Tips for Prospective Karaoke Enthusiasts

Makeup is a passion of mine, and so is karaoke. I know this is primarily a beauty blog, but it’s my blog and I can post what I want. A friend asked me to write a post about karaoke for a social group I’m part of, and this is what I came up with.

So, you’re interested in karaoke, but you’re not sure where to start? Maybe you’ve been going to karaoke for a while, but are interested in gaining some insight into how karaoke works? Here’s some information and tips to get you going. 

“Wait, why should I listen to you?” I hear you ask.  My name is Bridget, a.k.a. the Karaoke Mistress. I have been going to, or running, karaoke shows for at least 25 years. I currently run the Wednesday night karaoke show at Canary Roost in Austin. I might know a thing or two about karaoke.

Okay, so let’s start with the basics. A person who runs a karaoke show is a karaoke jockey, or a KJ. The KJ is in charge of the show. Most good KJ’s try to run a fair rotation. A rotation is the list of singers in the karaoke show. The goal for most KJ’s is to make sure that everyone who wants to sing gets the chance, make every singer sound as good as possible, be entertaining, and make sure that no one singer or group is dominating the stage.

That being said, some KJ’s will take cash bribes to move singers up the list, sometimes straight to the top depending on the size of the bribe. I don’t recommend patronizing those shows.

Don’t be afraid to ask how the sign-up and/or rotation work. Most KJ’s are happy to answer questions about how they run their show. Some karaoke shows are all digital, some have apps to put in song requests, other shows still use paper slips.

Karaoke Etiquette

Karaoke has etiquette! Here’s the Karaoke Mistress’ Etiquette for Karaoke.

• Patronize the bar – Unless it’s a dedicated karaoke bar, if the bar isn’t making money, they probably won’t keep the karaoke. So drink up (responsibly)!
• Don’t sing a song someone else has already done that night – most good KJ’s won’t let you do that anyway. Loophole – some KJ’s may allow it if it’s a version of the song that’s different enough from the version that was already done.
• Sing whatever songs you do best. Some people like to sing what they think the crowd will like, but the crowd changes over the course of the show, so you do you. If country is your thing, sing country. If rock is your jam, sing rock. If you like rap, do rap. 
• Use the same name each time you put in a song request. Some people have a name they only use at karaoke. That is fine. Sometimes it helps to have a karaoke persona.
• Do not use a different name each time you put in a song request. It only confuses and annoys the KJ. Once the KJ catches on to what you’re doing, it will likely get you moved down the list or taken off entirely.
• If you want to sing as a group, put all the names on the song request, or use a group name. If there’s only one name on the request, the KJ will assume there’s only one singer. Bringing your whole group up to sing every time one person in your group is called messes up the rotation and really annoys the KJ. It looks to the crowd like the KJ is showing favoritism to that group of singers, even if that’s not the case. 
• Be ready to step up to the mic when your name is called – don’t dilly-dally!
• Do not jump up on the stage with someone unless you are invited! Just because you know the song, or think you are better at the song, that does not give you an excuse to ruin that person’s turn.
• If you are someone who likes to hold the microphone while you sing, grip the mic by the handle, not the head. Gripping the mic head might make you feel like a gangster, but it causes feedback and makes it difficult to get your sound right. 
• Sing directly into the top of the microphone! Most KJ’s use uni-directional mics in their set up, and singing into the side of the mic head won’t pick up your voice very well. 
• Have fun! It doesn’t matter if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, as long as you’re having fun, the crowd will have fun with you. Trust me on this.
• Do not harass the KJ about when your turn is coming up. You can ask how long it will be before you’re up, but constantly bugging the KJ about when is it going to be your turn to sing is likely to get you moved down the list, especially if you’re rude about it. If you are polite and have a situation in which you need to leave before your turn, the KJ might agree to move you up the list a little bit so your wait is not quite as long. However, do not expect special treatment, especially if it’s a busy night.
• If you need to leave before your turn, let the KJ know. The KJ will appreciate it, and they won’t waste precious time calling your name after you’ve gone.
• If you like what the KJ is doing, tip them! Just don’t expect to get special treatment for it. If you expect special treatment for giving the KJ a tip, it’s no longer a tip. It’s a bribe. Most good KJ’s don’t accept bribes in my experience.
• As an audience member, feel free to clap, sing along, or even get up and dance! Karaoke is not a spectator sport. Also, audience participation is fun!
• Most importantly – Clap when the song is over, whether it’s good, bad, or ugly. That’s just Music Appreciation 101!

I find karaoke to be the most democratic form of entertainment. If you don’t like what you’re hearing, you can put in a request to do a song you like, or ask another singer to do a song for you. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, karaoke is like a box of chocolates – you never know what songs you’re gonna get.

One last thing to remember – karaoke is no place for music critics. Not every singer is going to be great, or even good. However, those people have the balls to get up and do their thing. Unless you are willing to do the same, you have no right to criticize.

Alright, I think that’s everything you need to know to start or continue your karaoke journey. Get out there, sing some songs, and HAVE FUN!