Karaoke Forums

When it is 9pm, or whatever time you are supposed to start. What are the first words that come out of your mouth?
In what way do you get the party started?
Do you make any announcements in your opening line ( for ex. about the bar specials)?
Do you mention the bartenders or waitresses, and to take good care of them?
If you have no slips turned in by singers at start time, do you encourage people to do so?
Or, if no singers do you start singing yourself?
What if there are no singers for the first 15 minutes or so, what do you do? ( I figure most will say they never have this problem, but mabye you did at least once.)
What do you NOT do or say in the beggining?

Good Evening & welcome everybody out.
It's usually already going, but i'll shoot out the first song - something upbeat.
I mention any & all specials going on during the night or special events that are planned.
In the opening statement, at least a couple times throughout the night & in the closing statement.

Of course.

It's rare that I have no singers, but on that occasion I would sing - sometimes start doing stupid songs to make someone get up just to stop me from doing another!

I am willing to bet that everyone has run into this problem on occasion. Again, I will sing. It's karaoke! If my voice isn't up to singing - as it hasn't been for the last few months - then I will just play some karaoke cdg's & get out in the crowd trying to motivate someone to get up.

Not sure, i've never said it......

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I welcome everyone to the bar and let them know of any other events going on ie. 9 ball or pool tourament (i know i mispelled that word) then i recoginize the bartender and wait staff by name. Then i call out the kitchen help /bar manager and get everyone to give them all a hand. Then i let the customers know how to sign up for karaoke (my regulars usually have already turned in slips by this time). Thats kinda how i do it.

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If only - - -

Yeah I'll usually start if no one is up yet with slips. But if there are no people at all in the karaoke area I'll just hang out until there is. Which also does happen some this time of year. The room is good with it. And it beats singing to no one which I think is kind of pointless.

Not pointless at all, perfect time to try new songs you weren't sure about or just wanted to try. Or different keys of songs, may as well make a good use of a slow night. Will also sometimes play with different effects while no one is there. There are things that can be done on slow-dead nights.

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I'll very slowly run the volume of the pre-show music down and then do the first song. The higher volume of the karaoke music usually gets people's attention.

I welcome everyone, usually a few people by name, and if new people have come back I'll thank them for returning for a second time. I will mention the staff (bartenders, servers, specials) first and then several times over the course of the night.

If there is no one ready to sing, I will try and read the crowd and identify what kind of music will get them in the mood. (Jukebox is a quick way to figure that out.) I carry a very well loaded laptop with bumper music just for times when nobody seems ready to get up. Once the music is going and I see it is having the required response (foot tapping, singing along), I'll move out and chat with people, especially new people, find out their song preferences, other places they go to sing at in the area, and most importantly, what drew them back to our venue, etc. I'm usually able to prompt someone to get up before they'd normally be ready by suggesting that maybe I have found a song I think they'd do a good job at and would they try it before everyone gets there? A soft appeal to ego is a sure way to get someone up.

I'd rather delay start time than have to sing 3-4 songs myself because I don't want anyone to get the idea that I'm singing "INSTEAD" of singers...but I will continue to announce that as soon as they're ready, to let me know and I'll get them up. I may also use this time to play some new music I've gotten - it will often surprise people (who haven't bothered to read the book) that I've got "this song" or "that song" and that will often inspire the singers who remain current to pop up and sing.

When this lag time happens I take the opportunity to get to know the singers better - they appreciate the attention and it gives me ideas about maybe some new songs I could get, etc.

I have found that if you sometimes wait to start, that some people that may have sang, won't until someone else sings. This happened to me a few years back, when I would just play music & announce that i'd get the singer right up. I had two people that were looking through the books & about 20 minutes into no one singing (including me), they closed the book up & I went over and talked to them, they said they didn't want to be the first singers. I told them I could go ahead of them, they agreed & turned in slips provided someone else were singing - even if it were only me. After that I made the decision to sing until someone sings.

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First of all, I don't wait till the show "starts" to get on the mic. I usually start making announcements at 5 and 10 minutes before the start time:

"Hey everybody welcome to THE BAR NAME, I'm the Karaoke Koyote, and we're gonna get this karaoke party started in about 10 minutes. I've got books and slips up front here so come on up and get your song submissions in! If you already know what song you want to sing... don't worry about the book, just tell me the name of the song and your name and I'll get you up shortly!"

The music I'm playing at this time is recorded karaoke performances from my other shows. People start coming up to me to ask me who's singing. Its a nice ice breaker, I've found.

To start the show repeat the above, include and bar specials that start, and mention the bar staff.

I'll sing first... something up beat and fun, and then call up the first singer. By this time I usually have 3 or 4 people coming up with submissions, and while they are singing the rotation grows from there.

Even if you're the only one you should sing a song at show start... but be ready for people to hand you slips while you're singing.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

First of all I should say I play at a “redneck bar” (and that doesn’t mean I’m a redneck either

The bar is divided in to 2 parts, the front has pool tables, jukebox and other games. I play in the back.

This is how I start my show. About 8:45 I will have at least 5 requests and I never worry about having singers. Then about 8:55 I’ll start with a dj song, I’ll crake it up till it drowns out the jukebox. And that will cause one of the bartenders to jump up and run to jukebox. Cool huh? I’ll play 3 upbeat dj songs. And for the big karaoke show introduction I’ll say like I’m really excided to be there (or like I have no sense) “ANYBODY READY FOR KARAOKE” and they yell back “YEAH” and then I say “alright I’m gonna get it started” and then it’s a party.

I think the best thing to do is just keep it simple, learn your people and give them what they want.

The moment I pick up a mic for mic checks I am chattering to the bar tender or somebody maybe even a stranger.I put everybody at ease and let the strangers know what to expect. If something needs to be announced I will announce it. I try to establish a friendly atmosphere and welcome strangers. My opening is not canned but different everytime.

Then we play some music until the start of the show at an easy listening level. The show is started with one of the better singers singing a high energy song.

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Hi Y'all! I'm Doug, your karaoke host for the evening



Usually an upbeat filler tune or two while I move around the venue and check that my sound levels are right. I'll also chat with random people as I listen to make sure the PA is not too loud.



Absolutely, it's good for the bar's business, and the bigger the gross, the more secure your job is.



No slips isn't unusual around here when you're starting a new venue, and you'll usually have to coax people up. I'll usually warn them that if no one signs up I'll start singing Tom Jones tunes . . . badly. That's usually good for a laugh and a few signups. If people wanna call my bluff, I sing a Tom Jones tune



I'm an entertainer. I entertain them. I sing, play dance tunes, tell corny jokes - whatever's needed to create an atmosphere where people feel welcome to sing. I'll often pick at least one song I know I'll "crash and burn" on just to show it's OK to NOT be perfect.



"Welcome to Wal-Mart. Get yo' **** and get out."

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Dave's not here.

I don't say much when I open my show or close it. I need to get better at that. I usually know the people there, so I feel weird making grandiose speeches. I usually just say I'm starting karaoke and where to find the books etc.. and bring the slips up to me I'm Babs. I like the idea of introducing the bar staff. I'm going to use that.

I always sing the first song. After that I try not to sing.

I may mention the bartenders once a night or not at all. It feels funny telling people to do what they know they should do any way.

I always have singers, but in years passed when I only had myself and maybe only a couple others I'd still start anyway. It's kind of fun screwing around trying new songs and finding duets to do with the few that are there. Or maybe playing games like scaroke. It encourages others to join in the fun.

I don't really clock watch. I get there early and when I have singers I start.

I have a married couple who have been regulars for 3 yrs at least twice week who would have never even tried karaoke if I wouldn't have encouraged them. They came in for dinner and were sitting at a table looking through a book. They filled out a slip which they never intended on handing in. I went over and talked to them and grabbed the slip off the table. They sang and were hooked after that. They still tell the story of how they never were going to give me the slip.

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

This is my method for starting the show. I always play the same two DJ songs through the PA. The first is my final sound check to make sure I've got the PA EQ'ed for the room. The second is kind of the intro for my show, I turn on the stage lights at a strategic point in the song and then during the bridge/solo portion of the song I introduce myself and my company, tell them where to find song books and how to sign up, tell them about any bar specials and introduce the bartenders. By this time the song is usually ending and so I start off by singing the first song so that I can make sure everything is squared away for when they come up.

Most of the time I'll have folks signed up by the time I am done singing, if I don't I'll wait a little bit. But if it's one of those really dead nights, I will continue to sing every so often just to keep the idea out there that - and to help get potential singers over the anti-first singer syndrome.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

I sort of do my beginning announcements like, Letitrip...during a song. However, I'm usually singing. Our regulars start asking me to sing as soon as I get there. I try to choose a song with a long instrumental break, and during the break, I encourage others to sing and make announcements about who I am, how to sign up....etc. It really doesn't take long. Sometimes, if it is slow, I play some songs first. I always sing the first song though, in case something is wrong. I can tweak it while I sing, and it doesn't embarass me. It hardly ever happens, but just in case...

I love Koyote's idea of using recordings for filler. I gotta start recording. His idea excites me, and my singers would love it!!!

Using the beginning of a show to communicate with customers is a way I encourage them to sing also, and when they feel at home in your venue, they will come back.

Everyone has different ways of doing it. Every crowd is different. You just have to find a way that is comfortable for you. Babs said she doesn't like speaking much in the microphone, but she has a way that works for her. Just try different ideas and see which works best.

"Good evening ladies and gents! Welcome to [venue], Happy [insert day of week]! This is K-Jay's Karaoke. I am K-Jay, your host for this evening, running the show. Over at the bar we have [insert bartenders' names here] tending bar for this evening. They'll be taking care of all your food and beverage needs. Take good care of them and they'll take great care of you!"

If I have slips up already, I don't sing first unless requested. "Opening the show for you tonight is [singer] doing a little [song artist, if known] number for you, so lets get him/her up here!

If I don't have anyone in line yet, I may do a song myself, or say "Right now, we don't have any singers in rotation yet, but the night is still early. Song books and slips are up here. Take your time, I know the liquid courage sometimes takes awhile to kick in, but I'll be here all night!" and I always have some upbeat, well-known background music going so there's no dead air and people can still enjoy themselves.

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"K-Jay"
www.kjayskaraoke.8m.com

i was just wondering....do ya'll feel that getting a good singer up first are if your a good singer, by you going first doesn't make some people new at karaoke kinda scared to get up....i've heard it plenty of times from my friends say....no wayyy am i getting up after that girl/guy, are they will say, the singers are way to good in here for me to get up an sing....not feeling that they fit in....hmmmmm, they never minded singing when i was around....i feel a complex coming on...what r ya'll thoughts....sorry for robbing the thread...

I don't know that you necessarily WANT a marginal singer to begin the show but having a few interspersed here and there does seem to give others the courage to try.

I have people all the time ask to be up after a bad singer, sometimes it's hard, others it's not. Just depends. There is usually someone in the rotation you can put that singer in after that they will feel better.

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I look at it as entertaining the entire crowd, so having a good singer start the show is more enjoyable to everyone. I still follow up on the potential siingers that are "riding the fence" and tell them that the better singers are better because they've been practicing a lot, and that it's only karaoke, not a singing contest. It's just for fun.

I also allow them if it's their first time to sing from their seat if they're too nervous snd insecure, and make sure they get others supporting and applauding for them. -After that they're hooked usually. I would rather make them comfortable the first time and concentrate on the actual song, than worrying about what they look like and where/how to stand and other personal distractors that might make the song sound worse.

To answer the original OP, i do like most here. Welcome everyone, announce the venue, name the staff, give locations of books/slips, and start on time regardless of if i have any singers. The most i've ever had to do was 2 songs in a row at the beginning and played a karaoke vocal track afterwards- but that was on a post-holiday sunday a couple years ago. Sometimes the liquid courage needs time to take effect.

How about introducing yourself.