Karaoke Forums

It often happens that while bumper music is playing
a person with the mic. will sing along.
If they sound ok I will let this run for a while.
Often it gets audience participation as well.

How do you feel about that?

I'd let them sing through the song's chorus, or maybe a few lines, but you have to get the show back on track, especially when you have a lot of people waiting. I'd make a point to re-introduce the singer while the music fades out to make it a smooth transition.

the downside is that sometimes the bumper music was better than the song that the singer is going to do.

Also during bumper music, because this happens to me, don't play a song that a singer will be singing on that rotation. The KJ played Muse's Starlight for bumper and I did a loud groan, he looked at my song slip laughed and apologized because he didn't realize it. I'd stick with some DJ instrumental music or songs that are karaoke cliches so it can dissuade people to choose that song.

I don't have a problem letting them sing it for a bit, however, I don't let it go on for the whole song if I've got singers waiting. A lot of times I'll use the opportunity to try and get them to signup for a song.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

I don't play bumper music when I have singers anymore, Just if I have zero singers which would be rare but if I did and they started singing along, I'd pause the song and ask them if they'd rather sing the karaoke version of the song if I have it.

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

I find that it keeps the energy level up. Sometimes people hear a transition song and decide they want to sing it. More power to them. I always keep the transition music level down between 2/3 and 1/2 of the actual karaoke music.

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

Nah, I always fade it out & into the song they chose. Don't have it happen too often however.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Ironically this happened to be me twice at my Friday night show this week - and my bumper music is extremely diverse. I set it up based on who is at the show. One guy gets up and sings along to an older country song; another gets up and sings along to "DJ's Got Us Falling In Love." I usually do as Lonman does, fade it out and get on with the singer's song.

It happens ALL too often for me. I usually turn the mike down after each singer, and then turn it up to avoid it. That isn't the reason why I turn down the mikes tho - I usually call up a singer and then formally introduce them once I got the karaoke song going - like "Ok ladies and gentlemen, he is going to do some Godsmack for all you headbangers out there, here's JOE!" You would not believe how many people talk on the mike during the introduction, so I never turn it on/up until I am ready to hear them sing.

Whenever I forget to turn it down, I always seem to get people singing along on the mike to my filler music. I HATE THAT!

I forgot to mention the people that are done singing and interrupt me as I am trying to get them their round of applause. Group singers are THE WORSE.

So yeah, the mikes go immediately down when they are done singing.

Or, how many times do singers say into a live mike "Is this thing on?"

to avoid just such situations i only use instrumental stuff. Eric Johnson, Steve Vaie, Joe Satriani, Vinnie Moore, etc. and it is only for the 10 or so seconds while intorducing and switching singers, and the occasional banter.

I'm with Lonman, I fade it. The bumper music is there to "fill" the time between the end of the last song and the time the singer walks up to the microphone. Usually, this is short, but in a crowded bar it can take time for the singer to work their way through the crowd.

One of the best way to try to not have "sing along" tunes on the playlist. Its not 100% but does work.

For example, at my one show, which is a lot of younger types, I play a lot of "hip hop" music. Usher, Jason Derulo, and so forth. This keeps the crowd upbeat, and energy level high, but i rarely have someone try to sing to it.

At my other bar I have a bunch of old to new hard rock/ classic tunes... like megadeth, metallica, etc. and again, rarely do I have anyone try to sing to it.

Also, Make sure the volume level of your filler music is low in compared to your karaoke music. I also have mic cut ability from my board, and usually don't cut the mics on till I cue the track.

This solves several issues besides the sing to filler... such as screaming into the mic so they can "say hi to their peeps" or "go Ravens!" or a bunch of other nonsense that can throw the show off track.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

I seem to differ somewhat from most of you.
At my shows they can sing along to the original track
rather than the karaoke track.
I usually mention they can do that.
It has helped some karaoke virgins.
If anything it actually increases audience participation.
One girl does it just to play vocal acrobatics.

Anarchist.

Lizard

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

still laughing..."Anarchist!" "Lizard!" Love it. Only on this board...or maybe not.

I let them sing along until the bumper music give me a natural opportunity to fade it out... and then make a comment "now you've proved how tuneful you are, i think you should hand in some more songs".

I have a group of three male 20 - 30year olds, who quite often get the urge to sing loudly to songs they shouldn't stereotypically like, eg, cotten eye joe, lion sleeps tonight, never gonna give you up... I usually let the sing them sing as long as possible (most my bumper music is only about 1min30secs before it fades into something else) as everyone in the venue seems to be amused by their burst of enthusasm and I get to roll my eyes.

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'A genius is one who can do anything except make a living'. Joey Adams.

'I don't play bumper music when I have singers anymore, Just if I have zero singers which would be rare but if I did and they started singing along, I'd pause the song and ask them if they'd rather sing the karaoke version of the song if I have it.'

Hi, Danny. Long time... I handle that exactly as you do. BTW, Ashley says Hi.

I don't necessarily agree with this overall. I do have singers that hear something in while the next singer is walking up & ask what it is to be able to sing it. Often times people don't know the names of songs & when they hear it ask what/who it was and add it to their list. So I add everything I have from all genres, but agree with keeping just low enough, especially to be able to talk over & get the next singer up.

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