Karaoke Forums

I was at a venue where I work for lunch. I asked the owner if they had free Wi-fi, as the lunch hour was a bit light, even though this place is known for great food. I thought that more business folks would show if they had and advertised it, so they could work during lunch.

She said no, because no one brings in Wi Fi tablets/netbooks.

My thought: Maybe those folks don't show BECAUSE she doesn't have it.

This led me to those KJs that tell me that they don't play customer discs, and it's no problem because no one comes in with them. I get a LOT of business because folks ( not just boomers, but any home singers from 21 and up) KNOW that I will play their discs when others won't. I mean a LOT of business...

I'm thinking that the non-players may well be losing out to those who do through self-actualization. They won't play discs, so the home singers won't come to them.

Just thinking out loud....

_________________
"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I agree with you. But, the question is (for my area at least) "Do you WANT those customers?" I suspect that my town has many pirates, and they have become accustomed to not buying their own karaoke music because "Pirate Pete" already has it. I believe that a good portion of those singers that buy karaoke disks do so because their local KJ doesn't have their song. I believe this because the vast majority (if not all) of those who come to my venues with disks are older folks who sing depressing and/or obscure music from their own disks.

I do accommodate singers with their own LEGAL disks, but I probably wouldn't if I didn't NEED, and I do mean NEED, their business. In other words, if my shows regularly had a constant rotation of 20+ people, I probably wouldn't have installed the disk player.

Karaoke is over saturated in my area, IMO linked to the proliferation of karaoke music piracy. I need to win over every singer I can.

_________________
I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

I have said that for quite a while now, if the singers don't know you can play them - as it seems a majority can't/won't these days, how will they know if you don't advertise it? I get people bringing in discs ALMOST nightly (i've had up to 10 customer discs in one rotation before) and yes I DO want those customers as well as any other paying/singing customer. I have many singers that bring in discs from the tips i've given them for songs I do not think would really benefit owning, and if a song that is sung from a customer disc that people show interest in, I will try to pick it up! I KNOW for FACT i've gained customers from other clubs that wouldn't/couldn't play customer discs. I say to those kj's keep doing what you're doing!!!!

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

I also have customers that come to my shows because I will play their discs. More and more KJ's do not even have a player.. um, pirates? I dunno, but I've been told over and over how they like that I have no problem with them bringing their own. Funny too though, because when they bring up their disc I look to see if I have the same one & can play mine instead. A couple of people stopped bringing discs because they like not having to carry them around, and since I have most of the same versions of the songs they like, they are happy Quite a few years ago.. before I became a DJ/KJ.. (12+ yrs), I used to bring my case of cdg's to shows, one second of turning my back and poof! those cd's were gone. About 20 discs.. all SoundChoice... $500 worth. And that's when I first learned how to copy my cdg's. I didn't know back then that it was illegal. Oops!

_________________
SoundChoice Certification coming soon!

Yep same thing, and I will let them know I have that same version. Since it's stored in the software which songs they sing, i'll just return the disc to them at that point if I know I have it & add it to their list. Some have cut back their discs from a big binder to a couple discs they know I don't have in a jewel case. They do appreciate that! And sometimes I will just pick the song up if it's available and a slow 'new' request month!

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

Joe, your right about a player and it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive.

As for wi-fi cafes and restaurants, I'm finding that some people stay all day, maybe buy a coffee once in a while, taking up valuable real estate.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

Well, Joe, I will have to disagree with you about the discs. I've had a player in my rack since I switched to computer four years ago. It was always well known that I could play discs... but you know what? I realized a few months ago that it had been AGES since anyone had brought a disc to my show.

In an effort to lighten things a bit, and to reduce clutter, I took the player out.... and by clutter, I mean.... taking out the A/B switch, and all the associated cabling that comes with that... and you know what? I haven't had one person come in with discs... no one really noticed. In my area at least, people don't really use them.

This is natural though. The face of karaoke is changing... especially with the younger crowd who have never used CDs for their music at all, or as most people have adopted digital downloading for their music (Itunes) as opposed to buying CDs. They come in with their phones, scrolling through their menu to find what they want to sing.

_________________
Good music, good friends, howling good times!

I recently acquired a system from a defunct club that has 3 CD+G players in the rack. I am going to integrate one into my existing gig and start advertising that I can play discs as long as they are original media.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

I did a show last night and had 32 singers. Almost half of them brought their own cd's. The reason they come is because I play their cd's. My policy is that I will play my computer generated IDENTICAL version if I have it. My second part of that rule is that I space my CD singing customers between computer singing customers, that way I have time to load the next CD while someone is singing from the computer. People bring me CD's in such horrible condition sometimes that it won't play, so I have a chance to address it without an interuption of singing. I do occasionally get some lip service about "why did you put someone in between me and my hubby", but when I explain it they understand.

I consistantly have over 20-30 singers, and usually 15 or more at the start of my shows. When my show starts I have 3/4 of a rotation all cued and ready to sing. I am an educated industrial engineer with training in time and motion studies, I know how to remove unnecessary movement to improve efficiency.

I find that our bar needs cars in the parking lot early to have a good night. When people see cars, they are more likely to stop. When there are few cars, people are more likely to drive on to the next bar. If it takes playing disks to get a couple more cars in the parking lot early, I'll do it. I need that momentum.

I have to fight for every customer at my main show. The service and drinks are mediocre, the prices are high, and the bar is out of the way. But, it's a Fri & Sat show that pays in full every night without any hassle, it's a mile from my house and I leave my system there. So, I have to work a little harder for customers but it's a cake show.

_________________
I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

I will absolutely play discs, and everyone knows I will without issue if they are original discs. I just can't remember the last time I played a disc that wasn't one I just bought that day and did not get ripped yet. No one has brought me a disc in a long time. Maybe I just have the songs they want?
I would kill for wifi at my bar. Ug, this owner even does all his accounting and book keeping in a ledger book, the only computer in that building is mine.

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

About a month ago we added a player back into our system due to several customers bringing in their own cds and as someone already mentioned, the condition of many were pretty bad. We were playing them directly from the laptop through Hoster but on a few occasions in the middle of a show the cd would not play and would not eject. Closing Hoster did not correct the problem either. Only option was paperclip to force the drive open and system reboot.

We no longer play from the laptop but have the old 'unreliable' RSQ player there and ready to go every show now. Number of singers with their own discs continues to grow. Makes rotation a bit more complicated with Hoster but we're happy if they are.

_________________
-Kona

have i mentioned i love Siglos?

discs do complicate the rotation a bit as you said, but in the name of taking care of the customer, we gotta do what we gotta do. also, it is kinda cool when it happens to check out a particular version of a song. possibly avoid buying things like Lynyrd Skynyrd on CB.

comes with the job, it can't all be champagne and groupies.

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

On occasion I don't have the song and they have their CD. MTU's Hoster allows me to make a temp copy of the song which I can place anywhere in the rotation. I give the CD back to the singer most of the time before they even sing...

Jon

I have one bar that rotates 3 KJ', myself, one other company, and their "in house" system. I am the only one that is PC based so I get a lot of singers that bring their own cd's.

I started out just using their disc if I did not have the same version, I will not play a disc that is not an OEM disc.

About six months ago I purchased several thumb drives for those singers. When they give a disc I will rip their song, on a seperate computer, to mp3-g format to that drive. At the end of the night I give them the drive and they bring it back the next time I'm there.

They love it, I can keep the show rolling and still be "PC" based.

Yeah, but you also posted: "I agree with you. But, the question is (for my area at least) "Do you WANT those customers?" so you confuse me.

I agree with the rest of your post above- I want every customer that I can get!

_________________
"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Unfortunately ripping their song to your computer is just as illegal! You must be in posesseion of the original disc to do so. I've had some singers that have given me their discs (for keep) to add to the computer AND my library. However those that want to retain posession of their discs, must continue to bring them in.

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

YEP!!!!

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

he doesnt rip it to his computer, he rips it to a thumb drive and gives them that drive so they can just bring that in and he knows thay have the original disc as he ripped it himself. not such a bad idea if you have that many discs coming in.

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

Paradigm said " he doesnt rip it to his computer, he rips it to a thumb drive and gives them that drive so they can just bring that in and he knows thay have the original disc as he ripped it himself. not such a bad idea if you have that many discs coming in."

That is a great idea! You can buy a small thumb drive for almost nothing on sale. Some people that bring me their cd's don't even have a computer or don't know how to rip.