Rocky & Kristine’s KARAOKE CORNER
By Rocky & Kristine Fields
A lil’ etiquette
Things are busy this year and you’ll find lots of new karaoke shows listed in the show listings section. Be sure to look it over and try out a new venue when you can. It’s always fun to go sing to a new audience, meet new hosts and gain new fans!
For February, I thought it would be fun to give you some thoughts about karaoke etiquette. Some do’s and don’ts, and maybe a tip or two to help you be a successful karaoke person. One of the most common mistakes we’ve seen over the years at karaoke venues, is people not respecting the current singer by walking in between them and the television monitor they are singing from. Sometimes, depending on the amount of space given for a karaoke set-up, there may not be a lot of room between the singer and the host’s station. Please pay attention to where you are walking as you approach the host to give them your song request. Do clap for each singer, regardless of whether or not you thought they were the best or the worst you’ve ever heard. It takes a lot of guts to get up there and sing, and everyone needs to give props to anyone who tries!
Someone suggested to me that people should not sing outside of their range, and that they should pick songs they know they are capable of singing well. I think that it’s a good thing to challenge yourself, but not over-challenge your voice. You certainly don’t want to hurt yourself!
Rocky asked that I mention too, that if you’re singing as a group or duo with other people, to keep in mind that just because your name is on three or four slips that you may have to wait your turn somewhere a little farther down the rotation, especially if you tend to take over the songs that you sing in a group or duet and be the “main” singer. This makes it look as if the host is playing favorites when first you’re up, then you’re up with your bestest friend, and then again with a whole group of your buddies. Play fair in the rotation. You would probably be the first to complain if someone else was doing this!
A big no-no at our shows, and I’m sure every other host out there will agree, is this: please do not ever swing the microphone by its cord! This is not MTV folks. The cords they use at those shows and in those videos are either 1. just props or 2. thousands of dollars and are built to withstand this type of usage. Standard mic cords are very expensive still, and if you twirl the cord around you will break all the little strands inside of it and make it sound horrible, or worse, break it. It’s not fun to have to re-buy new equipment because people don’t realize what their actions can cause.
Always make sure to compliment other singers if you enjoyed their singing. I’ve seen so many people gain confidence from this simple gesture over the years that it’s worth saying twice! I had a group of people come to one of our shows recently asking where a particular guy was they had seen sing at our shows in the past. They insisted that I get a hold of him and have him come entertain them! It was a huge compliment to the gentleman who got the call from out of the blue.
If you like a host, feel free to let the establishment know what a great job they are doing. Bar owners love knowing they’re getting their money’s worth and the host will appreciate that you took the time to put in a good word for them.
Make sure you tip your waitstaff, especially on karaoke nights. We know that at our venues our karaoke folks tip, and they tip well. Not every karaoke singer is a drinker, but they still spend money wherever they sing. It is important to support the location that is paying for you to be able to sing karaoke. If you go to a place, order water and free popcorn or free chips and salsa, and never put anything into the establishment, eventually they will decide not to provide more “free” services for you. We’ve heard of places charging for water because they felt they were being used and not getting their money’s worth. And if you can’t afford anything, bring your friends who can! It’s always fun to bring along extra people, why not let them hear you sing for them too.
We suggest that you give new venues, and new karaoke hosts the chance to prove themselves worthy of your time too. It’s easy to get comfortable with one host, or one venue and automatically judge a new host harshly. Remember that all hosts are different, as are all people, and singers. Not everyone will play videos, or filler music, some will overplay it, some will never play any. What works for one, may or may not work for another.
The best advice we can offer to anyone who hosts or who sings karaoke is to have fun! If the host isn’t enjoying themselves or their singers, or the singers aren’t having fun, what’s the point in being there? Relax, unwind, sing a little tune and really be in the moment. Know that your karaoke family is all around, and open up your heart to feel the freedom that music brings.
That’s it for this month’s corner. Check out the all-new Facebook fan page for the Karaoke & Live Entertainment Guide online too. You’ll find lots of pictures of you and your friends that won’t fit in the printed newspaper! Feel free to contact us at rocknkris@yahoo.com if you’d like to be on our mailing list, or if you have suggestions, questions or comments. We love hearing from you! (425) 359-9450. Happy Valentines Day!