Karaoke Forums

One of my biggest issues as a karaoke host is how to integrate duet sign-ups into my list of solo singers. It happens quite often: I have a group of, say, four people. All four of them put up slips for them to sing alone. Then I get 2 of those 4 putting both their names on one slip, or any combination of their names on one slip. After getting several of these, it gets tough arranging them making sure everyone has an equal amount of stage time. And don't get me started when they put up a song with one name on the slip and everyone gets up to sing with them. In those cases, I say "It's their performance. They can have help if they like." But when people are putting up slips with more than one name, it can get tough arranging the rotation so everyone gets fair stage time. I just find myself using my own judgement, but I'd like to hear other hosts' methods of doing things and maybe get some ideas.

If we had an FAQ for this board, it would one of the first couple of topics.

But I see we haven't talked about it for a while, and a search doesn't return any of the past threads.

People vary here. Few hosts allow unfettered duets. Some say you get one turn on the stage per roation.

My rule is "one free duet". You get to appear on the stage twice in a rotation once. After that, you get once per rotation. This prevents "Marcie" from bringing a whole table of friends and going with them one after another to the stage. We are not having "The Marcie Show".

I have seen venues that have a "name must appear on slip to sing" rule, and if I were having trouble I would adopt that.

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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.

I secretly hate duets.

I allow singers to sing once per rotation. My reasoning centers on perception. I can run as fair and consistent of a rotation as I want, but if I let solos and duets coexist, and I think we all have our duet 'junkies', some singers would get more stage time than others, and the perception to others is ... 'they're singing more than me.' If a duet both has solos, I put the duet in one rotation and the solos in the next. If one half of a duet piggybacks on a slip from someone who duets and solos, the piggybacker may have to wait a little longer to sing. No system's perfect and this approach is the one I've found to be the most favorable.

Sidenote: Last night I had a guy/guy duet that sounded really good (sublime, nirvana, red hot chili peppers) ... they brought up about five slips, one at a time, all with different names on them. (Mike & Ike, Mack & Jack, Furbie & Tish, etc.). Net time one of 'em came up I let him know that I suspected all the slips were for the same dueters, and if I called each duet up and they were the same two, I wasn't going to be happy, and that submitting slips with false names on them was a cardinal karaoke sin. The guy said, they thought it would be funny. Argh, singers!!!!

Damn! I hate having to agree with you but I do. I hate duet "junkies" and there always seems to be ONE at every karaoke venue. I also think that the other guys ONE FREE DUET per show is a good idea.

Just for the record, I did not use the term "gosh darn". The filter replaced D.A.M.N. with gosh darn.

Gah! That's something else I can't stand is people submitting slips under different names. If you want a nickname, fine, but stick with it for the entirety of the show. That being said, one of my other MAJOR pet peeves is when Marcie wants to sing, but Marcie is too shy, so she asks her vocally-talented friend to go up with her and sing while she stands off with the mic down by her side and quietly mouths the words! The only thing worse than that would be when she gets halfway through the song and thinks "Well, my friend is doing a much better job than me, I'll just let her finish!" and runs off back to her table! Then I am stuck at the end of the show asking for an applause for a girl who didn't perform at all and sat down 2 minutes ago. Steams my broccoli, lemme tell ya!

Or the solo slip turn into a duet when the song is cued.

It depends on how busy it is, but in general, you may sing solo or with a partner when it is your turn.

Further, If you have slips in for more than two appearances during the rotation, than that song goes in under YOUR name on the following rotation.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

Proverbial pain in the arse, duets. If each of the dueters puts in solos, they each sing one solo in one rotation; next rotation, they get doubled up to do their duet - so they lose their solos that rotation; then, next rotation back to solos.

As far as someone constantly bringing a crowd up with them, doesn't take long to identify the names. They'll get ONE song per rotation. One group song = 6 solos. Saves a lot of time in the rotation, too! I'll advise them that you get one "on me" and after that, everbody gets one appearance on stage per rotation.

As far as newbies who are afraid, and who bring Ms. Am Idol with them to cover them every time, not much you can do about it, except Ms. Am Idol loses her solo that round.

People who put different names on the slip - call them on it, on the mic. Hey, don't put different names up or I'll pull you completely from the rotation. You decide.

This situation is one of those icky ones... and a nuisance to a host. Regulars really hate it when interlopers come in and screw things up for them, too.

Each duet counts as one of the singer's turns. To me, it doesn't matter which one, but if both singers have solo songs in, I will assign the duet to the singer with less songs in. If they put in more than one duet, I just divide them evenly between the two.
There is one exception. I have one singer who only ever gets up as part of a duet or group. Her friends only sing her songs for her so they go under her name and don't get divided up.
If I have several group slips put it with a bunch of different names, I check to see if one of the names is on all of them. This is often the case. When that happens, it gets assigned to that one singer and they get one turn per round.
As for the changing name game, I, too hate it and I make it very clear when discovered that they must have only ONE name and it will be the first one they submitted for the rest of the night. Depending on the situation (you can usually tell if they are trying to "scam" the rotation), I will not let them sing the second song and they will have to wait for the next round. This serves two purposes. They don't get rewarded for playing the game and everyone else sees what happens when you try it. I make sure to say something over the mic in cases like this, such as "Oops! this goup already sang this round under the name (insert name here) so we'll move to the next singer in line and they'll be up next round" .Then I call the next singer in line. I don't wait or dawdle on it as it slows things down and also gives the "cheaters" a chance to argue if you do.
If they truly are new and don't know, I'll mention it to them and if the rotation isn't that long, I'll let it go.

The DUET answer falls under your general show rotation guidelines that YOU have to establish. Again I have to say use common sense -- If it's a PARTY group and they all want to get up and sing with each other you have to gauge how busy you are and how many NON party singers you have and go accordingly. The rule is 1 singer 1 song per rotation. I would think that 2 singers ( duet) would get to sing 2 songs in 1 rotation?..makes sense . One thing you can count on ..Whichever way you decide to go
#1 - Some singers will be unhappy with it
#2- Some other KJ's will disagree with you

Welcome to Karaokescene, Hold on , sit tight and enjoy the ride !!!

I thing the main point here that both the OP and Jam pointed out is that oftentimes you will have to use your judgement.

I like this method. It's simple and straightforward. Thanks for sharing!

And thanks to all the other posters so far. Looks like it's just an all-around tricky situation that no one method can work for. But there are some great ideas on this page that I plan to work into my shows.

It's a pain but to be fair to the one who doesn't have a song in solo, I will allow a duet in the same rotation as one of the singers having their name in but I count the duet under the name that has not sung or will not sing solo in that rotation. Now if the duet gives the second person the courage to try one on their own I will put it under their name for the next rotation.

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

I just feel real lucky if I only hove one or two in a night.

And I don't get very lucky most of the time.

By far the easiest is the most common. If two singers are in rotation and they want a duet, I go out and tell them that the duet has to cover one of their solo spots... who's going to give up their solo this round?

That often means that the duet doesn't get done BTW.

Early when there's only 4 or 5 singers I throw it in as an extra.

I allow "helpers" but you can only help once a round. And this can be a big deal because there's two very popular singers in the room (one guy one gal) whom newbies want to sing with. If their names come up twice in a round I'll tell the second newbie the rule, and say they can sing it solo or they'll have to wait until the next round.

They usually muster up the courage to do it alone.

There's often a "gang" sing somewhere in the night involving 5 or more... some in the round and some not. Usually "I Hate Myself For Loving You" "Before He Cheats" "Santeria" "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" "Baby Got Back"... things like that. I just throw up my hands and let it in at the end of the round. You just can't win.

I agree that if a singer's going to do a duet it's going to cost one of them their solo spot. My singers pretty much know that the most they can be on stage in any one rotation is twice.

The exception to this rule are Showtunes that sometimes require a chorus and or multiple small parts. As long as they stick to the chorus parts I won't count that against them. I have a group of regulars who are theater people who love this type of song. Fortunately, they understand the concept of a fair rotation, and don't abuse the privilege.

Karen

I agree that if a singer's going to do a duet it's going to cost one of them their solo spot. My singers pretty much know that the most they can be on stage in any one rotation is twice.

The exception to this rule are Showtunes that sometimes require a chorus and or multiple small parts. As long as they stick to the chorus parts I won't count that against them. I have a group of regulars who are theater people who love this type of song. Fortunately, they understand the concept of a fair rotation, and don't abuse the privilege.

Karen

Duets... ugh!

I've had my runins with these horrid things.

The biggest problem is when people think that they can sing a regular song and then do a duet in the same rotation... effectively getting up to sing twice. If EVERYONE was that selfish, I'd have the rotation from he!! !!

I also had customers try to do a duet with other people too... made my life as a host a living he!! !!

Caused a lot of problems... until I instituded a simple policy:
One turn for BOTH singers. THat's their turn on the mic in that rotation.

I don't have a SINGLE problem with duets, providing they understand my rules at my venue. I remember getting slammed in the past for my ideas on how to do duets. Frankly m'dear, I don't give a hoot if you agree or disagree... After implementing it, I never had people complain "Hey, they got up twice!"

You know who it stopped??? Yep, the duet abusers! Those that wanted to sing duets did 'em!!!

First person of the duet(or more) named on the slip gets charged. You might have a trio get up three times in a rotation, still works out to only one song a piece. Now of course if it starts getting silly like 4x4+.... and the joint gets crowded, you have to improvise(like take bribes... ).....It's been a few years since I've done a bar(just private stuff with Dj and/or Kj for me now)....but that's what I used to try to do, and sure, I heard a few complaints.
I've actually gone out singing, and been asked to join someone during their turn, and not wanting to be rude, I've complied, knowing that the KJ was going to skip me when my turn came up. Man, I hate when that happens....I don't even like doing duets, but as a KJ, I will help someone a bit, if their having problems....that is if I can help them.... I have enough problems with my own singing...
Bottom line.....to each his own.....

I ask "Whose turn does this go under?" When the person handing me the slip says "The other person" I ask them to have him/her come up to tell me that.

So long as there is a in individual's name on the slip that is participating I'm fine with it. When I see a pattern of one person singing every song, they get m just one rotation. From then on it's metered in very judiciously.

I have one group of 3 gals who like to sing as a group. I don't let them go on stage and stay there for 3 songs, I break them up, but they all take turns singing backup and harmonizing with each other. If they sang solo they'd be on the stage for three songs, why should I care if they all want to share the spotlight?

I don't PERSONALLY care... but the karaoke regs see people getting up more than them when they're doing solos!