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You can put together a promo pack with what you have, what you do, have some documented court cases (if you can find any) to show what can happen to a bar for knowingly using illegally downloaded music & that your system is completely legit.  Don't know how much good this will do, but may get some of them thinking.  Chances are the restaurant in question isn't even paying their publishing fees such as ASCAP/BMI so they are illegal to begin with.
Computers don't make a show illegal, it's the activity such as the library that is downloaded for free, or running multiple shows off of 1 set (or worse from all illegal downloads, or copping your customers discs that they bring up to sing to add to your own library, or trading libraries with other kj's (never understood that one)) does.  I run a computer as well but everything on my computer has a corresponding disc that I purchased right next to it - technically illegal, yes, is it hurting anyone in the business as far as getting shows, no - I still charge (probably more that anyone around here & get it), I don't run multiple shows with it, I don't download illegaly, I wouldn't THINK of ripping a customer disc.  Nothing on the hard drive is downloaded, been doing this business since 91, been working at the same place since 92.

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The guy can't play disks. I found out that one of his buddys and him are one of the same but have now branched off on their own. I've seen their logo before. One guy even has a dummy book with just a few songs in it using the old cdg letters. How stupid is that. It sounds like you are doing shows correctly which is more than I can say for these computers systems that have nothing to show but stupidity. I've noticed that there is alot of trash on their cdg's also which tells me they did it illegally. I sat down on a few songs where there was too much trash.

I even told the KJ there was too much trash on the song for me to finish it. I didn't care.

kameragurl - I understand your frustration.  It really sucks when you get an amateur trying to run a show with his new set of downloaded music and his buddy's band equipment and doesn't know thing one about sound.  Doing it for $50-$75 on top of that - *$#*^$#&(~!!!!!

The problem here is not the use of computers - it's the piracy of the music.  These guys would pirate the speakers if they could.

I'm not sure where you are located, but I'm here in Houston.  We have a huge abundance of bars.  Even with the pirates, there are still ways to get a gig.  While you may not be in a large town like me, you should focus more on getting new shows instead of forcing the other KJ out.   Do you really want to work at a bar that condones this kind of thing?  If they tell you they can get it for less, a polite warning about piracy is all you need.  Otherwise you look like you're just trying to take someone else's job.  I know a KJ here that makes over $200 a night on a Wed show, and the bar comps his tab & food.  They apologize to him when it's slow!  That all comes from doing a great show.  

We all agree about the bottom feeders that are using pirated music, but focus on your business and your show and don't worry so much about them.  You've got the experience and the quality - use it to your advantage!

I live in Tomball and can't get a gig because if a computer system. I don't ask to have food and drink comped.

That's not what I meant by that - It's something the bar just does, not something he requests.  He doesn't drink alcohol, btw.  The point I was trying to make was that the bar can tell the difference between a good KJ/show and a poor one.  Or at least they should....

Mexican restaurants don't care and some bars don't; just so longs as they make good $$.

Oh, don't know about that.  I did a club a couple years back on Mondays & Tuesdays.  We raised their revenue from $300 per night to over $1800 (bartender was a friend of mine so I saw all tapes).  The owner saw that & figured it was just karaoke, so after a few months, hired another company that did it for $75 less than me - promising they would be advertising (yeah they printed a flier for inhouse, I paid money for newspaper & local karaoke papers), their system had a blown sub the first night so it was rattling terribly they charged the bar $75 per night.  Yes I do believe they had pirated discs, though I could never see as they would setup in a manner that you couldn't see the discs.  The bar went from $1800 per nights to LESS than they were making before I came in.  He called me back the next month asking if I could come back for $100 per night, I told him absolutely not, as a matter of fact my last price has since gone up $25.  I don't care if the system wasn't working, it wouldn't have made me any money as I would have needed to pay out a host wage for either it or my other show.

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Yea, I have a bar flyer, too . That's where the illegal KJ's are. A friend of mine used to do shows 7nights a week; not at the same place every night of course. Now he can't get any. There is a new bar opening up soon. I will try and jump in there before those illegals do.

OK, I take my words back.  :hi5:

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

  Been there done that!!!

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Still the battle goes on… As every one here knows singers don’t look for what you have, they look for what you don’t…  Even if you had that “special song” for them, do you really what to lose three minutes of your life you’ll never get back listening to it…?

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The opinions of Sammy do not necessarily reflect the views of the Karaoke Scene Magazine - Advice is given with a sence of humor and should be taken accordingly - If you have problems setting the clock on your VCR - You've come to the right place

 Right now we have the best system in town All the other KJ's know it and bar owners know it. They tried to emulate us in the beginning but finally gave up..

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Crying and whining won't get you anymore jobs.

Pretty soon they will run out of nights to work.   Can't be at 3 places at once.

I nevered worries about anyone, whether they had 5000 song or 50,000 songs.

Computer shows are taking over, it's 2008.  Discs went the way of the cave man.

If you don't switch over soon, your competition will have every job in the state.

You need to improve your show and your reputation.  I don't know what that will take.

I have seen many KJs with and without computers die nasty deaths (their business) after they couldn't work for $75 a night anymore.  They will continue to come and go.  I'm looking at what you are not doing, that they seem to have right. Regardless of how they run their show. (Discs or computer)

It's like the little hottie bartender that complained that she only made $20 in tips after working all day.  First of all being there all day and working all day, are 2 different things.  If all you can make in tips for a whole day is $20 you should be begging for food.  You are not a waitress or bartender. In title maybe.   And all you do by announcing it, is tell everyone else how bad you really are.  They already know it and that's why they didn't leave a tip.  No service, no tip.  It's pretty simple math.

So look in the mirror and figure out what needs fixed.

I've heard about hundreds KJs that shouldn't be in business, but they are in business and have been, some longer than me.  And I can't figure out why.  After comparing my business to theirs.  There is none, but they work steady.  Computers are here to stay.  So is karaoke competition.  Be better than they are.

I have a competitior that works the same bar as me. I have one killer night, he has 2.  His nights are totally dead.  Think cactus, tumbleweeds and sand dunes.  Not even cricket noise because they all committed suicide.  He wants my night and he has made no bones about it.  He couldn't get my night if he did it for free.   The bar manager told me they made more money on his nights, before he started working there.    

Why can't he build a crowd????   You tell me your reasons...

Sings 5 times every rotation.  Sings slow oldies all night.  Plays favorites with the 5 relatives that come with him.   Yeah, give him my night..

He has one of those illegal computers, too.   But it can't stop him from being a jerk.

Everyone in the bar knows he's on the way out...  He's actually dragging my night down, to an extent.  But he's also building it up.

It's not how you do the show, (computer or discs) it's how you do the show.

Not at first, the bar owners see someone charging $50-75 a night, sure they are going to give them a shot.  It happens to even the best companies eventually, they just see it as karaoke bringing in the crowd, not the host or their skills.

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Having 100,000 songs won't make you a KJ.

I'm wearing $120 hiking shoes.... in my livingroom..Not a trail around for miles.  They didn't make me a hiker.

I had 5 pop up in the back yard with loaded hard drives in one month.  I think they are finding out that what they have watched me do..hasn't helped them be like me.  Probably have the computer under the bed now gathering dust..a big waste of money.   You can't make it teach you how to be a KJ.

5 unskilled KJs can't hurt me.   Soon they will be 5 unemployed, unskilled KJs.  Haven't seen any newspaper ads for those qualifications.

The only thing they are qualified for, is killing the crowd for the bar owner.  When all the good singers get tired of the bad karaoke, they will be coming to yours.

Shame on you.

Was the KJ's name Orlando?

You still can't run a show on a computer for public use even with back-up disks. You can have copys with originals to back them up; but you can't do a public show with a computer.

Did you read what I have? I have the best system in town, too.