State of the Karaoke Nation by Ron Ralph

It’s a roller coaster ride, but the big sing-along continuesKaraoke has been a mainstay for bars, nightclubs, private parties and other special events since the 1980s. At one point it seemed like karaoke was available at nearly every nightspot in Anytown, USA. But lately, it seems like the Karaoke flame is dimming. So what in the world is going on in the Karaoke Nation?

Musical Migration

According to Toni Roberts, a representative from Chartbuster Karaoke, there are many changes going on in the karaoke industry. With record sales of karaoke players for home use, the bulk CD+G purchases has clearly shifted from KJs to the end user at home. People are staying home and hosting their own parties rather than going to bars.

With fewer people going out to sing, bar owners have resorted to alternative entertainment such as Bar Bingo, Texas Hold ‘Em, and video game competitions with games such as Rock Band, Dance, Dance Revolution, and Guitar Hero. Some have gone back to having a live band or DJ, while some have added an “internet jukebox” rather than pay for outside entertainment.

Chartbuster has recognized the shift and is preparing for the future. They are doing away with the 15-song instrumental Pop and Country Hits format and going to a 10+10 multiplex format. They are also releasing a One-Hit Wonders pack soon, and have completely upgraded their studios for the digital age.

Show Me Your License

There have been fewer cd+gs produced lately because of copyright and licensing issues. According to Chris Emrie of Sound Choice, the old policy was “Record Now, License Later.” However, that caused problems. Now manufacturers must apply for a license to record before the recording takes place. It could take up to 120 days or longer for approval from the record labels, which delays releases of CD+Gs. Sony has sued a number of manufacturers for copyright infringements, causing a few karaoke labels to shut their doors for good. In the end, there may only be four or five karaoke labels to choose from.

Assault on Sales

Even with the rise in popularity of home-based karaoke, according to ProSing, Sound Choice, Chartbuster, and Ace Karaoke, sales of CD+Gs are down drastically from a few years ago. They all stated that illegal file sharing, bootlegging, illegally copied hard drives being sold on eBay, and pirated discs, along with the state of the economy, have all hurt the sales of karaoke CD+Gs. Their legal teams are shutting down illegal websites daily, but as soon as one is shut down, another pops up. Until these sites are shut down for good, sales will continue to drop.

“With the decline in sales, it means less revenue for the manufacturers. With sluggish sales, it makes it hard to justify the cost of producing a CD+G, even with the proper licensing”, laments Emrie. But, he says Sound Choice is here to stay and is preparing for changes just like other manufacturers.

Karaoke Roller Coaster

I spoke with various DJs and KJs as I was gathering information to write this article. Some stated that karaoke has completely died out in their neck of the woods, while others reported that karaoke is as strong as ever. Some noted a shift from performing in bars to just offering karaoke at private events. Some KJs are still using CD+Gs, while some have gone completely digital. Some also observed that karaoke is more popular during the warmer months rather than the colder ones.

There will still be many changes in store for karaoke in the future; but I also feel that karaoke is here to stay. For those of us that offer it, we just need to hang on through the ups and downs-just like on your favorite roller coaster ride!

Ron Ralph is the owner and operator of A DJ To Go in Pensacola, with well over 15 years of experience as a mobile entertainer. He has performed at over 2,400 events. Ron served for 11 years in the US Army and also holds a BA in Elementary Education. Karaoke is a major component of his entertainment business.

 

The Popular Vote by Stu Chisholm

Applying the lessons of politics to your campaigns for new clientsIn this presidential election year, with the endless debates, primaries and news coverage of the candidates, we’ve been constantly reminded of our patriotic duty to vote. And voting, it seems, has become more than a once-every-four-year obligation, but also a popular pastime! A plethora of online opinion polls and TV shows like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars have entertained audiences with interaction in the form of voting.

Back in 2005, one of the more guilty pleasures in my home was Rockstar: INXS. INXS had been one of my favorite bands of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, and I found their search for a new lead singer irresistible, unlike most so-called “reality” shows. (I also managed to pick out the guy who would eventually win during the first episode, as my wife will attest!) It was my very first taste of recreational voting.

OK…and this applies to DJ work how?

Critical Thinking

A large chunk of my friends are also DJs. I’ve also got to think that this is true of a lot of this magazine’s readers. When I was first cutting my DJ chops, one colleague, who also was a music critic with a local newspaper, used to frequent the bar parties my partner and I used to throw. These were themed events; “Kickin’ Country,” “Motown Madness,” “Ladies’ Night” (all female artists) and so on. I began to notice a pattern to my friend’s dancing; he’d run up with his date for some songs, but would occasionally stalk off, looking at me as if I’d insulted his mother for others. It didn’t matter if the song I’d followed his favorite with had a perfectly matched BPM, or had been from the same label or era. He was literally voting his tastes with his feet. This certainly wasn’t unique to my colleague, but he was much more obvious about it, and after the gig would expand on his opinions. This was a form of in-depth feedback we don’t normally get from our patrons or clients.

View from the Booth

From that point on, I began to pay attention to my dancer’s “votes.” To spot trends, I began keeping a program log, listing each song I played and the response it got, using a one to five scale. I also spotted huge differences between the responses I’d get at a typical wedding reception and the responses of my club patrons during the week. There was another parallel to politics: Wedding guests tended to be more conservative, preferring the tried-and-true, well-established music, whereas my club patrons were musically liberal, dancing to the hottest, trendiest tunes, tolerating the occasional old chestnut only if mixed into the set skillfully. In both cases, votes were being cast, measured by bodies moving on the dance floor.

Voting Blocks

Some club DJs have been able to report their “votes” to official publications, such as Billboard or the now-defunct DMA (Dance Music Authority). Most mobiles have depended on the Billboard, R&R or Gavin music charts, which were the result of votes in the form of record sales or calls to radio station request lines. They were, and are, more honest than the typical reality show vote, since there are no organized groups mobilizing to manipulate the result as has been the case for some reality TV shows. Votes from the charts and dance floor remain part and parcel of following trends and “reading the crowd.”

And the Candidate Is…You!

For mobile DJs, voting doesn’t just pertain to the music. In fact, there are several votes taking place daily that directly relate to your business. For instance, do you check your daily, weekly and monthly stats on your website? Do you compare those stats to the number of emails or phone calls received? Each one of those represents a vote of sorts: The client found your site among the teeming millions in cyberspace, and then voted with their inquiry. This is the equivalent of the primary, and you are now among their candidates for the job!

Assuming they’ve also contacted other DJs, the next vote will be based on how well you respond to their requests for information, as well as the quality of what you provide. This is the DJ’s equivalent to the stump speech. Again, your clients will compare and contrast what you presented as well as how you’ve presented it. To carry this analogy even a bit further, many political news pundits pointed out that the core issues candidates Obama and Clinton discussed were so similar that they had a hard time differentiating themselves from each other. A mobile DJ might have a similar problem, especially considering how many of us “borrow” ideas from one another. A client might not see any major difference between their two (or more) candidates. Just as in politics, the winner may be decided based upon other factors, such as personality or professionalism. Or they simply might like you more than the next DJ.

Like professional pollsters, if you want to maximize the value of your voter information, you need to know more than just how many you’ve won. You must understand the thinking behind them. That means asking your clients for direct feedback. Most DJs have some sort of a follow-up survey, sent out after the gig, that they use to both improve their performance and use as a marketing tool. But what about the front-end vote? Have you ever asked a client WHY they selected you over another DJ service? If not, James Carville is crying! People whose job it is to get candidates elected take every opportunity to stick their proverbial finger in the wind and gather as much data as possible.

Waging the Campaign

In a very real sense, mobile DJs campaign every day. To be successful, we must learn from our losses. If you look back on the careers of most politicians, you’ll quickly note that they lost many campaigns and votes. Their eventual success wasn’t achieved by luck, but by noting what went wrong previously. A smart DJ will do the same. Ask your clients why they hired you. Even more importantly, ask those prospects who didn’t hire you exactly what it was that lost you the sale. It might bruise the ego a bit, but it could alert you to a problem with your presentation or marketing that you would never know you had, leading to more success down the road.

So rock the vote and watch your business and performances rock like never before!

Stu Chisholm, a mobile DJ since 1979, has also been a nightclub DJ in suburban Detroit, done some radio and commercial voice-over work, and has even worked a roller skating rink! Stu attended the famous Specs Howard School of Broadcasting and has been a music collector since the age of seven.

 

Let’s (Not) Get Loud by Michael Edwards

DJ experiences “changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes” with Princess CruisesAs a DJ, I have always wondered what it would be like to perform in different cities or even in different parts of the world for diverse audiences. I like to stay on my toes and know that I am at the peak of my game-which is entertaining. When I was approached about performing on a cruise ship, I was a little skeptical at first. My first question was why did they want a mobile DJ?

Many of you who have been on cruise ships have experienced the floating nightclub with a DJ. And said DJ probably had limited musical knowledge and performing ability and more than likely performed the same show night after night-leaving you starving for more.

Be Our Guest

Princess Cruises, an innovator in luxury cruises, is once again pioneering onboard entertainment with their unique Guest Entertainer program. In this program, experienced disc jockeys can perform not as a member of the crew, but technically, as a guest. Unlike crew, guest entertainers can interact and socialize with guests both while their working and when their not. Guest Entertainers can also enjoy the exquisite dining facilities, spa facilities, and experience excursions just as a guest would. On the flipside, a Guest Entertainer also gets to use crew facilities such as the crew bar and receive crew discounts on the ship. The purpose of this groundbreaking program is to increase the quality of entertainment available both in the ship’s nightclub(s) and for other onboard activities.

But why mobile DJs? For one, mobiles are used to performing to diverse audiences, which is what a cruise ship is. Being well-versed in every type of music and having good mixing skills are part of the Guest Entertainer job description. Crowd interaction is also a major reason why Princess is leaning toward mobile jocks, because for an average event we are not only taking requests, but giving announcements, reading the crowd, and making conversation with guests. We also know a good bit about their equipment, which could come in handy in the middle of the ocean.

The Voyage Begins

On a bleak Midwestern day, I took off for the sunny shores of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where my ship, the Caribbean Princess, awaited. After clearing security (which is much tighter than at an airport), I went through orientation and was shown to my accommodations. In my room I prepared for what was soon to be one of the best gigs of my life. Here now, I present to you the top ten reasons for joining the Guest Entertainer Program for Princess Cruises:

#10. The Weather

On the dates of my cruise, Des Moines, Iowa (Mobile Beat HQ) was under what might be termed a “Seattle Month.” It was cold, wet and dreary; people were generally depressed. That all changed when I touched down in sunny South Florida and took in the view from the deck. Not only was I no longer moody due to sunlight depletion, I was excited to be doing what I love to do for a whole new audience. Throughout my trip, the weather was great and a nice change. Those jocks from California may be interested in an Alaska cruise, but I was right at home sailing the high Caribbean.

#9. Onboard Events

As those of you who are cruise fans know, there is much to do onboard a ship as big and beautiful as the Caribbean Princess. Aside from general cruisers, special groups may be onboard for weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays. If called upon, Guest Entertainers may perform at weddings and other parties during the day. Talk about an interesting wedding reception!

#8. Entertaining Vacationers

Most of us have dealt with people stressed-out from planning important events in their lives. On a cruise, there is one main objective: to have as much fun as possible. It is an entirely different groove and feels great to be helping people have the best vacation possible. People are relaxed, drinks are flowing, you’re relaxed; the sun is shining (or you’re under a beautiful moonlight glow) and all the worries of normal life are wafted away with the breeze.

#7. Accommodations

Princess takes good care of its crews. The cruise line handles standard airfare to and from the port as well as transportation, in most cases, to and from the airport. Once on the ship, you will be pleasantly surprised at the room and board provided. (Normally GEs enjoy passenger cabins.) Sometimes, as in my case, Guest Entertainers stay in a crew cabin; mine was as comfortable and clean as any passenger berth.

As a guest entertainer, you also have the privilege of using both guest and crew recreation facilities. In the guest areas you can enjoy virtual golf, a full fitness center and spa, movies under the stars, shopping, lounge entertainment and Broadway-style shows. The crew enjoys a crew-only lounge and bar, crew store, and special crew parties.

#6. Poolside Parties

Kenny Chesney once sang, “Now I know how Jimmy Buffett feels,” and that was entirely my attitude when soaking up rays on the ship’s deck. The beautiful scenery everywhere, combined with buffets and a refreshing pool make the poolside party atmosphere hard to beat. As part of your duties as a GE, you may be asked to perform at these events.

#5. The Food

Studies have actually shown that a major reason people go on cruises is the outstanding cuisine. From the formal dining rooms to the 24-hour buffet to the onboard steak house, there are a lot of great options for nourishment. As a GE, you can dine in whatever facility you choose, with whomever you would like, which makes the experience all the better.

#4. Vacationing While You Entertain

Sailing and entertaining aboard a cruise ship is a great way to spend your “dead” time as a mobile DJ. All of the distractions from daily life are gone; you are making great cash; and almost all of you everyday living expenses are suspended. If your true passion is DJing, doing it while on you’re vacation should re-energize you for life in general.

#3. Port Excursions

I have always wanted to travel and do things beyond the normal grind, as well as see things that I may never have the chance to see again. As a Guest Entertainer, you have the opportunity to go on excursions with guests when arranged in advance. You can swim with stingrays, see the Turk Islands on a motorcycle, or snorkel on a coral reef. Also, the shopping in a lot of ports is diverse and often cheaper than anything you will find around home.

#2. Free Travel

As mobile DJs we may think we “travel” a lot, but as a GE you wake up either at sea or in a different port every morning, in some of the world’s most exotic locales. Besides the airfare to get you there and the excursions to keep you entertained, Princess also covers your meals-which essentially means you’re traveling for free. Actually, it’s better than free, because you receive a healthy paycheck for a job well done and little or no heavy lifting!

#1. Rocking the Boat All Night Long

Not only are you entertaining people on vacation, you are the official party director in he most exclusive onboard nightclub, in my case, the Skywalker Lounge. The lounges on Princess are unique, as they are on the extreme aft (rear) part of the boat. Featuring nearly 270 degrees of viewing, the lounge has a panoramic atmosphere that cannot be summed up in this limited space. Rocking the crowd at a hundred feet above the sea while sailing under the stars is a unique experience that must be lived to be appreciated. I certainly won’t forget it for as long as I live.

There you have it-my top ten reasons to sail with Princess Cruises as a part of their groundbreaking Guest Entertainer Program. It was a shipful of fun. As I told my guests, see you next time, off the coast of somewhere beautiful!

 

Rocking The Boat

DJ experiences “changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes” with Princess CruisesAs a DJ, I have always wondered what it would be like to perform in different cities or even in different parts of the world for diverse audiences. I like to stay on my toes and know that I am at the peak of my game-which is entertaining. When I was approached about performing on a cruise ship, I was a little skeptical at first. My first question was why did they want a mobile DJ?

Many of you who have been on cruise ships have experienced the floating nightclub with a DJ. And said DJ probably had limited musical knowledge and performing ability and more than likely performed the same show night after night-leaving you starving for more.

Be Our Guest

Princess Cruises, an innovator in luxury cruises, is once again pioneering onboard entertainment with their unique Guest Entertainer program. In this program, experienced disc jockeys can perform not as a member of the crew, but technically, as a guest. Unlike crew, guest entertainers can interact and socialize with guests both while their working and when their not. Guest Entertainers can also enjoy the exquisite dining facilities, spa facilities, and experience excursions just as a guest would. On the flipside, a Guest Entertainer also gets to use crew facilities such as the crew bar and receive crew discounts on the ship. The purpose of this groundbreaking program is to increase the quality of entertainment available both in the ship’s nightclub(s) and for other onboard activities.

But why mobile DJs? For one, mobiles are used to performing to diverse audiences, which is what a cruise ship is. Being well-versed in every type of music and having good mixing skills are part of the Guest Entertainer job description. Crowd interaction is also a major reason why Princess is leaning toward mobile jocks, because for an average event we are not only taking requests, but giving announcements, reading the crowd, and making conversation with guests. We also know a good bit about their equipment, which could come in handy in the middle of the ocean.

The Voyage Begins

On a bleak Midwestern day, I took off for the sunny shores of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where my ship, the Caribbean Princess, awaited. After clearing security (which is much tighter than at an airport), I went through orientation and was shown to my accommodations. In my room I prepared for what was soon to be one of the best gigs of my life. Here now, I present to you the top ten reasons for joining the Guest Entertainer Program for Princess Cruises:

#10. The Weather

On the dates of my cruise, Des Moines, Iowa (Mobile Beat HQ) was under what might be termed a “Seattle Month.” It was cold, wet and dreary; people were generally depressed. That all changed when I touched down in sunny South Florida and took in the view from the deck. Not only was I no longer moody due to sunlight depletion, I was excited to be doing what I love to do for a whole new audience. Throughout my trip, the weather was great and a nice change. Those jocks from California may be interested in an Alaska cruise, but I was right at home sailing the high Caribbean.

#9. Onboard Events

As those of you who are cruise fans know, there is much to do onboard a ship as big and beautiful as the Caribbean Princess. Aside from general cruisers, special groups may be onboard for weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays. If called upon, Guest Entertainers may perform at weddings and other parties during the day. Talk about an interesting wedding reception!

#8. Entertaining Vacationers

Most of us have dealt with people stressed-out from planning important events in their lives. On a cruise, there is one main objective: to have as much fun as possible. It is an entirely different groove and feels great to be helping people have the best vacation possible. People are relaxed, drinks are flowing, you’re relaxed; the sun is shining (or you’re under a beautiful moonlight glow) and all the worries of normal life are wafted away with the breeze.

#7. Accommodations

Princess takes good care of its crews. The cruise line handles standard airfare to and from the port as well as transportation, in most cases, to and from the airport. Once on the ship, you will be pleasantly surprised at the room and board provided. (Normally GEs enjoy passenger cabins.) Sometimes, as in my case, Guest Entertainers stay in a crew cabin; mine was as comfortable and clean as any passenger berth.

As a guest entertainer, you also have the privilege of using both guest and crew recreation facilities. In the guest areas you can enjoy virtual golf, a full fitness center and spa, movies under the stars, shopping, lounge entertainment and Broadway-style shows. The crew enjoys a crew-only lounge and bar, crew store, and special crew parties.

#6. Poolside Parties

Kenny Chesney once sang, “Now I know how Jimmy Buffett feels,” and that was entirely my attitude when soaking up rays on the ship’s deck. The beautiful scenery everywhere, combined with buffets and a refreshing pool make the poolside party atmosphere hard to beat. As part of your duties as a GE, you may be asked to perform at these events.

#5. The Food

Studies have actually shown that a major reason people go on cruises is the outstanding cuisine. From the formal dining rooms to the 24-hour buffet to the onboard steak house, there are a lot of great options for nourishment. As a GE, you can dine in whatever facility you choose, with whomever you would like, which makes the experience all the better.

#4. Vacationing While You Entertain

Sailing and entertaining aboard a cruise ship is a great way to spend your “dead” time as a mobile DJ. All of the distractions from daily life are gone; you are making great cash; and almost all of you everyday living expenses are suspended. If your true passion is DJing, doing it while on you’re vacation should re-energize you for life in general.

#3. Port Excursions

I have always wanted to travel and do things beyond the normal grind, as well as see things that I may never have the chance to see again. As a Guest Entertainer, you have the opportunity to go on excursions with guests when arranged in advance. You can swim with stingrays, see the Turk Islands on a motorcycle, or snorkel on a coral reef. Also, the shopping in a lot of ports is diverse and often cheaper than anything you will find around home.

#2. Free Travel

As mobile DJs we may think we “travel” a lot, but as a GE you wake up either at sea or in a different port every morning, in some of the world’s most exotic locales. Besides the airfare to get you there and the excursions to keep you entertained, Princess also covers your meals-which essentially means you’re traveling for free. Actually, it’s better than free, because you receive a healthy paycheck for a job well done and little or no heavy lifting!

#1. Rocking the Boat All Night Long

Not only are you entertaining people on vacation, you are the official party director in he most exclusive onboard nightclub, in my case, the Skywalker Lounge. The lounges on Princess are unique, as they are on the extreme aft (rear) part of the boat. Featuring nearly 270 degrees of viewing, the lounge has a panoramic atmosphere that cannot be summed up in this limited space. Rocking the crowd at a hundred feet above the sea while sailing under the stars is a unique experience that must be lived to be appreciated. I certainly won’t forget it for as long as I live.

There you have it-my top ten reasons to sail with Princess Cruises as a part of their groundbreaking Guest Entertainer Program. It was a shipful of fun. As I told my guests, see you next time, off the coast of somewhere beautiful!