Karaoke Forums

Who said you have to like them? No matter what level of "good" someone is, they don't need to let everyone know it by again,,, verbal or non verbal cues, let their singing speak for itself and be humble. I'd rather listen to someone with a less than adequate voice that is a truly nice person then the diva I just described.

Ya don't like bad singer? Either a. don't go to karaoke, or b. take up smoking and everytime a bad singer gets up, go for a puff. Karaoke is for all who want to to participate.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Clearly another thread drawing upon diverse opinions and experience.

The answer, Rosario, is to keeps matters simple. To do that, consider what you were hired for and what you can do to accomplish your goal. I believe that you were engaged to produce a net gain in profits for your employer.

Let's say, for discussion purposes, that you were hired to be the venue's general manger and your responsibility is to improve the profitability of the establishment. After you review the facts, you decide that the venue is charging too little for liquor. So, you raise the prices 35 cents. Will there be complainers? Probably! But you raise the prices anyway because you believe it is necessary to maintain a good profit margin. Why did you raise the prices in spite of the complainers? Because the net result will help to accomplish your task! Meanwhile, I've been in such a position where the owner negated my decision after hearing from the complainers (out of fear), until he finally reached the point where he realized I was right and there was NO choice but to raise prices.

Indisputable in your situation are the following facts:
You are not going to satisfy everyone
You are not going to satisfy every singer
You are not going to satisfy every non-singer
You are not going to satisfy every "regular"
If the establishment has "things to offer" other than karaoke, new patrons may return to that establishment on other occasions due to the additional exposure that Karaoke has provided it, especially if the place is a restaurant!
You will ONLY optimize your success by providing the best show that you can
So, focus on what the people who are coming for karaoke are saying about the show, not the "regulars"
Then evaluate how you want to "format" your show...
(a) transition music/no transition music
(b) filler music/no filler music
(c) dance music/no dance music
(d) it's a country crowd/it's a pop crowd, etc.
(e) it's a younger crowd/it's an older crowd

It's interesting for me to note that in this thread there were KJ's that would take matters into their own hands during various circumstances. Other posters were appalled to learn that.

I know as a fledgling KJ I would act, at times, without discussing (EVERY) matter with the owner. I have had to, for example, cut off the mics of people, including those of regulars, without discussing the matter with management. And, of course, the parties involved "reported" to management what I had done to them!

In closing, Rosario, you seem to have good sensibilities about how you want to run your business. You really don't need much input from folks who aren't there to see what you are specifically experiencing.

Oh, and IMHO I wouldn't spend any of my valuable time surveying what goes on in the place other days/nights of the week.

Keep doing what you're doing and best of luck

And this is the attitude that I consider a Diva!

I sing well, and REALLY appreciate good singers. I have one guy (Sean) who sings REALLY well, absolutely amazingly - and yet sings probably like once a night or such. I know a few girls who also are amazing (my fiancee is a stunning singer but would never admit it). I love to hear a great singer. Moreover, we all REALLY enjoy it.

But as soon as they get big-headed about it, and consider people who are poor to be "goofing off" or jealous? Man, you just lost a lotta respect. Diva's are self centered, and this is where that "You're jelous" thing comes from - thinking it's all about you and your singing, that's what we're all obviously here for.*

I don't label all good singers as bad or "diva". Heck I know some "divas" who are terrible, terrible singers (got a great diva tantrum story for another thread).

If I had my way? The gig would be full of great singers with great personalities - don't get me wrong, in an ideal worls all gigs would be full of great singers. But I rate the personality and performance of the person much higer than whether they can hold a tune - as far as entertainment goes.

*Note: Not "YOU" you, just a general "you".

What would you consider a non singing patron who just sits at the bar all night who says something negative about having to listen to so many lousy singers? Is he considered a DIVA as well because he prefers listening to people that can actually sing well? I would think that a bar full of good singers would keep the non singing patrons in the bar longer than a bar full of lousy singers. I don't think I've ever heard someone say that they were going out to have a cigarette because this next singer is just too damn good to listen to again. Again, I think the really good singers may intimidate some of the lousy singers but the lousy singers are there to just have "fun" anyway so why should they care if someone is a better singer than anyone else? I think the better singers just annoy some of the KJ's because they expect more out of a KJ than someone who is just there to goof off and have some fun. A better singer expects good equipment and a good mix of the music and vocals with some effects on the mic because they want to sound as good as possible because they take it seriously. When did taking something seriously become a bad thing? A KJ is supposed to be there for ALL of the people who show up to sing; not just the people who don't take it seriously. I know some pretty terrible singers who take their singing very seriously. Some of them own more karaoke CD's than some of the best singers that I have ever heard but that doesn't help them vocalize one little bit. Some of these terrible singers pay just as much attention to the rotation as their "gifted" fellow singers because they want to sing just as much as anyone else. I've never met anyone who regularly goes to karaoke who only wants to sing one song for the entire evening but that doesn't mean that they don't exist. I've just never met one. If I were to venture a guess; I would guess that such a person really nails that ONE song and just sings that ONE song over and over and revels in the applause for his one hit wonder. It takes all kinds to make a great karaoke show. I appreciate the DIVAS and the one hit wonders and the worst singers of the world. Karaoke is for EVERYONE but some singers are just naturally BETTER than others and they shouldn't have to apologize for it.

A masochist. If all someone is doing is bellyaching all night I have one question. What is he doing there? If I don't like what's going on in a place, I leave.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

The person who sits at the bar and DOESN'T sing, and complains about the singers, I consider a "karaoke hater". In my opinion, 50% of karaoke singers are marginal, another 40% are less than marginal, and MAYBE the other 10% are good singers. So, if ANY person wants to complain about the QUALITY of karaoke singers, they have alot of ammunition to use against karaoke. That's why karaoke is not everybodies cup of tea. IT'S NOT A SINGING COMPETITION. It's a change of pace from darts, pool, a jukebox, and other forms of ENTERTAINMENT. That's why I started this thread, because of people described by Brucefan. They DON'T want it, because it's not THEIR CUP OF TEA. I call them haters, because if they don't like it, they should voice their opinion, and either leave it at that, or LEAVE. Nobody wants to listen to them BIT*H all night about how bad the singers are. They are no different than the person who BIT*HES about their drink don't have enough booze, or the drinks cost too much, or any other reason they can find to BIT*H. In my opinion, the karaoke SINGER who sits and BIT*HES about the other singers are no different that the other BIT*HERS. If they don't like the singers, the drinks, the prices, GO SOMEPLACE ELSE, SO THE REST OF US CAN HAVE SOME FUN!!! I would be the first to ask them why they are staying if EVERYTHING is so bad.

Rosario

Bruce said: "Karaoke is for EVERYONE but some singers are just naturally BETTER than others and they shouldn't have to apologize for it.

Who said they have to apologize?

I will be the first to admit when someone steps up to the plate and nails it, it puts a smile on my face. They just don't have to act like their sh%t don't stink.

The ones that think their poo poo smells like roses are usually the same one's that pee on the seat.

Karaoke is a good reason for me to go out and have a few beers, socialize and have some fun. I generally wouldn't go to a bar and just drink, it's boring. Soooooo, I've put up with bad singers for something like 4 or 5 years. Before that I never went out to bars at all.

I don't complain to other people about it. Inside I cringe and I suppose I have kind of gotten used to it and have just accepted it. That doesn't mean I like it. It just comes with the whole package.

I like to sing and I enjoy singing in front of people, but now I rarely go to Karaoke anymore. I want to get paid when I sing now. Singing 2 or 3 songs a night just doesn't satisfy me either. Thankfully I have a system set up at home and I can get it out of my system.

Now the only place I ever sing at anymore other than the shows that I do is at the VFW where I am a fill in host from time to time. They have lots of bad singers there, but the drinks are cheap and I have fun there.

Nail on the head!

Please describe what acting like their poop doesn't stink is? Are they supposed to act like they are bad singers? Should they expect people to laugh at them? The only people that I have ever seen act like their poop doesn't stink are KJ's who happen to be very good singers who repeatedly sing "requests" during the rotation. Since it is the KJ who can control the rotation, it is the KJ/DIVA that seems to be the only one with the opportunity to really become a DIVA. At a relatively busy karaoke show, each singer may get up maybe 4 or 5 times in a night, if that. I don't see how any DIVA can be more of a problem than the ocassional freeloader at a show. I'd rather hear a diva or three sing once every hour than hear the guy, who can't carry a tune, who always picks out a song that is at least 6 minutes long.

KJ diva's are 100% the worst breed of people in the world (after the French - - just kidding).

To me, acting like their poop don't stink is quite a simple concept to understand...

* Acting like they are more important than other singers because they BELIEVE they hold a tune well.

* Acting like someone famous when not singing

* Treating the bar like it's somewhere they only deign to visit because they are letting regulars see how someone SHOULD sing

* When on-stage, doing their best Mariah Carey warbling and hand waiving, because they have seen it on the latest reality talent show.

* The attitude they openly display to poorer singers. We may not all enjoy them, but we hide it - COURTESY!

* The attitude they display to the more "fun" singers

* The attitude and catfights they start with each other. One-upping in a karaoke bar is so lame!