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So you want to be a karaoke king? You want to lead a bar full of people in off-key song and have someones drunken auntie get up and start dancing like Madonna on the tables? You want to turn office workers into superstars and divas for just a few short minutes?

The good news is its actually very easy to get started in this business, all you need is some basic equipment - a PA, a small mixer, microphones, a laptop, a couple of screens, and of course a venue to entertain your audience in. Of course this is not a career for everyone, the terminally shy and the clinically tone deaf need not apply. The best karaoke hosts or KJ's have a strong outgoing personality, a good sense of humour and can at least hold a tune while the people in the audience are deciding if they are drunk enough to get up and sing. Thats not to say you have to be a great singer but if you do have a voice like a cat being strangled, the only people getting up will be the ones leaving.

Choosing a venue for your first karaoke night is probably the most important decision you will make since your first crowds will be mostly made up of the bars regulars. Impress them and word of mouth will make your night grow and grow, fail to impress them and the bar manager is going to cancel your night. You want to find a place that has a lively crowd of regulars who are likely to get involved in your night, age group isn't really important as long as you have a wide selection of music available, just remember the most important part of your night is going to be audience participation - if the audience are just going to sit and watch then your night is going to flop.

It is likely that there are several karaoke nights going on every week in your local area and if possible it is a good idea to pick a night of the week that doesn't clash with the others. You will find when you get started that there are people out there who go to 4 or 5 different bars 4 or 5 times a week just to go to the karaoke nights and if you don't clash too much there is a good chance they will start coming to your night as well. Of course you can win these people over by putting on a better night but don't expect too much too quickly. Loyalty to a particular night can be surprisingly strong but do persevere. If you have a better choice of songs, better sounding equipment, better lighting, and of course are a better host you will gradually start to win people over. You should also talk to the bar manager about putting on drinks promotions for your night, never underestimate the motivational power of cheap alcohol!

Of course you will want to get paid for your efforts and rightly so. You are providing a service that (hopefully) will increase profits for the bar as well as making it a fun place to be for the night. Normally the bar will pay you a set amount per night and to start with it won't be very much. Stick at it though and as your regular crowd gets bigger you will be able to negotiate for more and you might even get a percentage of the bar takings.

Karaoke is all about having a good time and getting others to have a good time. If you are a natural entertainer and not just in it for the money there is no reason you can't be a soaring success.

Learn more about this author, Saul Shackleford.
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