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Singers & Hosts Wisdom Post how to be a great karaoke singer or host.

View Poll Results: Are KJ's professional?
Yes 15 27.78%
No 2 3.70%
Some are and some are not 37 68.52%
Voters: 54. You may not vote on this poll

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Old March 2nd, 2007, 02:03 AM
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alanross alanross is offline
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First, let me apologize for not finding this thread earlier. Admin alerted me to it with an e-mail for which I am grateful. I also appreciate his posting, he is an amazing person that I am thrilled I had the pleasure to meet.

I'm going to take a personal moment here to give props to the man. I've had the priviledge and honor to work with MTU as one of their beta testers for several years now. In all my dealings with admin, he has personified professionalism. I'll detail that later for purposes of this forum, but for now I want to share with you what it was like for me to meet admin and his lovely wife and to have them visit our show.

We play at a local restaurant 7 nights a week and I personally do three of the nights myself. On one of my nights off, I got a call from this restaurant telling me that there was a couple in town that wanted to meet me. When I found out who it was, I threw on some clothes, grabbed my wife and headed over.

I was nervous the whole time because I knew, it was not going to be a good night in the bar. It was off-season, not a Friday or Saturday night, I had a rookie, fill-in host working the show and the crowd was bound to be small at best. I was thinking that this was not going to be the best way to show off our shows.

When we arrived, I was disappointed that my fears had not been groundless. The room was more empty than not, my host looked like she had jumped out of bed, forgotten to get dressed, threw a baseball cap on and ran out the door. My heart sank as I quickly debated whether I should take over and do the show. I decided that I wasn't going to embarass my host like that, so I just let her continue.

We met admin and his wife and they were perfectly delightful. We sat up at one of the tables near the stage and while admin and I talked about MTU products, our wives were happily engaging each other.

As I listened to admin, I quickly realized I was in way over my head. I had no idea how brilliant this man was before. I knew he was smart and a good business man and a man of deep religious and moral convictions, but Holy crap is he smart!! As I sat there, wallowing in my ocean of ignorance, this man was eloquent not only about the highly technical side of the MTU programs and Karaoke as a business, but the personal side of it, too. He got it.

I've met a lot of techno-nerds who seem to have 4-digit IQs, but most of them haven't got the first clue how to talk to another human being. Admin, has a true understanding of people. He understands their feelings and their motivations. I think what makes MTU stand out for me is the combination of technological brilliance coupled with an understanding of what people want that is evident in their products.

I found myself fumbling to try to say something that sounded even remotely intelligent, but when I am not on stage, I communicate much better through the written word. I felt like a caveman trying to discuss quantum mechanics with Albert Eistein (no offense to the cavemen). What could I bring to the discussion?

Don't get me wrong, admin and his wife were perfectly charming and gracious, but when they left, I thought I must have looked like a total idiot and to top it all off, the show was mediocre at best. Until reading his post today, I thought they were horribly disappointed with me and the show and that's why they never came back. (A large part of humility is a generous helping of self-doubt).

Anyway, here's why I feel admin personifies professionalism. First, he has a firm grasp of the technical side of his craft. He thoroughly understands exactly what it takes to make A work with B to produce C. He also has an understanding of why one would want A to work with B to produce C and how producing C would be beneficial. This knowledge base is essential to be "professional".
Professionals know their stuff.

Second, he's willing to hear ideas that may help improve what he's doing. These forums are a perfect example of what I mean. Admin is willing to listen to suggestions and incorporate ideas into his products that others suggest. He respects the input of people who use his product.
Professionals respect the people they serve.

Third, his products are user friendly and easy to learn. He doesn't try to overdo a product or make it too technologically advanced for the average user. He keeps it as simple as possible while hiding all the really cool programming hidden in the background.
Professionals make it look easy.

Fourth, everything related to the MTU products has a crisp, sharp look and everything works from an operational and aesthetic viewpoint. When you go to the MTU website, things are laid out well, the links all work and it's easy to navigate. Open any final release of an MTU program and it will not only look good but function brilliantly.
Professionals make everything look good. AND
Professionals deliver the goods.

Finally, admin cares about the quality of his products. He could put out programs which serve the purpose, but there is a commitment to quality inherent in all his work that surpasses the competition. I don't know if you can quantify without serious examination of each program, but the attention to detail shows just how much he puts into everything he makes.
Professionals care enough to never give less than 100%.

When you think about what makes someone a professional, they have to have all these qualities without exception:
Professionals know their stuff.
Professionals respect the people they serve.
Professionals make it look easy.
Professionals make everything look good.
Professionals deliver the goods.
Professionals care enough to never give less than 100%.

So when we're talking about what makes a KJ, DJ or MC more "professional" than another, a lot of it is more esoteric than literal. You can use Websters to find the definition of a professional or you can know it intuitively. When you see it, you know it.

It's like the difference between a local commercial and a network commercial. For example, you would never confuse a nationally run commercial for Pizza Hut with a locally run commercial for Fred's Pizza Emporium. You can instantly tell the difference in the level of quality. One is very "professional" looking and the other... not so much. It's true for almost any business.

You take your car to an auto shop. The shop is well ordered, people move about with purpose, the mechanics are all wearing matching work clothes, no one is standing idle, and the girl at the register is smiling to the customers. Your car is examined within minutes of your scheduled arrival and an estimate is given shortly thereafter. You agree to the work, and before you know it, your car is functioning perfectly again. This is a very professional auto shop.

OR you could take your car to Lousey's Auto. The shop is filthy; tools lying on the ground, old tires stacked up along the parking lot, two mechanics are standing off to the side of the building having a smoke. There are three cars up on lifts with no one around. You check in at the desk and they tell you they're backed up - it'll be about an hour before you can get an estimate. You wait two before some guy in ratty jeans and a grease and sweat stained t-shirt gives you the bad news about your car. You agree to have the work done and they tell you to come pick it up tomorrow. After three days of trying to get a real answer about your car, you're finally told it's ready. You pay twice the amount of the estimate and drive away only to discover that there's now a strange rattling noise coming from the engine which still isn't running right. This is a very unprofessional auto shop.

The point is, no one has to tell you what makes one shop more professional than the other. It's obvious to everyone. The same is true for Show Hosts. You know it when you see it.

How you help someone become "professional" is a whole different story.

And lastly, (I know I rattle on and on, sorry, but thank you for getting this far, if you did...) the following quote is proof positive of how impressive admin is to me. I'll explain after...
Quote:
Originally Posted by admin
Singing karaoke on stage is TOTALLY different from listening or dancing to music... be it a Juke, a Band, or a DJ. You are up there alone. You must overcome the fear of going on stage. You WILL experience an Adrenalin rush - the "fight or flight" hormone - to either bask in the applause or head for the door. You will do the best you can... if the Host has built you and others up over the evening. Humans know respect and love, and our spirit responds to it.

Karaoke, in my humble opinion, has the power to change the human spirit. It can lift a common person... who may be too fat or too thin, too tall or too short, pure ugly or just plain... and give them a chance in the spotlight to show their Talent. As we all know, there are those with Talent, and those with NONE, and their physical appearance has nothing to do with their Talent. If they are rich they may dress well. If they are poor, they don't. But a Talented voice... even in a drab garb... can bring tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.
Admin doesn't frequent Karaoke joints, he doesn't sing at every opportunity and he certainly didn't sing at our show, but he understands what it takes for someone to get up there and do it. He understands what the person goes through, what it means to them and how it can change them.

We've all seen the wallflower blossom with the right encouragement and one of the things a true professional is going to do, is be the one offering that encouragement.

My hat is off to admin, because part of being a professional is knowing your stuff and to know your stuff, you have to know it from many different perspectives. His understanding from the vocalists' perspective is perhaps the most impressive, because he's not a vocalist. That's what I mean about knowing your stuff. He knows way more than I ever will.

- Alan Ross
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  #2  
Old March 2nd, 2007, 08:42 AM
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bryant bryant is offline
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And my hat is off to both of you, as well!
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Old March 4th, 2007, 01:01 AM
goonie227 goonie227 is offline
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Wink Dj's trying to expand

I went to a show tonight the guy that was running it is a DJ that has been in this area for 20+ years he is a very good dj but about two months ago he added KARAOKE with a "cavs" unit 14000 songs and nothing in the last 2 years Then his external drive wouldn't load discs from the singers
God am I glad I bought HOSTER. DJ's need alot of work to become "KJ's"
The Buddy system of singers doesn't work and roation is what is all about.
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Old March 4th, 2007, 02:39 AM
kilith kilith is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goonie227 View Post
I went to a show tonight the guy that was running it is a DJ that has been in this area for 20+ years he is a very good dj but about two months ago he added KARAOKE with a "cavs" unit 14000 songs and nothing in the last 2 years Then his external drive wouldn't load discs from the singers
God am I glad I bought HOSTER. DJ's need alot of work to become "KJ's"
The Buddy system of singers doesn't work and roation is what is all about.
To me going from KJ and adding on DJ is pretty easy and I have been doing pretty good for the past few years doing it. You are more down to earth DJ who already knows what people likes to hear and what they do not. To me a DJ is high winded and listens to themselves talk. That is what they do and have always done. Yeah they can go out and get CAVS or Hoster and buy CDG's and import them. They have NO CLUE on how to make a person sound good. They never had to do it before... DJ's pound their music to me that is easy to do... When it comes to being a KJ it is more of an art form. You have to have a good ear... you need to adjust all the time because like every good KJ knows no one sings or sound the same!

Another thing I have noticed is DJ's charge at least $400.00 to add karaoke to their DJ shows. Then they brag they have 1000 plus songs lol. KJ's are very under rated and maybe thats why karaoke is so flooded with many KJ's that give karaoke a bad name. I think a lot of people on the MTU site here are here because they want to be the best they can be and has a company that stands behind them and puts out a product with everything we want!

We need to just as a community work had and keep showing that you can not subsitute a DJ for a KJ by giving the best karaoke show we can. I know that I am willing to help and I do make a good living with karaoke from $250-$300 a weekend night. We have all heard that Alanross gives a heck of a show and I know he is willing to help out.

lets show DJ's we can keep doing one better
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Old March 4th, 2007, 12:13 PM
muzicman144 muzicman144 is offline
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Professional DJ/KJ?????

Maybe its because i'm neither a dj or kj that i may be missing the point. I don't see what one has to do with the other. Seems we are discussing apples and oranges here where the only relationship is we all play basically the same places. The idea of discussion is to gain new insight or ideas to improve what we do as "Entertainers". How the dj does his job cannot be compared to what a kj does. The only thing in common would be a sound system. The root of the problem seems to be the competition and pay scale.The bands out there that karaoke is putting out of business is saying the same thing about kj's as the dj's are saying about the kj's who are putting them out of business.
I was playing one man shows when if you looked up karaoke on google, google would send you to a japanese site about flowers or some crap. Now look at it. If i was a dj, i would be shopping at MTU and a computer store to get in the karaoke business. Now, having said that, i'm still playing more than i want to, my friends who have the good bands are still playing all they want to, and a couple of djs i know have plenty of work. Talk about each other and complain about each other all you want to, but, the bottom line is the best always play the best places, make the most money, and, will continue to do so. If you are not one of these, quit complaining and start listening to learn how to be the best, so you can survive when the next "big" entertainment thing comes out.

muzicman
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Old March 4th, 2007, 03:38 PM
kilith kilith is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by muzicman144 View Post
Maybe its because i'm neither a dj or kj that i may be missing the point. I don't see what one has to do with the other. Seems we are discussing apples and oranges here where the only relationship is we all play basically the same places. The idea of discussion is to gain new insight or ideas to improve what we do as "Entertainers". How the dj does his job cannot be compared to what a kj does. The only thing in common would be a sound system. The root of the problem seems to be the competition and pay scale.The bands out there that karaoke is putting out of business is saying the same thing about kj's as the dj's are saying about the kj's who are putting them out of business.
I was playing one man shows when if you looked up karaoke on google, google would send you to a japanese site about flowers or some crap. Now look at it. If i was a dj, i would be shopping at MTU and a computer store to get in the karaoke business. Now, having said that, i'm still playing more than i want to, my friends who have the good bands are still playing all they want to, and a couple of djs i know have plenty of work. Talk about each other and complain about each other all you want to, but, the bottom line is the best always play the best places, make the most money, and, will continue to do so. If you are not one of these, quit complaining and start listening to learn how to be the best, so you can survive when the next "big" entertainment thing comes out.

muzicman
You are right... DJ is very much different then a KJ. It is like comparing apples and oranges. Just like it is with a DJ and a Band. Yes DJ killed wedding singers. Back then there were not very good sound systems and carying around a record player and stuff would of really been a hassle. They still did it but not like how it really blew up when CD's came out. Video killed the radio star even tho MTV has now killed themselves... Man what ever happened to the MTV of the 80 and early 90's before this TRL crap and reality shows...

Ok that got off the point.

Anyway the point here is the difference between DJ and KJ. Well most DJ's I have seen are long winded, talk alot, and try to be very flashy. Well that is their job. They play music and give a personal show of themselves. They are the center of attention the whole night. With the KJ they are only center of attention part of the night the rest of the night they are adjusting and working their PA to make their singers the center of attention.

Now what sets a KJ apart of a DJ. Way I look at it and why a KJ moving to DJ is better then a DJ trying to become a KJ is...

1. KJ is use to running the show all night long and keeping everything sounding great. A DJ blasts their music and there really is not much for adjustment.

2. A KJ is not use to being the center of the show. A DJ is always the center of the show even if it is suposed to be a bride and groom the DJ still is the center. So when a KJ starts to DJ he keeps it like he always has and does not take over the center of the show but shares it with everyone else.

3. DJ is always use to being the center of attention. I just dont think that makes a good KJ because your singers are your show... not you.

4. All the behind the scenes a KJ does to make his show sound great... just not something a DJ has to do. a DJ starts his music and if it is too loud turn it down a slight bit and if it is too soft turn it up a bit... a KJ is adjusting bass, treble, singer volume, music volume, knowing on how to stop feedback over a mic. A DJ just does not do this.

5. A good KJ has the ear for the music. To me a KJ just have the right kind of ear. It is almost like a sounds man at a big rock concert. You have to have that right ear to be able to adjust and blend everything in to one smooth operation.

If anyone objects to these (which all of these I consider to be something a professional KJ does) lets hear yout thoughts. I am just stating why I think a KJ (a good KJ that really loves this job) can be a better DJ then a DJ trying to be a KJ. These are my views on the difference and why I think a KJ is just getting the bottom end of the deal.
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Old March 4th, 2007, 06:28 PM
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Old March 26th, 2007, 10:21 PM
bobcox- with the Lord bobcox- with the Lord is offline
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I am a kj not a dj, although i will play some dance music if need be.
when i see a pro DJ he is the one playing and scratching and making his own mixes. two turntables/ cd player mixing on the fly. these guys are pro DJs.
what i see in my area is guys playing out of a laptop and letting the program
fade to next song. or playing from a cd just one song after another.
these are NOT pro DJs.
seems anyone with some equipment and can play some CDs calls himself a DJ.
watch some of the pros at the big clubs in the big citys and you will see what i am talking about.

I think the same for KJs, i see so many one night a week KJs with a few disc and a player, and do not know how to use it.
then i see guys and gals who do it five times a week, make a full time living at it.
spend a lot of time and money upgrading and studying sound and equipment
trying to be the best they can be.
they are the pro KJs.
Just My Two cents. Bob
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