Contests ... Good or Bad?

[horseshoe]

Some of this amazes me. Them most popular television show is a contest between different people doing different styles of music.

I had the honor of being asked to be a judge at a contest last week. I work in the bar on Wednesday night, but this was the Sunday night crowd. It was a final elimination contest for a big cash award and a recording contract. All the judges were neutral and didn't know any of the singers. There were six of us, and we all came from different backgrounds in music.

One guy runs a very successful singing telegram company, and is a radio personality. Another is a lawyer who is a talent scout and an agent who represents different singers. One had attended the Julliard school of music. The rest of us were KJs who have worked around this area for a number of years, and were invited to participate, and be judges.

We graded on several unique qualifications. One was pitch control and another was the ability to change pitch in the song they chose. This gave us a good example of their vocal abilities. You have never heard some of the versions of songs they sang. They made them their own, and were fabulous to hear. We also judged them on interaction with the audience, and eye contact with it. The best ones sang to the judges, as well as the audience.

We didn't grade them on reading a screen or on memory, though every one of them sang without the help of the monitor. If they had glanced at the big screen, no points would have been deducted. We were looking for skill and entertainment.

One contestant had won all the local events before, because they had graded on the audience clapping and screaming. Therefore, he always brought his big crowd with him, wherever a contest was held. Then of course, they would leave. He did not place in the top three, because he was not as good as the winners. Everyone of them were allowed to look at the score cards if they wanted. He requested to do that, and then said he was satisfied with the results. Not one person in the audience said anything bad about the judging, except to say it was very fair, and almost to a person agreed on the top three. Almost everyone said the winner had been the best, however second and third could have gone either way.

We stayed and sang the rest of the night, and were warmly greeted and had drinks bought for us all night long from the contestants. I thought they were very gracious and every one of them showed class. Of course, many of them left, and took their crowd with them. Hell, they didn't buy anything but soft drinks anyway, so no big loss.

I can't wait to do it again next year, though I won't do any contests in my Wednesday night gig.

[George]

Originally Posted by horseshoe

We graded on several unique qualifications. One was pitch control and another was the ability to change pitch in the song they chose. This gave us a good example of their vocal abilities. You have never heard some of the versions of songs they sang. They made them their own, and were fabulous to hear. We also judged them on interaction with the audience, and eye contact with it. The best ones sang to the judges, as well as the audience.

We didn't grade them on reading a screen or on memory, though every one of them sang without the help of the monitor. If they had glanced at the big screen, no points would have been deducted. We were looking for skill and entertainment.

Exactly...and if approached from the qualities it takes to have a well delivered song; those you mentioned, plus being in obvious control of their voice, breath control, delivery of the lyrics, etc, all are playing the same game, different songs or not,and can be judged on the overall presentation.

George

[bryant]

Originally Posted by horseshoe

Some of this amazes me. Them most popular television show is a contest between different people doing different styles of music.

I had the honor of being asked to be a judge at a contest last week. I work in the bar on Wednesday night, but this was the Sunday night crowd. It was a final elimination contest for a big cash award and a recording contract. All the judges were neutral and didn't know any of the singers. There were six of us, and we all came from different backgrounds in music.

One guy runs a very successful singing telegram company, and is a radio personality. Another is a lawyer who is a talent scout and an agent who represents different singers. One had attended the Julliard school of music. The rest of us were KJs who have worked around this area for a number of years, and were invited to participate, and be judges.

We graded on several unique qualifications. One was pitch control and another was the ability to change pitch in the song they chose. This gave us a good example of their vocal abilities. You have never heard some of the versions of songs they sang. They made them their own, and were fabulous to hear. We also judged them on interaction with the audience, and eye contact with it. The best ones sang to the judges, as well as the audience.

We didn't grade them on reading a screen or on memory, though every one of them sang without the help of the monitor. If they had glanced at the big screen, no points would have been deducted. We were looking for skill and entertainment.

One contestant had won all the local events before, because they had graded on the audience clapping and screaming. Therefore, he always brought his big crowd with him, wherever a contest was held. Then of course, they would leave. He did not place in the top three, because he was not as good as the winners. Everyone of them were allowed to look at the score cards if they wanted. He requested to do that, and then said he was satisfied with the results. Not one person in the audience said anything bad about the judging, except to say it was very fair, and almost to a person agreed on the top three. Almost everyone said the winner had been the best, however second and third could have gone either way.

We stayed and sang the rest of the night, and were warmly greeted and had drinks bought for us all night long from the contestants. I thought they were very gracious and every one of them showed class. Of course, many of them left, and took their crowd with them. Hell, they didn't buy anything but soft drinks anyway, so no big loss.

I can't wait to do it again next year, though I won't do any contests in my Wednesday night gig.

I admire this exception to the rule, as is the "American Idle" contests. These contests have very very exceptionally trained judges who are looking for very specific and unique abilities that are worked on for years by the contestants who also have practiced for years and know exactly through a series of pre-interviews what is being judged and by who, and it still takes years for the "Idol" contest to come up with a winner. Anyone that assumes that the "American Idol" is an over night sensation thing is fooling themselves. Someone in my area once went to a state final. The work that was put into it eve at that point was like a full time job. It was like his job performance was simply finally being evaluated. Very unlike a local typical "no sense" karaoke contest.

[gotrich]

I have been in business for 2 years now my contest works like this. You sign up by said time. Each contestant will be judged on a score of 1-100, 50 being average. I have a few people come in and volunteer to judge. A friend a fience a bartender from a different bar.I use 2-3 each night. we run for 12 weeks and take 2 qualifiers a niht based on the score. Score is based on judges oppinion of song. I explain to them that you can take in to account the voice/stage show whatever. This is explained before and after each contest. Also it is said IT IS ALL FOR FUN many time throughout the evening. The semi finalst I try to find different judges if I can. The semi finals will narrow the 24 to 12. I then get a local music teacher, or local radio DJ or Local High profile band member to volunteer... out of all these option I can always find 3 guest VOLUNTEERS. And then the 12 sing 1 song narrowed down to 6 those 6 sing one song and then the last 3 sing for the money..so have 3 songs do them like the origional artist or in you rown style..basically ENTERTAIN US!!! thats it its that simple. of course you get a few who cant sing or whateverand complain but overall they are ok. I have thought about letting the judges pick a winner and the audience pick the other. Or letting winners from weeks before judge but they would vote low on the better singer hoping they dont have to compete, and thought about letting each contestant judge the one on stage but immaturity andjelousy and drunkness get in the way.

[bryant]

sounds like a reasonable "just for fun" approach!

[Jumpmaster2376]

It's been over 4 years since I posted the original question! I'm amazed the thread still has life. Like 'em or not, contests seem to hit a nerve for us karaoke folks.

I sure appreciate all your responses, and I'm sure that thanks to them if I ever do another contest I've got enough of your great ideas to improve any future contest of mine.

Still, I feel I will try to avoid them when possible. My gut tells me that if I tell this singer they are number one, I'm telling the rest they are not.

Dennis

[SteveWalker]

Contests are used to temporarily boost attendance at karaoke shows to sell more liquor and make more $$$ cash! No one cares who wins or who the best singer except the singers. The bars like to award the karaoke contests to the bar flies and regulars who support them with their $$$ cash. Just an observation over the years going back to 1988 when laser karaoke started. Anyone wishing to be in a real contest can join the next "Amerian Idol" contest.

[danny_g]

I have adopted the policy of no contests because while it may bring more patrons into the bar they end up not coming back once the contest is over which in my opinion is a death sentence to the karaoke host when asked why the week after the contest there is a lower amount of people attending the show. I would rather do give aways than contests or a contest that has nothing to do with singing ability but encourages the singers to get involved or sing songs that they would not normally try- something like a mystery song contest.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by Jumpmaster2376

Still, I feel I will try to avoid them when possible. My gut tells me that if I tell this singer they are number one, I'm telling the rest they are not.

Dennis

That is precisely right, as in fact, you are creating losers.
What fun is that, right?
I, also, do along the way, giveaways throughout the year.
I make it random; Pavlov's theories state that random positive enforcement works best.

[Lonman]

Funny thing is if contests are so terrible, WHY then do people feel the need to enter? Why are contest nights always packed?
Answer simply, if it's fun to do & people enjoy something, SOMEONE is going to make it into a competition - this goes for ANYTHING that's supposed to be fun, not just karaoke. Why do people compete - it's human nature to try to be the best! All the way from the prettiest baby contest to a Grandma quilting contest & everything, sport, hobby, music & anything else you can think of - Guiness book of world records is nothing BUT a huge contest in almost everything imagineable.
We run contests all the time, don't lose customers over it, our regs know that when the contest is over, things will get back to normal & we've actually gained new regs from contests - not all the time, but most of them we've ran. Only advice is try to keep everything as fair as possible (even though people will still see it as not - again, human nature), allow all judges sheets to be reviewd, never allow audience response as a scoring criteria, have judges at least knowledgeable in the music field & having absolutely nothing to do with the club holding the contest.