Karaoke Forums

I've seen a lot of comments over the past few weeks from hosts complaining about people that don't want to sing "on stage". I'm curious why this is such an unwanted thing. For me, this is expressly the purpose for buying wireless microphones, so folks can sing from where they're comfortable, walk around if they'd like, get others involved, etc. Is it that everyone's that worried about keeping track of their microphones so as to not have them stolen? If not, what are some of the other reasons?

See I love the freedom both as a KJ and a singer. If I see someone really getting into a song I'm singing, I can go to them and get them more involved. If I'm singing something like Rehab's "Sittin' at a Bar", I can actually go over, sit at the bar and sing it from there. To me, it's about way more than just being able to run around like a chicken with my head cut off with the mic, it's about letting people be comfortable.

So why the don't we like singers doing this?

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

I don't know that it is everyone. But "Hiding in the Corner" isn't a song, and that's what so many do. Also, it is difficult to get people to applaud if the performer isn't visible. Also, when it gets real drunk out I don't want the singers wandering all over with the mics -- I have done gigs where that would be a disaster.

I want a show, not a sing-along. But that could just be me.

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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.

I don't care. I'm happy that people come to my show and want to sing... apparently are having a good time. After that, the rest is fluff.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

A few of my regs sing from their seats but i try to encourage everyone to come to the stage where they can be seen and heard. Sometimes people walking in think nobody's singing and try to grab the wired mic on stage until i point out that someone else is already singing.

A faceless stage takes away the attention from karaoke and eventually a lot of lazy people want to sing from their seats as well.I think it takes away from the entertainment value overall.

On a slow night it may be okay, on a busy night the entertainment needs to be front and center. I end up doing what they want, but always push for a performance.

We have no chose; there is no 'stage' People sing from the seat. I wish there is a choice

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I have an odd setup where there is a small stage with stadium like seating in front of the stage. It is all one level though. The 2 long tables stretch out from the wall almost all the way to the bar, with very little space between the end of these long tables and the bar. My wired mics reach to people sitting at these tables, but everyone chooses to sing on stage. For me or anyone else that would want to walk around the bar with a wireless mic would be very difficult. It is very hard to make it through the crowd around these tables. I would eat up way to much time myself trying to maneuver aound these tables to pass out or collect wireless mics. If there was more space, less people, and more mobility I would consider it. I also have the problem of wireless mics not sounding as good as the wired ones in my enviroment.

I have passed a wired mic through the window that goes out to the front porch for someone to sing from there.

I don't have a problem with anyone using wireless mics out in the audience. It just doesn't work for me.

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

This is precisely why I tend to prefer wired mics for the singers. The singers are forced to come to the stage and there is acknowledgment from the crowd that they are there (Isn't that the point of karaoke???). I don't lose wireless mics in the crowd and they certainly don't end up in toilets like I've seen some at other shows end up.

I do not work and have never worked anywhere there is a stage. People can sing from anywhere they like. Most come stand next to my table and face the bar.

Ding ding ding! Took the words right out of my mouth!

As the shows I do are a little more raucous, I don't need some drunk patron hollering a metal song at the top of their lungs into an expensive wireless microphone. You might be able to turn their level down, but that won't fix the damage they're doing to the diaphragm of the mic. I also don't have to deal with someone playing "keepaway" in the crowd with my wireless because they think it's funny. Now the rotation has to come to a dead stop while I retrieve it.

Of course if your show is in a room of respectful singers who know how to treat professional gear, that's a different story.

It's easier and more economical for me to have a mid-priced corded mic that can be replaced as needed.

As for someone singing at their seat? I've never had to face that as all my venues have either a stage or "area" where the singing is done. Personally, I would make it a requirement that if you want to be in the show, you have to stand up, face the crowd and sing. You don't want to do that? Go home and sing! People come to karaoke shows not only to sing but to watch other singers. If I have to guess where the voice is coming from, it takes away a lot of the enjoyment from the audience.

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

To me, Bill Murray comes to mind (skit on SNL). Some "lounge lizard" type, who most of the time IS NOT a good singer, getting in peoples face and EMBARRASSING them. There are alot of people that come to karaoke to WATCH. They don't feel comfortable being THRUST into the spotlight. They like to come and WATCH the entertainment, NOT be part of it. These people are quite content drinking their drinks, and WATCHING the entertainment at the singers MONITOR, wherever that may be, whether there is a stage or not. A good singer does not have to WORK THE FLOOR. If they're GOOD, they will TURN HEADS. Just my opinion.

Ideally as a KJ you want the "SINGER" to come up to the "stage area" whether its a real satge or a 12" x 12" tile in front of your table and monitor its what KARAOKE is all about. Get UP ..SING a song and GET SOME APPLAUSE !!!!!

But for those SHY VIRGINS TYPES ....the 1st time at the bar or seat is ok ...AFTER THAT GET AND JOIN THE PARTY !!!

I think the key here is if you have a venue that you can keep control of a wireless mic or not.

In my case the answer is no. I'd be chasing down the mic constantly, I wouldn't be able to get to the person to stop screaming or swearing (I'd be turning off their mic until they made it back to the stage), I couldn't keep control over who was singing because the mic could be passed around or taken from them (then I'd have to reorganize the rotation because more than one person was singing), I wouldn't be able to keep the rotation moving, so more people would have the chance to sing.

If you have a laid back audience that is respectful and the place was easy to maneuver in I can see it working. But for me to keep things under control I'm better off keeping people on stage.

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

A good singer/performer can work the crowd and be very entertaining with a wireless mic.

A drunk can wander around and offend/annoy the whole bar.

I don't get many drunks that are going to be annoying to the whole bar by getting in the crowds face (in a unwelcome way) by moving their antics off the stage (where people can ignore them if they want).

For some reason a drunk sometimes thinks that having a mic in their hands gives them the right to get up on the table of a total stranger and make an a$$ of them selves. It has not happened at my show, but I have seen it happen elsewhere, it was not at all pretty.

But the occasional one is enough, even if it is once every 3-4 months.

For me keeping the singers on the stage is worth keeping them leashed to it (or at least within 30 feet of it).

It really just matters how much you trust the worst 1% of your singers not to mess up the show. And by worst I mean behavoir wise.


Now the karaoke room style of karaoke is entirely different, that is usually with a circle of friends and the singer is usually the center of attention.

If a singer thinks it is fun to have their turn singing at the bar, what the heck? We have had some nice moments and some funny moments when one half of a couple sings to the other. We have cheap wireless for those who want to wander, do the limbo while singing, shove their ex-wife out of the bar while singing, whatever. Doesn't seem to be a probelm. If we lose our cheap mics, you all would be happy.

Hello all,

many people are shy but still want to be part of Karaoke. I'll give them a wireless mic and let them go where they choose. I make sure that at least on TV at the bar has karaoke on it. Some people will come to the bar and sing but ALWAYS at their seat and NEVER with a mic. It's a part of the experice too.

Jason

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Jason Christopher
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