Are You Numberless/Paperless?

[madjim- with the Lord]

When I started buying karaoke discs I bought a bunch of multi disc packs and created my own number/pack system. It worked great but I bought out the Sound Choice collection from a local music store, getting away from Sound Choice and started using Hoster.

I like to interact with my singers and try to help them improve, so during conversation it was natural to ask them what song they wanted to sing and pull it up using the search function. It eliminated paper and pens which was one less chore.

I do not use BookID's or DiscID's or any number for that matter of fact. When I enter a disc I spell all of the number to make my database consistant, making the search faster. I run a Numberless/Paperless karaoke show.

Are you Numberless/Paperless?

If you are looking at his and host karaoke in any form please take a second to take this poll.

Thanks!

Jim

[bryant]

I play regularly at two places;
One is 95% paperless,
The other is about 90% paperless.

On new one-time gigs I always promote
vocal requests for songs.

My g/f has mostly regulars who use envelopes with their slips,
but she enters their songs and they sing whatever she puts in. So he's about 60-70% paperless.

Decision: I checked paperless.

[Lonman]

Will always use numbers & slips. Simple reason for me is I carry my discs for not only possible legal ramifications - no not going there - but for backup purposes as well in case of computer crash, i'm stationary 7 nights so all my discs are still set-up like they always have been with easy access to all in jewel cases & easy to find. Plus listing the disc manu, our singers can see what they are choosing - yes they do care & ask.
Slips will be another must for me, if nothing else but a simple paper trail when you push play & someone says, I didn't pick this song, well looking here at what you wrote down, yeah you did!

[swany]

I use paper but use title and artist no numbers, then I usually use the best version I have available when I look it up. My books have no numbers or manufacturer. With a large number of repeats on my PC, I can offer most that know the difference a choice of brands. I still like hosting karaoke because of the folks bringing me written requests and buliding a show with that. The paper don't cost if you recycle paper for slips, I would often take paper already written on one side and process the other for KJ slips so it cost me ink, I still do this today I generate and recieve enough paper to do it. Most of my regulars just come up and make their requests without paper. I'm happy either way.

[billyo]

kinda 50/50..my regulars they just tell me what song they wanted to sing..which most of the time i already know..but the walk-ins i usually hand them a few song slips and a pen..i rarely use disc and id #'s

[swany]

A lot of my regulars I that sing the same stuff time after time, I have edited the song on the pc and added their names to the artist. Just type in their name on the search and bingo their song list comes up, still comes up all the other ways also. Dedicated, singer coming to your shows do deserve that much after all you can always edit it out again. That way they become paperless and appreciate the attention.

[Singsation]

I use penn and paper as when i started Karaoke I was using Laser Discs and still using the mpeg conversions with the same disc and track number,when Hoster 4.10 is released and searching and importing video is avalable i may re think this. My book format is First name alphabet by song or singer or band. I find that many people may not remember after a few beers who sung what or what was that song sung by that band, so they tend to ask then ask if you've got, takes up too much time. Alot of people already know the versions they are used to singing so having all the info for them to read makes life easy for me by not searching for the version there used to singing.

[BooBoo]

I wrote my own hosting program and database. I do use the disk/track number as an index and I do still include them in my books. The only reason is so people can see the version of a song. I have slips available for those that absolutely want to use them but I do not provide pens/pencils. When people come up, they tell me what they want and I add their song while they watch if they want. Some of the people with the slips like to turn in several songs at one time. And that is fine with me. My program not only keeps track of the history of a singer, it also keeps track of songs for a night. So we can que up as many as they like. It's also handy for the drunk that swears they haven't already sung the same song that night.. LOL

I do like the white board idea. But I may go a step further and use a second PC networked to my primary PC instead of a white board. I can write a stripped down version and allow singers to sit right behind me and search/add their own songs which will show up in my list. My program already shows the rotation on the TV monitors between songs and their is always at least one monitor pointing to the crowd.

As it is now, I do a lot of running around finding out who is singing what ahead of the rotation and that part is getting old. If I go to this, I'll pass by singers who have not come to me or added their own song before their turn comes.

I do adjust my rotation some so a straight white board wouldn't work for me. new singers can come in before me or at the end, period. And each singer can only sing once a rotation, period. But the next rotation if two singers are in different places in the rotation but want to sing a duet, I will move the lower singer up to the first singer so the next rotation they sing solo and back to back.

[capnvic]

You know its kinda funny, but I never really thought of myself as an environmentalist. So I guess I'll have to use slips again....LOL

[searcherone]

No Numbers, No Paper, I use one of my old PCs for remote SignUp. I also have my regulars at one of my bars that's not so busy just come and tell me what they want to sing. Both systems work well in their environments. Although the remote lets me concentrate on making my singers sounds the best they can.

[SamRinaldi]

I have been experimenting with Twitter, Facebook and text messaging from the crowd to take requests. I still anounce when they make requests so there is still interactions but I am hoping that it will free me up a bit to keep the mix good and tunes flying.

A really cool feature would be to have the text messages automatically added to a request list so I could scale this up for greater usage. What do you say guys any idea?

[bryant]

Originally Posted by SamRinaldi

I have been experimenting with Twitter, Facebook and text messaging from the crowd to take requests. I still anounce when they make requests so there is still interactions but I am hoping that it will free me up a bit to keep the mix good and tunes flying.

A really cool feature would be to have the text messages automatically added to a request list so I could scale this up for greater usage. What do you say guys any idea?

Night clubs out in the midwest and west already have SMS text messaging where the msgs get filtered and enter on the big screen. Kids love it for requests and meeting people too. The program is very very very expensive and you must have a GMS (T-mobile or AT&T) cellular system to operate.

The phone attaches thru to the usb cable in the computer.

[billyo]

Originally Posted by bryant

Night clubs out in the midwest and west already have SMS text messaging where the msgs get filtered and enter on the big screen. Kids love it for requests and meeting people too. The program is very very very expensive and you must have a GMS (T-mobile or AT&T) cellular system to operate.

The phone attaches thru to the usb cable in the computer.

i'm trying to figure out how this works, i have the latest Blackberry 8900 from T-mobile and i have it sync with my pc/laptops at home i could get my email ,text msg.im etc. thru my phone from what i was told by t-mobile tech.you can only use 10mb ,max. out of the memory and your phone will start slowing down receiving msg.( any smart phone starting july you'll need to get the GMS option) but anyway wont that kinda screw up the singers screen if it start showing up on the screen itself, i have my phone hook-up to my pc and i could download a limited amount of tunes..

[bryant]

Originally Posted by billyo

i'm trying to figure out how this works, i have the latest Blackberry 8900 from T-mobile and i have it sync with my pc/laptops at home i could get my email ,text msg.im etc. thru my phone from what i was told by t-mobile tech.you can only use 10mb ,max. out of the memory and your phone will start slowing down receiving msg.( any smart phone starting july you'll need to get the GMS option) but anyway wont that kinda screw up the singers screen if it start showing up on the screen itself, i have my phone hook-up to my pc and i could download a limited amount of tunes..

During a karaoke show you would have to use another laptop/computer hooked to another large screen, or perhaps even show the SMS text screen when hoster is in between songs. A little tricky though. The systens SMS are originally designed for trade shows where customers text in, meet each other, etc. and the SMS'er gets to collect all the numbers for his advertising purpose. Also included are polls, trivia, number drawings, raffles, etc. Some big night clubs with many screens and a full pledged video DJ probably gets involved in this. My prob is I don't have a T-mobile or ATandT phone with a GMS carrier. Some programs only take certain motorola compatible phones too.