Karaoke in with the price of the disco?

[One Vision]

Hya folks I have heard quite allot about certain DJs in my area throwing karaoke in with the price of the disco is this really acceptable?

Some are saying that's what the customer wants and wouldn't get the gig if I didn't also provide karaoke and is a general price of around £150?

Surely these are two different forms of entertainment and so if a customer wants both then should darn well pay for both although with a possible slight reduction on the price of each as both are together?

Is this happening in other areas? :confused:

[groove on discos]

if it were me id just add like 20-30 pounds onto the price or something...

[Corabar Steve]

Treat it as an add on & charge accordingly. You should never give away something for nothing.

& aim higher than £150, you don't live in Haverhill :sj:

[Excalibur]

I've known Karaoke providers to throw in playing music since they've already taken the kit in, but I've never seen a disco provide Karaoke without an extra charge! Used to cost me £50 approx to hire the kit. The maths isn't difficult.;)

[Paul James Promotions]

We usually charge £50 extra for Karaoke.

[ppentertainments]

Usually charge £25 extra for karaoke but have been known to throw it in for free if it gets me the gig.
Why ?? I am often undercut in this area for my discos and a lot of dj's are seriously reducing their prices. Instead of reducing my price I stick to it but will give them free karaoke. I have to keep the karaoke updated anyway so might as well use it and although I admit I am 'giving it away', it costs me nothing but has secured a couple of gigs.

Am I doing right ?? No, but as mentioned the average price of a gig round here for a decent disco is only £100 - £120 with the lets say 'less reputable' discos going from £50. To secure a gig with a 'free' karaoke makes better business sense than losing the gig.

[DazzyD]

Usually charge £25 extra for karaoke but have been known to throw it in for free if it gets me the gig.
Why ?? I am often undercut in this area for my discos and a lot of dj's are seriously reducing their prices. Instead of reducing my price I stick to it but will give them free karaoke. I have to keep the karaoke updated anyway so might as well use it and although I admit I am 'giving it away', it costs me nothing but has secured a couple of gigs.

Am I doing right ?? No, but as mentioned the average price of a gig round here for a decent disco is only £100 - £120 with the lets say 'less reputable' discos going from £50. To secure a gig with a 'free' karaoke makes better business sense than losing the gig.

Have to say, Chris, I'm in your neck of the woods and my disco prices start at £195 and May has been my busiest month ever!

I do a fair few karaoke discos (24.2% of bookings in the last 12 months have been karaoke discos). I do this as an add-on to the disco with a charge of between £30-£50 for the service. Like you said, the sound system is already in place, my cd-players are all CD+G compatible, my backup laptop is loaded to cope with digital karaoke so everythings in place. It's just a case of including a monitor and job done.

[DJWayne]

Should definetly be an add on to the price of a disco not included that the way i price it.

I tell the custmer a price and thats for disco OR karaoke not both if they want both they pay extra. I have had to explain this to customers in the past when they have queried why the extra cost. I alweays tell them that if i am doing a disco i take a lot more lights , no tv / projector etc etc but if i am doing karaoke I carry a lot less lights and all the extra's i mentioned if they want both i have to bring it all , more work + more equipment to set up = more cost simple as that and i have never had anyone query it further after that :)

[Tony Scott]

We usually charge £50 extra for Karaoke.

Same here - £50 extra, but I try not to encourage too much of it within a 'Disco environment' as, in my opinion, they are two totally different forms of entertainment.

In my experience a Karaoke crowd and a Disco type party crowd are not that compatible.......too many big ego's with the karaoke lot.

That said I'm a DJ not a KJ, so what do I know? :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Same here - £50 extra, but I try not to encourage too much of it within a 'Disco environment' as, in my opinion, they are two totally different forms of entertainment.



I agree. You're always going to get the people who want to dance and those who want to sing.

[BeerFunk]

Maybe it's just me, but from my experience, I'd be adding at least £80 on for karaoke! At times it can be a two man job to cope with everything if you're running karaoke with disco songs in between singers, which is the best way to run proceedings I think.

In saying that, it rarely works mixing the two anyway.

[Have a disco]

Our Karaoke Discos start from £250 basically a small show + £50

But just karaoke goes out for £100 - £140 and I use the venues own big screen so they get a discount dependant on regularity of bookings

[ppentertainments]

Have to say, Chris, I'm in your neck of the woods and my disco prices start at £195 and May has been my busiest month ever!

I do a fair few karaoke discos (24.2% of bookings in the last 12 months have been karaoke discos). I do this as an add-on to the disco with a charge of between £30-£50 for the service. Like you said, the sound system is already in place, my cd-players are all CD+G compatible, my backup laptop is loaded to cope with digital karaoke so everythings in place. It's just a case of including a monitor and job done.

Totally agree with you. My prices are around the same, but have spoke to a lot of dj's who were charging similar now offering high discounts (or special offers). Don't know if just around here are not. I did notice my conversion rate for enquiries to bookings had reduced so was using this as a tool to try and gain more bookings. Like you am having busiest month ever (apart from cancellation this sat) but to be honest June looking like April - Quiet

[Royalblue]

Karl, I don't charge extra for karaoke as it makes very little difference to me. I started up as a karaoke specialist and have kind of added the disco on to it and am now at the point where I am specialising in Disco and trying to minimise the karaoke as I really don't like doing it- note name change from Bluebird karaoke to Bluebird Disco and Karaoke and am now Bluebird Entertainments. As for £150 - yes for a normal function but way more for a wedding.

[jamesh]

At times it can be a two man job to cope with everything if you're running karaoke with disco songs in between singers, which is the best way to run proceedings I think.


Bloomin eck two man job... what are you doing at your karaoke nights?? i find it just as easy as a disco even with the extra audience interaction and entertainment... Although that may be yet another advantage to doing it on a digital system rather than a cd based system.

Cost wise i don't really charge any different for a karaoke disco compared to a normal disco as it's all on the same system and not a great deal of extra setup - just a bit more interaction and mic work... Plus what would a karaoke be like without music in between - pretty dull really... so why not throw in a couple of lights for it and have a karaoke disco?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I agree with Beerfunk, I definately prefer doing karaoke with 2 of us. As I am 'quite' interactive when doing karaoke, I need someone to sort the request slips, get the tracks cued up and hand out the mics.

[jamesh]

ahhh don't be so lazy :P

(says the guy that uses a roadie for any gig... unless really stuck and cant find anyone :D)

[DJWayne]

Bloomin eck two man job... what are you doing at your karaoke nights?? i find it just as easy as a disco even with the extra audience interaction and entertainment... Although that may be yet another advantage to doing it on a digital system rather than a cd based system.

Cost wise i don't really charge any different for a karaoke disco compared to a normal disco as it's all on the same system and not a great deal of extra setup - just a bit more interaction and mic work... Plus what would a karaoke be like without music in between - pretty dull really... so why not throw in a couple of lights for it and have a karaoke disco?

I think there is a balance of course i play music in between singers to fill gaps etc etc and i always take a few lights even if it is just a karaoke but there is a difference in putting out a show for karaoke and a full light show for disco as well as the kit for karaoke hence the additional cost. :)

[rob1963]

I'm always surprised at the number of people who want a disco AND karaoke at the same function, as the two are so different.

It can't be easy to make the transition from one to the other.

I can just imagine a packed dance floor one minute, then the DJ announces it's time for karaoke...so everbody does & sits down!

:confused:

[Royalblue]

I'm always surprised at the number of people who want a disco AND karaoke at the same function, as the two are so different.

It can't be easy to make the transition from one to the other.

I can just imagine a packed dance floor one minute, then the DJ announces it's time for karaoke...so everbody does & sits down!

:confused:

I totally agree. One minute you're playing upbeat music and the next you get some idiot who wants to sing lady in red. I really want to ditch it but cant really afford to.

[jamesh]

It's not so bad. It can work ok... Yeah not as smooth as just playing music but it is workable...

Just tailor the singing requests with the style of music you are playing at the time rather than in order that the slips are added in... Then call the singer up a minute before the track ends... so that as soon as the track ends you can go right into the karaoke track with pretty much no gap for people to sit down... Doesn't always work and you do tend to loose quite a few from the dance floor... But you don't have to enjoy the night by being on the dancefloor do you? I know i've had some discos where hardly anyone has got onto the dancefloor but there has been good comments at the end and people seemed to enjoy it...

[BeerFunk]

I'm always surprised at the number of people who want a disco AND karaoke at the same function, as the two are so different.

It can't be easy to make the transition from one to the other.

I can just imagine a packed dance floor one minute, then the DJ announces it's time for karaoke...so everbody does & sits down!

:confused:Well, you wouldn't announce 'it's karaoke time' as obviously as that... you'd just call up a singer, an minimise the gaps between the disco track finishing and the karaoke track starting. You can also try to avoid the ballads, and even explain to people that you're looking for 'upbeat'.

But you're right, it rarely works out. I have had a few disco/karaoke successes, but they were in the minority!

[DazzyD]

I'm always surprised at the number of people who want a disco AND karaoke at the same function, as the two are so different.

It can't be easy to make the transition from one to the other.

I can just imagine a packed dance floor one minute, then the DJ announces it's time for karaoke...so everbody does & sits down!

:confused:

I don't see why you should be so surprised, Rob.

I kinda got in to disco by accident. I started doing a karaoke night that, to be fair, wasn't very busy. In fact, some nights it was me and the bar staff. When my voice almost packed in from too much strain (proof on my medical record!) I decided to play more music inbetween singers. Now my idea of good music is a lot of 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s retro and school disco stuff so word got round I playing it there and the nights got busier. The landlady liked her karaoke so wouldn't go for just a disco but I got asked to do a karaoke disco. And Lightning was born. Soon after, I did my first wedding disco and it was a huge success so I now specialise in weddings & family parties but I've never forgotten my karaoke roots.

That's why I still do the karaoke discos and I think they do work. Mind you, I usually stop the singing about an hour from the end and give everyone a chance to dance the night away. I think this works best and I've got my bookings diary to prove it!

[ppentertainments]

I don't see why you should be so surprised, Rob.

I kinda got in to disco by accident. I started doing a karaoke night that, to be fair, wasn't very busy. In fact, some nights it was me and the bar staff. When my voice almost packed in from too much strain (proof on my medical record!) I decided to play more music inbetween singers. Now my idea of good music is a lot of 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s retro and school disco stuff so word got round I playing it there and the nights got busier. The landlady liked her karaoke so wouldn't go for just a disco but I got asked to do a karaoke disco. And Lightning was born. Soon after, I did my first wedding disco and it was a huge success so I now specialise in weddings & family parties but I've never forgotten my karaoke roots.

That's why I still do the karaoke discos and I think they do work. Mind you, I usually stop the singing about an hour from the end and give everyone a chance to dance the night away. I think this works best and I've got my bookings diary to prove it!


Very similar story to myself. Started with karaoke (mainly for a laugh on a saturday night) then disco came later. Lately I have never done a karaoke without disco. Normally start off with disco then when everyone in karaoke then finish off with disco. Most karaoke's have music playing inbetween songs anyway. I much prefer doing this as you can always go to disco if no-one wants to get up singing, and also by doing the last hour or so disco it gets everyone up and stops the 'drunk' who always seems to appear from damaging mics etc.

I know a lot of people on this forum do not agree but works judging by my questionnaire's - could this be another regional difference ??

[DazzyD]

I know a lot of people on this forum do not agree but works judging by my questionnaire's - could this be another regional difference ??

Don't think it is a regional thing, though, Chris. I've done gigs all over the place including Spain and people from all areas enjoy a good sing and a dance. I think the trick is simply to be upbeat and get everyone in a party mood. If they've got the right combination of good music, good atmosphere and good drink then I don't think it matters where they come from.

As I said in recent posts, I did a karaoke disco for a couples wedding in Washington but they, and their family, were from Surrey. But they knew how to party just like anyone else!

[Kernow]

Strange thing, I have this week received a repeat booking for July following the success of the same event last year.
It's an annual week-long gathering of enthusiasts which ends with a leaving Disco & Karaoke on the Saturday.

This year the two have been seperated into Wednesday Karaoke/Saturday Disco.
Maybe even the public are also beginning to realise that the two can sometimes be an uneasy union.

Or perhaps I give 'em too much fun for just one night ? :o

[BeerFunk]

I find one of the biggest problems with karaoke, and particularly in the case of a karaoke/disco where you're trying to keep everything swinging for the benefit of everybody, is the attention seeking singers. These are the types who aren't so much doing it for fun, but are doing it to try to impress everyone. However, they normally sing something like 'Love On The Rocks', and everyone becomes very bored, very quickly :Stop:

[rob1963]

Interesting posts, but karaoke is something I'm even less interested in than football...and that's saying something!

One of the main reasons is because I'm really funny about people touching or using my gear.

[Corabar Steve]

I don't see why you should be so surprised, Rob.

I kinda got in to disco by accident. I started doing a karaoke night that, to be fair, wasn't very busy. In fact, some nights it was me and the bar staff. When my voice almost packed in from too much strain (proof on my medical record!) I decided to play more music inbetween singers. Now my idea of good music is a lot of 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s retro and school disco stuff so word got round I playing it there and the nights got busier. The landlady liked her karaoke so wouldn't go for just a disco but I got asked to do a karaoke disco. And Lightning was born. Soon after, I did my first wedding disco and it was a huge success so I now specialise in weddings & family parties but I've never forgotten my karaoke roots.

That's why I still do the karaoke discos and I think they do work. Mind you, I usually stop the singing about an hour from the end and give everyone a chance to dance the night away. I think this works best and I've got my bookings diary to prove it!Bloody KJs! Come round here, steal our jobs.....