Karaoke Forums

I like my SCCKMA better. Just a joke. i don't care what it is called just need one.

I am not that great at designing, but........

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Still love to sing!

Yes local chapters. Connected to a national chapter. And you are right host and venues would benefit, but nationally we would all benefit, because what is going on over there is relevant to whats going on over here. We could have more info quicker.

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Still love to sing!

Back when discs were relevant, we always though the more people that joined, the better cost of music would be since we could buy collectively, many stores offered discounts for high volume purchases thus saving money for kj's on new releases. I don't think that is so much the case anymore since the advent of downloads and/or custom discs.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Yea you are right. My thinking is more along the lines of pushing the pirates out of biz one venue at a time so we as legal host can get back to running our bizs like we want, not like big corps want. If the manus get to set all the rules, who do we have to bow to? If we set our own standards we can collectively follow our own rules. I guess you could call that voluntary compliance instead of involuntary compliance with fines and fees.
Probably won't work ,,, but.......

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Still love to sing!

OutlawXsound,

"The only requirement I would have in it is legal library. Dues? Why would you need to pay dues. You have a Printer? You would have to recruit other KJs in your area and verify they are legal. You could even notify venue weather he is using a pirate or not."

Take it from someone who has been there. You DO NOT want to be telling a venue if they are using a pirate host unless you have a lawyer already paid for. Some of the legal hosts in this area learned that the hard way.

When you educate the venues you simply explain that they can be sued and tell them where to locate the information to prevent legal action. Even if asked point blank "Is insert name here a pirate? you simply advise them to check the legal websites or do and audit themselves.

It is simply not a good idea to call out any competitor as the one who will end up with a bad name will be you.

I was wondering when you would be back, welcome.... Notice I said could inform the venue, but you are right not good idea.

But 2 or more going together is better than none.

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Still love to sing!

yes, a group working together is much better than going it alone. I don't have much time to spend on these forums, I only do it as a favor for my wife.

***WARNING*** The following is a very posting, you have the option to ignore...

...Just my thoughts (for whatever it matters) but this association would have nothing to do with how you run your business: (How you dress, act, speak over the mic. How much you charge per show. What type of equipment you use, etc.). Those aspects are your freedoms to choose how you want to run your business.
...This Association would be nothing more than a "Checks & Balances" type of Association benefiting all involved: The Original Copyright Holders of the Music, The Karaoke Manufacturers, The Commercial Venues and the KJs.

...The Commercial Venues: In order to offer Karaoke in their Establishment:
--->#1) They must join the Association.
--->#2) A Venue can only hire a Certified KJ Host. If the Commercial Venue does "In House Karaoke Shows" they must submit to the same rules as an Independent KJ and become a Certified Host.
--->#3) The Venue will be given a paper "Certificate License" which will allow them to host karaoke at their establishment and must be displayed at all times for everyone to see.
--->#4) Venues' (Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Phone # and any website info.) will be listed at the Association's Website and they must list the Karaoke Company's Name (being used at their establishment) along with Days and Times when Karaoke Shows are being conducted. Venue must update any changes. Has up to 30 days to make changes.
--->#5) The Venue has the option of contacting the Association (via telephone or internet) to check on a Certified KJ's current status within 30 days or if internet connection is available on site, request the KJ get online and use the Association's Software to scan his/her Karaoke Media Storage Device (checks & balances...see below) to verify his/her Karaoke Library.
...The Karaoke KJ:
--->#1) Must submit to an audit. Perhaps requirements would be scanning all of their CDGs and submitting (copies of the CDG pictures) to the Association. The association will match the KJ's pictures to Master CDG Pictures (provided by past & current Karaoke Manufacturers). Also, any pictures of any other Original Karaoke Manufacturers' Media (SD Cards, Hard Drives, Etc.) must be submitted. Along with proof of purchase of any Legal Karaoke download purchases. Once approved by the Association, the association will provide a sticker (a sticker that can only be used once) with a personal library number to be placed on each cdg/hard drive/sd card that the KJ owns in that particular library. Once these stickers are placed on each cdg/hard drive/sd card, the KJ must rescan each cdg and or take pictures of any SD Cards/Hard Drives and resend those picture files back to the association for their records.
--->#2a.) Must also provide pictures of his/her equipment. More importantly, the KJ will provide the Association with the make, model and serial number of all players, hard drives, laptops, etc. or basically anything that stores and plays karaoke music files. These pictures will be kept on file for sharing only with the Commercial Venues and Karaoke Manufacturers.
--->#2b.) A short video would be required (perhaps 10 minutes max). In this video you would pan all of your Media (CDG's, SD Cards & Hard Drives). You would also include a headshot of yourself and equipment used in your gigs.
--->#3) Must provide a copy of his/her Song Book which will be posted online, at the Association's website, for everyone to see 24/7.
--->#4) The KJ is responsible for listing and updating his/her commercial gigs (such as days and times with Venue Locations. Updates cannot fall behind more than 30 days.
--->#5) Has 30 days to update any new music to his/her account at the Association.
--->#6) Once a month the KJ must get online and allow the Association to scan your Karaoke Music Storage Device for any and all Karaoke Music Tracks. *** A new software program will be developed to scan your Karaoke Files and match them to your registered Karaoke Song Book that's listed at the Associations Website.
--->#7) As a KJ, you understand that any Karaoke Manufacturer and or The Association can call on an audit from a KJ at anytime if the KJ has been reported.
--->#8) If a Commercial Venue wants to check on the Contracted/Hired KJ's library (before or after a show), the KJ must consent to it by getting online and allowing the Association's Software to scan the Media the KJ is using or has used during the show.
--->#9) The KJ must keep all online and on site Karaoke Libraries updated within 30 days of any changes.
--->#10) Original Disc Based KJs would also need to be audited in order to obtain membership.
...The Karaoke Manufacturers:
--->#1) Must provide proof that they have a licensing agreement with the original copyright holders of the music they intend to produce. This agreement would ONLY be seen and confirmed between the Karaoke Manufacturers, the Original Copyrights Holders and the Association. It would be considered CONFIDENTIAL. The Association would not be allowed to post/share any copies of any agreements between Karaoke Manufacturers and the Original Copyrights Holders, only confirm that those tracks have been approved for those Karaoke Manufacturers to produce and will be legal for use in Karaoke Shows.
--->#2) The Association would only share any and all information (from KJs and Commercial Venue members) with the Karaoke Manufacturers.
--->#3) Obviously the Karaoke Manufactures and or Original Copyrights Holders of the music could still exercise their rights according to the U.S. Copyrights and or Trademark Laws. Please keep in mind, being a member of The Association does not protect you (the KJ or Commercial Venue Owner) from a lawsuit but if you are playing by the rules, it should lessen your chances of lawsuits being filed against your business.

---> Membership fees would be required to help cover the costs. Some might say it's protection money. I would like to think it's an investment into the future of the industry. A fee that protects us all and insures we're all playing by the rules. So what's a fair fee that would help generate enough revenue for an Association to operate on? I don't know? For KJ's, perhaps $500.00 for the first year and $300.00 annually thereafter. For the Commercial Venue? Maybe $250.00 per year.
...Part of the yearly membership fees being paid, by the Venues and KJs, should go to the Original Copyrights Holders of the Music. Why? Well, we've seen several Karaoke Manufactures throughout the years, produce and sale Karaoke Tracks without proper licensing and I believe that we should compensate Original Copyrights Holders back in order to keep their minds open to allow Karaoke Manufacturers the opportunity to produce new tracks in the future.

---> This proposal of a new Association is nothing but an idea. Some might LIKE the idea and some might HATE it. Would new U.S. Laws have to be proposed & passed or old Laws amended? Most likely. For me, I'm not a lawyer but it's not hard to see that Karaoke Lives & Operates in very a Gray Area. For this or something like it to work it would take a lot of investigating and could only work with the majority of all parties willing. Who would benefit the most from this idea? Well, opinions may vary but I honestly believe WE ALL WOULD!

....If you've made it this far, I'm sorry to say that there's no special prize awarded, only the option to comment. Add to it, bash it or whatever you wish but thanks you for taking the time to read it!

I would have to say that is a very well thought out posting. I however, would would like to see a scaled back version that all could agree upon, then build up to that scale. And we would have to enlist local KJs and venues to help ( don't know if any would be willing )at the start up to identify problem areas, city, county, state, they feel is needing help first. I am sure there will be a lot of smaller cities in that group. It would be a lot of work.

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Still love to sing!

Back in the day, I knew of a guy that thought of starting a "Association" revolving around his love of Karaoke.

His focus was to improve technical skills of KJs and educate the same about the scourge of piracy.

He was a nice guy, but happened to be a bit gay..

He spent quite a bit of money setting things up, and even drove over to Las Vegas to some sort of DJ meetup..

The East coast rednecks seemed to have an issue with him, and little progress was made..

Several attempts were made to steal the fledgling Association away.

It seems "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" comes to mind..

Yea but, I am Redneck too, and stealing is a crime. Then of course Jimmy Hoffa comes to mind. Still can be DONE!



I'll take a wild guess and say nobody wants to help EVERYBODY get LEGAL.
Just want to gripe and complain about pirates. I understand now.

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Still love to sing!

So carry on! I will go back to singing.

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Still love to sing!

...No matter what the future holds for the the way Media is delivered and how it's used, Pandora's Box has been opened for a very long time now. Many have tiptoed their way through the fields.

...I would much rather make a deal with the Sleeping Giant before he awakes, comes to his senses and realizes what's been going on and yells out loud, "Game Over....No More Playing!"

Maybe we understand more than we should. You and I both know one day somebody somewhere is gonna say "Damn, wish we would have gotten in on that!" I like your vision, but my op. is it has to be scaled back at the get go. As you can see no one wants to be in on it as written. So.....

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Still love to sing!

...I hear ya...but as much as some may disagree, SC has somewhat set the model of what could be, to a certain degree, along with Digitrax and "the cloud." They have scratched the surface.

Agreed. I just don't think they will ever be able to clean up the streets so to speak. I figure it will have to be a local effort with a national backing, but just can't start off that way have to ease into it. I do go to other shows and see what might be going, sometimes I ask a lot of questions no one wants to answer. I saved a copy of your proposal in hopes to really read it over and see if there is a way to scale it back to a level we could start off with. Hope ya don't mind. Be posting later.........

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Still love to sing!

...Hey, to be honest, personally I don't care what anyone has invested into or will invest to get into the KJ Business, as long as we're all playing by the same rules and everyone has been compensated appropriately... I'm all for it!

Don't tell the Detroit Free Press, but Jimmy is alive and well. He got addicted to karaoke and he's been out on the circuit ever since. Same with Elvis. They're not all impersonators, yanno.

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

Not sure if posting a URL is against our terms of service here at Karaoke Scene. If so, please remove this post, but...... it looks to me like it's already been done.

www.uskaraokealliance (dot) com

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

defunct, just like every other group that was attempted to get started.


even the major dj association that is established her in canada *can't remember the name at the moment* has virtually nothing in place for karaoke hosts, altho they said they were going to try and make it a priority.