Karaoke Forums

I do not have a problem with playing discs. I just don't have a need to. My library is extensive. I have had less than 10 requests in almost 3 years of hosting.

If people came in every other week with their discs, I would get a disc player. As it stands I have averaged 2-3 per year. THAT does NOT warrant purchasing a player.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

Sorry Bruce but Chris is spot on with this one.
He could buy a million $$$ unit if he wanted to.
His money wins over your poverty.
Grovel to your Microshit master.

My poverty??? . I never said that Chris couldn't afford anything. I said it's poor customer service to not service your clientelle. If he has no people that come in with their own discs; then he doesn't need a disc player. Many people around here bring their own discs to karaoke bars so it doesn't apply in my area of the country.

Maybe people don't bring discs to Chris' shows because they go to someone else's shows where they do play discs. Word travels fast and maybe he has a bad reputation with the people who like to bring their own songs with them.

We have discussed this in other threads, and many of the long timers corroborated that the people that bring in discs are GENERALLY (but not in all cases) the older crowd. The ones that have been around a while, and the ones that were exposed to karaoke when the only way to get it (legally) was on a physical disc. The same applies to host. The ones that do have the capability are generally the hosts that have either a) been hosting for quite a while and thus they were hosting at a time when discs were the prevalent form, or b) they are GENERALLY (but not in all cases) the older crowd. I happen to fit into the older crowd but I decided to go all digital.

My clientele is generally younger <30 and have grown up in a post-CD era. They have never even been exposed to retail stores selling karaoke discs because there are only two brick and mortar stores within 50 miles of Seattle that sell discs (not counting the Party Time and other low end discs at Target, Wal-Mart, etc)

Go to ANY karaoke program in downtown Seattle and the vast majority of them will NOT be able to play discs because they don't have the hardware/software/equipment to do so. It just plain isn't something that people demand in the downtown Seattle area.

This demographic changes as you get into the more rural areas. Go to Lynnwood, Everett, Bellingham (all North) and you will find a lot more singers bringing discs in. Go east to Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar (all east on Hwy 2) and you will see more people with discs. Go south to Maple Valley, Covington, Auburn and Kent and you will see more people bring discs (though not as often as north of Seattle). Go to the Olympic Peninsula and you will again see more people bringing in discs.

In ALL of those areas, my observations are that the disc people are 40+ years old. In EVERY case I have been asked to play a disc it has been someone that was 50+ years old. I know this doesn't apply to every geography but I happen to know and understand mine very well.

But I love how it comes down to me being a crappy host that doesn't care about my singers. It couldn't possibly have anything at all to do with how much time I have spent researching my market and how I know it much better than you do.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

You live all of the way out there in the big city of Seattle and I happen to live just outside of a little town that is so nice they named it twice. It's called New York, NY. Ever hear of it? It's where all of the people who live in poverty are forced to relocate to. ;c)

I can only speak of my area of the country when I say that a host that can't play discs is a crappy host because many people around here bring their own karaoke discs. We've been doing karaoke around here for over 20 years and back in the day, KJs didn't have the selections that they have now and they were happy to see someone bring in fresh music to sing instead of the same handful of songs every week.

Do you have the song "Meeting Across The River" by Bruce Springsteen in your karaoke collection? It's a great song that tells a great story and I get big compliments on it every time I sing it. Why would I go to a show where I wouldn't get the chance to sing it there? I'm always making new tracks for songs that I've never sung before and I like going to bars where I can sing them. Maybe because it's New Jersey but a lot of people around here love to hear songs by Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi that no one else ever sings around here. Many times a KJ will ask me if he can sing one of my homemade songs that I don't plan on singing that night. They often ask me what new songs have I made lately. They don't feel threatened by someone coming to their show with songs that they don't have. They also ask me if I can make songs for them that they've always wanted to sing but can't seem to find for sale; which I've done for many people in the past. I love it when people sing songs that they like and have never had a chance to sing before. Why do people who like to sing a variety of songs get labeled as Divas? I think the real Divas are the KJs who are bothered by the people who want to sing the songs that they like the most and not just what the KJ happens to own.

I also have never labeled those who bring in their own discs as "divas". I love when people sing songs I have never heard at karaoke before. I am happy to buy songs for them on the spot if I can. I hunt down music that is rare or only produced on a single disc and I pay a premium for it.

And as I have stated above and several times in the past......



So long as you bring your self-produced music in on a modern device, I will be happy to play it.


-Chris

_________________
-Chris

wow, it's not even a big deal anymore guys, just pop it in your computer and play it. no external player necessary for the 2-3 a year.

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

Unless you're afraid of the boogie man.

Thanks Topher!

I'm gonna check out Virtual Dj Pro!

The reality is, the days of people carrying around big hunks of obsolete plastic are rapidly diminishing. This argument will disappear in a few short years.

I think both sides have a valid point if you're area doesn't bring in discs, then you probably don't need one.

there is another side to it that has saved my butt a couple of times. I don't have the funds for a backup laptop but I do have all my discs with my and a player.

Computer goes down, i can keep running a show with ZERO downtime, just press the video switch button *$5 I forget where i bought it tho* and work on fixing the computer in between songs.

I had my player at the bar but my stuff stayed there all the time. We had several people that bought discs with songs they liked and just left the discs there. I usually would go out and buy the disc or songs but they always liked playing off of their disc. I didn't leave my discs there but I could be to the house and back in 10 minuted if needed. I'd get maybe four or five "bring ins" a year and had just started getting thumb drive requests. I said "no" with the first requests as I wasn't ready for that type question. I might would reconsider that now if I had an anti-malware program installed. I never have before simply to stay lean and mean and limited the laptop's access to the outside world.

I've never taken the player to a portable show and wouldn't want to. I'd probably come up with a way to play them off the laptop if enough people asked. I had several people bring in crappy discs and got mad when they messed up. I have the JVC player which was one of the better ones if I remember right.

Put me in the camp that thinks needing a player at a show for bring ins is drying up and will go away in a year or two. I think it will give way to thumb drive requests.

Can we get back on topic now? Thank you...

It is on topic.......play my cd, and I will tip thee......it's in the Next Testament, or the Book of Retaliations.....

Tips - Has anyone ever accepted a tip to play a dance song or just a particular song that someone at the bar wanted to hear?

I have and will do it just about any time it is offered. I use it as an opportunity to take a bio break if needed or just get something to drink. I also feel like, depending on the venue, the clientele, and the way a KJ promotes their shows that a 1-2 song break can actually help.

I have taken tips to play dance songs and then look at my song list. If I see a slow song (or a couple) I will speak to the tipper about placing the requested non-karaoke track after the slow ones to raise the mood.

I have done this more than a dozen times across all the venues I have worked. Never received a complaint from a singer. In fact, the singers are usually dancing.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

Money talks oce again. Someone throws a few sheckles your way and the rotation goes on pause.

Hey Lonnie! Do you do that too?

I don't -ask for tips for it but if I get lots of requests for a dance song, I will do it. I used to resist it. I try to encourage dancing to the karaoke. I even bought the karaoke Cupid Shuffle to sing so it would be pure karaoke when it was requested.

Now I just play the friggin' Cupid Shuffle about 2/3rds way through--sometimes followed by a second song if they are really going at it. I use that time to run the cleaner disc through the machine as the smoke starts getting to it about hour 3.

I play a 5 hour show and sometimes stay later if it's crowded so I hope no singers are upset by a loss of 5 to 6 minutes singing time. It became an adapt or die thing. Younger crowd just plain wanted the Cupid Shuffle so broke the rules.

Never had the offer. However, if it is during a busy night, probably not. I will occasionally take a couple song dance break for the Cupid Shuffle or some line dance type song. 1 time in a night, and no more than 2 songs total. Yes these ARE requested by both spectators AND singers alike (mostly by the singers in reality but people not singing dance too). But I will not just play regular music as a general rule and tipping typically does not change that stance (again never had the offer to decline or accept). People can and do dance to karaoke songs, no need to break in to play regular music to take away from someones turn.

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

My job is to keep people there spending money. I do that by ensuring as many people have a good time as possible. I would prefer it be an all karaoke show. But the fact is I have a lot of young people that come into the bar and they don't all sing. So I occasionally accommodate the people that just want to hear a song or dance.

I have a lot of respect for Lonnie by the way. 20+ years, 7 nights a week at the same venue is a dream job for a karaoke host. But Lonnie and I are different people and we run our shows the way we see fit for our crowds. I have been to his karaoke show (have you?). He runs a great karaoke show. I would never tell him he sucks because he doesn't do dance tracks. I am pretty sure he won't say I suck because a couple shows a month I play a dance song or two and keep the crowd engaged.

I went to RogerNiner's show in South San Francisco last night. Guess what? His show is completely different than mine or Lonnie's. He doesn't suck either.

To stay on topic....

I don't require a tip to play a dance song or a requested filler tune. I just need a person to ask me politely.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

Tips - Has anyone ever accepted a tip to play a dance song or just a particular song that someone at the bar wanted to hear?

I have and will do it just about any time it is offered.

That is a direct quote from your post CHRIS. JUST ABOUT ANY TIME IT IS "OFFERED".

So you do take bribes at your show, but not to bump people up in the rotation....but you'll take a bribe to push people down in the rotation in favor of some cute girl who wants to dance. I couldn't be happier that you live about as far away from me as possible and still be in the U.S.

Like I said; anything for a dollar.