KARAOKE SCENE MAGAZINE ONLINE! - the dreaded karaoke back-up singer Public Forums Karaoke Discussions Karaoke Scene's Karaoke Forums Home | Contact Us | Site Map  

Karaoke Forums

Karaoke Scene Karaoke Forums

Karaoke Scene

   
  * Login
  * Register

  * FAQ
  * Search

Custom Search

Social Networks


premium-member

Offsite Links


It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:41 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:06 am 
Offline
Advanced Poster
Advanced Poster

Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 11:26 pm
Posts: 346
Been Liked: 20 times
i'm slowly developing an inhuman hatred for folks who wanna jump on the second mic as a self-appointed backup singer.

i've literally had physical WWF wrestling matches between the sexes to grab the second mic as a volunteer back-up singer. even tho i've shut off the volume on the second mic way before they had the idea to back up anyone.

and i almost wanna get violent when i'm singing a song myself as the opening singer and folks already wanna jump on my second mic as my backup singer.

i want people to be themselves at my show. and backup singing should be a harmless thing. but when it happens song after song it starts to wear on you. i've even got a line of folks 6-7 people deep that stand around waiting to be a self-appointed backup singer. i'm like, be gone, roaches! what's wrong with people?

on the other hand, i complain about a lack of karaoke enthusiasm at a different venue, so i try not to be too upset that there's an over abundance of enthusiasm at this particular other venue, but i'm starting to lose my cool with people and getting very rude.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:28 am 
Offline
Extreme Plus Poster
Extreme Plus Poster
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 6:24 pm
Posts: 5105
Location: Phoenix Az
Been Liked: 1279 times
all mics are in my hand, and must be taken from my hand.
mics out and about besides the singer sounds like the problem.
keep them all by you, have them some get one so you decide if they can get one or not.

_________________
Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 5:53 am 
Offline
Extreme Poster
Extreme Poster
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 5:13 pm
Posts: 3801
Images: 1
Location: Florida
Been Liked: 1612 times
I too have only one readily available mic, the others have to be handed out by ME. I have had jumpers try to grab my announcement mic, but none have succeeded in singing on it :)


Top
 Profile Personal album Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 6:01 am 
Offline
Extreme Plus Poster
Extreme Plus Poster

Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:22 am
Posts: 6103
Been Liked: 634 times
8) I thought your patrons were baby boomers? I don't have to many mic jumpers, in fact in the last several years I have only had one case of someone wanting to help on a song, I guess I must be lucky.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 6:05 am 
Offline
Extreme Poster
Extreme Poster
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 5:13 pm
Posts: 3801
Images: 1
Location: Florida
Been Liked: 1612 times
The Lone Ranger wrote:
8) I thought your patrons were baby boomers? I don't have to many mic jumpers, in fact in the last several years I have only had one case of someone wanting to help on a song, I guess I must be lucky.
Most of my singers are "boomers" but I get the occasional youngin' that wants to be a star, but too shy to do it themselves. If it does happen it is usually with someone they came with, or a private event where they don't know the rules of karaoke.


Top
 Profile Personal album Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:28 am 
Offline
Extreme Poster
Extreme Poster
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2004 10:09 am
Posts: 3341
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Been Liked: 445 times
I'm all good with the backup singer(s), given the following:

1) The singer knows them and wants them to sing with them! I chase off more than my share of drunks that think they'd be a welcome addition to a stranger's song.

2) If the song was entered as "John," but then John and Stacy come up, well John's getting the primary volume and Stacy will be relegated to backup volume. If they were both listed from the start, equal volume.

3) If the backup singer is in the rotation to sing themselves, and I have a rotation longer than 10 people, that is also their turn, no exceptions. I am very clear on this point 100% of the time. Otherwise, there is always a diva in the crowd that thinks they have figured out how to sing backup with every other person that comes up.

_________________
C Mc
KJ, FL


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:47 am 
Offline
Super Poster
Super Poster

Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 8:41 am
Posts: 682
Been Liked: 259 times
TopherM wrote:
I'm all good with the backup singer(s), given the following:

1) The singer knows them and wants them to sing with them! I chase off more than my share of drunks that think they'd be a welcome addition to a stranger's song.

2) If the song was entered as "John," but then John and Stacy come up, well John's getting the primary volume and Stacy will be relegated to backup volume. If they were both listed from the start, equal volume.

3) If the backup singer is in the rotation to sing themselves, and I have a rotation longer than 10 people, that is also their turn, no exceptions. I am very clear on this point 100% of the time. Otherwise, there is always a diva in the crowd that thinks they have figured out how to sing backup with every other person that comes up.


Counting a duet as a song for each singer is a bit harsh.
They each have a slot reserved and should not be punished for it.

I Do enforce a 2 songs total per rotation limit on Singers.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 10:37 am 
Offline
Senior Poster
Senior Poster

Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2014 9:21 pm
Posts: 245
Been Liked: 95 times
If a mike jumper gets hold of a mike, run that channel through a harmonizer (harmonized signal only) and set it to an octave higher.

Come to think of it, that would be a good all around cure for all kinds of malfeasance--a 'one-button' unflattering effect could be used on mike jumpers, wanderers, cuppers, etc.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:41 pm 
Offline
Extreme Poster
Extreme Poster
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:24 pm
Posts: 4438
Been Liked: 1048 times
Mic jumpers will not be tolerated at my shows. I will take their mic and personally escort them off stage. Mic jumping is a very rude thing to do and I don't stand for it.

_________________
Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:02 pm 
Offline
Super Extreme Poster
Super Extreme Poster
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 3:57 pm
Posts: 22974
Songs: 35
Images: 3
Location: Tacoma, WA
Been Liked: 2125 times
If I see a jumper, I go and escort them off stage. Any extra mics are always turned down on the mixer.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!
Image


Top
 Profile Personal album Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:10 pm 
Offline
Extreme Poster
Extreme Poster
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2004 10:09 am
Posts: 3341
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Been Liked: 445 times
dsm2000 wrote:
TopherM wrote:
I'm all good with the backup singer(s), given the following:

1) The singer knows them and wants them to sing with them! I chase off more than my share of drunks that think they'd be a welcome addition to a stranger's song.

2) If the song was entered as "John," but then John and Stacy come up, well John's getting the primary volume and Stacy will be relegated to backup volume. If they were both listed from the start, equal volume.

3) If the backup singer is in the rotation to sing themselves, and I have a rotation longer than 10 people, that is also their turn, no exceptions. I am very clear on this point 100% of the time. Otherwise, there is always a diva in the crowd that thinks they have figured out how to sing backup with every other person that comes up.


Counting a duet as a song for each singer is a bit harsh.
They each have a slot reserved and should not be punished for it.

I Do enforce a 2 songs total per rotation limit on Singers.


As stated, only when there are more than 10 in the rotation. When under 10, duet away! Just a difference of opinion. I don't think someone has "less of a turn" in a busy rotation if they choose to do a duet.

As a singer, I have no tolerance for those times when people go twice (or even 1.5 times if you look at it your way) before I go 1.0 times, so that's the way I run my show :)

When you sing, that's your turn! Choose how you want to use your turn to your satisfaction!

_________________
C Mc
KJ, FL


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 4:36 pm 
Offline
Advanced Poster
Advanced Poster

Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2015 6:49 am
Posts: 466
Been Liked: 124 times
A big NO to someone who wants to take over the song by "backing up" a singer.

I don't mind anyone pulling up there friend(s) and asking to give them a mic... It's their 5 minutes, and if they want to share, who am I to tell them no.

But I hold the mics, and If they aren't in my hand, I have mute buttons as well. Because sometime the hog sees more then one person singing and thinks "Hey I can join is too!!!"

If I'm dealing with a serial mic hog, It gets muted every time they grab for it. Repeated offenses and we bump them from rotation.

I just don't care for someone who thinks they are a diva and everyone should be happy to sing "with" them.

What I find most about mic hogs... is that they are mostly girls. Guys usually act stupid with each other in groups, but share well, passing it around and such. Most of the time, they already got their "show" figured out. A girl mic hog on the other hand seems to want the spotlight more over whoever is singing it. Very reluctant about sharing a mic with their friends. They also tend to be very "catty" about how another girl would do "their" song. They run up close to the stage and try to sing OVER people even without a mic.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:48 pm 
Offline
Extreme Poster
Extreme Poster
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2001 6:55 pm
Posts: 4433
Location: New York City
Been Liked: 757 times
TopherM wrote:
As stated, only when there are more than 10 in the rotation. When under 10, duet away! Just a difference of opinion. I don't think someone has "less of a turn" in a busy rotation if they choose to do a duet.


That depends.... There are some songs that I have participated in, where the song was very one-sided. Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love" is one song that comes to mind. The Female part is 4 lines (approximately 1 minute), while the Male part is close to 9 minutes (almost all of Meatloaf's songs are 9 minutes or more). Another song that I once was asked to do with someone is from "Funny Girl"... "You Are Woman, I Am Man." My part had 1 stanza, and the rest of the song was all for the Female part, up until the very end of the song, where the Male and Female sing 1 more line together.

That depends... Likewise with actually doing JUST back-up vocal. Songs like Bon Jovi's "Wanted, Dead or Alive" for example, where the back-up singer just likes to do the echo parts of the chorus in the song.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 11:52 am 
Offline
Senior Poster
Senior Poster

Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2014 9:21 pm
Posts: 245
Been Liked: 95 times
If the same duo sings twice in one rotation, they're still not taking up more time than they would have individually. The problem is 'fake duos', where one person gets non-singers to sign up under his name and pretend to sing duos with him in order to game the rotation.

One of my concepts of karaoke is that it should be a good show, not just an amenity for singers. If we're doing it right, guests will come in just to listen to the music. That speaks to not having the same people sing over and over, if we can help it.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 12:31 pm 
Offline
Extreme Plus Poster
Extreme Plus Poster
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:38 pm
Posts: 6085
Images: 1
Location: Redmond, WA
Been Liked: 1663 times
All mics are handed out by me or my hosts. We don't start the next singer until all mics are returned.

I don't let people jump in to sing after a song starts. If they are "approved" backup singers, that approval takes place *before* the main singer starts. (exception - the main singer gives me a thumbs up while they are on stage)

Now.....if someone wants to get up on stage and dance or otherwise help entertain during a singer, I will allow it so long as the singer doesn't appear to be perturbed by it.

_________________
-Chris


Top
 Profile Personal album Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:47 pm 
Offline
Major Poster
Major Poster

Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:52 am
Posts: 81
Been Liked: 38 times
I used to run my busiest show with two mics, on stands, on the stage. It honestly took me a long time to figure out that the best way to avoid the dreaded "crasher" was to take away the second mic, and it's genuinely solved a lot of rotation headaches for me. (People get... antsy at this particular establishment. My rotations run long and my clientele seems to conveniently get amnesia from week to week as I suggest that maybe if they showed up before the second half of the show they'd get more songs in, a novel concept to the easily inebriated.)

Five years at this venue, and I literally just realized this year, "oh, right - if there's not a second mic to crash, people won't crash it." But a microphone is an open invitation to a lot of people, particularly an unoccupied one. So now my policy is that, with the exception of the lead mic, microphones must be obtained from me. Weeds out unwanted crashers and rotation gamers nicely.


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 4:36 am 
Offline
Extreme Poster
Extreme Poster

Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2002 7:26 am
Posts: 4839
Location: In your head rent-free
Been Liked: 582 times
Nope. No mic-jumpers where I work. There are no mics out in the open for them to grab anyway. If they walk up to me and demand a mic, they get the "no way Jose wagging finger" and if they give me crap about it, I'll tell them that I won't let anyone else do that to them while they're singing either.

It seems that these are the same people that will somehow get offended if someone else were to jump in on their song but think it's perfectly acceptable for them to do it to others..

The other types that drive me nuts are the yahoos that canvass the bar looking for someone they can convince to change the song they've already put in to a duet. Those I call the "predatory showboaters."


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:49 pm 
Offline
Super Poster
Super Poster
User avatar

Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 877
Songs: 4
Location: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Been Liked: 431 times
Like most others here, I simply do not allow the "dreaded karaoke back-up singer" unless he/she was specifically invited by the primary singer. Allowing such is a great way to ruin your show.

_________________
Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 12:53 pm 
Offline
Advanced Poster
Advanced Poster

Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 11:26 pm
Posts: 346
Been Liked: 20 times
i also don't like when singers wanna volunteer me in to be their back-up singer. and/or ask me to be their back-up singer EVERYTIME they sing that one song that i helped them out with and backed them up on once, in like 1952. give it up, bro!!


Top
 Profile Singer's Showcase Profile 
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 466 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group

Privacy Policy | Anti-Spam Policy | Acceptable Use Policy Copyright © Karaoke Scene Magazine
design & hosting by Cross Web Tech