Karaoke Forums

Well, I guess you know everything. Or not. If you can come down from your mountain for a moment (do you get nose bleeds up there?), I'll tell you why I sing.

Normally, I sing the first song, and only the first song. It gives me a chance to set the volumes and tinker with the mixer to make sure the sound is good before someone else comes up.

The only other time I sing is if we have only a couple of singers in the rotation. It probably happens about three times a year. Trust me, I don't want to sing (Saturday was a great example -- I have no idea why, but there were only two people for the first hour and my front tooth was broken.) Believe me -- I really didn't want to sing. Why did I? Was it ego? (with my Hillbilly mouth, no frickin' way). It was because the other people in the bar that were not singing wanted to hear more than the two people that were in the rotation. I was simply rounding it out until we got more singers. The moment I did, I was out for the rest of the night.

But like I said -- you already have us egotistical KJs figured out.

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Birdofsong

What I find funny is this topic comes up from time to time, and to a certain extent, it causes an argument. I don't understand why. Obviously everyone is different and has different crowds, different personalities, and different ideas. It seems (notice I said SEEMS), that there are those out there that would rather see like a KJ mold that everyone should hold to. To me that would be boring. I don't want to have everyone's show be the same.

As for a KJ singing, I enjoy it. I would rather a KJ be part of the crowd rather than above it, so to speak. I have seen some REALLY good KJ singers in my time, and it would have been a shame for them to stay silent just because they have customers. Of course, that goes both way. I have heard some KJs that could melt paint with their voice. Those can stay silent all they want.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

birdofsong, you need to go back and read some of my comments and you would see that I covered what you were insulted about. Maybe you were busy and didn't have time to read my comments?

It's funny, people choose to be insulted, that's their prerogative, but just maybe what you're feeling insulted about has some grain of truth to it. I've noticed that a lot of people don't like or want to deal with the truth. They want to do what they want to do and that's it. If you're a host and you want to sing, then do it. It's your show. It's not what I believe is the right thing to do. Do you feel insulted? As a customer, I don't go to Karaoke shows to hear the KJ sing. Is that insulting? are there some situations where it's appropriate for the KJ to sing? Of course, use your brain, I never said this was taboo in every situation on every night in every location. Are you insulted by that?

I promise to never bring this topic up again and I will certainly not be volunteering my opinion on this subject again. As a parting thought, remember, never allow any new ideas or ways of doing things to ever be considered, this is dangerous and could affect the entire space-time continuum causing the universe to collapse. You wouldn't want to be the cause of that would you?

Would that be worse than if Q farted??

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

For the record, when I am hosting I prefer not to sing, because if I am not singing then it means I had a show that had enough singers to support it without me, in my book that means I am doing my job.

I have gone whole shows where I didn't sing a single note, and it didn't bother me in the slightest. If someone ASKS me to sing something, I will do it on 'my' turn, not someone else's. The bottom line for me was to make sure that my patrons came first. And if someone requesting to sing a duet with me meant that I got to sing more than any of the people there, i would politely decline.

Ok, that's all I needed to read of that post Stogie. Who made you the karaoke know all, everything I say is the way it is? Do I want to sing? Hell yeah! That's part of what I like about karaoke, I sing! And yes, I DO get requests to sing. To sing duets, to sing tributes, to sing slow songs. It does happen. And yes part of it IS to enhance the show, for example, if I get 3 Hank Williams songs in a row, I will sing an uptempo song to get the mood turned back around. I am in the rotation, and my rule of thumb is 7 singers, I will pull myself out. I don't need to sing at my show to have fun but it is fun for me to sing. Is it ego? Yep, won't lie, I do like getting applause and kudos from the customers. Then again, I know it's not about me but if I can have fun and put on a quality show, life is good. Everyone is different and to stereotype all singing hosts as egomaniacs is just wrong.

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

I REALLY don't care what you think or what you do, REALLY. I REALLY don't care if you are offended by what I said, REALLY. sing to your heart's content and be happy. It's your show. Now go and make sure you don't collapse the universe, OK? Great, buh bye.

You aren't going to cry, are you?

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

There are a LOT of "waitresses" around here as well. I use the "$3 explanation" to the space-moochers who love to sing and hate to spend a dime. They think the servers are walking water dispensers. If there is a singer that doesn't drink, but is with a group, I don't mention it at all. Usually it's the servers that will tell me who is --or better yet, who is not -- spending.



Bingo!

Give that man a ceegar!

I don't mind the occasional water drinker - I told the club owner they need to charge the same for water as they do for soda or coffee - and charge for every refill - unless someone is known to be a designated driver. They did eventually change their free refill policy because of those who abused it.
I actually had one couple come in once and didn't order anything, later to find out they brought their own cans of soda and asked for ice in a glass - those people I refused to let sing. I do know several that are recovering alcoholics, but they do pay for their sodas & usually buy food.

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

Good for you. At least I don't come on here and tell people I know exactly why they do the things they do. Everybody is an individual and therefore do things differently. Now if you want to come on here and bash pirates, have at it. Just don't pretend to know what everybody thinks and why they do what they do.

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

The management hates it when at the end of the night they see empty whiskey or rum bottles on the floor - they order glasses of cokes & pour away from under the table. The nerve to bring in alcohol & the audacity to leave their empties behind is beyond my comprehension.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

Our experience last night at a new place:
The KJ was supposed to start at 9, he set up and was ready by 8:15. Thom got a book and looked thru the 5 column, 274 pg book and made a list of about 12 songs. He knows he won't be able to sing them all but he just hands a list to the KJ so that he can then hand the book off and enjoy the night without trying to remember if he put in another song or not.
The KJ started the show at 9:15 with himself, no he did not walk around to double check to see if the speakers or anything else was sounding right he just sang a song. Then called up a lady to sing by saying "Diane, are you singing? Here's a song" He did that quite abit thru out the night. Just called people up with "Are you singing? Here's a song". He himself sang 2 or 3 times thru each rotation. Let people sing duets then singles and then requests all in one rotation.
He was running a program but did not seem to know how to use it. He sat there trying to do this or that to look for songs. It was just an annoying night.

Needless to say I doubt we will be back there again.

My buddy, who's owned a few bars, and still does now, fixed that years ago, by charging $3.75 for a soda.......

That's the kind of place where I drink straight from my own bottle/flask

-Chris

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-Chris

Yes.... I sing at my shows... if the rotation is short and will continue to do so. This show is unique to ME... Koyote. Other hosts may not be able pull it off... fine. But to say that a host puts themselves in the rotation because they want to sing is just clueless... sorry.

This is how I make my living... not some part time gig. Here are the reasons a host needs to be an active participant in his or her show:

- Overcome shyness: Sometimes you need to get out there to get things started, especially the first song of the night.

- To set the pace: If you've had 5 slow songs in a row, for God's sake step in and sing something upbeat... not only to get the party started for the non singers, but to set an example for others. If you like a 'yawnfest' show great. I don't.

- Duets: Sometimes there's no one else... you should be available... if you are able to fill that role. Once again, not all hosts can pull this off.

Now I'm not saying to sing on every rotation, or not to bow out... I have not SET RULE, it is based on how the night is going and what I think the show needs to keep the pace upbeat. THAT'S MY JOB. Once again, not all hosts are up to this.

I see a lot a people have a hard and fast rule... if that makes you feel better and gives you comfort... I guess that's ok.

What is your signature? Anyone can read a list and call names... how are you setting the pace, how are you making the show entertaining for EVERYONE? A host is an EMCEE to the SHOW, at least that's the way I see it, and that's what allows me to work A LOT, and make my living in this wonderful business.

I read on here about 'how karaoke should be' or 'how I couldn't make it at that bar because they didn't like me', etc. I call them the 'purists'. Bleh. Screw that. Karaoke is whatever needs to be done for everyone in the place to have a fun and memorable time. That may mean a host... with the skill... gets out there and is entertaining... by singing, telling jokes, whatever it is that is his or her 'thing'.

If you won't come to my show because I sing on occasion... Baaa bye. The rest of us will have a howling good time without you.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

Damn, tonight, I ended the night singing. I sang "Rock N Roll Train", from AC/DC, the I was requested to do "Still Loving You",by the bartender, THEN I was requested to do "Heaven and Hell" by one of the bar people. All the singers had left by then as it was almost closing time. I am sure tomorrow my son will be happy that I can't yell at him. .

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

I don't sing, or if I do, very rarely.

I used to enjoy karaoke, but I don't enjoy my shows anymore. I remember back in the day when I was just a singer, I couldn't wait for my name to be called. And I didn't go up to sing just any old song. I practiced that song a hundred times before I dared to sing it in front of people.

I'm a DJ. I was born one.

When I used to watch the karaoke hosts back in my singing days, I used to think "I could do that". But, not because I wanted to run karaoke. Not because I wanted to sing whenever I wanted to. Because I wanted to be a DJ. Karaoke was my outlet.

I'm not a mix-master. That's not the type of DJ I am. I simply play music. The right music. And I like to think that I have the right "on-air" personality for what I want to do.

I don't practice anymore. So, I don't sing anymore. I can still sing a few songs spot on, but only a few. If I dare venture into a song I'm not familiar with, it's a crap shoot as to whether or not it's going to sound decent. I just don't care anymore about singing.

The only time I sing is when a singer (on a slow night) doesn't want to be first, and I agree to open the show up instead. Also, I'll sing when my show has 100% bad singers. I do that for the benefit of the other customers AND to kind of maybe send a little message to some of those bad singers not stricken with delusions of grandeur that maybe they don't belong on stage. Neither case happens often.

And from day 1, I always remembered what it was like to be that singer in the crowd, waiting for their name to be called.

It's safe to say that karaoke hosting for me was never about singing.

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

[quote="TroyVnd27"]
Also, I'll sing when my show has 100% bad singers. I do that for the benefit of the other customers AND to kind of maybe send a little message to some of those bad singers not stricken with delusions of grandeur that maybe they don't belong on stage. quote]


Ah... yes... one of the other reasons it is nice to have a host step and sing. To keep the bar from clearing out. The owners like this... trust me.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

Complete and utter hogwash. How often do YOU expect to sing? If you are singing once every 30 to 45 minutes, I think you are doing well. I frequently have nights with only 12 to 15 singers. Everyone gets up to sing plenty of times. THE BAR IS CROWDED, the quality of the singers if good to excellent, and even the 'poor' singers are having a good time.... you get that nice mix fun, and entertainment.

Non singers spend money too... its the host's job to keep them in the bar as well as the singers. Rotation gets too long, singers go away... too many 'bad' singers, the non singers go away.

A skilled host performs a balancing act and RUNS his show. If you get up to sing 4 or more times a night, I think you should be happy, especially if the sound system is recording studio quality, the KJ knows how to mix you to make you sound as good as you can, and goes out of his or her way to make you feel at home, and welcome.

Perhaps the rest of the bar doesn't want to be subject to YOU more than that during the night. Hmm?

If we are going to talk egos here.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!