Karaoke Forums

I was inspired by another thread to ask this question (didn't want to hijack that thread). Where do you put your songbooks? Upfront by you so that people who want to sing will come get them or look at them near you or do you spread them around the venue.

I'll admit, I've tried both ways and actually do it differently in different venues. I like keeping them upfront as it seems to help keep them in better shape. However, I've also see benefit from spreading them around the bar. People who otherwise wouldn't sing often times just start paging through the book just because it's there and sometimes end up singing later in the evening. My perception is that I get a lot of "fence riders" to take the plunge by simply getting a book in front of their faces. In fact, when I lay the books out at the bar, I usually try to put them in front of or near people that appear to be the fence riding type (don't ask me what criteria I use, I don't know, I just go on gut).

Has anyone else had that experience, how do you do it?

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

My situation is a little different, as the bar is in a different area from where I set up. I set up in the dining area (bar and cafe). I put a couple books in the bar area, and a couple books in the dining area, I try to spread them out like maybe an artist and a title in the bar, and 2 of each in the dining area, but as you said, it all depends what it looks like at the time. By the way, do you ever do any shows in Jackson, as I'm right here in Port Washington.

Srnitynow

I've tried several different things, but putting the books on a table near me with slips and pencils works the best. I actually have sanitizer, a pencil sharpener, magnifying glasses and my tip jar there also.

It is next to the stage which works well for people who are looking for a song and need help. I usually put out about 7 books on the table. If they all get taken I'll put out more, but that seems to always be the right number of books needed. People are pretty good about returning them when they're done.

Most of the regulars have song cards which are left with me, so the books get used less.

I find leaving them in one central place makes it easier also for people to find a book instead of searching the bar for one. Plus I don't have to take the time to spread them around and pick them up at the end of the night.

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

We keep our books, slips, and pencils in our TV stand. Here's a picture.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

There is a cubby underneath the front of the counter I am set up on. All books go there & slips/pens are in a small bin right over them. I no longer put them out on the tables.

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On a counter near me but they do travel the room. I have cut back to only having 4 books. Seems like the more you have the more likely they are to get messed up. When I put out only 2 books they stayed right on the counter and never moved but always had a crowd around them. 4 on the counter seems to be the magic number.

I will ask people sitting at a large table if they are going to sing tonight. If yes, then I leave a book on their table. I keep the rest of the books near me with the slips, pens, and tip jug. If you just put them on every table or so, especially where non singers sit, they end up getting soggy or sticky quickly.

Felix the KJ

Yeah when we've talked about this before we have a similar approach Babs. I keep the regulars' slips with me. They come up and get their slip containers when they arrive and usually don't use the books unless I've put a new additions page in the front of them recently.

The books are used mostly by newbies and infrequent singers. I'm getting by right now with just six books but should add a couple more. I'll run a new one off next week.

When we have a central location for books and a box full of pens and slips some people look in a book there and fill out a slip. Others take them and some even bring them back when they are done. The waitresses when they a cleaning off the tables for the night will bring them back.. I wish the pens would find their way back too.

It's easier on the books and more organized I think. I'm redoing books right and I think I am going to take the pouches out which takes up room and increase the size of the font. Well some with some without..

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I bought 144 golf pencils on ebay for $1.50 plus 5 bucks shipping and handling

. They had mis prints on them so the intended customer didn't want them. They must have made thousands of them, I see the seller is still selling them. Still in lots of 144 or if you really want a lot, buy these.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-1440-Golf-Pe ... 7C294%3A50

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

first gotta say hi to my neighbor here ( letitrip ). when i joined here the nearest posters were babs and Lordairguitar. we seem to be getting more cheeseheads all the time.
I tend to do both. I usually put out four books, three will go on various tables throughout the bar. most times i find a spot where nobody is sitting rather than set it on a full table. sometimes somebody will ask for one. I try to keep one book near me on a table. most times it doesn't get used other times somebody comes and takes it later in the eve.
when it comes to keeping pens, I only put one in the pouch of the book. it seems people won't take the last one but when i put two or three in i always ended up with one. golf pencils are a good idea too, nobody wants to steal them . I buy a 10 pack of pens at walmart for 99c .

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

[quote]I wish the pens would find their way back too.

I buy the cheapest pens I can find, and they still steal them. I've lateley been using the pens from walmart listed above. One time recently, I found some real crappy cheap pens, they almost fall apart, or the ink part gets pushed up into the pen. They got stolen just as fast as any others.

This is the funny part though, a spanish speaking lady was sitting at a table at the end ot the night. She had one of the pens I just bought that day, those really cheap ones. I asked her if I could have my pen. She Said, "No, es mio", or no it's mine. I said it is not yours, I just bought it today. No Es Mio. I asked her where she bought it at? She just gave me a dirty look, and put the pen in her purse. I told her she was a pathetic person needing to steal my 5 cent pen, and for her to have a great night.

Felix the KJ

I have a regular that has found it her duty to make sure all my pencils are returned at the end of the night. She doesn't sing, but her husband does. I think it is her way of contributing to the night. I always make sure to thank her because even though it is a small thing it is a huge help.

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About 20-30 minutes before the end of the show, I go out and collect the books, pencils, and unused slips.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

As far as I know, Letitrip does a show in Eagle at Knucklehead and in Pewaukee at the Sandbar. Nothing near Port. When helping my friend's show, we put the songbooks all over the venue. He had about ten books.

I wish they werent weeknight shows, I would love to go to one of his shows, pewaukee is just down the road. seems like he knows his stuff. I'm sure he will be more mistake free than the night you came out. fill me in on your car show schedule for the summer.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

Whoops, sorry I missed the questions above for me. No right now I don't do shows in Jackson. There are three bars in the village. One is owned by a woman who used to run Karaoke at one of the others, so she now does the Karaoke at her bar. One does Karaoke about once a month and has an existing KJ, and the third is the one that used to have the woman who now owns the other bar and they apparently are not doing Karaoke (although the owner has said he'd call me if they decide to again).

I did for a while play at a bar which is in the town of Jackson by the fair park. He has since gone to someone cheaper although the last time I was in there as a patron he asked me about coming back, so we'll see.

I don't have any weekly shows on the weekend because I am the monitor engineer and road manager for a local band. So I have to keep my Fridays and Saturdays open for that. I do get some gigs here and there on weekends but usually private parties.

I've been contacted a couple times by Dixie Chix bar up in Port but so far nothing has materialized there. I'll be sure to let you know if I get something going in the more immediate area.

And supercharged I think we all still make our fair share of mistakes, that's the nature of live sound. Last weeks shows at both bars were a bit of a struggle for me as I worked to get my new mics dialed in. Didn't have time to ring out the monitor ahead of time so had a few "monitor solos" (i.e. feedback issues).

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

At the beginning of the night I put them on a counter next to the stage where I am set up. Periodically throughout the night I will announce if people are done with the books to bring them back up to the front as that's where those new arrivals will come to look for them.

When the show is full for the night, I'll pick them back up. If people come to the stage and ask for a book after that, I'll tell them we're "getting caught up" and because sometimes people won't hang around and wait for their turn (our rotation can be 15-20+ people at peak) it's possible after 1 am we'll have room and I'll put the books back out.

As for pens, I buy misprints on eBay or other discount sites. Sometimes they come back, mostly not. If I have to invest $2-$3 in pens for the night, I just consider it a cost of doing business.

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[font=Lucida Console]"Sing for the day, sing for the moment, sing for the time of your life!"[/font]

OK,,,Let me tell you where YOU can put your songbooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!,,,,Oh, wait a minute, that was the customer!! HEHE,,,just kidding again.

Seriously though, depending on which show I am hosting, one I spread the books out on the tables that get sat at mostly. Another show, I put them all together on a table closest to me, allowing them to get one for themselves. In the front of the binders are a pouch with pencils and slips. I keep the pouches full of slips and make sure at the beginning of the night the pencils are sharp. I buy pencils only, no pens, that way i'm out only about 4 cents if someone decides they feel like they need the pencil more than I do.

I tend to agree with a post that says if a person picks up a book themself, and it's just laying on the table to begin with, they will treat it a little better. When a book is sitting on a table that has non-singers seated, I believe they have no respect for the book, using it as a coaster sometimes, or just throwing it aside, literally throwing it! Some peoples kids!!!!

And Like Tim, at about 20-30 minutes before the end of the show, I begin to gather books, making sure they are "in-tact", finding the loose pencils and slips along the way. I start with the books that may be at empty tables first, or books that are closed at tables with people. That gives the active ones still a chance to add or change a song if they feel the need. Eventually, I gather them up too. I am pretty non-obvious about getting the books in, because I believe it shows the people that if you are in a hurry to end the show, that you don't really care about their fun that much. Just my opinion though. I know that at the end of the night, we are tired and just wanna get home, but they the reason we are there.

Currently I just keep them up by me.

I think the BEST way is to put a few on the bar - This way you DO get people to look thru more and request a song they may not have if they had to walk up and get a book ?