Karaoke Forums

ME. No two venues are the same. No two crowds are the same. I select the equipment, choose the filler music encourage the singers make the small talk and make everyone feel special

I i
No

The most successful KJs know how to sing very well. I know some that can't carry a tune and they and their show suck. How can a person that can't sing know how to mix and run a quality karaoke show? I'm not saying it's not possible but it has to be a big disadvantage.

Seems like I am doomed to fail.

I have worked in recording studio's, was the sound engineer for the town theatre & have done live sound for many bands for over 10 years.
I did the sound at the local Uni. for two years.
I was even on television for designing a digital tremelo arm for guitar's.

And I have the audacity to think I can mix sound.

Sorry Angel. I will try and find someone to replace me asap.!

(Are you sure you are not BigDog in disguise)

Maybe I should stop playing Sax & Piano.
Or is that allowed...

I have to agree with you, I too run a powerful system with subs and quality equipment (soundcraft, Qsc and Yamaha. I also make sure the mix is good. I have a good selection of music and am consistantly adding material as my customers request it. I take care of my singers weather they are regulars or first time with me. I must be doing something right cause they keep coming back, aside from the never before newbie that ask for some obscure song that no one ever ask for. I do OK!

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

Karaoke is a people business..

You didn't say that. The average Susie KJ has nothing close to your background. Most people become KJs because they love to sing and they are pretty good at it, but don't have the first clue about the equipment, what is needed or how to use it. People still like to sing with the KJ when they can't find someone else to sing with. Your vast experience will be useful to you.

Thankyou Angel.
You are right.
You do not always know the background of another person.

I agree and disagree, it all depends on how you view things. A host that is such a good singer, can actually make people "NOT" want to sing. Now, this doesn't happen all the time, but most certainly can. Because it intimidates the regular Joe from wanting to sing around someone who makes them look foolish. On the other hand, a singer (like me) who can carry a tune a bit, but isn't a "talent" as such, makes the singers feel like they are the most important people in the venue, they can be much more successful as a karaoke host. It works both ways. At my shows, I try to make each individual person who crossed the stage feel like they are important as a "singer" and important to me. They deserve my best foot forward, each and every time. If the host snubs even just one person, they will tell others that you are a bad host. The word does get around ya know

A host that is a good singer probably is going to find it easier to get a job for a number of reasons. First off, if a host is put in the position of having to sing for one reason or another (maybe the management wants someone singing if karaoke is going on, and there aren't a lot of singers) it's good to be able to NOT repel people in the bar.

And even if you are a great singer, there is a way to do it whereby you do NOT intimidate people. I will do nothing but stuff I've never sung before (not stuff I've never heard before -- hate it when people say "i've never done this song before" but it's a 40 year old song they've heard 10,000 times)...but new stuff. It is okay to be humbled by a new song - it makes the crowd feel comfortable to know that even a great singer has to go through the process of learning a song before they make it sound really great.

You should be able to help a neophyte singer out by singing with them, providing strong guidance if they require it, so they can relax and sing without feeling like theirs is the only voice being heard. They can 'hide' behind your voice until they get more familiar. You really do have to have the ability to pretty sing well to sing with someone who may be wandering all over the place.

If you are know your library well and have a good working knowledge of all the ol' standbys, you should be able to sing something when it is requested by someone in the audience. I also run into the situation where people who may be trying to learn a new song appreciate it if I can sing it for them one time.

It is nice for other 'good' singers who come who may want a duet partner to feel that you complement their singing.

Many hosts who don't sing can carry it off. My husband and I are both singers which is why we ended up in this business...it is an offshot of our professional lives and as such we are adept at mixing, staying current with music and keeping a well stocked library, etc. Venue owners, singers, and the audience seem to appreciate our ability to sing and I know it has gotten us jobs in the past. One less hurdle to get over I guess.

I kinda feel that a host needs to know how to sing and sing well for a couple of reasons.
1: they might need to sing when there isn't singers provided that the bar or paying party wants karaoke only like Karen says.
2:the often asked for duet where the song requester has no one to sing with.
I have a rule in that area for my shows - half of the rule is that it has to be a female asking for a female/male duet. The only way I will sing with a guy is if it is an all male duet.
The other half of the rule is that I know the song.

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

If there are no singers ready when the show starts, i am not singing for the singers or people who will eventually be singing. I'm singing for the people that won't be singing. I will be trying to keep them entertained so they want to stay and see the rest of the show. I have many regulars that just come to listen and be entertained. They are just as big if not a bigger core group of regulars. I'm not going to be playing regular music when it's supposed to be a karaoke show. I will be singing in order to show them what karaoke actually consists of. That would be people singing. I can't and don't expect anyone to stay and listen if i suck. If that is the case my bad singing could well kill the crowd. What am i being paid to do? Keep the crowd and be entertaining. The entire show should be entertaining, not scary. That begins with the KJ.

I haven't been to hundreds or even tens of other host's shows. Maybe less than 10 so my thoughts are only a hypothesis.

I don't believe one has to be a great or even a good singer to be a great mixer. If that is the case then how did Beethoven lose his hearing completely yet he still composed, conducted and performed.


Does it help when things are slow or to get things going? Sure. But a great voice could intimidate as others have said (no problem in my case) so something to be said for that as well.

I would bet there are lots of hosts out there that can't sing a lick but keep people coming back!

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

being a good singer CAN be a strength. I can't tell you how many times... both guys and gals come up and ask me to "start them off." That is to sing the first few lines of the song before it starts to get them going.

Or if its a "cold start" to let them know that before hand and sing a few words, and them let them go.

One of my bar owner likes me "sing with him"... that is don't do to much except cover him on the high notes... . "You always know exactly where to come in..." he says.

And yes, standing behind someone new to karaoke and sing with them as to keep them on key is a plus. The key is recognising the signs when its wanted, so as not to piss someone off... which can happen sometimes.

My experience is not that I intimidate anyone... I'm looked on as a coach and as a ready duet partner... which is exactly what I want to happen.

Being able to mix the singer and make them sound good is also a plus!!!

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

You have to be able to carry a tune to be a succesful KJ or You have to make upfor it in PERSONA and stage presenece just my $.02

That's like asking how can a guy who can't sing be a successful guitarist. Some of the best audio engineers I know couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, but it doesn't mean they don't have an ear for the work. Very odd to suggest that a lack of vocal talent would prevent a person from being able to mix. And for the record I do know at least two very successful KJ's in my area who can't sing at all and don't even try. They make up for it with personality and audience "management".

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Being able to sing a lot of songs well helps me make key change suggestions to singers trying new songs before they start and sound stupid. I can carry the show by singing well. Mixing in a stuio setting is totally different than a live karaoke show.

Any KJ i have heard that can't sing can't do anything well. Their shows usually aren't the best around. Karaoke is all about singing, a host that can'rt sing should stay home. Unless you are a very gifted musical talent and have tremendous hearing. That's usually not the case. Just my opinion.

I've had two members of Staff who "can't sing", when they started working for me they were almost painful to listen to. . .

Both have a much faster response to sound correction than I do, and both can hear higher and lower frequencies. Their mixing skills are amazing. I on the other hand, can adjust a key straight away to a singer’s voice, and find the best fx for the singer.

Staff member 1, now chooses songs that are predominantly spoken . . . and has slowly improved.

Staff member 2, can hear what the music wants him to do, but his voice won't always respond instantaneously. In the past two years, he had learnt techniques to enable him to sing in tune . . . this week; he had a request from a singer to duet with him. . . Staff member 2, sang the female part to "paradise" note perfect.

I would be curious how people who memorise the tune, adapt to this job. I have about three amazing singers at my show, who learn songs . . . eg, if you changed the key, they would continue singing in the original. They appear to have no awareness of music.

Neither of my two staff members will ever be amazing, (unless they really really put the work in) as their voices don't have the natural qualities that make a great singer. Practice has enabled to them improve . . . what I can do naturally, they have managed to learn . . . which means they can pass their knowledge on to other singers. I can't rationalise what I do, they can. I can on the other hand rationalise how to create a great sound . . . they can't.

Passion and practice is the key to the industry. Good KJ's come from all sorts of places and offer all sorts of talents.

Although this time it's just your opinion, duly noted, in the REAL WORLD KARAOKE this logic is whack.

I am SURE there will be dozens upon dozens of kjs with real world experience that will completely disagree with you on this post! It's simply NOT true.

This topic is getting real interesting because my experience in working with singers from the local karaoke show all the way up to nationally touring recording artists is that the ones who think they're great singers are the ones who usually stink. The best singers I've heard are usually pretty humble about their singing ability and always wish they could be better.

Here's a real world illustration of what I'm talking about. Take a look at the footage from American Idol tryouts. How many times do they interview a person who talks about how great a singer they are and whatever only to come out and leave the rest of the world wondering why they even showed up? Then they stand there and get pissed with the judges and talk about how the judges don't know anything even though the entire world just saw them suck eggs. I can tell you stories of some national acts who thought they were gods gift to vocalists even though their shows use more pitch correction than an entire T-Pain impersonators convention.

Personally, my opinion is that a KJ doesn't need to be able to sing at all to be successful. Just need to find other ways to manage down time and fill in duets for people. There are methods I've seen it done. Personally, I consider myself an average singer. Good enough that I can hit all the notes on the songs I sing and I don't usually pick songs with notes I can't hit, but at the same time my voice doesn't have the intonation nor the head voice strength to be what I consider a good singer. I sing at my shows, I get the compliments from the crowd but I don't believe for a second that my level of vocal skill has any bearing on the success of my show.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke