Karaoke Forums

No she didn't... re-read the OP.

Whether a KJ asks for it or not; SOMEONE should tell her when he or she is not running her rotation "fairly". This particular KJ just doesn't want to hear the truth. She is convinced that she does everything the right way and doesn't want to hear any negative comments. She just wants people to show up at her show so she doesn't loose the gig......MAYBE, JUST MAYBE the reason she has to beg people to show up at her gigs is because the singers in that area have already figured out that she runs an "unfair" rotation, so they usually stay away from her shows and go somewhere else to sing.

We don't really know that to be true. We only got one side of the story, and when the presentation of proof was offered by her, Gryf didn't want to see/hear it. So for all we know, the others' speculations here could be the truth.

Bruce, let me ask you this.... I know that you pay attention to the Rotation when you go out with regard to where you are in the Rotation, and when you're supposed to go up again, but do you watch the KJ all night long and keep track of all the other Singers that approach him/her as well (especially since you are not running it)? Do you keep track of who handed a song request slip up to the KJ (and how many slips he/she/they handed up all night)?

See? we only half half a story here.

I reiterate: "Do you want my advice or feedback?" If they answer in the affirmative, you cannot be convicted of offering. If they decline, then stop right there. No wondering or offending, etc.

Personally, since I am not working at the moment, I would take advice from anyone who has managed to run a successful show.


However, i would only offer an opinion if someone asked me for it.

Hmm now there's a business idea. Newbies could pay the experts on here to show them basic mixing skills, mic technique, how to properly wrap cables etc.

-James

I've said this before in a different thread. But, I believe there are many ways of doing a proper rotation. As long as the host is consistent in their order, then there isn't a problem. But as far as this case goes, I still think that offering suggestions is good, but to give unsolicited advice was offered. The host might have been running a different type of rotation than what was perceived. We can't really be sure. It's all in the perception isn't it? How many of us have been accused of skipping someone or playing favorites before? When we KNOW that we did what was proper? Alcohol changes peoples views, there is no denying that. Was this the case? I can't say.

The only thing I can say here is, "Be careful who you give advise to, they might not forgive you for it"

Last night I had a singer insisting that I let him do back to back songs. He said one doesn't go without the other and that his group was getting ready to leave (they stayed till closing time).

I told him I had others waiting to sing and I don't run my rotation like that unless he is the only singer. He wanted to know who he had to clear it with to change that. I told him,,,,me.

5 minutes later the manager came over and asked if he could change the words to a song, the words being sexual in nature with some dirty words. I told her I didn't have a problem with that if the bar didn't, wasn't an issue with me. Then she told me he wanted to sing his next song real quick and that his group was generating a lot of revenue. I let her know the bar can tell me to turn the volume up or down, ban certain songs, play certain songs but the rotation is my call. He played when his turn came back around which was at least 2 hours before he left. I stuck to my guns. No one complained.

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

Well I hope she forgives me. I've been traveling lately so I haven't been to a show of hers. I hope she's accepted my apologies and all is past. If she still has a bad taste about this then I guess I'll just wish her well and stay away.

Good for you, Rip! I too, have been pressured by singers, friends of singers, managers of venues, venue owners, etc. to bump someone up or let them sing 2 songs in a row but have always tried to "stick to my guns" and hold steady.
It's not an easy thing to do. IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT.

Now why in the world would you pay for that kind of information when it's all on here for free as it stands now. There are a lot of folks with a lot of experience and knowledge on this board willing to share. If you need to know something, you shouldn't feel afraid to ask and definitely shouldn't feel like you need to pay for it.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

I'm sure it was tongue in cheek but I am living proof that you don't have to do an apprentice term to learn how to be a karaoke host. I did all my learning right here! The ABCs of being a karaoke host.

I don't have a weekly gig but averaged more than one show per week since May 1.

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

If they don't ask for your opinion - keep it to yourself.

If you see a major issue, ask if they'd like feedback before giving it.

And even if they ask for feedback, ask them if they want you to be nice, or honest.

Even if they say 'honest' - it's rare that they mean it.


I've been asked to provide feedback on a website - so I asked if they want nice or honest. They said, 'Honest'. I gave it to them. And now they won't speak to me because I told them my honest opinion - going through the site page by page, and explaining what I saw as major shortcomings - AND WHY.


If I was in your position, I'd ask her how she runs her rotation because I was having trouble making sense of it. Asking for information to clarify their position often gets them to see the point of view and potential shortcomings long before any amount of feedback or critique would because it comes off as inquisitive as opposed to attacking.

As to why the rotation was 'off' - I have no idea. But if I go to another show, I'll introduce myself to the KJ, but otherwise it's there show. I don't interfere. At most I act like most singers - if it's been forever since I've sung I might ask how long before I'm up again before I head to the restroom or step outside for some air. Otherwise, my feedback is kept to myself on what NOT to do in most cases - and occasionally - I pick up something I might work with to see if it's something I can expand on and integrate into my shows (be it how they handle a dance rotation, the addition of props, or whatever). I can learn while I'm there, but I'm not there to 'educate' the other KJ.... unless they specifically ask me to...

After reading this...
Decided No advice.
Too complex.

Does that mean I'm cut off?

I'll second that opinion, and add an AMEN! I started making my own CDG disks because the songs that I want to sing are not available, anywhere in the world. I also don't have no way of knowing which version of a song the KJ has, so I run the risk of getting caught with an unfamiliar verse, or having part of a song added, or cut out. If one KJ doesn't want to play my disks, I'll just go to another show.

-denise

Every time I say that I'll never buy another disc for my own cdg collection, I always come across yet another song that I'd want to try. This time it's a jazz song called I Should Care: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHcBKkSd7z8

It's been awhile since I bought a disc, but I might have to check into this song. Of course then I'd have to learn the song.

Never say I'll never buy another disc.

No Mi, give wrex cheeseburgers.
Oh and try the ipod.

I'm almost afraid to revive this thread but I did exactly this over the weekend. We went to a competitor's show, it's a guy whose show we enjoy and who I've thrown a few leads to (and he's returned the favor). Anyway, early on it became very apparent that he really doesn't understand EQ concepts as every singer had the thunderous 250Hz boom in their vocals. At one point he had a woman come up who sang one of my favorite Stevie Nicks tunes. I could tell she had a lot of vocal talent but it was getting lost in the muddy, low-mid heavy tone on her vocal channel, I just couldn't take it anymore.

So all I did was went up and asked him if he minded if I made a suggestion. He happily accepted. I explained to him what was going on and what I was hearing and he admitted right away he hadn't really gotten the "whole EQ thing down yet". So I showed him how to correct it, and reinforced that it was just a suggestion he could do with it what he please. He was very happy to have the help and we talked a lot more after the show about situations like that. As I said we were already friendly competitors but this just helped further build that cooperation between our businesses.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

The difference being you already had a working relationship with that person.

Doing it blindly.... well, different story.

Ah, now if you came to our show, I would say, please sit down--or do you mind working on your day off?

We have up to 13 KJs/retired KJs who visit our show and a few do not hesitate to offer advice. One doesn't like that we have the place darkened for our dance lights and he turns up the house lights every time he comes. Another says we didn't have enough of this or that artist in our books. I ordered the songs for him and he did one and no one else has touched them.

The best one was I got scoffed at for having a request list out. I was told new songs cost too much and if people can't find something to sing in HIS 2000 songs then there is something wrong with them. I will have to admit that when a fellow went through every Zac Brown song we had that same night and got cheers at the first few chords I couldn't help but say, "THAT'S why you buy new songs!"

Well, I was fair game. I usually do everything related to the show except the actual running of the show which my boyfriend does. He got a new job that required training out of town on 4 of our karaoke nights so he was able to set up our sytem at home before he left and I drew pictures, took notes, read the manuals and have been running our shows by myself the past few weeks. I KNOW I do not have the sound down although another set of karaoke hosts visiting said it was fine (thankyou Yamaha mixer).

But the "too dark" complainer went to town on me, although I left myself open by telling them to give me signals if I had it too loud. I got feedback once because one in his party has an extremely soft singing voice and they kept sending someone up to say she couldn't be heard. But when it was his turn to sing and I offered to let him do his own mix he said he wasn't going to help and I was on my own. Hard for me to get too rattled, however, as any night I don't blow up something or set it on fire is good in my book. (We are still disc with two players worth of wires to wrangle, etc.)

On the flip side, if I were visitng a show in our area, I would probably feel like a spy if I didn't introduce myself as a fellow host but I wouldn't do anything past be a regular customer/singer past that.