Too Many Singers and What to do with Them.

[Bigdog]

You give yourself away.

Intimacy is your code word for usually small crowds. And that allows you to sing more songs per night.

I know singers that will put up with a crap system so they can be the star of the show. Crap systems usually attract a crap crowd so someone with any talent at all still can be a star on a crap system. They also know they will sing more.

If you are happy with the way you sound or you are only used to a crap system, you'll be happy. Any type of a decent musician or singer won't be satisfied. Now either you're lying about your talent level or you're oblivious to quality. Or you like being the center of attention in a mediocur crowd.

That's what my years of experience tell me.

I do get some really good first time to my show singers that think they will impress everyone and then they see they aren't the only talent in the place. I watch the look on their face when they first get there. And I watch when they start hearing singer after singer knock their socks off. Some continue to come back and others don't. I suspect the ones that don't need the attention for their giant ego. They end up back at the crap karaoke and in the spotlight. They would rather not share the spotlight with anyone else.

I personally know lots of them. They tell me about the shows they go to. I know the reason why. They try to justify their reason to me by saying code words like the system isn't too bad. Or the KJs a nice guy. And the crowds love hearing us. I'm not an idiot. I can read between their lines. I'm OK with it. I can smell BS miles away. So don't think anyone is pulling a fast one on me.

Let's see.... be the star and sound almost good and sing more songs or sound great and sing less. It's always a choice.

I have also seen really good regular singers that would show up and if the crowd wasn't large enough for them, they wouldn't perform and they would leave. EXCUSE ME.

[Blind Gregory]

Or possibility #3: A good sound system being used by a good KJ in a smaller venue. I don't know where you play, Bigdog, but I'm in the middle of several relatively small Midwestern towns, practically all of which have karaoke at a local bar or lodge at least once or twice a month. More often, it's once a week. But, as long as I'm willing to travel a little, usually less than an hour all told, I can go to karaoke three or four times a week if I want to.

Thankfully, the KJs aren't a lot like you. They like what they're doing and they take pride in their shows and their systems just like you take pride in yours. Since I'm more attuned to sound than the average person, I can tell you that the sound quality at the shows I regularly perform in is excellent. I don't go back to the ones where the KJs mistake volume for quality. The sound has to "fit the room".

You know, I believe you really can smell BS. Anybody who wallows in as much of it as you seem to probably feels right at home with the odor.

Intimacy isn't a code word for me, Bigdog. It has nothing to do with how large the crowd is, although I grant that they aren't as big as the ones you boast about. Intimacy is people who know each other and care about each other, whether it's a group of fifty to a hundred (or more) people with ten or fifteen regular singers (plus the ones who decide to "give it a try" that night) at the local American Legion or a smaller crowd at the neighborhood bar where almost everybody who shows up on karaoke night come to sing and they bring their friends for support. Everybody knows everybody and everybody's there to have a good time. Even the KJs.

And you really don't know enough about me to make the assumptions you make. You know I stated I worked as a professional. You don't know where or when or even at what level.

You assume that I do what I do to satisfy my own ego. Singing karaoke does satisfy a need in me, but that's not it. In fact, I can satisfy part of the need singing karaoke at home with my own karaoke player. But the sound isn't as good as it is at a show and the people aren't there.

Get a clue, Bigdog. I like performing. It's one of the few things I'm still good at.

When you lose the ability to do a lot of the things you used to be able to excel at, you hang on to the ones you can still do.

[Bigdog]

99.9% of the karaoke singers do it because they like it. They like the attention. Who doesn't like praise from anyone for something they do. You aren't the only person with a lock on liking the attention.

The crowds I get are all friendly and karaoke singers and nonsingers develope a kinship towards one another. Karaoke transends race, religion & handicaps.

Who said I don't like what I'm doing? Believe me if I wasn't on a mission to promote high quality karaoke as a viable entertainment form I would just stay home and sing. I like all my singers and they like me. They know I will treat them fairly and make them sound great. What else should you have from karaoke?

I have had some not so good singers over the years that have been mistreated by the KJs they supported. They would NOT get to sing as much as everyone else because the KJ felt they weren't good enough. This is totally uncalled for and totally ignorant.

This was because the KJ had an ego problem and he didn't want someone making him or his crap show look bad. I don't care how good or bad you sing. I'm not worried about someone embarrassing me because they can't sing as good as everyone else. The KJ has the problem. Any KJ that acts like this is a piece of SH......%$@%#.

I have never mistreated any person at my shows. I don't care if they couldn't get one note right. Nobody has ever been continually pushed to the back of the line because I wanted to play GOD. I don't care how much money you have or spent. I don't care who you know. I don't care if you are my best friend or my worst enemy.

MY SHOW IS NOT THE PLACE FOR ME TO DECIDE TO PLAY GOD WITH ANYONE.

When they suck and ask me sincerely how they sounded, I LIE with a poker face and tell them it was OK. It's not my job to degrade or make anyone feel bad about themselves.

I'll hug any woman that wants one. I go out of my way to make the fat (obese) girls feel wanted. Don't write me any letters. I encourage new people to sing. I encourage old singers to sing more. I give them all calenders to make sure they know where my other shows are. I give them directions to each show. I help clear tables to make more room for people to sit down. I mop floors so people won't slip on spilled drinks.

You DON'T know what I'm about at my shows. I'm there to make the bar money. I do this by acting like I own whatever bar I'm playing in. ANYTHING that I see wrong I either take care of myself or make sure the owner, manager, bartender, bouncer or whomever knows what needs attention right away. If someone needs waited on because nobody has seen them yet, I get someone over to them. I gather tips from tables whenever someone leaves and make sure the waitresses get them. I'll point out situations in the restrooms. There isn't too much that escapes me when I'm working. I said WORKING. Not partying. I help increase the bars income. EVERY ONE I HAVE EVER WORKED AT.

If more KJs were like me we could all be making more money. There wouldn't be a black eye on all KJs from the ones that suck. Karaoke wouldn't be treated like something drunks do for fun.

Just tonight I had some new people. I sat with them and talked about KARAOKE. The first thing they said was about how good everyone sang. Something like "Is everyone here a professional singer.?" Nope just the normal crowd I have always attracted for the last 17 years at every show. They were very impressed.
This is the difference between professional karaoke and an imitation karaoke or a karaoke wannabe.

My show is totally geared toward the singeres having the best experience they have ever had at karaoke.

Another new guy tonight wanted to sing Guns & Roses, November Rain.

It went like this.

Singer: Do you have reverb?

Me:

Singer: You have reverb?

Me:

Singer: You have REVERB!!

Me:

Singer: You HAVE REVERB!!!

Me:

Singer: YOU HAVE REVERB!!!!

Give me a lot for this song.

Me: I'll make you sound better than Axel....

He loved it and said it sounded really good. He was smiling from ear to ear.


Now what loser karaoke shows has this guy been to that they don't even have reverb???

Sounds like all of them. You would have thought I was handing him $10,000.

KJs like the ones he goes to suck and they inturn make my reputation lumped into theirs. They think we all suck.

They see so much crap they believe that's all there is. If he comes back or not who knows. But I do know this...when he sings at another show in his mind he's going to hear how bad he sounds and how good he could be sounding.

Another singer that has been enlightened by a professional sounding karaoke show. That's what I'm all about. A new good quality experience. Something you don't have everyday. But you could.

My singeres come back for what I can deliver better than anyone else.

[Blind Gregory]

Where in what I wrote did you get that I do karaoke for the attention?

I do it because its one of the few things I can still do well. I do it where I do it because I like the intimacy in the places where I do it.

I also do it for my audience. You might not want to believe this, but I have a fan base. People who call the places I frequent to find out if I'm singing there and who ask me to sing their favorite songs for them... often. Some nights, more than half the songs I do are requests.

Yes, that feeds my ego. But, more important to me, it makes them feel special. I was a pro in New York City for over a quarter of a century and was never as close to my audiences as I am now. That's what I mean by intimacy.

By the way, I looked at your ad in the KJ directory because I was curious about where you did your mega-shows.

Do you really only have "over 1700 songs? I have more than that in my personal library (and, yes, they're all legal.) Granted, some (I estimate the number to be less than a quarter) of them are duplicates but that's hard to avoid when you're buying collections, isn't it?

[wiseguy]

By the way, I looked at your ad in the KJ directory because I was curious about where you did your mega-shows.

Do you really only have "over 1700 songs? I have more than that in my personal library (and, yes, they're all legal.) Granted, some (I estimate the number to be less than a quarter) of them are duplicates but that's hard to avoid when you're buying collections, isn't it?

The Big Dog Karaoke in the KJ directory is NOT the Bigdog here in this forum.

[Bigdog]

Where in what I wrote did you get that I do karaoke for the attention?

I do it because its one of the few things I can still do well. I do it where I do it because I like the intimacy in the places where I do it.

I also do it for my audience. You might not want to believe this, but I have a fan base. People who call the places I frequent to find out if I'm singing there and who ask me to sing their favorite songs for them... often. Some nights, more than half the songs I do are requests.

Yes, that feeds my ego. But, more important to me, it makes them feel special. I was a pro in New York City for over a quarter of a century and was never as close to my audiences as I am now. That's what I mean by intimacy.

By the way, I looked at your ad in the KJ directory because I was curious about where you did your mega-shows.

Do you really only have "over 1700 songs? I have more than that in my personal library (and, yes, they're all legal.) Granted, some (I estimate the number to be less than a quarter) of them are duplicates but that's hard to avoid when you're buying collections, isn't it?

Where in what I wrote did you get that I do karaoke for the attention?

I do it because its one of the few things I can still do well. I do it where I do it because I like the intimacy in the places where I do it.

I also do it for my audience. You might not want to believe this, but I have a fan base. People who call the places I frequent to find out if I'm singing there and who ask me to sing their favorite songs for them... often. Some nights, more than half the songs I do are requests.

Yes, that feeds my ego. But, more important to me, it makes them feel special. I was a pro in New York City for over a quarter of a century and was never as close to my audiences as I am now. That's what I mean by intimacy.

By the way, I looked at your ad in the KJ directory because I was curious about where you did your mega-shows.

Do you really only have "over 1700 songs? I have more than that in my personal library (and, yes, they're all legal.) Granted, some (I estimate the number to be less than a quarter) of them are duplicates but that's hard to avoid when you're buying collections, isn't it?

The point is you didn't have to tell me anything because I'm reading what you are saying but not typing. I've been around the block a few times.

Everyone has a need to feed their ego. Some just more than others.

Now I know why you are making mis judgements of who I really am. You are reading stuff about a KJ I wouldn't give you 3 cents for. That guy is the perfect example of a bad example. That's all I'm going to say. There are very few KJs operating on my professional level. Probably less than 1%.

99% of my karaoke shows are intimate because I don't use a stage because 99% of the bars don't even have one to use. So everyone can sing from any part of the bar.

My ego gets stroked when I can make all my singers sound great, when the bar is full and everyone is making money. I have had a full time schedule for 17 years. It's not an accident.

I know singers that are really bad singers and they swear everyone is coming only to see them. I'm not kidding. He has been singing the same 5 songs for 15 years. In his mind he's world famous. In the real world he sucks at best. My exwife called him an a&&hole right to his face. He is a total jerk. But guess what? As long as he acts civil he gets treated by me exactly just like every other singer. But I will have no problem having him banned from the bar in a heartbeat. No jerk is going to ruin any of the hard work I do.

[Bigdog]

Where in what I wrote did you get that I do karaoke for the attention?

I do it because its one of the few things I can still do well. I do it where I do it because I like the intimacy in the places where I do it.

I also do it for my audience. You might not want to believe this, but I have a fan base. People who call the places I frequent to find out if I'm singing there and who ask me to sing their favorite songs for them... often. Some nights, more than half the songs I do are requests.

You sound like Wayne Newton... You have been saying it for your last 40 posts.

That would happen at a karaoke show that doesn't get too many talented singers like I do.

The bars get calls to make sure I'm doing the karaoke show.

[Blind Gregory]

By the way, I looked at your ad in the KJ directory because I was curious about where you did your mega-shows.

Do you really only have "over 1700 songs? I have more than that in my personal library (and, yes, they're all legal.) Granted, some (I estimate the number to be less than a quarter) of them are duplicates but that's hard to avoid when you're buying collections, isn't it?

The Big Dog Karaoke in the KJ directory is NOT the Bigdog here in this forum.

Actually, I'm beginning to wonder about the Bigdog here in this forum...

[Blind Gregory]

The point is you didn't have to tell me anything because I'm reading what you are saying but not typing. I've been around the block a few times.

Everyone has a need to feed their ego. Some just more than others.

Now I know why you are making mis judgements of who I really am. You are reading stuff about a KJ I wouldn't give you 3 cents for. That guy is the perfect example of a bad example. That's all I'm going to say. There are very few KJs operating on my professional level. Probably less than 1%.

I'm beginning to think that, including you, the percentage is a wee bit less than 0%, Bigdog...

I am impressed though. Just imagine... a KJ with super-hearing! You really want your avid readers to believe that you can hear what I'm saying but not typing? Interesting...

Because, for one thing, somebody is hearing what I'm actually saying but not typing: the person who actually does the typing while I'm dictating this. She's also doing a lot of giggling about the things I say that she doesn't type. Sorry, but she doesn't quite believe you. Go figure.

Maybe it's because your descriptions of your mega-shows keep getting better and better. I mean really... 4-5 shows a week with so many talented singers that you have three hour rotations? Doesn't that made you some kind of god of the KJs?

Well, it certainly makes you a legend in your own mind anyway.

And I haven't made any misjudgements about who you really are either. I looked for you in the directory because I was curious about where you operate that could support the kind of shows you continually boast about. The only person I've been "reading" is you.

Sadly, I don't believe you either.

[Bigdog]

The point is you didn't have to tell me anything because I'm reading what you are saying but not typing. I've been around the block a few times.

Everyone has a need to feed their ego. Some just more than others.

Now I know why you are making mis judgements of who I really am. You are reading stuff about a KJ I wouldn't give you 3 cents for. That guy is the perfect example of a bad example. That's all I'm going to say. There are very few KJs operating on my professional level. Probably less than 1%.

I'm beginning to think that, including you, the percentage is a wee bit less than 0%, Bigdog...

I am impressed though. Just imagine... a KJ with super-hearing! You really want your avid readers to believe that you can hear what I'm saying but not typing? Interesting...

Because, for one thing, somebody is hearing what I'm actually saying but not typing: the person who actually does the typing while I'm dictating this. She's also doing a lot of giggling about the things I say that she doesn't type. Sorry, but she doesn't quite believe you. Go figure.

Maybe it's because your descriptions of your mega-shows keep getting better and better. I mean really... 4-5 shows a week with so many talented singers that you have three hour rotations? Doesn't that made you some kind of god of the KJs?

Well, it certainly makes you a legend in your own mind anyway.

And I haven't made any misjudgements about who you really are either. I looked for you in the directory because I was curious about where you operate that could support the kind of shows you continually boast about. The only person I've been "reading" is you.

Sadly, I don't believe you either.

You and singers like you just prove my point about how crappy the MAJORITY of the KJS out there really are. You get used to singing on crap because there aren't many in my league.

I haven't set the bar, I am the bar. If that makes me a karaoke GOD you are indeed correct. There actually is an alturnative to crap karaoke. It's ME.

Your disbelief about my show and it's quality is another sign of the quality lacking in most shows. With about 99% of the shows out there being so bad I wouldn't even sing at them, I wouldn't believe a show like mine exists, either. When all anyone ever hears is crap you get used to it and believe that must be all there is.

The bar owner told me tonight a new couple just came in for dinner but stayed longer than they had planned. He asked if they were going to sing and their response was....."Is everyone here a professional singer?" Twice in 2 nights the same question about the number of talented singers at MY show. Bad singers are the exception not the rule at my shows.

THAT STROKES MY EGO. No greater compliment to me than when nonsingers can see and hear a difference. And this just proves my point about peoples perception about karaoke. The MAJORITY of people believe like you, that karaoke is just a bunch of drunks singing. Shows like mine disprove that myth. Given the choice would you want to be a steady customer at a show like mine or one where the MAJORITY can't sing?

That's a loaded question with your GIANT ego. I know the answer.

If you have found an audience to show case your talent, God bless you. My show doesn't rely on one or two singers with talent. Unfortunately most do. Trust me if I had to listen to the screaming drunk crowd night after night I would have quit this gig years ago. There is nothing worse than being brutalized all night long. Answer this question honestly. You've been around a while tell your experiences with the karaoke shows you frequent. Tell me (all of us) the number of talented singers at these shows. Give me an average percentage of good singers night after night.

I have many that could compete on American Idol and place in the top ten every week. A different 10 every week. Most KJs are lucky to get someone really good once a week. I get them night after night. You would love to sit in on my shows. Unless others with talent scare you or cut into your inflated ego.

You can disbelieve every word I say. I don't need to lie to anyone here about anything. Someday you might run in to a show of my quality. The odds are not in your favor. I know my competition and I know their ability, actually lack of ability.

Here's another revelation from a new female singer tonight. She enjoys my show because the place she usually goes to started doing Name That Tune. She hates it because you can only sing a very limited amount of times. There is no music playing most of the night and it's really boring. So KJs that want to do everything but karaoke at karaoke shows...keep killing your show and keep sending your singers to my show. I'll take them all with open arms and treat them right. They will be able to see a nonstop all 100% real karaoke show from the first note to the last without any non karaoke distractions. Without a bunch of screaming drunks. Without contests. Without filler and dance music. It's all geared toward the singer's experience of sounding as professional as possible without being in a professional studio. But do me a favor...keep the screaming drunks just send the good ones. The ones that can really appreciate what I'm doing for them.

[Blind Gregory]

Funny thing, Bigdog. The more you beat your chest, the more unbelievable you become.

How did you ever ma age to find a bar to karaoke in the size of Grand Central Station (or should that be Madison Square Garden?) Or don't they havwe Maximum Occupancy laws where you play?

\A question though... If you "don't need to lie ro anyone here about anything", why are you lying?

Hmm... the world's greatest KJ doesn't advertise or put anything in his profile other than that he likes girls? I hope that's true at least.

[mnementh]

Hmm... the world's greatest KJ doesn't advertise or put anything in his profile other than that he likes girls? I hope that's true at least.

With all due respect to the "I can pee higher than you can" contest going on between the two of you, it might be an idea if YOU filled in YOUR profile a bit more comprehensively, before throwing stones!!!

Sandy

[Bigdog]

This will really surprise you.

I stopped phone book ads years ago. Lack of response for the amount of money it costs. I won't pay for newspaper ads anymore. I don't have a web site nor do I want one. Nothing looks worse for your reputation than a web site that is 6 months out of date because you don't update the info. It makes you look like an unprofessional jerk. I'm not a computer geek so maintaining a website isn't in my cards. I'm not going to pay someone to do it. And the number 1 reason for no web site is.....I don't need one. I have been booked 5-6 nights a week for 17 years....so what is there for me to gain? Jobs that I would have to give to some jerk KJ with crap equipment that would only embarrass me and make me look like a jerk? They can get their own jobs with their money, not mine.

At one time I had 3 identical systems and 14 jobs a week.

I don't have any advertising on this site, or any other site. All I require and I'm actually real happy with is that the bar just put the words "Karaoke Every Wednesday" on the sign. Not my name or my even my business name. Word of mouth is my best ad. And once you hear yourself on my system you'll blab it to everyone.

I paid my dues and did lots of homework before I bought one piece of equipment. My success is all carefully planned. It didn't happen by accident. Most karaoke shows are accidents with cheap equipment.

Sorry you won't find any ads for my shows. Surely you can't believe that there are no KJs that actually have better than average sounding systems with better than average singers on a steady basis? Or are you like the rest of the population that thinks all karaoke shows are filled with drunks that suck? Would I be correct to assume that nobody sings better or worse than you? That you are singing at the best karaoke show in the world? Ask your KJ how much he has invested? Is it $70,000??? (Full disclosure: That is music and equipment.) That's just what I use at my show every night. It doesn't count the vehicle to get it there. Or my office equipment. Or my insurance payments. I just upgraded $3,000 worth of equipment. Most KJs don't have a $3,000 total investment. I have a better system in my living room than 99% of the working KJs. I have seen KJs using a system so embarrassing I would kill myself If I had to use it. I wouldn't take it to a kindergarden show. I think it's disposable..use it once and throw it away.

Maybe you're like a KJ I know that told me his $50 cordless microphones sound just like my $600 ones. I use 3 of them every night. Wow, Shure is really stupid for making those microphones when a $50 one sounds the same. You don't notice any difference do you? I was at the music store the other day, why do they make $5,000 guitars? Estebon uses a $198 one.

http://www.esteban-guitars.com/ For $30 he will sign it.....

[wiseguy]

With all due respect to the "I can pee higher than you can" contest going on between the two of you, it might be an idea if YOU filled in YOUR profile a bit more comprehensively, before throwing stones!!!

Sandy

It's more of an "I'm the greatest in the world" versus "you're a dirty rotten liar" contest. Bigdog can continue his boasting til the cows come home, but without offering a shred of evidence to prove what he's saying is true, Gregory can continue to call him a liar.

This could go on for an eternity.

[Moonrider]

Hmm... the world's greatest KJ doesn't advertise or put anything in his profile other than that he likes girls? I hope that's true at least.

With all due respect to the "I can pee higher than you can" contest going on between the two of you, it might be an idea if YOU filled in YOUR profile a bit more comprehensively, before throwing stones!!!

Sandy

Best one of those I ever saw was when two of the local rednecks tried for a nearby fence. It was electrified, and they BOTH connected simultaneously.

It was shocking.