Karaoke Forums

Several of the more elaborate hosting programs out there allow you to 'remember' the songs a particular singer sings, effectively making it simple for them to keep singing the same songs every time they come out to your show.

I've occasionally had singers just walk up to my booth and say, "Just put me in for the songs I sang last time." and then walk off.

I use VirtualDJ, and it doesn't have this feature.. but I have to say.. I don't know if i'd use that feature if I had it.

Thought i'd see who here has that feature and who uses it.. and who doesn't.. and why.

I've had that for many years. Even disk based KJs save request slips these days. It's expected. I don't like it either but what can you do? Pretty much all the hosting programs have the singer history feature. VDJ isn't really a karaoke hoster or wasn't the last time I looked at it. Karaoke is just an extra on a DJ platform.

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Okay, who took my pants?

Kjams does that. The program has a learning curve though - it's Mac, so it's so easy it's frustrating sometimes. The cool thing about it is it keeps a running history of all of the songs one singer has ever sang. On top of that, it remembers any key changes that are involved.

Even people who have only been in once or twice, I can look like a superhero when they request a song and my response is, "Down 2, right?"

It's not a function I use every night, but it does come in handy every now and then.

Nope. Not a chance. Don't have that capability and wouldn't use it if I did. I'm sick of hearing the same songs over and over again and I'm not about to make it any easier for them to stay in that rut.

the old school way was using a recipe box and index cards, but only for your regulars. you could try that, but even something like Siglos, which i use, has the history feature and is only $100.00
otherwise, all the history feature actually is, is the old recipe box idea.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Use it all the time with Karma. It makes it so much easier people write slips I pull history and just click to add to cue.

I have a singer that uses to see if he sang something before.

I use CompuHost, so of course I use history. It has the best implementation of that I have seen.

Unlike Mr. Staley, I find that instead of having them sing fewer different songs, it makes them sing more. If they have to fill out a slip, they remember the same one or two songs. If they tell me to "set me up from my history" I can sort by date and have them sing songs they haven't done for a couple of months.

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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.

Agree with mcky. Only my singers who have sang multiple songs ask for it. It is actually very very handy!

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

I also use CH.

The history file, in my experience, has encouraged regulars to branch out and NOT sing the same songs every week.

Those that do, save me the time and trouble of picking the correct version by using their history to select their song(s) which also includes any key changes they've requested.

I have singers with 350+ song histories. Once or twice a year, I'll print them out for them as a souvenir.

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Never the same show twice!

So what you're really saying is that instead of them singing the same song EVERY week, they simply sing THE SAME SONGS every OTHER week?

Exactly why I wouldn't use a history.

There is a big difference between a singer with a 300+ repertoire and a singer that sticks to the same 10 songs for 10 years.

Nice straw man. (I only realized recently how apt it was that the straw man had no brain.)

No, I did specifically say "for a couple of months".

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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'm of that opinion, too.. which is why I brought up the subject.

There are times when a singer sings a new song one week, then the next week they'll ask, "What was that new song I sang last week?" which is a situation where the singer history would come in handy, but in those cases, VirtualDJ has a song history, and since my shows nowadays are about 50/50 between karaoke and DJ, it's not too hard to skim through the list and have my memory refreshed.

I do get sick of hearing the same singers singing the same songs week after week after week.. and so do many of the patrons in the club.. who are too polite to say it to the singer themselves, but I hear it when I go to the bar to get a drink while they're singing, "Man.. why doesn't this guy find some new songs to sing?"

Seems like offering to cue up the singers 'regulars' for them just enables that behavior.

I suppose if I were strictly KJ and catered to the hard core karaoke patron, i'd run a more karaoke centric program and offer that kind of service, but since my crowd is mixed, I try to play to the center of the room.

Not that I won't allow singers to sing the same songs week after week.. but I do encourage them to expand their horizons, suggest similar songs, or songs from artists in a similar range.

Truly, its thoughts expressed in this manner that make me wonder what it is that you enjoy about karaoke and/or being a host. It seems as though you have an adversarial relationship with your participants.

When did what the KJ wants to hear become more important than what the singer wants to sing?

I like singers. I couldn't care less if they sing Happy Birthday To You every week for a year, if they 1) Sing EVERY week 2)Patronize the establishment 3)Bring their friends & family 4)Enjoy themselves and conduct themselves in any socially acceptable manner. People have asked me, "How can you listen to that night after night, show after show, week after week?". I tell them "I see people having fun, some sing well, some don't, either way, I get paid."

The history file can be a useful tool. I have found that it is very persuasive when encouraging someone to try NEW stuff. It also makes it easier when someone wants to sing a song THEY like singing and it is already in their history. I've had several occasions when someone wants to sing a song again "for" someone like a new friend or a visiting family member. I have yearly, repeat guests that are thrilled to find that they don't have to figure out/remember what they sang (4 or 5 songs) last year because it is right there . It has also been used by singers who attend different venues weekly as they can determine where, not just when they sang a song last by the date or song order. I also play roulette with my regulars and occasionally, they will want to attempt the song again but they might not have a clue as to the artist or title. I should also mention that the correct version and any key/tempo changes are also recorded simplifying the re-cue. The history file is merely data, how it is used and how that effects your show is up to you.

Try to look at it this way Chip: Remember the fear of those long kiosk lines that don't actually happen? This is kinda like that. The singers who only want to sing their 1 or 2 songs are going to do that regardless of their history. The singers who have a rich, varied history of songs will appreciate the ability to exercise their preference when choosing from their favorites. The rest of the singers fall somewhere in between and anyone with a little skill can guide them towards the desired result.

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Never the same show twice!

I've found the history helpful in encouraging new songs of similar genres. When a singer comes up and asks, "What should I sing?" I'll pull up their history. Let's say they always sing Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World," and have every week for the past 6 months. I use this opportunity to suggest a different Sam Cooke song (You Send Me? Chain Gang?) or a different artist close in genre.

I have found it helpful to direct my shows too. When someone asks the "What should I sing?" question, I can look at their history and suggest some upbeat songs as opposed to the ballads they usually sing. By being able to look at their history, I can judge what songs they might know better. It really cuts back on the, "I don't know that. I think I'll just sing American Pie again."

another use of the history, is when a singer comes up and asks to try the song so and so did last week, it's right there. with the regulars, i find that they tend enjoy letting us pick a new song for them and make it a surprise. a small history is a great way i have found to encourage new songs. like was said earlier, pick something in the same genre, or feel, but stay close to their comfort zone. i have on many occasions dug through the history of another venues singers and gotten new ideas because so and so likes the same stuff i do and did this odd ball track. thats how i found Procol Harum "whiter shade of pale" and DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince "parents just don't understand". never would have thought of them. i do the same for the patrons. i also agree though, it can very easily become a crutch, but if it is not in history, the person who will sing the same 5 songs, will go straight to those same 5 songs in the book anyway. those are the only people who ever seem to ask for a book by title as they only know those 5 songs and not the artist.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Those singers that sing the same songs every time they karaoke do so whether there is a history or not. I've seen singers travel between venues and sing the same darn songs everywhere they go. Many singers do that because they think those are their best songs - and they probably are because of all the practice they get doing it over and over.

I don't think you can blame keeping a singer history for the natural habits of your singers.
If anything, you can use that history to break them out of that habit and make them better singers.

I use DigitalKJ largely because of the history and reporting functions it offers. I spent many years in service and sales related jobs, and found having more information than the next guy and using it appropriately made me more competitive.

My computer keeps a database of everything that has ever happened at every show and every venue (even the bumper music). It makes me a better host, here's how:

I have a singer's repertoire, which automatically saves the version, key change, dates sung, and venue.
I also have the show history that keeps track of all singers and music from any particular show going back to day one.
And I have singer's notes built in to my singer's repertoire so I can add any information I feel is pertinent to that singer.

I can quickly access any or all of that information with one click on the singer's slip so....

When Bobby R wants to sing a song he heard a guy do last week but can't remember the song or the guy's name, I just bring up the history from the last time Bobby R was in and see who else was singing and quickly figure out what song it was.

When Kelly K (a regular) comes in with another woman (not regular), my singer's notes remind me it's her sister's birthday (they celebrated together the same way last year) and when I go over to wish Kayla K a happy birthday and ask if she'd like to sing "Blue Bayou" again, they are both touched by my thoughtfulness and amazing memory.

When Steve R and Mike C tell me they want to sing each other's songs tonight, I say "No problem, I'd be happy to pick them for you."

When Linda B comes up to stare at and pick from her six-song repertoire, I say
"You do all of those so well, perhaps you'd like to expand your list tonight?"

When Brittany M comes up to put in a song, her repertoire shows that she has a new song on her list that she never sang (because she put it in last week and we ran out of time before her turn). I remind her, and she's thrilled because she had forgotten and was hoping to do something new.


I find the more data the better.
At the end of the night I run an efficiency report that helps me improve on my next show.

I don't believe that keeping a history or any information is detrimental to a show in any way what so ever, in fact when used appropriately it can actually improve the show and make me a better host.

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KNOW THYSELF

I have a pretty good recall of what people like to sing, and I'm like a lot of you -- I want to encourage them to try new things. I wouldn't use a software function that keeps a history.

Birdofsong

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Birdofsong

I also use CompuHost and think that the singer History is very useful. Some singers will say, just put me down for something from my history and I'm happy to oblige. And who cares what they sing and how many times they sing it. It's my job to make my patrons happy and if that means singing what makes them happy and comfortable, then so be it.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

Kjams is what I use. It is mac AND pc based now (just fyi). The history is a very useful tool IMHO. When u need it, its there. As far as "singing the same song every week" they are going to sing what they want, period. If they have to look it up in a book, or just ask you to que it from history, you are getting the song on. As it should be! We are here for them to have a good time and make the venue $$$.

Some have stated"bla bla same songs bla bla". On a rare occasion when someone asks my opinion of what they should sing, I look at what they usually do, then try my best to pick something in the same range for them. Heck, I have even used the history to look over their songs, pick one I think they would do well at and insert them into the rotation. Call them up for some "kamikaze karaoke". (of course this would be a regular I do this too and not a noobie). Its always great fun!

The show I usually go to uses this feature and I really like it, even though I've never sung any of my selections a second time. I guess in my case it doesn't really help the KJ; I just think it's cool.

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Reward: nine yen in drawer.