The all karaoke thing works for you BigDog and that is awesome... It won't go over her. Those that do it here are the reason I have venues.... Well that and personality, I was blessed with a smile and the gift of gab...
I run a strict show, you cuss over my mics you're done, if you are flat out rude to any singer or patron in the bar you are done, you fight you are banned... I tell all the venues before we begin what we will put up with and what we won't and if they don't like it they can find someone else.
show idea
By the way berryoke....welcome to the forum. 
Over the last few years I have heard about many KJs from all over the country complaining about not being able to get karaoke jobs and the ones they can get pay peanuts.
I will say this till my last dying breath...karaoke is dying because KJs are killing it. Each show that does less and less actual karaoke adds to the death cycle. Advertising a karaoke night and allowing nonsingers to make it something they want is the reason.
Karaoke has been around long enough for everyone to know that karaoke means people singing. I personally think nonsingers that go to an advetised karaoke night knowing karaoke is all about singing and expecting the KJ to cater to their dance requests is ignorant. Go to a DJ if you want to dance. Why try to riun the singers fun by cutting into thier singing time because you are a selfish jerk. Go to a DJ. Or listen to a band or play the jukebox somewhere. Don't try to hi-jack a karaoke show.
Over the last few years I have heard about many KJs from all over the country complaining about not being able to get karaoke jobs and the ones they can get pay peanuts.
I will say this till my last dying breath...karaoke is dying because KJs are killing it. Each show that does less and less actual karaoke adds to the death cycle. Advertising a karaoke night and allowing nonsingers to make it something they want is the reason.
Karaoke has been around long enough for everyone to know that karaoke means people singing. I personally think nonsingers that go to an advetised karaoke night knowing karaoke is all about singing and expecting the KJ to cater to their dance requests is ignorant. Go to a DJ if you want to dance. Why try to riun the singers fun by cutting into thier singing time because you are a selfish jerk. Go to a DJ. Or listen to a band or play the jukebox somewhere. Don't try to hi-jack a karaoke show.
And when the last karaoke singer stops coming to your "karaoke" night what will you be then?
Walmart killed mainstreet by being all things to everybody. Everybody that likes Walmart helped kill mainstreet. People lost jobs. Towns lost tax revenues. Mainstreet died.
Now that mainstreet is dried up and blown away people want it back....they never saw it coming until it was too late. The same thing is happening to karaoke. The death is so slow no one really sees what's happening to it. It's dying trust me...most just don't see it.
You're Walmart and the real KJs are mainstreet. I can be at a Walmart within 5 miles in one direction and about 3 miles in another. I'm not a Walmart shopper. Only if I'm desperate for something. Depending on what I'm looking for I would rather do a specialty store first.
You will find karaoke singers that are happy to share their time with dancers. Doesn't mean you aren't turning away dedicated karaoke singers because of your format. I know some dedicated karaoke singers that like my shows but don't come because I have too many singers. My success is also hurting me. Nobody will be able to blame the death of karaoke on me.
When KJs cater to dancers they eventually lose all their singers or most of them. Then the bar owner gets smart and says why am I paying a KJ to play DJ music all night? He's not getting many karaoke singers. He must suck. I don't need him. So now the unemployed KJ has to lower his rate to find KJ jobs. Then all bar owners think all KJs are only worth $75 a night.
This has happened in many parts of the country especially out west. Get on some other forums and research what I'm telling you. Get it from the mouths of the many unemployed KJs that refuse to work for $75 a night. But that's all that's left. And every one of them had the same excuse. I'm just catering to the demands of my crowds.....No you are letting your crowds run (Hi-jack) your business. I run my business and no nonsinger is ever going to get control of my investment. They couldn't attract a karaoke crowd big enough to sustain the night. That makes them failures at being KJs. There is no other word for it or excuse. You caved in to the demands of nonsingers on an advertised karaoke night. You let them tell you you are not a KJ. You played their dance music and sold your karaoke soul to the dancers. You screwed the singers while you did it. That's why you don't have any karaoke jobs. That is why karaoke is dying...too many KJs are killing it...willingly.
Karaoke is still very popular. I have no doubt that I could take my style of 100% karaoke to any city and work steady. And get top dollar too. It might not be an instant success....until the word gets around about the 100% karaoke KJ. Once it does everything will be good. There are many of my competition that wish they could do what I do. They can't. They won't start karaoke until they have at least 5 singers and they allow the dancers to rule the night. Then they wonder why I work steady and they don't. They chase all their singers right to me....I just sit back and welcome them.
Every singer chased away by a "KJ/DJ" is a nail in the death of karaokes' coffin.
Walmart killed mainstreet by being all things to everybody. Everybody that likes Walmart helped kill mainstreet. People lost jobs. Towns lost tax revenues. Mainstreet died.
Now that mainstreet is dried up and blown away people want it back....they never saw it coming until it was too late. The same thing is happening to karaoke. The death is so slow no one really sees what's happening to it. It's dying trust me...most just don't see it.
You're Walmart and the real KJs are mainstreet. I can be at a Walmart within 5 miles in one direction and about 3 miles in another. I'm not a Walmart shopper. Only if I'm desperate for something. Depending on what I'm looking for I would rather do a specialty store first.
You will find karaoke singers that are happy to share their time with dancers. Doesn't mean you aren't turning away dedicated karaoke singers because of your format. I know some dedicated karaoke singers that like my shows but don't come because I have too many singers. My success is also hurting me. Nobody will be able to blame the death of karaoke on me.
When KJs cater to dancers they eventually lose all their singers or most of them. Then the bar owner gets smart and says why am I paying a KJ to play DJ music all night? He's not getting many karaoke singers. He must suck. I don't need him. So now the unemployed KJ has to lower his rate to find KJ jobs. Then all bar owners think all KJs are only worth $75 a night.
This has happened in many parts of the country especially out west. Get on some other forums and research what I'm telling you. Get it from the mouths of the many unemployed KJs that refuse to work for $75 a night. But that's all that's left. And every one of them had the same excuse. I'm just catering to the demands of my crowds.....No you are letting your crowds run (Hi-jack) your business. I run my business and no nonsinger is ever going to get control of my investment. They couldn't attract a karaoke crowd big enough to sustain the night. That makes them failures at being KJs. There is no other word for it or excuse. You caved in to the demands of nonsingers on an advertised karaoke night. You let them tell you you are not a KJ. You played their dance music and sold your karaoke soul to the dancers. You screwed the singers while you did it. That's why you don't have any karaoke jobs. That is why karaoke is dying...too many KJs are killing it...willingly.
Karaoke is still very popular. I have no doubt that I could take my style of 100% karaoke to any city and work steady. And get top dollar too. It might not be an instant success....until the word gets around about the 100% karaoke KJ. Once it does everything will be good. There are many of my competition that wish they could do what I do. They can't. They won't start karaoke until they have at least 5 singers and they allow the dancers to rule the night. Then they wonder why I work steady and they don't. They chase all their singers right to me....I just sit back and welcome them.
Every singer chased away by a "KJ/DJ" is a nail in the death of karaokes' coffin.
-
spotlightjr
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:36 pm
- Location: southwest Florida
What works for one kj may not work for another. Down here in Florida the competition is pretty fierce. The wife and I try to differentiate ourselves by offering additional things to our shows. Let me add that we also enjoy doing our shows differently. Props, fog, wireless video senders, recording, live -streaming, are just a few things we do to break away from "straight" karaoke
Audience interaction is also a key component to our success. If I'm running the board then my wife is out mingling with the crowd and vice-versa. It's not unusual to see me at our shows singing a song and hand-off the mic to a customer I see singing along. They will almost always participate and smile from ear to ear. We have "mystery song" hour where I give clues about a particular song and the audience has to guess who it is. The wining table gets to come up and perform that song and usually win a free appetizer, etc.
Taking pictures and recording our singers is probably the main thing that get folks coming back to our show. My singers can go to our website anytime and listen to their recordings. I do not make cd's or copies for them (it's illegal) but we do post them and it always generates business on our website. This is really a hit with "regulars" who can go to our site and critique themselves, etc. and maybe perform that song a little better next time.
Live streaming is also pretty cool and can actually bring families together. How, you ask? Well, if I'm live streaming from a venue our singers can contact their relatives, family etc. give them our website address and they can watch the singer live on our webcam. I usually only do this during contests but always offer it if the venue has wi-fi. I use compuhost software so people know the rotation and when there gonna be up. I charge extra for live-streaming and it not only boosts our inome but sets us apart from other kj's.
I use all top of the line equipment (rcf, allen and heath, shure, tc helicon) and take this job very seriously. If you want straight karaoke... I'll give it to you. However, everything sooner or later changes with the times. Hop on or be left behind.
The comment made about 75.00 gigs, etc. has more to do with "pirate" kj's than anything else you mentioned. They are the ones that bring the prices down for hard working kj's like myself. You get what you pay for in this world. You want a kj who has a 200,000 song loaded hard-drive with a behringer mixing board and 1 or 2 blown speakers, no books, no personality, etc then go for it.
I'm looking for the venue owner who wants something a little different from the ordinary and is willing to pay for it. So far it's not been a problem
Audience interaction is also a key component to our success. If I'm running the board then my wife is out mingling with the crowd and vice-versa. It's not unusual to see me at our shows singing a song and hand-off the mic to a customer I see singing along. They will almost always participate and smile from ear to ear. We have "mystery song" hour where I give clues about a particular song and the audience has to guess who it is. The wining table gets to come up and perform that song and usually win a free appetizer, etc.
Taking pictures and recording our singers is probably the main thing that get folks coming back to our show. My singers can go to our website anytime and listen to their recordings. I do not make cd's or copies for them (it's illegal) but we do post them and it always generates business on our website. This is really a hit with "regulars" who can go to our site and critique themselves, etc. and maybe perform that song a little better next time.
Live streaming is also pretty cool and can actually bring families together. How, you ask? Well, if I'm live streaming from a venue our singers can contact their relatives, family etc. give them our website address and they can watch the singer live on our webcam. I usually only do this during contests but always offer it if the venue has wi-fi. I use compuhost software so people know the rotation and when there gonna be up. I charge extra for live-streaming and it not only boosts our inome but sets us apart from other kj's.
I use all top of the line equipment (rcf, allen and heath, shure, tc helicon) and take this job very seriously. If you want straight karaoke... I'll give it to you. However, everything sooner or later changes with the times. Hop on or be left behind.
The comment made about 75.00 gigs, etc. has more to do with "pirate" kj's than anything else you mentioned. They are the ones that bring the prices down for hard working kj's like myself. You get what you pay for in this world. You want a kj who has a 200,000 song loaded hard-drive with a behringer mixing board and 1 or 2 blown speakers, no books, no personality, etc then go for it.
I'm looking for the venue owner who wants something a little different from the ordinary and is willing to pay for it. So far it's not been a problem
We still seem to be talking about different things.spotlightjr wrote:What works for one kj may not work for another. Down here in Florida the competition is pretty fierce. The wife and I try to differentiate ourselves by offering additional things to our shows. Let me add that we also enjoy doing our shows differently. Props, fog, wireless video senders, recording, live -streaming, are just a few things we do to break away from "straight" karaoke
Audience interaction is also a key component to our success. If I'm running the board then my wife is out mingling with the crowd and vice-versa. It's not unusual to see me at our shows singing a song and hand-off the mic to a customer I see singing along. They will almost always participate and smile from ear to ear. We have "mystery song" hour where I give clues about a particular song and the audience has to guess who it is. The wining table gets to come up and perform that song and usually win a free appetizer, etc.
Taking pictures and recording our singers is probably the main thing that get folks coming back to our show. My singers can go to our website anytime and listen to their recordings. I do not make cd's or copies for them (it's illegal) but we do post them and it always generates business on our website. This is really a hit with "regulars" who can go to our site and critique themselves, etc. and maybe perform that song a little better next time.
Live streaming is also pretty cool and can actually bring families together. How, you ask? Well, if I'm live streaming from a venue our singers can contact their relatives, family etc. give them our website address and they can watch the singer live on our webcam. I usually only do this during contests but always offer it if the venue has wi-fi. I use compuhost software so people know the rotation and when there gonna be up. I charge extra for live-streaming and it not only boosts our inome but sets us apart from other kj's.
I use all top of the line equipment (rcf, allen and heath, shure, tc helicon) and take this job very seriously. If you want straight karaoke... I'll give it to you. However, everything sooner or later changes with the times. Hop on or be left behind.
The comment made about 75.00 gigs, etc. has more to do with "pirate" kj's than anything else you mentioned. They are the ones that bring the prices down for hard working kj's like myself. You get what you pay for in this world. You want a kj who has a 200,000 song loaded hard-drive with a behringer mixing board and 1 or 2 blown speakers, no books, no personality, etc then go for it.
I'm looking for the venue owner who wants something a little different from the ordinary and is willing to pay for it. So far it's not been a problem
Karaoke....people singing to special karaoke music is one thing. Playing 100% karaoke music makes you a KJ.
That's what karaoke means to me and most singers.
If you want to put yourself into a different catagory such as Multi-faceted entertainment..that's another. That takes you out of the KJ catagory.
If you play karaoke music and dance music you are a DJ/KJ.
Playing all canned music makes you a DJ.
If you are entertaining in a vacation resort atmosphere then different things such as you describe might be in order. Making you in the multi entertainment catagory.
Many KJs around the country report not being able to find good paying karaoke jobs.
This could be for many reasons and one of them could be their show quality. KJs that suck are having a hard time.
It could be because they stopped doing an all karaoke format to cater to the dancers.
Games and name that tune and DJ/KJs fall into a catagory by themselves but it not the karaoke/KJ catagory.
Karaoke has always relied on singers. When they stop coming karaoke is dead.
Streaming your show on the net is illegal and puts you and the unknowing unsuspecting bar owner in legal jeapardy.
I'm will to bet there is no KJ (including me) in the entire country that has the proper legal copyright permission to play any karaoke song for profit in a public performance. That includes streaming them on the net. Sound Choice wants to execute you for just putting them on your hard drive.
My show is based entirely on singers and them singing 100% of the music. If you only have one karaoke singer and you end up playing dance music 95% of the night is that a karaoke night? Where is the official cut off point?
Name That Tune is not karaoke. It's not even close and is not related in anyway to karaoke.
Playing dance music is not karaoke or karaoke related.
Karaoke contests take away from that too. Most are not actually judged on singing ability. Most are bogus for one reason or another. Most singers don't even like them or want to participate in them.
Bar bingo is not karaoke.
There is now and always will be only one thing that can be considered karaoke/KJ. That would be people singing. Most KJ/DJs started as a failed DJs that added karaoke to their show so they could get some work.
Costumes and props works well for Disneyland entertaining.
I considered these things many times and I always come back to the main issue. People singing all night long and DISTRACTIONS take away from that.
Maybe I am unique in the quality/number of good singers I attract. The vast majority of my singers take their singing seriously. I don't get jerks and screamimg drunks. My nights are very pleasureable to listen to all night long. I don't need any distractions to keep the nonsingers occupied and happy. Quality singers do it for me. They come for the way I make them sound. My show is totally based on getting people to participate without feeling the pressures created by stages and spotlights. Many good singers are intimidated by those things. Many first time singers are also afraid to be on stage.
Karaoke competition is the same everywhere. I'm surrounded by 40,000-100,000 song pirates and bad KJs that undercut everyone. There are several hundred low quality KJ/DJs in a 25 mile circle of me. That doesn't count the ones that quit. Cream rises to the top. Cream gets top dollar. Cream works steady when other can't.
Distractions at karaoke are a cop out excuse. Dance sets are killing real karaoke.
What works for one kj may not work for another.
This is not the argument.
What makes both of us KJs?
I say one of us is and one isn't. What amount/percentage of karaoke music played per night constitutes being a KJ? What percentage of dance music makes you a DJ?
What is the percentage of "entertainment?"
Entertainers come in many different forms.
Comics
Jugglers
Sword swallowers
Magicians
Singers
Dancers
DJs
KJs
Acrobats
Musicians
Clowns
What makes each one different? How many are actual KJs?
Some are killing karaoke and some are promoting it.
This is not the argument.
What makes both of us KJs?
I say one of us is and one isn't. What amount/percentage of karaoke music played per night constitutes being a KJ? What percentage of dance music makes you a DJ?
What is the percentage of "entertainment?"
Entertainers come in many different forms.
Comics
Jugglers
Sword swallowers
Magicians
Singers
Dancers
DJs
KJs
Acrobats
Musicians
Clowns
What makes each one different? How many are actual KJs?
Some are killing karaoke and some are promoting it.
Bigdog you complain about your shows dying but you steadfastly refuse to evolve to let in even a little dance music? Did it ever occur to you even singers like to dance once in a while? Or that dancers might also want to sing? You are SO sure your way is the only way that works yet now that it isn't working you blame the economy, Obama, DUI...yes all these are factors but what about your refusal to even think about adapting your approach to changing times? I watched my older nothing-but-karaoke-crowd dwindle away and a new younger crowd filter in....they love to sing andonce in a while they want to line dance. So I'm going to chase them away with some bullshit rule about no "filler" musicf? No frickin' way...it's gonna be Copperhead Road here we come! Remember, when you get a bunch of people dancing instead staring mindlessly into their dumbphones waiting for their up, its more fun for everybody in the bar, more people doing something in the same minutes. And if they work up a thirst dancing....hey, that's a good thing right?
Visit my page on FB....Karaoke Karolina. Check out my store/studio/art gallery AXXTACY GUITARS & GEAR M-F 2PM-7PM, 5285 Main, Shallotte, NC. 910-795-9083
