Karaoke Forums

Mmmmkay....thx Susie!!!

I didn't mean to sound like this happens all the time.... I was just a little overly tired from the show (it went to 4:30 this morning and then I had to tear down). I had a person that turned in a slip that I called 3-4 times throughout the night and then at the end of the night wants to come up and argue with me about why they didn't sing while they're drunk.

I've had people as described in the original post and I try to get them more involved in the overall performance from everyone. We can try to draw them into the fun, or they can remain a curmudgeon. Sort of reminds me of the two guys in the balcony on the 'Muppet Show'. It's not often I see these people and they're usually bad enough that everyone knows it, not just me. Remember, most of the venues I've gone to for karaoke are small - seating for about 40-50 people at most and I usually host at a small bar restaurant that only seats about 20-25 people w/ an adjoing restaurant that seats another 50 or so (and it's usually empty). When you're in a venue this small it's easier to see this sort of people - and no, they don't normally impact the mood of entire crowd, just the singers they're heckling.

I agree to a certain extent with all the postings on this subject. When it comes to "humbly looking" at the screen, I am more apt to make contact with the audience as much as possible perhaps from being in a band 20 years ago, I am more performer influenced. At the Karaoke bar I frequent, it seems the more you sound like Frank or Elvis, the better you are received. I perform all kinds of music from standards to hip-hop. I get alot of great feedback but most of the time the crowd at this place is totally into themselves but the KJ is really good. So I go to different places where the response is far better. So much depends on the crowd. I applaud no matter who is up there because it does take alot of balls to get up there. I have even noticed that if you sound "professional" the applause is far less than if you are off tune. Consider the night the Karaoke is performed, Tuesday versus Saturday and the age group. I like to observe the crowd before I sing and intuitively choose a song that will blend well.

I have been a karaoke host for about 5 years now for another company and am in the process of starting my own company.

The shows I host have singers of varying ability and there is one thing that separates them from the rest. They decided to TRY. I encourage them all the way from their scanning the books to a few kind words when I hand them their mic signifying that they are following the current singer right through to the end of their song.

Why? Because they are up there doing something that we all love to do (or we wouldn't be doing it, now would we?). There are professional vocalists on record with widely varying vocal talents - so why not at Karaoke?

I have often been heard telling potential singers the following:

"If people like Bob Dylan, The Beastie Boys and Tom Petty can get a record deal, YOU can do Karaoke!"

Oddly enough, it seems to hit home. Their nervousness drops in scale and they go up and have fun.

And just for the record, if anyone tries to tell me that the aforementioned recording artists have great vocal talents, save your time. I'll never believe you even though I enjoy their work.

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Karaoke is for those who love to sing regardless of ability.

well, Bob Dylan is a helluva song writer... yes, his nasally voice grate on your last ever-lovin' nerve, but they are terrific songs.

Tom Petty is one of my favorite artists! Period.

There are a lot of people that have cut recrods due to a gimmick, or a manufactured interest, such as the Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, Christina Aguilera & Britney Spears... but they've also shown that they can hold their own once they go into it. Tiffany in the 80s was the biggest karaoke queen you ever saw. She was a cutie that sang well... but she didn't sing original stuff, and her career stalled.

One hit wonders are exactly that.... and every generation has had them!

Wow, That was quite a read... I never knew much about karaoke:) I have always been too terrified to go:) And now I think I am more so:) I think I will stay at home with my guitar:)

Out of curiosity, in reference to the janis-a-like, is it BAD at karaoke, if you happen to sound JUST like the original artist who sang the song? Just curious... And Ritisroo..I can't remember, but what province are you in?

This was a very interesting read for me, for as I said, I have never tried the whole karaoke scence, and this was quite the eye opener:) Great forum here:)

The only 'bad' in Karaoke is to be the person criticizing everything the singers are doing when you don't even have the b***s to try it yourself.

If you're singing exactly like the original, Great! If you think you are but your voice isn't quite there, Great! If you are so off key that dogs are wailing in the rest of the neighborhood, Great!

Why? Because you had the b***s to get up there and try it. You had the presence of mind to throw the inhibitions where they belong and just let loose to enjoy yourself and those around you.

I'm a Karaoke Host. I am also a musician, composer, recording artist *albeit small-time*. I was also told many years ago that I may never be understood when talking and the implication at that time was that singing was out of the question.

I really don't take very well to being told I "can't" do something. Just makes me try harder to prove people wrong.

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Karaoke is for those who love to sing regardless of ability.

OMG is that ever the truth! We have a friend that joins us for karaoke all the time. He is the sweetest dude I have ever met. He looks, acts, and sings just like William Hung, to give you an example.

He can not sing well, keep rythem, but my god, does he ever have a lot of fun! He lights up a room when he sings, just cause he dances, grooves to the music, and keeps everyone pumped up. We all just love him to death. My favorite singer in the world.

Now, at a regular place he goes to, some woman had the gall to tell him that he SUCKED after he sang. Right to his face. Unbelievable. When he got up to sing next, she would shout things like, save us all and just sit down.

I am glad that I was not there that night, or that woman would not be walking out that door, at least not without a black eye or two. The KJ (who is a good friend of his), told that woman off right after the show.

Now, she did not sing once that night. Just there to be mean and rude. Who does that!!!

I like your style Heartland!!! Maybe one day I can go to your show!!!

Personally, I feel the 'bad' in Karaoke extends to those who feel a song should be sung a certain way &/or that a singer should behave a certain way at the mic.... forming an opinion of a singer based on how & what they sing...

I try to go into the show with the attitude that I am going to have a great time, see some old friends & make some new ones!

Susie

P.S. I like Dylan's writing & enjoy Tom Petty

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You do it in the shower,
you do it in the car,
Ccome do it with us,
and be a star!!!!

Karaoke with Full House Entertainment

[scroll]Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...... [/scroll]

Thank you!

I recall a regular show I did which was the most enjoyable time I have had in my entire time of hosting.

The bar was a relatively small room filled with great Karaoke fans who had heart like I've never experienced before or since.

The true 'star' of the room was a young man who was confined to a wheelchair. I never did learn what exactly his condition was, but I think he was quadrapalegic. Whatever the case, it never really mattered enough for me to bother asking.

This young man had a fairly limited repertoire of songs - a small list which none of the other patrons would ever draw from. I remember vividly how he would always sing "My Way" at every show and start off by saying "This is for my Dad."

He wasn't a particularly skilled singer, owing to his condition more than anything, but this one person more than any other exemplified for me what Karaoke is and should be.

He was always very polite with his requests, asking for a song by name because he couldn't easily manipulate the songbook. He awaited his turn with calm patience, enjoying everyone else's performance. When it was his turn to sing, the entire audience showed complete patience as I took the time to help him grip the mic, which he always handled with care, and then started his song. This process usually took a couple of minutes. When the music started, he sang his song and when he was done there was never a single person in the room who wasn't applauding him.

This is why I love doing this so much. Those who attend Karaoke shows are, for the most part, truly great people. I had a lot of admiration for the young man because I can imagine it must have taken him a lot of concentration and determination to even start singing in the first place. I also had great admiration for the audience in that room for consistently proving that Karaoke has nothing to do with talent. It's all about heart.

Does anyone else here have some inspired memories they could share?

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Karaoke is for those who love to sing regardless of ability.

There was a young woman I had the distinct pleasure to know about the time she graduated from high school (1993). She was confined to a wheelchair, and had suffered from Muscular Dystrophy from birth. She was a part time DJ at a local PBS radio station that did a Christian show, she was also homecoming queen and a wonderful woman. She didn't do karaoke, but sang professionally. She would sing gospel music at a variety of churches throughout the eastern US and even performed at Disney. She was a frail little wisp of a girl, but when she opened her mouth to sing it was as though an angel had come down and possessed her body. It usually startled the audience when she sang because she had such a strong voice for having such a frail body.

I lost track of her about 4-5 years ago, shortly after my Grandmother passed away. Strange thing was that when I called her about some music she might have my cousin asked me who I was talking with and then told me that Stephanie (the girl in the wheelchair) was supposed to be singing at my cousins church in Illinios a short time later. The next time I'm down to visit my parents in Pensacola, Florida I might have a run over to Baghdad, Florida to see if she's still singing and if her parents still have a tape/cd of her (I've long since lost one I had from before). Every time I think of her I'm inspired as to the greatness in each of us.

I am coming in late as usual, but I just found this site...



I have been singing karaoke a long time (when I started there were no CDs, only tapes...), and this is one (of my many) pet peeves... it is very rude.

To answer the question, I dont think you can be too good, but you can be too full of yourself... which I have seen even with singers who werent that good frankly... so it is not limited to the insanely talented... in fact in many cases I have found the more talented folks to be more humble.

People who take karaoke too seriously really should get a grip, it is only for fun after all. I play in a band and we dont even take ourselves that seriously (and we're agetting paid to perform).

RE: The "performer", this seems to be a trait of people who do musicals and stuff. I am starting to think that in many cases this is not arrogance, but simply it is the way they are used to performing for people...

Incidentally to be devil's advocate (flame retardant suit on) , by and large I dont know anyone who wouldnt want to be praised for their performance and I think anyone who says they arent looking for some degree of validation or recognition is , frankly, not being very honest with themselves.



I have done karaoke in many many places over the years and it is pretty much the same everywhere.



! I am not sure why this bothers you so much... I would think this should be something every karaoke "regular" should strive for, especially if you want to enter contests...

BTW I think Paid2Party hit everything bang on in his first post.