Starting Karaoke, Question 2

[Richard Veal]

Thanks to everyone for the info on the monitors & for info on a suitable tv stand (now ordered) my next question is:

How many tracks should I look to have before I start to introduce this service and can you tell me the must haves/most popular on an average function. Or is Karaoke vastly different from a disco as the requests are always different.

Can you list your top 10 or 20 must haves to get me started on the right track.

The last question, and this is the biggest. In fact the answer to this may decide if this goes ahead or not, is do you personally sing to get things going - because I cant and the thought of it fills me with fear.

Thank you

[ppentertainments]

The last question and this is the biggest, in fact the answer to this may decide if this goes ahead or not, is do you personally sing to get things going - because I cant and the thought of it fills me with fear.

Thank you

I was like this when starting off. There has been a recent thread about whether or not to sing. As I stated you have to remember a karaoke is about fun and 'having a go'. Believe me once you have a couple of goes your confidence will build. Whether you are a good singer or not is irrelevant, it's whether you are a good entertainer. I would say that 80% of the karaoke I do there is no need to sing.

As far as amount of tracks needed, it is a hard one. We have 8000 which is more than enough and to be honest I don't worry about having them too up to date as the latest songs rarely get asked for. Popular songs - like a disco it depends on the crowd.

[DazzyD]

Thanks to everyone for the info on the monitors & for info on a suitable tv stand (now ordered) my next question is:

How many tracks should I look to have before I start to introduce this service and can you tell me the must haves/most popular on an average function. Or is Karaoke vastly different from a disco as the requests are always different.

Having built up my karaoke collection since the very early 1990s (anyone remember the great big laserdiscs?) I've got somewhere in the region of 25,000 tracks in total (this is not unique tracks -some tracks I have several times over). Some songs I enjoy singing I've created myself cos they aren't available anywhere else (or at least I can't find them). But this is way too many for a new venture - you can buy decent core packs of around 1000 tracks for a few hundred quid which will do perfectly well to start with. A good tip, though, is to make a note of any requests you haven't got. Any tracks that get asked for 3 times try to get. This is the way I work and I'm still always in demand. ;)


Can you list your top 10 or 20 must haves to get me started on the right track.

Get a Neil Diamond CDG - he's always popular with the crooners along with Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, etc. I'll have a look over my recent requests and post a list of the most requested. At present, I think Valerie (Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse) is top of the list, though.


The last question, and this is the biggest. In fact the answer to this may decide if this goes ahead or not, is do you personally sing to get things going - because I cant and the thought of it fills me with fear.

Like Chris (PPEntertainments) said, have a look for a recent thread by DJ Miss Behaving as we had a good debate about this one.


Thank you

You're welcome! ;)

[Richard Veal]

Thanks for pointing me to that thread, have had a good read through and seen some different opinions on the singing. I have come to the conclusion that singing is required all i can do is hope that singing badly will make people feel that they can surely do better and have a go. Only ever done it once on holiday and that put me off but if the service is to suceed then i'll have to give up smoking and give it a shot.

Also read about the quality issues on the microphones which stupidly I hadn't even considered. I do have 2 spare sm58 (corded) which will have to do for now but I only have the ability to connect 3 to my mixer I hope 2 mics for the singing will be enough. I have been present where about 9 girls all want to sing a song together and you couldn't hear them because they only have the one mic to share, how do you get arround this?

Thanks so far though - good advice

[DazzyD]

I don't think you'll ever have enough mics! I did an engagement/going away do in the middle of Newcastle a few weeks ago with a great turnout. I got a request in for Kung Fu Fighting and about 20 people got up to sing it! It was a small venue so they didn't really need the mics anyway and they all enjoyed themselves. In fact, it was the busiest karaoke night I've ever had. I was knackered at the end but thoroughly enjoyed it.

As for singing, I always start the night with a deliberately (ahem!) badly sung party song. When I'm finished I say "If you think you can do any better, and lets's face it that shouldn't to too hard, get your requests in!". It seems to work for me!

[Paul James Promotions]

I'd say you want a minimum of 1000 tracks to get you started. Keep an eye on eBay for the Sunfly Gold disks.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'd say you want a minimum of 1000 tracks to get you started. Keep an eye on eBay for the Sunfly Gold disks.

I agree.