The reality of Karaoke?

[AllStar]

Oh yes, I am getting bitter. I am getting sick and tired of people pretending to be KJ’s.
Don’t people realize that to be a good KJ, you need more then just a mixer and a CDG player??

As a long time KJ I spend quite some time on the different karaoke forums. What I do notice is that there are always a lot of questions regarding “What do I buy?” That, I think is a very good starting point for a new KJ, what does bother me though is that nobody ever asks “What can I do to make the system sound good?”

You can have a crappy system (so to speak) and make it sound good, but without the right know-how, you can make a good system sound crappy. I am getting so tired of going to karaoke places just to be disappointed by a KJ that bought a low end system, a couple of disks from Wal-Mart and now hoping he/she can make a quick buck or 2 (Normally less then $100 per night)

The worst thing for me is to walk in a karaoke bar, seeing a great system, and then just to hear that the mix is absolute junk. Why does the music have to be louder then the mic?? Does that KJ never listen to music on the radio? If you are a KJ you should be proud of what you’re doing. Get up from your lazy butt from where you sit/stand when someone is singing and listen to sound QUALITY. Does it sound like the CD in your car? (Quality wise, not necessarily vocal wise) If not, learn how to mix. Another thing……….when you setup the mic you as KJ use for singing, give that same mic to your guests. Why are you as KJ using a great quality wireless mic when you sing, but your guest gets a crappy $29.00 mic??? This happens ever so often.

Remember people, not all singers are a bunch of drunks trying to impress their friends. There are a lot of serious vocalists out there.

[mikedomi]

i was reading your post

just one thing
about the kj mic
for us we would love to give great mic (wireless) to the singer but
and this is a big butt
because the whore kj is causeing the price of bar karaoke to drop
it makes it almos impossible to replace a broken mic evey week

when you are dealing with people who drink alot or people who try to be a star and throw the mic up in the air or slam it down on the table or drop it or any of the things you see in the bars after a while you learn not to put the best you have out for a bar show

what we do now is to get a way from wireless mic (for bar shows)

you can get very good wired mic for a lot less than 1 wireless
so when they break them it not as big of a loss to you
the bar will not pay for one of your mic

if they did i think you would see great mic every were
for the people who have been doing this for a long time

one other thing as far as a good mic for the kj who does not like having the best toy (LoL)

and we use to let people use our mics but we dont anymore
cant afford to get sick from some one who has a cold
since we stop giving out our mic none of us has gotten sick

for those of you who do this for a living and have to sing or host dont let anyone use your mic you will be one step ahead of the game

and yes there are very few kj/dj who have good sound and and
a great selction and in a way they are the people that keep us very bussy
because we have both and a rep for the best in town
i think in a way you should be glad about the crapie kjs
they make you look that much better
and then you can get more money for your show

just thinking out load
have a good day mike

[mlepine]

I can't agree more with Allstar!

it's the reason I don't go to Karaoke bars, I must of tried 10 different places & all of them have terrible sounds!!
What's good of having a nice software like Hoster when you have a Radio Shack Mixer, crapy speaker or good equipment but have do idea how to calibrate your equipment?

For those who would like some hint on how to adjust, you might want to check the www.yorkville.com site you will learn...

By the way, you are in the good thread if you want KJ's to read your post.

Regards

[George]

Why come down on KJ's when the entire recording industry seems to have forgotten how to mix? Maybe the poor KJ is just emulating what the "professionals" in L.A. and Nashville are doing these days.

How many songs do you hear these days that might as well not even have a lead singer? They're covered up anyway.

Must also be true none of you that are criticising the KJ have rented a video, or watched a movie on tv, or been to the movies lately. Seems like we've gone back to the silent era. All you can hear is the special effects, and basting what used to be background music.

Must be easy on the actors though, knowing they really don't have to learn the script, as no one can hear them anyway.

The entire industry needs to be censured, not just a relatively small group.

George

[AllStar]

Hi Y'all

We would really love to just go out and enjoy a karaoke night out once or twice a week, but looks like we just have to find our own gig in order to enjoy our singing.


To mikedombroski
I do not share my mic with anyone, for exactly the same reasons as you have (germs, booze and God knows what else???) but, and this is the big one, my mic and the guest's mic is exactly the same. When I start a show, and during a show, I remind people to treat my equipment with care, and if I see the slightest sign of abuse, I talk to that person immediately. I find that the guests really enjoy the wireless mic's, they get romantic with girlfriends or do a line dance with others. Maybe it's just the places we host, but I haven't lost a single mic yet, except for the one that I dropped in a swimming pool years ago.

To mlepine
Thank you!! Finally someone that understands my pain of having to listen to some of the yahoo's around here (there and everywhere)

George, George, George..........

Maybe the poor KJ is just emulating what the "professionals" in L.A. and Nashville are doing these days.
If the "professionals" jump of a bridge, will you follow them? I don't think so.

It has to do with pride in your job. I don't care what you are, a KJ or the person helping you at Wal-Mart. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing it well. If you want to do something, give it all or don't even bother.

[George]

ALLSTAR, ALLSTAR, ALLSTAR

No need to talk down to me about a comment offered as a possibility. Some people do what they perceive to be in vogue, and no, I am far from being a Leming.

George

[AllStar]

George

I am sorry if I offended you. That was not my intention at all.

I am just tired of the yahoo's out there claiming to be KJ's. Karaoke is so much fun, and should be enjoyed by all. Karaoke is not a way of making a quick buck. To be a good KJ you need dedication to the job.

[mikedomi]

you said
(Remember people, not all singers are a bunch of drunks trying to impress their friends. There are a lot of serious vocalists out there.)
first we have been in the dj business for over 20 years and all we have done in the 20 years is grown no **** show for us
we are as professional as it gets

this is another thing that is screwing up karaoke the serious vocalists
the person who says I cant hear my self
I want you to turn me up over the music
more reverb
if they want to be a star go to star search
go to Nashville but don't go to karaoke

it was made to have fun is was not meant to be a stepping stone
to being a star it was meant to be just a lot of fun
for the singer,kj,and the crowd
when you do get singers like that they are just a pain in everyone's ass!!!
we mix each singer and all our kj do a good job of it we don't sit on our ass

I want all your shows!! to say that you have never lost a mic is great for you
your lucky can you tell what tonight's lottery number is going to be
I would like to have some of your luck
we were the first company on the east cost to do karaoke when we first started we were getting 450-550 per show in the md,va dc area there was no one else for a year and we had no stars on stage just people who wanted to have fun that's it( that was the good old days when karaoke was fun)

now this is a another thing that screwed up karaoke.
was when cdgs came out you had a 15 dollar cdg and you had the 100 dollar laser disc which was the first thing karaoke was on we were all sorry to see the cdg come out
but we had to deal with it

this meant that everyone and their bother was getting in to it
because it was cheep to do and we have watched the price go down to 100 dollars for 4 hours

we wont do shows for any thing less then 200.00 dollars for 4 hours and they feed the kj and we work all the time

I guess the bottom line is I was kind of agreeing with you but I guess you did not see that

and you made such a big deal over the mic thing
you make me think you are a singer more than a kj
and you are pissed that you cant get a good mic in every show you go to. if it means that much to you
do what I have seen other singers do take one with you
ask the dj if he would let you use your mic when its your turn
anyway I am done with this thread
please if anyone has any thing bad to say about my post
kept it to your self
if you have an opinion please post it i would love to see it
but if you are going to use foul mouth or jump all over my opinion really kept it to your self

[George]

Allstar,

No harm done.

I think the whole issue is a matter of perception. Not that I don't agree with you to some extent, but it is much easier to be critical when one is looking at one's peers. It is much easier for a KJ to be critical of a KJ, or a bricklayer to be critical of another bricklayer.

The "reality of Karaoke" is in the patron's perception.

If a KJ has low end equipment, poor mixing, etc, and in spite of all the shortcomings that another KJ can see, possesses that rare charisma to attract people, hold their attention, and they enjoy themselves enough to keep coming back, then who's to say he's wrong?

George

I'd better add I'm not promoting my position. I'm not a KJ. I sing, and have been an audio bug for years. I appreciate good sound also.

[AllStar]

mikedombroski

You confuse me with your statements.

Firstly, You say that you are as professional as it gets, and in the same sentence you claim that it's the serious vocalists that screw up karaoke" Sorry, that doesn't make sense at all.

Secondly, if the KJ mixes propperly, and has a decent monitor speaker, he won't get questions like "I cant hear my self, I want you to turn me up over the music, more reverb"

And no, I'm not prepared to share my "luck" with you. Stop the sarcasm and you might find time to work on your own luck.

and you made such a big deal over the mic thing
you make me think you are a singer more than a kj
Maybe so, but when I go out to do karaoke, I expect the KJ to have good equipment. Not the KJ a $200 mic and the guest (who is, by the way the customer) a $19,99 Wal-Mart mic.


and you are pissed that you cant get a good mic in every show you go to.
You're right on that. See, we do agree on some issues.

but if you are going to use foul mouth or jump all over my opinion really kept it to your self
You, my dear friend, are the one using foul language, nobody else.

Greetings

[mikedomi]

first of all you keep talking about a 19.99 k mart mic do you have one ? i did not know they even sold them

we use sure 58 if you know anything about singing you will know what they are !!!

2) you said if we mixed right that we would not hear that .
that is were you give your self away
if you have been doing this as a kj for any length of time you would know just what iam talking about
the serious vocalists as you put it are the ones that no matter what you do for them you will never be right

3) if you were around for 5 years or more you would have seen the change in the karaoke singer and you would under stand

now if you were doing this for a living you dont mind seeing crapie
mic out there it just makes you look better
that is why i think
that you are just a singer sounding off at the kjs who dont meet up to your standard's thats ok you can do that we live in the usa
and you have that right

my point here is do you think ford is going to tell all the other
car makers around the world to put better motors in there cars
i dont think so

it sounds like you want every one to do it your way


i have no problem with you
just dont come in here demanding that the kj should meet your stnadards if they work for you thats fine

we all so book shows for a lot of kj i dont know of anyone who has a 19.99 kmart mic
most kj\dj here are all was trying to out do each other
you know keeping up with the jones

with your permission i like to put your post in our news letter
it goes out to the kj and dj that we book for. about 200 at last glance i think.
i would like to get there feed back
i would be glad to p.m you and tell you what they think
and if you want p.m me and i will put you on the mailing list for the news letter and you can really see whats happing in the dj\karaoke world
from time to time you will see parts of our news letter in mobile beat under whats happing in karaoke today
we have been quoted in there at least twice a year
for the past 5 years

all star (george) puts it in a nut shell for you
quote from george

The "reality of Karaoke" is in the patron's perception.

If a KJ has low end equipment, poor mixing, etc, and in spite of all the shortcomings that another KJ can see, possesses that rare charisma to attract people, hold their attention, and they enjoy themselves enough to keep coming back, then who's to say he's wrong?

and george let me tell you there are quite a few out there that like that
in closeing all star i hope you find and area that has the kind of karaoke you like and all the kjs have what you want
after all it was meant to make people happy not bitter
i hope you find the joy in karaoke you are looking for

i hope every one has a great day and a happy life

mike

[Lauraine Graham- with the Lord]

I would like to put in my tuppenceworth, if I may.

It is my experience that far too many KJs would not know a good balance if it came up and bit them somewhere where it hurts. When I do come across one that does I rejoice, and furthermore I let them know I appreciate the effort of their setting up properly and making sure the sound check is thorough. I also agree with George about the "music" and other noises in films being too loud, but that is another subject!

I agree with the vast majority of comment throughout this thread thus far. Especially the bit about once a KJ has set up he/she thinks that putting on the patron's disc is the only thing left to do, apart from collecting the money at the end of the evening, of course. A KJ is part of the entertainment, but a bad one can ruin perhaps the only night out for a week (or even longer) of a good portion of the clientelle.

It has not always been an advantage having once been a professional entertainer; one notices things which might otherwise have gone unobserved. Having said that, it is a source of constant joy and surprise just how much the general public knows and notices, how high their standards and how talented so many of them are. One always has to bear the irritation of the clowns who only get up when when they are nearly falling down drunk, but it has nearly always been worth it to hear the rest.

Good KJs are worth their weight in gold and I truly appreciate those I come across, as do the vast majority of patrons, and it is a wise venue manager who recognises these, and looks after them!

Having said all that the patron should also respect the KJ and the equipment. Some people can be extremely boorish and it takes much skill in handling them in the right way.

best wishes

[AllStar]

Hi Lauraine

Thank you very much!!
It is my experience that far too many KJs would not know a good balance if it came up and bit them somewhere where it hurts.

I hope more people read this. And yes, there is no better feeling then going to a karaoke bar and running into a KJ that knows his job.

I rest my case :)

[gotrich]

What are the tips or ways of knowig if your mixing good? Are their certain setting for small , medium large rooms? How do you know when you got enough reverb/delay in your sound? I also wonder how do you get a speaker to point at the singer without it scwelching? Can anyone answer the origional complaint. I strive to be the best I can. I try to be better than my competition but even more I try to be better than my last show. If I had a billion dollars aside from having better equip. I would still do this. If I had that money I would do it for free. I love being a KJ (even thouh I only done 6 shows. I practiced in my basement for a month before hand. Trying new things trying to be better than the night before. In my first show people asked if I do weddings and how great it sounded and how good I was doing...with all the compliments I didnt have the heart to tell them its was my first show.

Anyway I look to these forums for advice...so can anyone assist me?

Can the singer be too loud for the music or is there an exact level?

LOL I am sure if I had all of you in a room and asked your oppion each of you would think differently..LOL but I take everyones advice and try it and see what works for me, my crowd, and my bosses.

THANKS!
Rich
Dr Karaoke:g

[Lauraine Graham- with the Lord]

Rich

I beg your pardon, we all seem to have wandered fropm the point.

The way to get your sound and balance as good as you can get it is a mixture of hearing the dound and mix through headphones and from the floor. Each venue is different, and I'm afraid it sounds different again when the room is either enpty or full. As you have been smart enough to ask advice I gather you must be new to the business. You're on the right track, always ask someone. I also suggest you have a notebook or diary. One, to keep a note of the advice given and taken, and two to make a note of the settings you use on your equipment once you are happy with it. That way, if you are invited back you won't have to waste time guessing.

Now to the main point, how will you know if the settings and balance is right? I am making an assumption that you are reasonably bright, do not have any inconvenient difficulties with your hearing and that you have listened to quite a bit of various types of music so far. These points taken for granted your main aids will be your ears, your common sense and eqipment of as good a quality as your pocket can manage. When I started as an entertainer I wanted Bose but was not what I got, but the best I could afford and it served me well.

Arrive in good time to do a DO A THOROUGH SOUND CHECK when you set up. LISTEN to the audio on it's own, test the mics, LISTEN to the audio and your vocal TOGETHER. Stand out in the audience area if you can and LISTEN. People come to hear the vocals so don't drown them in the backing.

Remember that when you are satisfied this is only a starting point. Keep listening and adjust. Each song and each singer has a different. Use your headphones to hear the balance throughout the evening. Do NOT sit on your backside once you have set up thinking your job is done, it isn't, it has just begun.

I hope these points are helpful to you and I wish you luck and success.

[gotrich]

LOL my grandpa has hearing aids so if I have a bad night I tell em I forgot my g-pas miricle ear..LOL

Anyway thanks for the tip

what about a decible reader..I head you can use it to test the music and then the mic and set the mic 6db louder. Is this a good idea?

LOL I learned louder is not always better. I learned quickly after a song was much louder than the previous that its sounds better to fade up than bleeding ears and freak and reach to pull the mixer sound down...LOL

I alos notice for example the Joe Cocker You are so beautiful to me is much softer or quieter than most others...why is this..is there a way to make all songs the same level? Albiet its a romantic soft song but I gotta get it somewhat close to the singer...LOL

I love this!

Rich
Dr Karaoke

[Lauraine Graham- with the Lord]

Dear Rich

You are right inasmuch as louder is not necessarily better. Some songs have a lot of drive without volume and it is not always better to have romantic songs softer. There are so many things to learn that take time and experiment in order to gain experience. Unfortunately there is no substitute for experience. You have to trust your judgement and make time to listen to others' point of view, and somewhere along the line you will reach a comprimise that suits most, if not all.

I have an annoying hearing problem myself, something to do with lower frequencies, which sometimes makes it difficult for me to understand what people are saying if there is any background noise, but as far as volume is concerned I can hear the proverbial pin drop on the carpet. You see what I mean about annoying? However, one has to get over these little difficulties.

You carry on the way you're doing and you are sure to succeed.

best wishes

[Garry A. Leslie]

Hello All,
Being both a KJ and a singer at other people's karaokes, I know in my area there are a number of duds out there.
Saturday night was a prime example.
I sang a song only for somebody to tell me they couldn't hear me, (I knew I was struggling) because the backing was so loud and with an extreme level of reverb.
I listened to other singers that I know, and know they can sing well, and they were all subjected to the same treatment.
A number of them complained to the KJ, he just felt they were picking nits and took not the slightest bit of notice.
In the end a number of us left, partially deaf and extremely irritated by what should have been a good night, spoiled.
Some people just won't take advice, but I do know this KJ is losing more jobs than he's getting.
Regards from across the pond.
Garry

[mlepine]

Doesn't Hoster have the option to normalized each track you import?

Of course you can have some pro software that will let you bring your wave file all on the same level but I was under the impression that Hoster was doing that with the kma file?

Regards

[gotrich]

I didnt know about all the gizmos that MTUs Hoster had. I need to reimport my cd's because I have artist all over the place because I didnt realize the exactnes of the the spelling of the names when I had to type the track name and artist name. I also did know about the voulme leveling. I still not sure how to use it.

Rich
Dr Karaoke

[BigMike]

I come from both sides of this. I am mainly a singer but as much as I go out I have several DJs that have become friends of mine so if they are in a pinch they call me to KJ for them.

The bigest key for sounding good is to leave the area of your equipment and venture out through the audiance. Use this time to mingle with them, get to know how everyone is liking the show and listen to your sound. Nothing annoys me more then to go to the same place with the same equipment and KJ and have different sounds on the same song you sing.

One thing that was mentioned that caught my attention was the singer saying I can't hear myself. Where I go I have to tell the KJ I can't hear myself once in a while. it is the same system and setup but the settings change and he doesn't notice it. I hate having to say something because I know he takes it personally but lets face it if you can't hear yourself you can't always sound as good as you can.

On the same subject if you know the singer is drunk and roughty be at your system with your hand on the volume. Nothing is more irritating then a singer wooting and screaming into the Mic and the KJ no where near the system. nine times out of ten I can see who is going to be yelling and screaming into the Mic. I shouldn't have to swollow the Mic so I can hear myself but I also shouldn't have to plug my ears when someone screams in the Mic.

As for singing while you are the KJ I think the first singer should always be the KJ and it should mark the begining of the rotation. I try to be to a Karaoke show a half hour before it starts so I can be close to the first singer and I like to know I am 2 or three after the KJ.

Now I have a question about rotation. Nothing bothers me more then watching someone walk in at 11:45 and walk right up and sing. By that time I have been waiting to sing for two and a half hours and they walk right in and sing. The KJ writes down the singers name as they walk in and if we are near the end of the list and they walk in the sing right away. When I KJ I place new arivals in places where other singers have left or at the end of the list but then I am doing the same thing. I feel bad for the people who came in at 10:00 and waited an hour and 45 minutes only to have someone walk in the bar and sing 5 minutes later. I have no answer for this, any suggestions?

One more Idea I had and I need an opinion on. I believe the people there for the whole night should be treated a little more special then the in and out customers so I thought of a way to treat them better but have never tried it. Karaoke starts at 9:00 and runs until 2:00 on the weekend here. I wanted to reward the all nighters by letting the early comers sing one more song and here is how I wanted to do it. The list starts at 9:00 at 10:00 I draw a line under the last singer. When the rotation comes to that line I go back to the begining of the list and the rotation begins again. I would have this on a Flyer in several places that says we appreciate the people who are here all night for Karaoke and this is how it is done blah blah kind of thing. This way the people who are there from 9-10 get to sing one more song and the rotation will continue after that. As long as I stick to that rule I feel it is fair. What do you guys think

[DJYale]

The subject of last minute singers is one that kind of has to be handled carefully for fairness.

Personal policy, new singers are no different than singers at the start of the night. When the night begins, people go in to the rotation in the order they come up. As the night progresses, new singers go at the end of the rotation. No exceptions.

If someone does the "Aw, c'mon, I just camer in to do a quick one then I'm outta here." Politely explain that it wouldn't be fair to the people who have been waiting a while to sing, but if he/she would like you can put them in the rotation at the appropriate spot. (Appropriate spot being a polite way of saying at the end of the line as has been hapening with new singers the whole night)

[GuyMonroe]

Singers: To understand what a singer needs in a mix is simple. As a general rule, make sure your soloist has an advantage over the accompanyment. If the loudest level were let's say a 5, keep the music at a 4 and the vocalist at a 5, (unless you wish to bury an unattractive sound). The same mistake usually occurs with bands as well. The majority of sound people at the mixing board in my observation at best set the vocals at the same level as the instrumentation. (even when an amazing vocalist is present) at that point, attempting to hear the soloist, Its like watching a drowning man or woman fighting to keep his or her head above the water, doing battle with bass, drums, lead guitar, saxaphone, etc. Be kind. Please permit the soloist to shine by offer musical support at a lesser volume than they are presenting.

[mlepine]

Guy,

You are soooo right! Why is the singer in front of the musicians on stage? It's like mixing two tracks, the vocal track should be at least 1db louder then the music! Good advice!

[Lauraine Graham- with the Lord]

AT LAST!!! Someone with a bit of mixing savvy. Well done, Mr Monroe. As a singer, ex-pro and now karaoke, I have always battled with those in charge of the mixing. If you don't want to listen to me why invite me to perform?

very best wishes and good luck to you.

[webbsc]

I agree, that for the most part, some KJ's out there do lack mixing savvy. As a KJ if you want great sound, aside from your mixer and speakers, you need a graphic equalizer dedicated to your Main (audience) mix, and also a graphic equalizer dedicated to your monitor (singer) mix. I also recommend investing in a compressor (you can get these from behringer for around $100 or less.) A compressor will save your speakers from the great "rockers" out there who think it's cool to scream and hoot and holler over the mic at the end of the night.

I am a professional musician and a music education major and have performed with almost every national country artist out there. I have been a KJ/DJ for about 6 years. I think that some people are really stuck on having to have the best "Primo" equipment when they go to sing Karaoke. Really, unless you are a huge audio professional, the technology has come so far in the last few years, that even the super low end microphones of today sound pretty good. As a KJ that has to announce things all night, like who the next singer is, drink specials, etc., it is imperative that I have a microphone that works well throught the entire night. In my set up, I have two wireless sm-58's for the singers, and I use a sennheiser wireless in the back of the room for myself. The Sennheiser sounds way better to me than the wireless 58's, but the main reason I use it when I sing, is that it is already mixed to my voice so I can sing my song quickly without having to mix and sing at the same time as much. There are some places that have their own equipment and I end up using the same mic as the singers, and this makes it more difficult, as the mic level is changing from every song.
That is why mixing the sound for karaoke is so challenging, not only is the gain and volume and EQ different for every song, but also, you are changing singers for the entire night. As a KJ, I work hard and pride myself on trying to have the best sound possible, and am always purchasing new equipment to help me in that regard. I know where Mike D is coming from when he says that the "serious singer" is a pain in the ass. Not that we don't want people who are great singers to come to our shows. I think the truly great singers are the one's who get up and sing their song and perform, if they miss a note, so be it. I get tired of the people who get up and say,"this is my first time singing this", and I really get peeved at the people who constantly try to tell me what to do with the mix. I have one guy who must have a lot of hearing loss as he comes in and while he is singing, he basically wants all the high sounds cranked and no bass and no mid range....and I am not exaggerating....it sounds horrible....but if I don't do this he will ride me for the entire song. I think the main reason these "serious singers" ride the KJ about the mix or reverb is to try to cover for when they make a mistake....well....it's not star search so if you hit a wrong note so be it...live with it and don't blame the KJ.
Another thing that makes making a good mix really hard at Karaoke is when you get all these people coming to your DJ booth or wherever you are set up and they feel like they need to camp out there and tell you their life's story or complain about a bad singer, etc. Or they want to badger you about the rotation...or it's 15 minutes til closing time and they want to know why they can't get in the rotation that's been waiting all night and think that if they are a pain enough that you can get in "just one more song". Now...as the KJ.... instead of doing my job and mixing the music and the singer...I am attending to this person's need for attention, etc. Usually these people are the karaoke "stars" that have been travelling from bar to bar to sing and "tour" all night.

So my main thing about karaoke is if you are going to be a "KJ" get out and try to have the best sound that you can get. But, don't go out until you have all the necessary components in your system and a good knowledge of how it all works. Second, to all the singers out there, give the KJ a break on the mix and that, just try to go out and have fun...the KJ is definitely not going to their show to not sound good, but cut them a break as going out and blowing off some steam at a karaoke show is much cheaper than therapy.

[gotrich]

I always take the first 30 seconds and mix the personas song on my mackie DFX 12. Best mixer I have had yet. I have tried many others and Mackie RULES. I use the 12 channel cause sometimes guys will bring a guitar or instrument like a harmonica and plug into a channel..its really AWESOME.

When a singer starts I tell the person sitting with me to wait a moment and i put my hand on the mixer I remove my hand when i think they are good. THen I talk to the person sitting there. I am still very approachable and people come up to me all the time becasue as we know they dont use slips anymore since hoster..LOL

[Reda Lou]

What sounds good to one person may not sound good to another! Just like taste in food. Trust your audience and singers along with your own instincts and don't let one person that hates the sound make you feel bad because there may be 50 others that love it. Even KJ's taste in sound varies.... I had a band sound man help me. At some time in your career theres bound to be one come to your show. Good Luck with your dilema.