doesn't play filler music, that's where I'd be. If people want to dance badly enough, they'll dance to what the karaoke people are singing. If there are so many people that dance and there are so many dance clubs to dance at, why do all of these dancers feel the need to go to a "karaoke bar" or any bar that is advertising karaoke for that particular evening, and demand to hear dance music because they don't have the courage to grab a microphone and sing a song. I don't go to an Italian restaurant and ask for Shrimp Chow Mein and I don't go to an apple orchard looking to buy oranges.

Fine dance when someone is singing. All i'm saying is if you are going to play dance music, do not advertise a strictly karaoke show, advertise as karaoke & dj. It's either all dj or dj & karaoke but it's seldom JUST karaoke at places that advertise karaoke.

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I disagree.

Playing a SINGLE filler tune in a rotation of 3 WHOLE smeggin' singers is what we're talking about, yet BruceFanForLife wants to make this as I'm not honoring the karaoke creed.

We're still talking about you as a singer are going to get up more times than if the rotation were six, eight, twelve, or twenty.

When you have THAT FEW of singers, yes you need to do something to break up the monotony of hearing the same four voices, no matter how good or bad they sing like.

Once the rotation picks up, not only would I as the kj drop out, but so too would the awful, dreaded and behooved filler music!

Sheesh!

Geez we have dancing all the time. You can dance at a karaoke, you can't sing at a DJ show. For the most part we get 20+ singers, so no filler music, no dance breaks. BTW 99% drink, buy food and support the bar. If the crowds aren't coming in, it's eitther to do with the show (it sucks), the bar (either bad reputation, lousy location, or seediness), or the economy, and even in bad economies good bars do well.

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Okay, here is an example of the opposite extreme. I went to a relatively new show for the first time tonight. The show is advertised as a Karaoke, DJ and Acoustic music show. I get there and the parking lot is jammed and there is barely a place to sit down in the place. I get a song in just in the nick of time to sing a song before the acoustic part of the show kicked in but I had to stick around to see how long the acoustic part would be and who would be playing and singing during this time. I thought it was gonna be sort of an open mic night for people who play guitar but I was wrong. There was quite a bit of filler music in between every karaoke singer but when the acoustic part started it was just the karaoke host and her guitar singing 6 or 7 songs in a row. Then she went back to the filler music for a couple of songs before she called up another karaoke singer. As she called up the first singer after her acoustic set, she mentioned that she still had a bunch of singers to get to before she would get back to the top of the rotation. I figured that there would be no way that she'd get back around to me so I left and went to Taco Bell for a late night snack and was home before midnight. That place has been scratched off of my karaoke list. The acoustic set was enjoyable to listen to as I knew every song she played but to me, it was no different than going to a show where the KJ sings a lot of "requests" in every rotation.

To Matt.....my singing is not monotonous. Hearing the same lame filler music is monotonous.

See this is where I disagree. I am not hired by my bar to do any dj'ing (at this time - maybe this will change over time, maybe not - tonight I had 32 singers and packed dance floor). If 3 singers are there, then those 3 singers sing. No regular music in between - UNLESS those 3 singers do not put up another song to sing in a timely manner, then I will allow a song to play until the singers put up their song, then once that happens, the regular music goes down & the singer gets up. If I need to break up the monotony, I will most likely throw myself in the round as well (provided I can sing that night anymore). The non singers are in on a karaoke night (or club in my situation), they don't get dj music. But then it's rare to get less than 10 singers on any given night.

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I guess my point about Texas Hold 'em and other activities needs to be presented somewhat differently. I wasn't talking about whether there is a conflict when two different activities occur on the same night in a particular venue

My point is/was, that because the venue ADVERTISES that they have activity "X", doesn't mean that they ONLY have activity "X". So... because a venue advertises that they have Karaoke doesn't mean that NOTHING else can happen during the hours when the karaoke is going on, including filler music and/or a dance set.

And while there is clearly no consensus among us as singers and/or KJ's what should be available to the public during a karaoke show, let the singers go where they want. I can only do my best as a KJ to keep them coming but I'll never please all of the singers all of the time.

As a KJ and business person I can't worry solely about the singers, I must please all in attendance. So, I say let the bottom line dictate the results. If I ignore the bottom line, there won't be ANY karaoke! Or... there will be someone else doing it!

And I do realize that some of you are doing a show in a venue where the show is "dedicated" to karaoke, dozens of singers show up regularly to perform, and many more come to be entertained by the singers. Well.. unfortunately, that is not my world. If it were, I'd be doing non-stop karaoke rather than racking my brains on how to make the evening one of fun and enjoyment for everyone!

And I don't think karaoke can survive anywhere when there is consistently but a handful of singers who are allowed to sing one after the other, non-stop! The audience needs a break and a diversion. No matter how good 3, or 5 or 8 singers maybe, listening to that same group, over and over again, 2-3 times an hour, is asking too much of anyone to endure IMHO!

The audience needs a break and a diversion. No matter how good 3, or 5 or 8 singers maybe, listening to that same group, over and over again, 2-3 times an hour, is asking too much of anyone to endure IMHO!

People go to Bruce Springsteen concerts and listen to the same guy sing for 3 HOURS and then go back again the next day to hear him again; and if they can afford it, they keep going back until the show moves on to the next city. People followed the Grateful Dead around for years. I am in NO WAY trying to compare myself to these people, before anyone starts to call me conceited. People like to listen to music. The reasons that most non singing people go to a karaoke venue is to hear music performed by amateur singers. There are plenty of clubs for people to go to if they want to dance. Every karaoke night is going to be different. Going to see the same cover band can be more monotonous than a karaoke show. Most cover bands play the same songs every night in the exact same order and most KJ's, who play filler music, play the same filler music night after night regardless of how many songs they have on their computer. They just play songs that they like because they think that everyone else likes what they like. It seems like the only people that seem to be bored with the same handful of voices seem to be certain KJ's. IF YOUR JOB BORES YOU THAT MUCH, look for another one. I've had people come up to me and ask me when I was gonna sing again. On the other hand, I've never had a person come up to my face and say that my singing was monotonous.

BruceFan

Of course you would enjoy going to a Sprinsteen concert, maybe over an over again. However, I wouldn't go to one for free. So... what is your point!

And what statement in my post lead you to conclude that I experience a level of boredom doing Karaoke? And what if I did? In what way would that diminish my goal of maximizing the profits of the venue that engages me?

If there were much truth to your assertion about my being bored, I surely wouldn't be doing karaoke! I most definitely do not host karaoke, primarily, because of the money! Perhaps when I am fully retired and doing karaoke money maybe an issue then? And if I found karaoke boring today, I wouldn't have spent $2800 on speakers, alone, this last month; I'd take up an invigorating "hobby", instead!

And my focus as a KJ is the bottom line - not your pleasure as a singer. And... I don't frequent places where most of the non-singing audience have come because of the singers. They come because of many reasons, and karaoke is usually part of the "equation" but not THE MAIN DRAW. I had thought I have made that last point quite clear through a plethora of posts over the years?

I believe, furthermore, that several of us have made the point that we realize we must be in "tune with the entire audience" and what they want. If we are not, then we wont be able to keep doing what we are PRIMARILY in business for - hosting KARAOKE!

BTW, I know nothing nor do I give a hoot about what cover bands do!

I must wonder why someone as intelligent as you, Bruce, went to such lengths to twist, virtually, all of my thoughts? Obviously, and at very least, you can't support your position beyond stating your own personal preferences, so you've taken the approach to try to diminish the opinions of others. For example, you want to stereotype filler music as boring and repetitive? I have 200 songs loaded into Roxbox for transitional music. No song is likely to repeat for three weeks, and even if it did, who would be upset with a 20 second snippit? And personally, much of that music is not my personal preference, but it is the preference of most younger people!

Bruce, if your existence is so wrapped up in karaoke that you can't enjoy anything else during the course of an evening of singing karaoke... well, then, of course, avoid places that don't meet your needs. I must assume that you have by now found a bunch of places that fulfill your needs. Nonetheless, I am sure you have been to lot more places that are still in business today that don't! That's why there is Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream! Some like one; some like the other and a few like both.

We have customers that pay good money for everything from birthday parties to weddings. They always stipulate a combination of DJ and karaoke and often the DJ will be a certain genre. Even with a large rotation of singers they relax party and really not concerned about whether they are bumped. There might be 3 singers or 30. With 30 singers thee is hardly any dance music unless requested.

In my venues at the start when there are only a few singers, there is no panic and it is business as usual as most are accustomed to this format. Some venues like Lonnies thrive on a karaoke only basis which is fine but there are many that have to go with what most want.

We reserve tables for parties (non singers) and when people see our format guess who they ask to do their parties. I would rather get 3 or 400 a night or day and not have to deal with large rotations of singers. When I say some of my singers request line or dance songs I am not joking because when we did their party it was the same thing.

So if you only have a few singers do not panic but show your versatilities for there might be someone there looking for a host for their party or wedding. I could do 6 hours and never sing the same song twice but I do not know many karaoke singers that could fill a 4 hour show. I do have about 3 that could and they are very good.In fact one hired me to do their wedding and reception. The gal on the right in red was helping me with gigs when she was 16. The groom is now the early morning weatherman at channel 5 in Cheyenne Whether it is 3 or 30 the show goes on.

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And how is this different from hearing the same voice or two in a band? Your statement makes absolutely no sense.

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