Karaoke Forums

Being a new host, I have what I consider to be a problem at one of my gigs. Others may not see it as an issue, but I can definitely see how it will be an issue in the future as things build.

First of all, most of the singers just come up and tell me what they want to sing. That's fine, but I have very well organized books and slips for a reason. How can I keep a rotation going if people keep randomly telling me they want to sing said song and expect to be up next? I have seen a lot of karaoke books and designed mine to follow what I found to be the best format. Sorted by artist in the front, by song in the back with colored paper to identify the difference between the two and blocked so that each artist or identical song title has one large box formatted around it to make it easy on the eyes. A lot of people tell me they don't understand the books. sheesh. Some people just amaze me!

The real issue, however, is that for every singer it is a "group effort." Four or five or six people come up for every song! I need to stop this as soon as possible, as a lot of singers don't want all the "help." Right now, I only have about 10 singers, and most of them don't care. I have tried to "nicely" say that you can only join the singer if you have been invited up to sing, because no one wants their thunder stolen. They just seem to ignore my pleas.

To help the issue, I am only going to put out one mic. This may help, but I've also noticed people will just come up and take a mic anyways, which means I will just have to hide them I suppose. On top of that, they will walk around the bar with my wireless mics and I have no clue who has them. Yeah, I could quickly solve this and turn the music off and be an a-hole and yell at them, but I would like to remain professional and courteous and still manage this problem.

I may just be making this an issue, as I've heard several people say it is the most fun they have had in a long time. I have props and people really seem to enjoy themselves. Most of the singers so far aren't that great, and it is just more of a group activity. But I have not seen this at any other karaoke show, and I don't think I want it at mine. If I want to attract good singers, I can't allow this to be going on. Am I being too much of a pushover? Do I need to just lay down the law? If I offend people, I may lose customers and look bad in front of the bar manager who is paying me! Any suggestions to handle this without coming off rude are greatly appreciated!

I would say that if it is a "group effort " let them have fun . Stick to the you can help ONLY IF ASKED rule if they grab a mic just turn it off at the mixer.
we all have had the same problems
As long as people keep having fun at your show you are doing things right keep it up

Oh my... are you sure you've not got your show confused with one of mine?????

Some customers just will not use books, it's frustrating... depending on the venue, you may have to make your own judgement call. . . I know most of my discs off by heart and have cards listing regular's songs. . . so in one venue I will look up the songs for the bars "locals" who are very friendly, but not karaoke addicts, they like their pint and will join in any pub event... but don't fully understand the reason we do things (like books/pens and request forms) is to make the show better for them. After explaining methods and reasons for the muliple time to the same seven people, I gave up, But then this venue is local pub for local people.

Normally, i refuse to let someone sing with out a slip and will take every customer by the hand to a book and write out the slip for them, whilst they stand next to me... after the fifth time they learn to do it themselves. I also offer a service, where i will write out the slip for them at the cost of a pound (money goes in the bars charity pot at the end of the night).

As for the radio mics, if you wish to continue using them and they wish to wander off with them and hand them round, just turn it off at the end of the song, in my experience they are always returned as the next singer begins (on another mic).

I still even in the aforementioned venue, wait for an instumental break to ask the singer/s listed on the slip if they would mind someone joining in... I'm stood by the desk with all "untrained" customers and nervous singers, so there is no way they can take a mic without me handing it to them.

I know it's not always financially possible, but can you either bring in a second host, or a friend (who will work for free) to be a "runner". . . having an extra hand who can "train" customers into having common sense and manners may be a god send in this situation, after a few weeks/ months you may not need them and find that customers educating each other.... (no singer seems to like a hold up in rotation so they tend to instruct others on how to play nice).

If all else fails, I suggest setting the mixer to be suitable for most customers and focus on other things... if the customers aren't aware of how karaoke normally works they may not be too bothered about the sound.

Teach the ones you have, so that if you do get a new singer in, they feel welcome and part of the "mayhem". . . otherwise new singers will just look confused, and out of their comfort zone.

Stand your ground, but be polite. . .

In the the venue I referenced, I put rules in the book, and all though no one seemed to read them, i did get a booking from a gentleman who took the time to read them and was impressed with the way i tried to run the show.

I've also had this problem a lot.

Ask each singer privately if they want help or not. For the ones that don't, when you call them up also announce loudly and clearly that they want to sing this one solo.

When others join in anyway I've actually had to lead them off the stage. With a smile.

Fro awhile I put a big sign up right in front of the monitor where it couldn't possibly be missed. It helped somewhat. It went like this:

Please respect the singers' right to perform when it's their turn by not joining them on the stage unless you've been asked to in advance! If you want to sing let me know and I'll bring you up when it's your turn.

If the room is dissing the wireless ditch it and go corded. Serious. I'll never use wireless in my room. I love 'em but not that much.

You need to nip this in the butt right now ---otherwise a bad situation will get worse

They way to get around the no slip is just to tell them plainly: "I need a slip. It's the way I do my rotation". No slip no sing. You don't have to be rude, just be clear and stand your ground. Tell them there's books and slips out at the tables and you'll be happy to put them in but you can't do it without a slip. But no slip, no sing.
As for the "group" singing. Make an announcement several times throughout the night. "Please do not join the singers on the stage unless you are asked beforehand. If you want to sing, find a book, fill out a slip and I'll be happy to get you up to sing."
If they jump up anyways, go over, and gently pull them aside and guide them off the stage. A few times and everyone will see that you're dead serious because they will see you guiding them off stage. As you're guiding them off, you can tell them that you don't allow stage jumping and you will be happy to get them up on their own turn. Then show them the way to the books. If the singer actually wants them up, they'll let you know in a hurry. Also, take the mics from their hands, if they have them. MAke sure they're off and you should always physicall hand them the mics. Make sure you keep them in a place that they can't just grab them and they have to come to you to get them.
As for the mics, make an announcement right when the song ends. "Great job, so-and-so! Please bring the mic back up to me, and in the meantime, let's get Joe Blow up to sing."
Then turn that mic OFF. Again, it won't be long, and they will follow suit and start bringing it back to you. But you may have to do it a LOT.
I use corded mics and that's one of the reasons.

If I legitimately have teh time to look up a song and fill out a slip for someone, I'll do it, which is the case early in the night sometimes. When I'm too busy, however, I always politely tell people that they have to fill out a slip so that I don't lose their place in the rotation. For those that want to make a big deal out of it, I stright up tell them that the ONE requirement I have is that they fill out a slip, and if they can't do that, then they can't sing.

Something you can do that will minimize this problem is to keep old slips, especially for your regulars. I have all my regulars trained, and when they show up at my show, they go grab their own slips out of my alphabetized box and give me the ones they want for the night. Lots of those are the types that don't like filling out slips. They also typically return any slips they don't use back to my box. This also saves tons of time and paper. At the end of a show, I throw all of the night's slips into the frotn of the box, and before I start my next show, I go back through and re-sort my regular's slips.

As for the group thing, your job as host is to control the show, so all I can say there is that you have to be able to politely get anyone that is up there that the singer doesn't want up there to go sit back down. You can always tell by the singer's body language if they feel uncomfortable with others joining them. If they look cool with it, I'll ask if they want the other people to have a mic. If they don't look cool with it, I'll let the other people know that they just need to wait their turn like everyone else.

There are rules to karaoke, and you are the sheriff, so you have to balance enforcing the rules while still making sure everyone has a good time. All in a night's work for a good KJ

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C Mc
KJ, FL

The no slip issue was solved when I told them that I can't guarantee I'll remember, "you know, my memory isn't what it used to be, and I'm afraid you'll get skipped. That way you can guarantee getting up here to sing is if you bring me a slip. I sure wouldn't want to forget you" (when in reality I'd love to forget them forever!)... forget them one time and they'll remember to bring slips.

Hand them a slip & tell them to write their name & song down. That's what I do & they don't have a problem with it. I don't require numbers anymore since i'm computerized, but it's nicer if they do look it up. I also have a joke sign - that I do not enforce - but it says we'll be glad to look up your song & fill out your slip for a $1 service fee! Some people actually pay it, I try to give it back to them, but they insist & tell me it's alot easier than having to look through the book.
I do have a few people that I will keep a slip with their name & they will just tell me the song they want to sing - cannot submit more than 1 at a time. Saves paper since they generally sing the same songs over anyway, no point in rewriting the slips over & over.

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ONLY accept requests on tickets. Have a table nearby with a book, tickets and pencils. Make sure they stay there. If someone comes up with a verbal request - have them write it down. I have had to do this and 99% of people are ok. 1 guy said "Why", my answer was that I use the tickets to sort the order and he would probably get forgotten about. He then thought he'd be the big man and instruct me to write it down. I told him that wasn't going to happen - it's not my job, I'm busy and if he wants to sing he will write it down, if he doesn't he will get off my stage. I don't see that as rude on my part, but simply letting him know how things work.



You need to stop this NOW. They are your property and you don't just let people grab your things. Being friendly is one thing, but if someone reached behind my gear, then they will have a very sore wrist.



Turn it off as soon as they do this. Have a designated (but maybe a little wide) singing area. You do need to train people to follow the rules. Or go wired...

Being professional and courteous is fine. Don't yell - just fade the mic down and announce that they need to bring it back, and won't sing again if this persists.

The reason this happens at your show is 100% because you are allowing it. You have been too niaive and kind to your crowd. I personally think you feel a little intimidated by putting your foot down? Don't be! Some of the best and most fun hosts I know have a "no BS" way about them. You will NOT lose customers, and do you think your bar manager allows people to walk off with his beer or freely take bottle from behind the bar. Though I would talk to him that you will be making changes...

As for props... What do you have? They are fun, but just one more thing to get a croud to be unruly with...

Whats all this about slips being so important to the rotation ?

Are they actually or is it that you just tell them that ?

Don't get me wrong here I do prefer slips but I also accept verbal requests as well.

The way I work is I can accept multiple slips (even from the SAME singer) at any time BUT I make it a priority to input them to the computer as soon as poss - in any order - it doesn't matter at that stage.

Having done that, once there in I just dispose of them as quickly as possible. I just can't have loads of slips of paper hanging about my area.

My rotation is then kept on a separate hard list so I can keep track of it.

I can then simply refer to the list and 'drag' the next singers song into the correct rotation.

I keep ahead maybe the next 10 or 12 singers at any one time and it works fine.

As for the unruly behaviour, I guess I've been either lucky or that the majority KNOW how karaoke is supposed to work.

It sounds like some of these venues some of you work in have never had karaoke before.

I use radio mics now - best thing I ever bought - the singers are free to wander about if they wish. I know they always come back

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[font=Fantasy][/font] "Travellin' at the speed of light"

It's my excuse for getting people to write slips. Compuhost manages my actual rotation.

And you use wireless... What and how much? I have had a best man try to keep a mic as a trophy at a wedding gig once, and then pretend to drop it into a pint. He didn't but he knew it would piss me off once I simply faded the music and announced that he was going to give the mic back before we continue...

Ah yes - the dreaded wedding gig

I agree this is a situation where they are all more drunk than usual and you don't know them and they don't necessarily have as much respect for you.

And of course you have to keep tabs on the situation a lot more.

My radio mics are only cheapo's as I've never believed in spending big money for karaoke mics (I'm probably gonna get fried alive on here for this comment)

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[font=Fantasy][/font] "Travellin' at the speed of light"

I have a lot of young, rowdy singers that approached that kind of bad behavior when they first started coming in. I politely adjusted their behavior by telling them my mics each cost $200+ and if they don't handle them more carefully, I would not allow them to sing anymore. As far as drunks coming onto the stage without invitation, I make sure their mic is off, motion for them to leave the stage, and if they don't, I walk up there and tell them to wait their turn or go to another karaoke bar. I don't have a problem telling problem singers to go down the road, and neither does the owner.

If this is a frequent issue, you might consider putting the list of upcoming singers on a crowd-facing TV and reminding people to check that if they want to know when it's their turn to sing as you are making other announcements like the venue's drink special or whatever. I find that signs are only effective with people who are going to be polite anyway, and rude customers need to be told that you are being paid to do a job just like the bartender or cook, and if they continue to be unhappy, they should complain to the manager/owner or go elsewhere.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ