I'm a new singer and you need to put me in......

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu May 28, 2009 3:41 am

Where is it written in the Karaoke Bible that new singers should be moved to the top of the list?

Lately, I have been hearing this more and more.

They are almost demanding that since they are new they should be moved up in the rotation.

I work new people in depending on how many new singers I have putting in slips. If I get one or two they get put in 4-5-6 down the row. If I have 3-4-5-people standing there in front of me with slips they start going in every other one. But some one demanding they get moved up doesn't sit very well with me.

I think I am very fair in the way I do my rotation. And with how I insert new singers. It also may depend on what time it is. But I am constantly trying to be as fair as possible with new and old singers.

One of my competition advertises you will be the 5th singer after you turn in your first request. So if 6 people turn in their first slip they will be back to back?

5-6-7-8-9.....Who knows.....What about the old singers?

I think he can make this claim because there never are any singers to Pi$$ off.

Shure you can be next and next and next....

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Thu May 28, 2009 3:50 am

If I have a brand new singer, never been there before, I usually put them in quickly; within two or three songs. My regulars don't mind. They work almost as hard as I do to get new folks up singing.

But you also have to keep in mind that I have very small rotations compared to the rest of you; usually about ten singers.

I have the following in each song book:
Rotation “Rules”:
•The first singer to turn in a request will be the first to sing. All others will sing in the order in which their requests are received.
•Each song counts as one turn.
•New singers will be placed at the bottom (end) of the rotation.
•Duets will count as one turn for only one of the singers.
•No person may have a second microphone without the permission of the singer who turned in the request.
•Any person that is not ready to sing when their name is called will be placed at the bottom of the rotation.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:48 am

Wow....

A little stern ...heh!!????

I take the microphone and put it in the hand of the next singer. So I search for them. I try not to skip anyone because then I have to do more work changing the rotation around.

That includes looking outside and especially in the ladies room...

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:49 am

How did you manage the bullets???

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Thu May 28, 2009 11:32 am

My rotation rules are simple.
New singers go to the bottom of the present rotation so that while all singers will follow the same singer no singer will see someone sing twice before their first turn.
I put singers in the order that I receive them.
Duets are charged to the person who's name is first on the slip.
I don't count the other singer as having their turn inthe rotation because they may have wanted to sing a solo and the person who put up the duet may only sing duets so that the other person might never get to sing their solo song or the duet singer might not get their turn in the rotation because the person singing it with them would come up and say next rotation I want my solo song. so to please both I allow them their own spot in the rotation.

mnementh · Post by **mnementh** » Thu May 28, 2009 11:59 am

I would try and get a new singer in reasonably quickly. As has been said earlier, withing 3, 4 or at worst 5 singers, in. Usually, the "regulars" understand and don't gripe too much.

However, I have 2 caveats on this;

1) if it is pretty late on, then end of queue as he/she might knock a regular of a spot.

2) the song requested isn't already in the rotation, in which case, as per usual pick something else or wait for the next rotation.

Sandy

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Thu May 28, 2009 1:27 pm

Bigdog wrote:Wow....

A little stern ...heh!!????

I take the microphone and put it in the hand of the next singer. So I search for them. I try not to skip anyone because then I have to do more work changing the rotation around.

That includes looking outside and especially in the ladies room...

Stern? I like that.

Much nicer than the word I usually use to desribe myself.

Actually, that was added for one person ... the owner. If she was busy she would have a couple other people sing then tell me she was ready. I got tired of moving her around all the time. Now if she isn't ready she gets skipped. The same holds true for any of the employees. I have yet to move or skip any of the non-employees and probably won't.

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Thu May 28, 2009 1:28 pm

Bigdog wrote:How did you manage the bullets???

I'm special?

The bullets copied over from my document.

Moonrider · Post by **Moonrider** » Thu May 28, 2009 1:40 pm

Sabrina59 wrote:
Bigdog wrote:How did you manage the bullets???
I'm special?

The bullets copied over from my document.

Of course,
You can always
use formatting
like this . . .

Code: Select all


[list]
[*]Of course, 
[*]You can always
[*]use formatting
[*]like this . . .
[/list]

[1]or like
[2]I've done
[3]here

Code: Select all

[list]
[1]or like
[2]I've done
[3]here[/list]

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Thu May 28, 2009 2:15 pm

My way was easier.

Show-off!

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu May 28, 2009 3:15 pm

I want to be fair to everyone.

I also want to make sure that everyone sings at least once in the night.

Do you think putting the new singers mixed in the rotation is fair?

Sooner or later wherever they go they are still in front of someone.

16 singers takes an hour no matter where you are in the rotation. Just figure one hour from the last time you sang. Doesn't matter where, the only thing that matters is how many total.

I don't see a big deal in putting the owner in when they have a free moment. Just as long as they only sing once like the rest of the paying customers.

Post by **wiseguy** » Thu May 28, 2009 5:40 pm

I always place new singers near the top of the rotation. The exception being those who stumble into the place during the last 30 minutes of the show.

As for those who are not there when called.

The first time I call you and you're not there I'll call up the next singer and leave you at the top of the rotation. I will also ask you to notify me if you will be absent.

The second time I call you and you're not there I'll call up the next singer and place you at the bottom of the rotation.

The third time I call you and you're not there I'll call up the next singer and throw your request forms away. You're not singing anymore and please don't come back.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu May 28, 2009 7:16 pm

I never throw anyone out of the rotation. Unless you Pi$$ me off for a serious infraction.

If you use multiple names to try and trick me, I'm gonna trick you.

I use slips to maintain my rotation. So your slip will stay in its spot all night long, unless you tell me you're leaving or I see you leave.

If you miss a rotation because you didn't put in a song you're still in the rotation. If you turn in a song after I pass you, I'll put you farther down the rotation and then that will be your new spot. You won't lose a turn but you forefitted your old spot for a new one.

Like I said I'm very fair about how I run my rotation. Nobody sings two in one rotation. But I try to get everyone to at least get their one in per rotation.

These people are the ones keeping the show going so why would I want to make them stop coming.

I'm getting paid to do this. It's called customer service.

KnoxvilleKaraoke · Post by **KnoxvilleKaraoke** » Thu May 28, 2009 7:38 pm

My system tracks my rotation for me. During the first rotation all new singers go to the bottom just before the turn or rotation "marker". After that I tell new singers I will get them up within 30 minutes. My system estimates the times each singer will be back up so I tell them "you will be after_______" then continue on. After 1:00 AM I tell new singers I will get them in if I can. My show starts at 8:30 PM so the singers that have been there all night will get priority over someone new who has been out spending money somewhere else and stops by on their way home to try and cut line. I usually have 20-25 singers on average with a high of 40 or so during the night so by 1:00 I am usually booked up through 2:30 Am when I shut down.

Post by **wiseguy** » Thu May 28, 2009 8:45 pm

If you use multiple names to try and trick me you will not sing that song nor any song that night.

People who turn in a song request and then leave are being rude to the other singers. Why would I waste singing time waiting on some jerk that can't stick around long enough to sing the song they request.

It's all about treating your crowd with respect and protecting them from other people's lack of it. That's what I call customer service.