Karaoke Forums

I personally feel new hosts shouldn't be thrown to the wolves. They should run a regular rotation with paper slips or a sign in board. Then when they're used to that, try out beta versions of the various softwares.

I've seen several hosts be slaves to the computer... yes, even compuhosts ones from TWO local companies. That's why when I tell potential clients I use a computerized playing system, they're so unimpressed. In fact many have balked at the mere idea of having karaoke BECAUSE of that. Because these newbies are thrown in with a system, little to no training, no personality, and expected to grow with it.

I'm old school... I trained with discs, slips and gasp... lasers.

So when I say compuhost doesn't do it for me, I'm speaking from my experience level. I just cringe whenever I see a new host wanting to be computerized, and people tossing out the compuhost and Hoster... because I know what a newbie is going to be like with them!

If the job gets done, it gets done.


Yes, but it doesn't need to always be in making announcements. For instance, I give trivia about songs and artists when people pick them. Or I do a "false bio" about someone. Or any other of several types of banter that I can do. I do make announcements and call the next singer. But if I didn't have the Compuhost scrolling marquee to give singers a heads-up, I would feel obliged to take up some of that time saying "Mary Jane is on deck, Sweet Lou is in the hole".


Don't be ridiculous. CompuHost only assists a host, it doesn't do the job for them. But if they use it well, it will help them do a very professional job.

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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.

Isn't it interesting that we will spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars on speakers, mics, mixers and processing, and not even blink an eye. But when it comes to the core of your show. That one piece of equipment that actually makes the "Karaoke Magic"...$179 is suddenly a waaaay out of line, astronomical expense?!

Diafel, I wish this forum had thank you buttons. A great post and I agree wholeheartedly!

Af for me, when I get stuck using the PC in a tiny venue, I go with the K.I.S.S. principle. I've been using the original PCDJ/KJ Red and it works just fine for what I need.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Thanks guys I really appreciate all the input on what you guys think, glad to see people are active and have good opinions on what they like and use. I think I may give siglos a try for a while and may go up to compu host if this takes off.

Our jobs as hosts are to ensure folks have fun. How many of us use equipment to make the job easier; EQ, compressors, feedback destroyers, limiters and the like? Finding software should be exactly the same. As a result folks have different needs, just like equipment, but they all need to do the same job. I don't see a lot of folks here saying there is only one answer to the equipment conundrum, why do folks get so up in the air over software?

I had no idea there were so many folks who think things can be too easy for them. If I could get a piece of software that could run the entire show for me without intervention, make the crowd pay attention, made them sing better and ensure they all had fun I'd buy it and use it. Since that software doesn't exist I found one that allows me to do as much work with the crowd as possible. What you use needs to fit your needs but don't for a second think that because software removes some of the workload that anyone is less expert at what they do.

Hell give me something that does every technical thing for me so I can spend time only being a host since I'm better at that than sound engineering no matter how hard I try.

Still trying to figure out the difficulty with using discs and a player or how you can't do it as well. It's not rocket science, nor does it take away from the show. Personally the old way works fo me for a heck of a lot less money and time.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

It is a matter of preference and needs. Roxbox has several features that I cant do without.

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I can run a show just as easily with 2 disc players, always keeping one cued up so there is no down time between singers.
Most kj's either used 1 player or some kind of multiple disc player & even on those there would be down time in between - then saw some kj's that wouldn't even pull the next disc until the current song was over & then they called up the next singer, THEN look for the disc & load it. Plus the fact many kj's storage of discs were less than adequate since most i've ever seen use the floppy disc books that you have to slide discs in and out of sleeves, so they would scratch or break discs often making them skip or garble. Then they might misfile the disc & when they need it, they can't find it. These are just some worst case examples i've personally experienced in the past.
When these hosts went to computers, their show actually sped up & were running much better - well in the music aspect anyway. The hosting skills in general are another story....
I know some hosts have told me that they would actually not do a show if they had to revert to discs for a night or more. They would just opt to leave the club hanging because they don't want to run manually with discs even though they still have the capability to do so.

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I would have zero pproblem running a show with discs, save the fact that I would need a decent player or two. All it takes is a little organization and a tiny bit of foresight to know to load the next disc as soon as the current singer is up, and there you have it!
I would even pull 3 or 4 discs at a time and have them ready and waiting in a line..... would be smooth sailing!

I have 13k karaoke and 9k DJ. I will be doing outside parties this summer and only light will be a yellow bulb hanging in a tree. No THX.

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diafel, I have compuhost, I have the scrolling marquee. Doesn't mean I don't still call up the singers. The main function of this feature is so that singers can watch the scrolling marquee and keep track of when they are up. Then if they want to powder their noses, have a smoke, get a bite or whatever, they have a better idea of how long before they are up.

Wow, so you believe all new drivers should train on a stick shift first as well? What's the purpose of learning an outdated method of keeping track of roation if they aren't going to use it? If it works for you, that's great but why spend time training for something you are not going to use? It's the 21st century! Technology is there, might as well use it! No offense but you sound like someone that hates anything new that comes along. I'm 50 and I love to try new things! A newbie will be just fine with the software hosting program and will learn it 10 times faster than a paper system. Ever filed your taxes on your own with a paper version or the software version? No comparison.

yes I DO think all drivers should drive on a STICK as well as an Automatic.

I do feel you need to know how to handle rotations before computers... I've seen my fair share of bad shows, and rotations are at the heart of the problem. And as I said, kjs that are thrown to the wolves not knowing the software just makes it worse!

I don't hate anything new to come along. I was one of the first kjs on another forum to discuss going computerized. But all I did was replace my player with the computer.

I'm an IT person, so I am hardly agamst anything "new"... but I won't do the technology thing IF it doesn't accomplish anything just to have it.

I've played around with a number of hoster type of programs, and much prefer the player ones, for that is my style.

Ain't THAT the truth.......So distant geographically, yet so close in thought- Small world after all....

And I'm an EE.....go figure.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

40w clip on desk light from K-mart- $8.oo

Help from such a light.....PRICELESS

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

I cant believe you people...using your COMPUTERS to type on an INTERNET FORUM!

Don't you KNOW you can't truly be KJ forum literate unless you are typing on a typewriter?! You guys can keep your computers and your expensive internet. Those of us VETERANS who KNOW, use typewriters to hand type every message! Then we mail them to one another via the US POSTAL SERVICE! You don't even need electricity or even LIGHT! I often type my messages to my expert KJ pals in complete darkness! Light & computers are for you spoiled kids who need every thing spoon-fed to you!

Heck, back when I started, we would TELEGRAPH our messages to one another using MORSE CODE! In fact, I believe every KJ should learn Morse Code FIRST, before even attempting to post on this forum. You can't be a good KJ unless you do! You want technology, just for the sake of technology!!!

Good one Barry!

Yes I strongly believe this!


I want all my hosts to know how everything works from a manual rotation to actually running with discs in the unlikely event occurs a computer goes down and I can't get down there to repair/replace for the night - no I am not going to keep a 2nd computer there, but do have all discs and the players (yes I would If I was mobile too) at every show.
I do not want an automated rotation being used in my shows, if they cannot learn how to do it my way, they can go look for a job elsewhere. It's like math in school today, kids are required to have calculators - what happened to actually thinking. Try to have anyone today count change back to you - WHY should they know how to do that, it's all in the computer/register. I was at a Walgreens the other day & the price to pay was 8.55, I gave the gal a $10. Knowing i'll get $1.45 back. She typed in the wrong amount & couldn't figure out how much to give back. They called the manager - HE couldn't figure out in his head & had to get a calculator.
Sorry I want my hosts to know 'out of date' methods just in case something arises where they will need to use them someday!

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

Ya know Lonnie, I agree with all of that... in theory. in reality I have the hosting software setup so it does what I want and is consistent to a fault. Sure it can be changed but it's amazing how much easier it is for training and how I don't get the "So-and-so runs the rotation wrong" comments. I share my venue with the owner of the music and I did all the equipment setup. He's an old school guy used to less than optimal equipment (Think Vocopro) and this is a step forward for him.

Fact is without the software they're no making Karoake noise anyway since the collection is all on HD now and the disks are in storage. I'm more interested in making sure they can concentrate on the singer and the sound and not the stuff I can automate like the rotation.