Karaoke Forums

There are many "legitimate" ways to run a rotation. I don't believe explaining my methods or policy will provide any satisfaction to the "whiners".
And I am even more convinced about that after reading the previous post by Missbipbip

I don't expect ANY "regular" to keep coming forever, but no one will come back who has an unaddressed complaint (real or imagined). No one will come back if you basically IGNORE their issue OR serve them up what they perceive to be BS. And if someone believes they should be singing more you'll have a hard time convincing them otherwise.

AND Not everyone can be reasoned with particularly if they are somewhere where alcohol is a major factor

If I can keep the whiners coming back I believe that in a month or two the show will have grown to the point where I won't have to rely upon them

Oh, and gee, is it possible that the whiners could hurt my reputation if didn't find some way to make them happy? And again I know of successful shows with questionable rotations

BTW I pay half-price for my tab

kai2

PERHAPS YOU MIGHT WANT TO READ THE ENTIRE THREAD? Often people are too lazy to do so and love to add their 2cents regardless of where in the thread they begin their participation

If you do take that opportunity and actually read my OP, you'll learn why I AM CONCERNED about the whiners

You will find a "sister" in Angel regarding your comments about "Crazy" owners. Of course, there are NO crazy KJ's! Right

And Kai2, are you suggesting it's okay to manipulate the rotation when it suits your purposes? I ask only because all of valuable input you have referred to in this thread is from people who frown upon treating a rotation as anything but SACROSANCT

I DID NOT suggest IN THIS THREAD how much anyone should spend!

Out of curiosity, what do you do when you don't have friends with you "that make up for" what you don't drink?

AND frankly I don't know of any medication or family health history that keeps people from finding something they can eat in an Italian restaurant

Yes they can. Don't under estimate them. And don't under estimate what the owner will do to keep them as customers. You could be replaced. You may not get a bad rap at this show. But the WHINERS like to talk to everyone in town. At every bar. Do they frequent other Karaoke shows by other KJS? GUARANTEED they are bad mouthing you there.

Rule #1. You will NEVER be able to make everyone happy.

#2. I don't even try.

#3. If someone gets mad because they "think" i mistreated them, nothing will convince them otherwise.

#4. I'm very sure there is some singer talking about me right now accusing me of something i don't do and never did.

#5. Other KJs will make stuff up about you too. To get your jobs or keep you from getting theirs.

#6. I have the power to get anyone banned from any of my jobs. If they want to make a big issue, so can i.

#7. Most important one. The business owner thinks he totally controls you because he is paying you. The customers come first and the replacement KJ comes second.


I know many KJs that play favorites that work steady. And the only people that like them and follow them are the ones they favor. The ones that sing more than anyone else. That is how they have any following to speak of. It's not because they are good KJs with great sound. The bar owners keep him because he sees the same crowd every week. What he doesn't know is how much business that favoritisim drove away.

Keep feeding the animals they won't stop coming.

Half price for pop? That's a pretty cheap owner.

Are you referring to my comment about my being charged half price?

In fact I am not charged at all for my soft drinks!

I pay half price for veal, steak, seafood, chicken, sausage and pasta entrees, heroes, appetizers, desserts, wine, beer, pizza, calzone, stromboli, soup, salad

That's employee pricing. Wow you're making me hungry.

Missbipbip, I tried the same reasoning earlier in this thread, it didn't work for me either. Oh well, nothing like the old college try.

Srnitynow

Please note the NOBODY posting in this thread asked me how many songs each singer sings during their turn at my show. Nobody asked me if I use filler music between singers. Nobody asked the age of the crowd.

More often than not, I have people sing 2 songs early in the show while I wait for the crowd to build; after the first rotation I usually switch to 1 song. It so happens I have been doing just one song per turn since early on in regard to this show.

And what does the age of the crowd have to do with anything. Well, I have noticed that the younger the crowd the newer the songs they like to sing. When it comes to the newer songs, other than country, they are often 4 minutes or longer while country songs and older songs are 3 minutes or less, generally speaking!


Missbipbip.

This crowd at this gig is older and the songs they sing is a mix of older music and some country. If you allow 4 minutes per song, including some bumper music, in the course of 2 hours, 120 minutes you can conceivable have 15 people sing twice each.

The likelihood that each will sing twice increases if I eliminate all filler/bumper music as does Angel! Though I like to use bumper music I chose to eliminate it for this show almost entirely as of last Thursday. While I know the dining customers have enjoyed the filler music I play I hoped they wouldn't mind it's absence.

Additionally, I figured that if the whiners are around for more than two hours of singing the likelihood of them singing twice is even greater.

Therefore, if I start 15 minutes early (on my own time) I further increase that likelihood

Lastly, if the whiners get "caught up in things" (AS THEY DID LAST Thursday), they might stay an extra 15 minutes or what was needed in order for each of them to get their second turn. And they did stay the longest last Thursday then they had ever stayed

IMHO I believe I have been quite successful in accomplishing my short term goal and did ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING that will hurt me in the long term. It's just a matter, I guess, of "thinking out of the box" ---- SOMETHING I'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL DOING ALL OF MY LIFE

I'm glad to hear things are going well Tov. A little brown nosing without compromising your rotation goes a long way. Two thumbs up to you !

I don't make it a practice to buy drinks for patrons, but once in a while for the right reasons it is a smart decision. No one else in the bar has to know. There are ways to make sure of it. I think it was a grand jesture. Owners of venues buy drinks for patrons all the time to show appreciation for their patronage.

Starting a bit early I think was a smart move too. What's 15 minutes more if it helps you keep your gig and like you said you just need to hold on to certain patrons until you can build a bigger crowd. A short term decision like that is genious.

Once you build your crowd it will be easier to let go of the whiners. I think you're doing great!

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

WE DON'T CARE. What you fail to understand is that with our experience, it doesn't matter if they are singing every song. We already know them very well because we have seen them at almost every job.

THEY WILL NEVER BE HAPPY. THEY'RE CRONIC WHINERS. SUCK UP TO THEM TOO MUCH AND YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING THE REST OF THE CROWD.

If they do leave you will be better off. Let them search for another KJ that will kiss them. Every singer is equal with me until the start that SH%&$#.

Angel:

I am sorry for burdening you with the facts since they clearly clash with your omnipotent view of how to run a karaoke show!.

Please forgive me.

And any problems I have from now on I'll just PM you so you can unload your PMS directly on me and spare the rest of the forum!

Excuse me for trying to be helpful. You had not been clear on exactly what types of songs they were singing. My crowd is usually a mixture of genres, and I have found that I can usually count correctly by giving 5 minutes per song, considering it takes them a few seconds to get to the stage and all. OK, so that's not the deal with this show. If four minutes is your approximation, then it would give you more singing opportunities in 2 hours, give a couple of songs. Still, they would take up over an hour of 2, so I wasn't that far off. If they make up half of your singers, that's understandable. If they don't, it's favoritism. That's simply all I was trying to say.

I am quite capable of "thinking out of the box", and I'm not always a stifler about fair rotation. I bend when I think it's in the best interest of all parties involved. Whatever makes it work best for you is the best solution. I made it clear in the end of my post that I had accidentally posted without reading the rest of the thread. I just overlooked that there were more pages. You had already addressed what you did, and it sounds like it worked for you. If you've been so successful all your life, then why do you need our opinions anyway? Can't you figure it out on your own? I was trying to be helpful, which is what I thought you wanted. You don't have to be so demeaning about it.

I'm glad you figured it out. And still, I hope all works out well for you in the end.

I'm just tired of posting here, and people are so insultive about it. Perhaps why I don't post much anymore. Matt, you should be here saying "Sheesh."

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It's called Karaoke Therapy...

Missbipbip

In fact your post was very helpful, I am sorry you took some of what I posted the wrong way.

The only reference I made directly to you was in regard to how many songs could be fit into an hour of MY show. And in fact, you were the only one that picked up on dissecting and considering how many songs a crowd of my size MIGHT be able to fit into an hour's rotation. So, Bravo to you

My reference to inadequacy of the post from many others came about because
1, several people suggested they had answered my problem when they had not
2. several people went on and on about how the rotation is sacrosanct when I never suggested in any of my posts that I was considering placating the whiners by messing with the rotation!
3. people also gave me YADA YADA about damaging my reputation when I never suggested I would do anything that would damage my reputation.

And the following from Missbipbip's post was for me one of if not the most notable observation I found in this thread.

Well, evidently, you figured out your problem on your own, and didn't need ANY suggestions on how to fix it. But for your last post, I think you did an injustice to the people that TRIED to offer SUGGESTIONS. Maybe if you don't really want to hear everyone's point of view, you should spend more time figuring out your own problem, BEFORE asking for help. Sorry, if this offends you, but I think your criticisms were uncalled for. Just MY opinion.

Srnitynow

LADIES, LADIES PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!!!!!

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Apology accepted. I think alot of posters have been insulted on a regular basis around here lately, so I just took it wrong. Thank you. I do try to be helpful when I can. I don't try to start any problems for anyone.

I think I was able to relate to your situation, because my show seems to be notorious these days for COMPLAINERS, especially when I don't need it. And much like you, it's from my regulars, who are very important to my venue. My show is at the beach, so in the summer we are slammed with tourists, but the winter is slow and the regulars keep us afloat. It's hard when situations occur with them for that reason and it's more difficult to deal with. I definately understand having to bend for them at times, though, to keep their business. If you are able to work it out and keep everyone happy, props to you.

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It's called Karaoke Therapy...

Missbipbip I do think Tov was more reacting to the many posters here who were harsh on him previously.

It's hard to post a topic sometimes when a lot of responses are judgemental and harsh. I think we've all experienced it.

I think it would help if some would try to realize a lot of the new posters are new KJs just learning the ropes. It takes time to learn how to deal with people and running a show. There are so many different ways to run a show for different venues I believe we should approach responding with that in mind and then respond more like teachers than policeman or gods.

Geez I'm starting to sound like my mother - shoot me.

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

It's just what happens in a forum like this..... you have to be able to give it as well as take it

A good KJ will try and keep everyone happy ..almost to a fault
The problem is it's almost impossible. Someone not doubt will get upset for one reason or another.

In a resterant if they are still serving food I will buy dinner there.
Most places that have karaoke where I am are straight bars, no food.

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

Hey do you guys experiance the same as me.
I could probably drink a lot.
Running the gig is so sobering.
I have never ever lost concentration, and I should have.
Probably 5-6 pints in 4 hours.
The job keeps me stone cold sober.
Never drove after though.