Our guest blog is Pete Eagles: Pete organized Stump! Trivia Quiz in Massachusetts for over a decade. You can locate it at Lord Hobo Brewing and Double Bull Taphouse.
What is the ultimate facet that contributes to a fun, positive and fun quiz night?Wow, it’s the music, of course! Although there is much more to play in the best setting than you think.
In my decade and more as a presenter, one thing keeps asking me; It’s when I’m in a new room and players tell me how refreshing it is to hear “good” music. That’s because I’m my only golden rule: play the hits, honey!I take a look to channel my inner Ryan Seacrest. (even though I grew up in the days of Casey Kasem) and play music that has stood the test of time with a Top 40 touch. For me, and I hope concheckants do too, music has one more goal than filling the time between questions and answers.
We are here to laugh even if we can’t all win!I’m occasionally asked if I create playlists, which a lot of hosts probably do, but I’m not one of the hosts, not that there’s anything wrong with that. ! The query now becomes which hits to play and how to determine or know what to play without a playlist. When I start in a new position or replacement, I like to start with anything a little conventional like Billy Joel. or a Motown act to feel the crowd. As the evening progresses or a position becomes more familiar, I do my best to read the room and adjust to the mood. Some nights require something a little softer and more casual, while others turn into a dance. party! I take a look to let the crowd make up their mind for me, so don’t be afraid to let it go when you feel the music in your bones!
When I see shoulders shaking, hands tapping on the table, or lips synchronizing with the lyrics, I can keep the same gender or rhythm because it’s a wave worth walking!In those moments when some visitors feel they want to let go (or down) and blame the boogie, it’s like beating one out of the park for the host!My purpose is to make players feel like they are fainting and come back for an experience.
No, my pc doesn’t have the world’s largest database of successes. I might have missed the Napster train, but Youtube is my most productive friend!I have virtually any song at my fingertips, adding songs like the theme Jeopardy, which I can play during a tiebreaker question. Need a blank or radio edited edit of a song with selected lyrics?No problem. I can locate abridged edits of wonderful songs that would otherwise take too long to play.
However, that’s not all; if a host ends up with a DJ edit of the writer’s block, the site provides a litany of tips based on their previous selections. I also write songs that I hear on the radio, Alexa or Pandora that I think will ignite the crowd, or at least I know I will enjoy them!I keep looking for songs to keep the music fun, fresh, unexpected and nostalgic. Variety is the spice of life and goes a long way in ensuring that each and every musical taste feels included. The last thing I need to do is drive other people away with weird music. And in fact, I don’t need to be accused of betting the same songs over and over again; I find it’s often best to let a song hibernate for a while before reusing it in the same place. However, nothing says you can’t play another song by the same artist every week. You’ll be surprised how much the King of Rock and the King of Pop can still dominate a room!
One thing that ends up pleasing the audience, and perhaps tormenting them in a fun way, is using songs that were part of that night’s questions or artists mentioned. Most other people can laugh when they hear them, while having answered wrong exclaim wryly: “Now you’re playing it!”It’s still a laugh! Associating songs with questions or even full competitions can also give the evening a little brightening. However, sometimes it’s less difficult said than done. A trivial ’80s nightly playlist almost writes itself, but Star Wars can be more complicated. It’s fun to host theme nights like “Stranger Things” or “Friends” when there are enough songs on screen to fill a night; Fans appreciate when you upload little touches like that!
While a themed playlist may be ideal for a normal random trivia night, matching a song to the topic of a question doesn’t go unnoticed by players. I once even used Genensis’ hit, “Misunderstanding,” to accompany the question, “In what year did President Gerald Ford deliver his first State of the Union address?Was it exaggerated? Maybe. . . however, I think you all made the connection between the song and the “misunderstanding” that led Ford to assume the position of commander-in-chief.
For normal consultations, the degree of difficulty plays a role. I’m not going to play a 4-minute song if we ask the contestants how to spell d-o-g, however, if we ask players to do math calculations, I’ll feel bad. for them and play a longer song. Mystery bonus rounds have 4 tracks, so a variety of 4-5 minutes is warranted. For the sake of justice. Most sensibly, I want some time to mark the last minute entries!Theoretically, the final query will be more complex than the others and, as such, lends itself to betting a little nonsense around 3:30. -4:00.
Yes! You can. . . but within reason. Hosts aim to please, and we’ll do our best to accommodate those requests, but “Free Bird” won’t work (unless, of course, Youtube has an immensely abbreviated edition at hand). Also, do not forget that we are looking to pump energy into the room. “Nothing Compares 2 U” through Sinead O’Connor may not be compatible with the environment we are looking for. Now that you know, and knowing it is part of the battle, so please check out keeping songs short and sweet when making requests.
What’s the praise for all this obsession with music?Well, as a host, you can hardly get a higher compliment than “I love your music!”This is music to a host’s ears!
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