Post by David on Aug 25, 2010 12:49:29 GMT -5
OK, I'll start this off.
I've been a singer all my life and love to sing. Now that I don't play regularly in bands anymore, I still need a forum to get my voice on so to speak.
I feel there are three main things that make up a good karaoke experience for me. They are as follows:
1) A good sound system.
2) An extensive song library
3) A good karaoke host
I have been to some karaoke bars before where the sound system was absolutely terrible. It would be all distorted and the vocals would be dry. Now when I say dry, I'm talking about no effects like reverb or delay, which is like liquid cocaine to a singer. Now I know that karaoke is mostly about drunk people who can't sing a note getting up and having a good time. I don't have a problem with that. I enjoy watching and listening to everyone sing, but the sound system has to at least make everyone sound as good as they can. The better they sound, the more likely they will want to come back to your establishment to sing some more. So for those of you that have your own karaoke business out there: if you don't have a halfway decent sound system: don't even bother.
Second: the song library is very important. You should have all the classics as well as all the new stuff. The larger your library the more diverse crowd you will pick up.
and lastly the karaoke host. Ok. here we go. I do believe that the karaoke host should be able to sing and carry a tune. When things are slow they will have to be picking up the slack and singing a few tunes. That being said. If you have a 15 person or more rotation going, please eliminate yourself from the rotation so the paying drinking customers can get a chance to sing. I have seen time and time again where the karaoke host sings sometimes twice during every rotation. We know you can sing. give it a rest. If you want to sing that much: join a band.
The karaoke host also needs to stay completely fair when running a rotation. You don't move your friends or a girl you're trying to flirt with to the front of the line and make everyone else wait. You will kill your business quicker than shit doing that. Keep the rotation and work in new singers as they come in. PERIOD. Got that?
I don't mean to trash karaoke hosts. I'm just reporting what I've seen out there. I've also seen some amazing karaoke hosts out there some of them my friends. Just because I'm friends with them: I would never ask to be treated special and bump someone back so that I may sing. I can wait for my fair turn.
I've been a singer all my life and love to sing. Now that I don't play regularly in bands anymore, I still need a forum to get my voice on so to speak.
I feel there are three main things that make up a good karaoke experience for me. They are as follows:
1) A good sound system.
2) An extensive song library
3) A good karaoke host
I have been to some karaoke bars before where the sound system was absolutely terrible. It would be all distorted and the vocals would be dry. Now when I say dry, I'm talking about no effects like reverb or delay, which is like liquid cocaine to a singer. Now I know that karaoke is mostly about drunk people who can't sing a note getting up and having a good time. I don't have a problem with that. I enjoy watching and listening to everyone sing, but the sound system has to at least make everyone sound as good as they can. The better they sound, the more likely they will want to come back to your establishment to sing some more. So for those of you that have your own karaoke business out there: if you don't have a halfway decent sound system: don't even bother.
Second: the song library is very important. You should have all the classics as well as all the new stuff. The larger your library the more diverse crowd you will pick up.
and lastly the karaoke host. Ok. here we go. I do believe that the karaoke host should be able to sing and carry a tune. When things are slow they will have to be picking up the slack and singing a few tunes. That being said. If you have a 15 person or more rotation going, please eliminate yourself from the rotation so the paying drinking customers can get a chance to sing. I have seen time and time again where the karaoke host sings sometimes twice during every rotation. We know you can sing. give it a rest. If you want to sing that much: join a band.
The karaoke host also needs to stay completely fair when running a rotation. You don't move your friends or a girl you're trying to flirt with to the front of the line and make everyone else wait. You will kill your business quicker than shit doing that. Keep the rotation and work in new singers as they come in. PERIOD. Got that?
I don't mean to trash karaoke hosts. I'm just reporting what I've seen out there. I've also seen some amazing karaoke hosts out there some of them my friends. Just because I'm friends with them: I would never ask to be treated special and bump someone back so that I may sing. I can wait for my fair turn.