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I started doing Karaoke for the first time in several years a few weeks ago because it was very much simplified with the library being dumped onto a computer hard drive. Well, I decided early on that if I were going to do Karaoke (I call it Krap-e-oke because I absolutely hate it), it would be on my terms.
1. No books...Too much of a time waste and most people know what they want to sing anyway. If they don't, they really shouldn;t be singing anyway
2. No seperate monitors. The Rox Box software will actually allow you to make the song full screen, so I have people sing directly from my Laptop Monitor (Oh yeah Mike Fernino, the $199 laptop LOL)
3. No Key or tempo adjustments - If they can't sing au naturel, they suck anyway.
Well, the first week I based the winner on talent. They got the opportunity to sing one more song. She got up and had her "American Idol moment" and sanf Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This".
Needless to say that made me want to puke and I changed the rules that night.
From then on, I gave all singers two minutes...I then would ask the audience if they sucked or not. If they thought so, I would boot the singer off the stage.
Then I would come up with ridiculous ways to determine a winner. Once, I trhew a tshirt in between two people. The one who picked up the tshirt got the shirt, the other got the money.
You get my drift.
Then, came the finals with a bunch of no-talents.
Let's just say I managed to **** people off because of the way I conducted the finals...
The contest was for $300 cash last night and only four finalists showed up...so I called another four people up to participate. They chose the song they would sing.
Then I did three rounds.
1st Round was they would sing one of the songs chosen, just not their
own (this made two people leave...LOL)
They had 90 seconds to attempt to sing. I had a gong with me that if
it were hit three times, they would be done for that round.
2nd Round was one of four random songs I chose...
Kris Kross - Jump
Sugarhill Gang - Rappers Delight
Macarena and Electric Slide
They again had 90 seconds to attempt to sing. I had a gong with me
that if it were hit three times, they would be done for that round.
After the 2nd Round, I let them in on my secret...the first two rounds
didn't count at all, it was purely for Entertainment!
3rd Round was their own songs.
It was nearly a tie with crowd support until a group started chanting
a name. That person ended up winning.
Fun night for me, hellish for them (except the winner). LOL
1. No books...Too much of a time waste and most people know what they want to sing anyway. If they don't, they really shouldn;t be singing anyway
2. No seperate monitors. The Rox Box software will actually allow you to make the song full screen, so I have people sing directly from my Laptop Monitor (Oh yeah Mike Fernino, the $199 laptop LOL)
3. No Key or tempo adjustments - If they can't sing au naturel, they suck anyway.
Well, the first week I based the winner on talent. They got the opportunity to sing one more song. She got up and had her "American Idol moment" and sanf Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This".
Needless to say that made me want to puke and I changed the rules that night.
From then on, I gave all singers two minutes...I then would ask the audience if they sucked or not. If they thought so, I would boot the singer off the stage.
Then I would come up with ridiculous ways to determine a winner. Once, I trhew a tshirt in between two people. The one who picked up the tshirt got the shirt, the other got the money.
You get my drift.
Then, came the finals with a bunch of no-talents.
Let's just say I managed to **** people off because of the way I conducted the finals...
The contest was for $300 cash last night and only four finalists showed up...so I called another four people up to participate. They chose the song they would sing.
Then I did three rounds.
1st Round was they would sing one of the songs chosen, just not their
own (this made two people leave...LOL)
They had 90 seconds to attempt to sing. I had a gong with me that if
it were hit three times, they would be done for that round.
2nd Round was one of four random songs I chose...
Kris Kross - Jump
Sugarhill Gang - Rappers Delight
Macarena and Electric Slide
They again had 90 seconds to attempt to sing. I had a gong with me
that if it were hit three times, they would be done for that round.
After the 2nd Round, I let them in on my secret...the first two rounds
didn't count at all, it was purely for Entertainment!
3rd Round was their own songs.
It was nearly a tie with crowd support until a group started chanting
a name. That person ended up winning.
Fun night for me, hellish for them (except the winner). LOL
So is this actually working for you? Do you have many people coming back to your shows? Are people having a good time with it?
If it's working, great!
If not, at least you know who to blame.
If it's working, great!
If not, at least you know who to blame.
I cant believe this is for real. Sounds like a complete bastardization of what us full timers define as desirable traits. If you hate karaoke so much, why even bother? If you strive to earn from it, why not aspire to do it well, and cater to your peeps a bit?
You may get a following, but you will probably chase more of the die hards to other shows...and shows like mine will always be there to cater to that demo.
Hmmm, maybe some karaoke people can start dj'ing...I mean, they dont like DJ music anyway, but they can hook the Ipod up to the karaoke machine, and just play some random tunes...not like there is any skill in it, but if the people dont like it, f'em.... (tic).
You may get a following, but you will probably chase more of the die hards to other shows...and shows like mine will always be there to cater to that demo.
Hmmm, maybe some karaoke people can start dj'ing...I mean, they dont like DJ music anyway, but they can hook the Ipod up to the karaoke machine, and just play some random tunes...not like there is any skill in it, but if the people dont like it, f'em.... (tic).
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Guest
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You guys are funny...
Yes, this is real and yea, i do hate Karaoke. Problem is, the demand is there and I AM A FULL TIME PROFESSIONAL DJ, so I decided my own spin would be better than the norm.
Check out www.myspace.com/djmaine if you want to see some photos of the Karaoke night
This is what I have concluded from years of doing bars and Karaoke events...
1. The "Professional Karaoke Singers" are the ones who buy only a soda or maybe one drink in four hours
2. The people who drink more heavily want much more music than karaoke. They don;t seem to mind it spritzed in, but in moderation seems to be plenty for them.
3. My job at ANY bar is to make the cash register ring by any means necessary. I cater to the drinkers. If they wanted more Karaoke, they'd get it.
My crowds average over 200 every Thursday night (in a town of 17,000 that's pretty good)
Yes, this is real and yea, i do hate Karaoke. Problem is, the demand is there and I AM A FULL TIME PROFESSIONAL DJ, so I decided my own spin would be better than the norm.
Check out www.myspace.com/djmaine if you want to see some photos of the Karaoke night
This is what I have concluded from years of doing bars and Karaoke events...
1. The "Professional Karaoke Singers" are the ones who buy only a soda or maybe one drink in four hours
2. The people who drink more heavily want much more music than karaoke. They don;t seem to mind it spritzed in, but in moderation seems to be plenty for them.
3. My job at ANY bar is to make the cash register ring by any means necessary. I cater to the drinkers. If they wanted more Karaoke, they'd get it.
My crowds average over 200 every Thursday night (in a town of 17,000 that's pretty good)
Are you worried this type of crowd involvement may hurt your reputation as a full time dj?
Or are you thinking this type of crowd involvement may help your reputation as a karaoke jock?
Or are you thinking this type of crowd involvement may help your reputation as a karaoke jock?
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Neither...
I am giving them something compeltely different than they are used to seeing. I'm sure it's a fad and it will go away sometime soon. In the meantime, I am going to kick back. laugh at people, make faces, gong them off the stage and have some fun with them.
you mean Karaoke?
Excuse me......but AI 6 is a ratings juggernaut.....somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 million people will watch the show this week (either on Tues, Weds, or Thurs).
As long as AI is going strong, with no sign of letting up.....this "fad" will continue to be in existence.
But I do applaud your tongue-in-cheek approach to the big K....
people love to hear bad singing, almost as much as the good ones!!!
Doing something well can be a permanent gig...the fad of making fun of your following will surely fade to them and what part of your rep will fade with it?
I started part time in 99 and went full time in 2000, with a set of ethics and professionalism intact. I work as much as I want now and refuse work. Karaoke is a lucrative full time "fad" for me now since, oh May of 99! There is no end in sight...
It does not take much more effort to run a good show than it does to run what you have. Yes you have a crowd, probably more for the DJ mix than the karaoke, but if the karaoke is truly in demand, why not do it right, rather than the fad of doing it crappily for your own amusement? You just may find the public will respond favorably and profitably.
You say, "1. No books...Too much of a time waste and most people know what they want to sing anyway. If they don't, they really shouldn;t be singing anyway" to which I would counter that providing a list of songs will encourage your singers to try new songs, or encourage someone to sing who is inspired by a choice in the book...
You say "No Key or tempo adjustments - If they can't sing au naturel, they suck anyway." to which I counter, that is crap, even a good singer needs a key change now and again...and you are obviously of some assumption that karaoke songs are always in the correct key...for example, dont expect me to sing from a DK disc that lowers the key, for example Bohemian Rhapsody, when I need it to be 2 steps higher which is the key that Queen did it in. But, if I request that change, I guess I suck.
You sir, do not run a karaoke show. You run a gong show/talent exhibition/contest. Contests have NOTHING to do with karaoke, nor does talent. If I were to attend your show advertised as DJ/Gong Show, I might could find myself amused, but if I attended on the presumption that it was karaoke, I would be appalled.
If you are advertising karaoke, it should be non competitive, and cater to your singers needs. You have no semblance of a karaoke show. Your show, advertised AS karaoke, is what gives karaoke a bad name.
Come to a good karaoke show, with vocal processing, compression, no contests and a compassionate host who can cultivate a following of spending, eating and drinking customers. THERE is a difference, and it is not KRAP-e-OKE. If you dont like cooking, why be in the kitchen. Stick to the DJ nights.
Thats a good point. Run it as a gong show! Hell...that will serve your audience and you! I like that idea....
2 different forms of K
Its easy to sympathize with Harryoke's point of view (being the father of a professional singer)......I now see there is possibly two different ways to approach Karaoke, and Jim's model (trainwreck mode ala American Idol) as one viable way to do it.
I also see Harry's "True Karaoke" (non-competitive, non-judgemental) being the mode that sticks for longevity.
the "trainwreck" style will be around for as long as A.I. stays on top of Nielsen Ratings.
Its easy to sympathize with Harryoke's point of view (being the father of a professional singer)......I now see there is possibly two different ways to approach Karaoke, and Jim's model (trainwreck mode ala American Idol) as one viable way to do it.
I also see Harry's "True Karaoke" (non-competitive, non-judgemental) being the mode that sticks for longevity.
the "trainwreck" style will be around for as long as A.I. stays on top of Nielsen Ratings.
You are neither a DJ or a KJ
Jim,You are the joke my friend. To be good in either field requires professionalizm on all grounds. When you decided to buy your Radio Shack equipment to make a couple of bucks, did it ever occur to you, that others in your field, would be laughing behind your back?? This is a sad statement to all of us who have been in this profession from vinyl to computer, and in Karaoke from 8 track tape to downloading todays hits as well. I had to take a cold shower when I read your post on your show. This is why real DJ's and KJ's need to stand up and turn their backs on the likes of you, to drown you out of this Industry into a Mcdonalds drive thru where you could really suffer some abuse, or maybe have an angry audience that appreciates good DJ/KJ work, have you stand in the middle of a dance floor in a club, and boo you for your condescending wisecracks about those who love the work they do. To even see that you think what you said was even in the smallest sense, "Funny"
Shame on you, and others like you that think this Professional Industry of Hosts and music makers and yes, entertainers is just a joke, need to learn from the rest of us who paved the way for crackpots like you to think this is the norm?
I wasnt going to really waste a lot of time on this, but after years in this business, please do me one favor, "Get out of it"!! Find something else to do with your life and your time. The rest of us will thank you for it.
Mike Valentino
Jim,You are the joke my friend. To be good in either field requires professionalizm on all grounds. When you decided to buy your Radio Shack equipment to make a couple of bucks, did it ever occur to you, that others in your field, would be laughing behind your back?? This is a sad statement to all of us who have been in this profession from vinyl to computer, and in Karaoke from 8 track tape to downloading todays hits as well. I had to take a cold shower when I read your post on your show. This is why real DJ's and KJ's need to stand up and turn their backs on the likes of you, to drown you out of this Industry into a Mcdonalds drive thru where you could really suffer some abuse, or maybe have an angry audience that appreciates good DJ/KJ work, have you stand in the middle of a dance floor in a club, and boo you for your condescending wisecracks about those who love the work they do. To even see that you think what you said was even in the smallest sense, "Funny"
Shame on you, and others like you that think this Professional Industry of Hosts and music makers and yes, entertainers is just a joke, need to learn from the rest of us who paved the way for crackpots like you to think this is the norm?
I wasnt going to really waste a lot of time on this, but after years in this business, please do me one favor, "Get out of it"!! Find something else to do with your life and your time. The rest of us will thank you for it.
Mike Valentino
I say leave him in the business. If it fails and no one shows, then you can take his work. If it succeeds, its a successful gong show and a whole new way to do karaoke. I don't think this gong show is his intent, but if he finds that its a demand after all, he'll cater to the crowd that likes to heckle and point fingers. Kinda like an emcee battle old school style, but more Japanese.
relax man....take that attitude to another board.
relax man....take that attitude to another board.
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While personally I would never ridicule a singer at one of my shows and most of mine are hot places to be on karaoke nights.
I also think it takes an entertainer to be able to pull off what Jim is doing. Myself I wish him the best in his endeavor, and perhaps it will catch on with the karaoke haters (and yes there are more than a few out there that truly hate karaoke) If it catches on it will give the K haters a place to go other than real karaoke shows to get their jollys booing singers.
I hate having to have the occasional Karaoke hater thrown out of the bars where I do my shows but it is what they are there for. Jim's idea can give them somewhere to go besides your show or mine and they can still get their fill of dissing for the day.
If it catches on there is the possibility that he will end up with the very good singers that will be a hit and the very bad singers who only come in to clown around with the audience.
I also think it takes an entertainer to be able to pull off what Jim is doing. Myself I wish him the best in his endeavor, and perhaps it will catch on with the karaoke haters (and yes there are more than a few out there that truly hate karaoke) If it catches on it will give the K haters a place to go other than real karaoke shows to get their jollys booing singers.
I hate having to have the occasional Karaoke hater thrown out of the bars where I do my shows but it is what they are there for. Jim's idea can give them somewhere to go besides your show or mine and they can still get their fill of dissing for the day.
If it catches on there is the possibility that he will end up with the very good singers that will be a hit and the very bad singers who only come in to clown around with the audience.
I would agree, as long as Jim and others like him bill their shows that way. Again, I can see where a gong show would be a hoot, but as the premise of Karaoke, or a karaoke contest, no way. Maybe he could just bill it as "krap-e-oke" since the stars seem to be the crappy singers, right?
Sorry for ....
feeling that Krapi-oke is a fair name for what we do. Or that no tone control or actual usage of karaoke which Jim said he had no use for, can be swept under the table, (wink-wink) because after all he is just a DJ.
Karaoke is beaten enough without this kind of show being thrown back in our faces, Sorry if I stood up for something I have worked over the last 18 years to promote as part of the DJ and KJ entertainment industry.
"Krapi-oke Rules Dude." As Jim said in his opening statement, he "Hates" Karaoke, well, I guess your post proves one thing, all Karaoke is still to the DJ community is one big joke. all I was trying to do was defend our name, "Karaoke". It wont happen again.
MV
feeling that Krapi-oke is a fair name for what we do. Or that no tone control or actual usage of karaoke which Jim said he had no use for, can be swept under the table, (wink-wink) because after all he is just a DJ.
Karaoke is beaten enough without this kind of show being thrown back in our faces, Sorry if I stood up for something I have worked over the last 18 years to promote as part of the DJ and KJ entertainment industry.
"Krapi-oke Rules Dude." As Jim said in his opening statement, he "Hates" Karaoke, well, I guess your post proves one thing, all Karaoke is still to the DJ community is one big joke. all I was trying to do was defend our name, "Karaoke". It wont happen again.
MV
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Mike,
There are many shows where the Host feels they are doing karaoke, you and I both know many of these shows are crap. Jim on the other hand states he hates karaoke while it is sad it is also his position. Karaoke goers will know right up front if Jim's show is for them or not and will make their choices on where to be or not to be just as they do at any legit karaoke show.
Perhaps Jim doesn't know how to run sound, the fact is we have had many "DJ industry leaders" who don't know how to set up their DJ systems properly much less run sound for karaoke or anything else. Yet these people are successful with videos and seminars on how to better the whole industry.
Who are any one of us to decide for Jim what is going to work or not work for him. If he is a karaoke hater then his show is going to attract karaoke haters, just as a mediocre karaoke host attracts mediocre karaoke singers.
I think I had a point but I forgot what it was!!!
There are many shows where the Host feels they are doing karaoke, you and I both know many of these shows are crap. Jim on the other hand states he hates karaoke while it is sad it is also his position. Karaoke goers will know right up front if Jim's show is for them or not and will make their choices on where to be or not to be just as they do at any legit karaoke show.
Perhaps Jim doesn't know how to run sound, the fact is we have had many "DJ industry leaders" who don't know how to set up their DJ systems properly much less run sound for karaoke or anything else. Yet these people are successful with videos and seminars on how to better the whole industry.
Who are any one of us to decide for Jim what is going to work or not work for him. If he is a karaoke hater then his show is going to attract karaoke haters, just as a mediocre karaoke host attracts mediocre karaoke singers.
I think I had a point but I forgot what it was!!!
The Reason I said.....
What I did was because we always make excuses for Karaoke. Its still misunderstood, underated, and put down. I just wanted to see if anyone really cared how Karaoke was treated, even when it's name is used in disdain, and its practices are treated in this fashion. No one stood up for its name, but only defended Jim's actions.
After 18 years of working Karaoke, all the jokes, excuses and paraphrases to make excuses, it still doesnt hold up in the Industry it used to be.
It's like saying something mean or nasty about someone you dont particularly care for and change the name to make fun of them, would you like it?? If someone made fun of your shows, said they "Hated" you, would you like it?
Thats all my point is, when is enough, "Enough"?
I wish Karaoke the best it can be, but if Krapi-oki is the best we can be,
we still have a long way to go.
To me, it will always be, "Karaoke, the Best of the Mobile Entertainment Industry."
MV
What I did was because we always make excuses for Karaoke. Its still misunderstood, underated, and put down. I just wanted to see if anyone really cared how Karaoke was treated, even when it's name is used in disdain, and its practices are treated in this fashion. No one stood up for its name, but only defended Jim's actions.
After 18 years of working Karaoke, all the jokes, excuses and paraphrases to make excuses, it still doesnt hold up in the Industry it used to be.
It's like saying something mean or nasty about someone you dont particularly care for and change the name to make fun of them, would you like it?? If someone made fun of your shows, said they "Hated" you, would you like it?
Thats all my point is, when is enough, "Enough"?
I wish Karaoke the best it can be, but if Krapi-oki is the best we can be,
we still have a long way to go.
To me, it will always be, "Karaoke, the Best of the Mobile Entertainment Industry."
MV