Karaoke Forums

A couple other recent threads got me thinking on this one. I see people talk all the time about all the compliments they get from the folks at their shows on singing ability, audio quality, hosting skills, etc. I'm curious how much weight you lend to these comments when all is said and done.

Here's why I ask. I personally get a lot of compliments on my singing. Personally I don't think I'm a great singer, adequate to average but not great. Yet people tell me how good I am. However, I've also seen people at my shows and others' tell folks that I thought were really pretty rough that they thought they were really good. Also there's always the folks that go on American Idol thinking they're the next superstar only to be shocked when they're not even sent to Hollywood. Somewhere someone told them they were that good, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was at a Karaoke show. I don't know if it's drunk factor or what, but I see it and it makes it hard for me to lend much credibility to the compliments I get. Sure I appreciate the compliments either way, but are they a true measure of anything other than the satisfaction of that one member of the audience?

I, like many here, have also gotten a lot of compliments on my mix at my shows. I hear from people things like "your system sounds better than so-and-so's" or "this is the best Karaoke I've heard". But again, I've been at shows where the mid-range was so out of whack that it simply hurt your ears to listen to and yet people were complimenting the host. Again don't know if it's just blind complimenting to suck up, make friends or out of drunken foolery but it makes me take the compliments I receive with a grain of salt. Is my mix really that good or just good enough to make them happy? This same type of scenario also holds true when it comes compliments I get for how I host the show.

So I know were usually our own worst critics. And like I said, I always appreciate a compliment and take it as a sign that the person offering it is pretty happy with my show. But what does it really mean beyond that? Anything? Does someone telling you your the best KJ ever mean that you really are one of the best? Does the number of them that you receive improve their credibility or is it simply a strange phenomenon that people like to compliment the host and really don't have any basis to use for judging?

Now I can already see the answer that someone's going to give and that's the "who cares, if they're happy enough to compliment you you're doing your job" and I happen to agree with that fully. But I'd still like to hear your thoughts as to the value outside of that measurement.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

If I bought stock in my compliments I'd be bankrupt.

You have people who compliment you just because you are the person in control of the show. I think some hosts let the control and compliments go to their head, but thats a whole different subject.

There are some compliments though you know are sincere:

The person of the same sex who gives you a tip to sing that doesn't sing themselves.

Legit job offers to sing - weddings, back up singer, band

Legit job offers for karaoke gigs

When the crowd chants your name to promote you to sing

It is hard to tell if someones being sincere or just being nice. Sometimes they just want to get in your pants. Did I say that

I judge myself more on complaints than compliments.

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

No it appears by the emoticon that angle910 said it.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

You guys put on a good show!! Do you do private parties? Do you have a card? Weddings??

Then I know we are doing something right....

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I don't think I have to worry about people complimenting me for that reason (or else I'm just too oblivious to realize it)

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

The "value" of your show is unique to each patron and singer. A KJ may get compliments on the sound of his show every week, but then again a "sound technician" or a PRO musician may come in and hear immediatley where the MIX needs to be corrected. A singer may like a specific ARTIST or GENRE of music that your library is heavy in ....This MAY get you compliments from that person on your selections ? The compliments are all selective and should be taken graciously .
We know that a $60 microphone does not sound the same as a $500 one --but if the singer likes the way they sound ..you may get a compliment. You may get a compliment because they had a great time . I would pay more attention to COMPLAINTS then compliments....

What does that mean? Someone wants to buy your pants so they can wear them?

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

Anyone can get in my pants without compliments.

Good topic, now back up a bit.

Think about all the bad sounding shows you have ever been to. And now remember what those KJs thought about the quality of his or her show. To the very last one they think they are the best sounding KJ in 100 miles.

From my experience the majority of KJs are tone deaf or totally deaf.

I do believe the compliments i get from singers and non singers alike. The compliments from the nonsingers is more enjoyable and believable. I had a new girl singer a few weeks ago. She was there for about a half an hour and she wanted my business card because she wanted me to do her wedding because she really liked me and my show. HER WEDDING in half an hour of being at my show for the first time. So what did she hear in that short amount of time to come to her conclusion? Obviously something she hadn't heard anywhere else.

The quality of the singers i get regularly says something pretty powerful. Their actions speak louder than their words. They don't say i won't be back because you suck. I do hear a lot of trash talking from singers about the low quality of other shows. Why are they compelled to tell me about how crappy the other KJs are? Sucking up? I don't think so. I believe they are being sincere.

I have had other KJs rate my show above theirs. These KJs do run lesser equipment and their sound quality is questionable. That tells me they can't hear or they are not that concerned with their sound or they feel they are doing good enough to make money. Maybe they think i'm over doing it. Too much equipment or spent too much money on microphones.

I always hear people talking about the quality of the other singers. People wouldn't be telling me about other good singers if they didn't mean it. I occasionally hear them say someone sucks. Again i believe they are voicing how they really feel.

I get some suck ups but not that often. I think i hear many more genuine compliments. So take some with a grain of salt, but believe most of it even about other KJs. I tend to agree with those statements because I have heard their shows.

I don't know if I ever believe them or not, but always smile & say thank you. If they return, then I may take a little more stock in what they said.

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Zero, other than knowing they had a good time.

I'm better than a lot of people, and there's a lot of people better than me.

Or as my Aunt Zela used to say, "Go ahead. Y'all walk around with that nose in the air, boy. You'll be steppin' in a gopher hole and breakin' it quicker that way. I'll be laughin' at you too."

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Dave's not here.

Yep exactly

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

WOW! I wish some of the ladies wanted to get into my pants, that would be funnish. hehe.

I try to listen more to the negative comments than the positive. Although the negative ones are rare. I use them to try to better my show from them. The positive comments, like Lonnie ssid, I just smile and say thank you, and then move on.

I get compliments on my singing, I smile and say thank you. I know that I am a decent singer but I also know that there are just as many as good or better as there are not. (None of us will be getting a recording contract any time soon )
I also give compliments to good singers but not on the mic, in person...I think it means more in person.

Complaints are accepted graciously (most of the time) and are used to learn and improve from.

99% of the compliments on a well run show are given as the patrons are leaving for the evening or at the end of the show so I accept them as sincere rather than a suck-up. I accept them graciously and thank them. They are appreciated and they also work to further the drive inside of me to do even better.

I don't believe people go out of their way to compliment you (as they are leaving or at the end of the show) without being sincere in their compliment.

Accept it, say thank you, smile and for a brief moment feel good about yourself!

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

This is a great time to pass out cards and get feedback positive or negative. Usually there are people out smoking and the ones you know are watching out for the stuff you have loaded into the van. Stop and visit with strangers. I'm not looking for compliments but feedback and during these times hear of other potential gigs.

I no longer smoke but sometimes go outside and yak with the smokers as it is not as noisy. These are the important times when deals are made and it is better than spending money for advertising.

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When we first started we got a lot of compliments about our sound being better than the others locally and appreciation that we didn't sing once the rotation started filling. I used to get excited about that but it didn't translate to people coming to our shows over the others. Now the only real compliment is do they come back regularly. One guy had even promised us he wanted to start tipping us $40/week just to make sure we kept going. Then he disappeared for a year. So yes, thank them graciously but butts in the seats are the real indicator.

As for singing, I used to be the comic relief where we used to sing. So it was shocking to have people start complimenting me where we do our show now. I really have to remember to say "Thank You" and not "Are you drunk?" But I have no illusions about standing in line for Idol.

Good feedback is for the ego, bad feedback is for improvement. Also good feedback in some cases should let you know something is being done right.

Will it always be sincere? Probably not but it's a day maker!

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

Not to get off topic, but, Babs sometimes the motive to get in your pants does come into play. Example: Little boy says to little girl "I'd really like to get into your pants", little girl asks "Why", little boy says "because I just pooped in mine"!!!

Rosario

Real bar karaoke is an awful lot like the singer showcase. Anyone giving an honest negative crtique will be shunned. People learn real fast that it is the path of least resistance to just throw out over the top compliments in hopes of getting something positive in return. If you told the KJ that his system sucked, he might ban you from his show. If you told him that his filler music was causing people to leave because they wanted to sing more, he might tell you; "if you don't like it, leave". If you complained about his rotation policy, he might just misplace your song slip. However, if you tell the KJ that he is the best thing since sliced bread, you just might get on his good side and possibly it could earn you some "special" treatment every now and then. My mom used to like the expression; "you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar". When someone hires you to do a private party, then you can believe that they truly like the way you do your thing. Karaoke bars are loaded with people who like to offer up undeserved compliments. I've seen the worst singer in the bar receive a standing ovation. It's like cheering for a little kid who has no ability whatsoever but people want to try and build up their self esteem by applauding ridiculously for him or her. Then the kid grows up and tries out for American Idol and is crushed when Simon Cowell has the nerve to tel the kid the truth for the first time in his or her life. America sits in front of the tube laughing their collective As$e$ off for 3 or 4 weeks while these auditions are televised. If someone would have been honest with these talentless individuals right from the start, they wouldn't have to get embarrassed in front of millions of people. I'd rather a close family member tell me that I should find a new hobby or at least be honest enough to tell me that I shouldn't go anywhere near the American Idol auditions. Some people can eventually improve at certain activities... like bowling or darts or singing. Some people have absolutely NO CHANCE of EVER getting better at a given activity. If I sucked at something, I would want a friend to tell me that maybe a different activity might be more rewarding for me. DIPLOMACY for example is probably not a field that I would do very well in and I would want a friend of mine to point that out to me if I was ever trying to get a job at the United Nations. Sometimes honesty is a good thing, even if it isn't what someone wants to hear at a particular time.

I don't pay much attention to compliments. When I get one about my show or my singing, I just acknowledge them by saying "Thank You" and "I'm glad you enjoyed it."



What was the best thing before sliced white bread???

Home made bread and biscuits, real cream on the home made oatmeal but best of all icecream made out of real cream.

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