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GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
https://mail.karaokescenemagazine.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19812		 Page 1 of 4
Author:  Bazza [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:01 am ]
Post subject:  GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
As some of you know, I have been waiting impatiently for the GEM series for almost a year. Then when the news came, I was a little pi$$ed that I would have to basically re-buy my Foundations & Bricks again in order to get the rest of the songs.

After a few email exchanges with Kurt Slep, he offered to give me credit for my mint (only used once to rip) foundation/brick sets. Add to that the 10% early discount AND the fact they were offering to split the cost over 12 months (CC auto-debit), and it was too good to pass up.

Then I was very surprised to get this reply: "While we have a number of sales “backed up”, you are the first one to get your completed paperwork in, so you will get the first set shipped. You will get set #6 for everything – we are saving Serial Numbers 1-5 for future prizes."

So...I am #6. (Cue "The Prisoner" music)

Some will say it's a rip-off, or that I signed away all my legal rights but to me, it's a helluva deal to get the entire set of what I consider the "best of breed". My SC selections will jump from 1565 cuts to 6000.

I am like a kid waiting for Christmas by the mailbox!
Author:  vamp [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
congrats no much good for me i already own 500 or so of the soundchoice disks been doing this for a long time. congrats it looks like a nice way to get the cream of the coffee
Author:  Lonman [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
That's how i'm getting my music for my mobile system i'm working on. Best deal out there!
Author:  Dr Fred [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 4:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
counting the bricks, foundations and spotlights SC has made 1015 disks according to my count, not counting re-issued disks twice.

The spotlight series skipped 16 disk #s (I think) or at least I can find no evidence of these disks existing, much less find them for sale.

I certainly could have missed them but if so they have to be pretty rare.
8913
8929
8938
8940
8955
8960
8972
8973
8975
8977
8978
8980
8981
8997
9000
9020
Which makes 8100 to 9024 -16 or 909 regular spotlights

Beyond that there is the 40 bricks and 61 foundation disks (including the holliday disk in F2, and 5 9500 series spotlights disks, it appears they may have skipped a few #s on the 9500s as well.

So far I own 518 out of the 1015, so I am just over halfway there.
Author:  jeffsw6 [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
Bazza @ Wed Jul 21, 2010 2:01 pm wrote:
Add to that the 10% early discount AND the fact they were offering to split the cost over 12 months (CC auto-debit), and it was too good to pass up.

That sounds like a great way to make a second rig more affordable! So what are you paying each month? I might look into this myself!
Author:  Bazza [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
jeffsw6 @ Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:04 pm wrote:
That sounds like a great way to make a second rig more affordable! So what are you paying each month? I might look into this myself!


After the discounts and down payment, around $300 a month for 12 months. I can do that in one night out of the month, easy. Well worth it for me.

I believe they have several different pay-plan options in the works.
Author:  jeffsw6 [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
I just read the updated web page, and anyone can order the Gem series with a 15% up-front payment and you can pay the rest over 12 or 18 months. Looks like they are really doing a lot to make this affordable for every KJ. Here is the web page, and you can click on price and payment options to see what it will look like for you. http://www.soundchoicestore.com/gem-ser ... pg-59.html

For example, it's $605 up-front and $210 per month for 18 months to buy the whole 6000 song package. I don't make nearly as much at my bar gig as a lot of KJs on here (because I am stupidly loyal to my venue which is slowly going out of business) but even I can justify that very easily.
Author:  letitrip [ Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
This is probably the single most effective thing they could have done to try and curb piracy. There will always be those who just don't want to pay for stuff, but making it easy and (relatively speaking) affordable to get all the Sound Choice tracks sure will bring in a lot of folks who want to be legal but just didn't feel they had the means to do so. Plus if the GEM series is successful, they've just put that many more songs out there in KJ libraries that will pop up their logo for the entire venue to see. Free advertising.
Author:  Alex [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 4:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
Does anyone know what the "Add On CDGs" on their Price Payment Options Sheet means? (at the bottom)
Author:  Bazza [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
Sevarin @ Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:44 am wrote:
Does anyone know what the "Add On CDGs" on their Price Payment Options Sheet means? (at the bottom)


Yes, if you buy extra "normal" discs (Spotlight's, etc) at the same time you gain the quantity discount. At the top tier you are getting them for around $7 instead of over $20!
Author:  Alex [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
Thanks =)
Author:  c. staley [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
Are you married? Do you want to be?

Then read the "agreement" you must sign in order to purchase these.... you might just change your mind.
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
c. staley @ Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:47 am wrote:
Are you married? Do you want to be?

Then read the "agreement" you must sign in order to purchase these.... you might just change your mind.


WOW you need a lawyer to understand all the mumbo jumbo lol

Did I read correctly that the AGREEMENT is for 5 years and then subject to renewal ??? What happens if 5 years if they (SC) choose not to renew ?
Is that POSSIBLE ?

Seems like a great deal for the SC tracks but all the paperwork and agreements etc seems a little OVER THE TOP and intrusive. Maybe it has to be ... IDK?
Author:  jeffsw6 [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
You can still continue using the songs after 5 years though, can't you? I have not seen the agreement yet; I do not know where to find it on their web site.

I have heard you must promise to submit to their auditors if they ask you to. That would be a pretty big inconvenience, and it does seem especially silly to make someone you know is buying your songs prove that you bought them, but if you consider multi-riggers it does make sense. I imagine there are multi-riggers that buy several copies of every disc, but not quite enough copies for their busiest nights. So my thinking is SC probably wants to be able to make sure they really own enough copies for every hard drive or every show, however they keep track of it. There would be no reason for them to audit the individual KJ who they know purchased the songs because they already have a record of them buying the set.
Author:  Bazza [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
jeffsw6 @ Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:25 pm wrote:
You can still continue using the songs after 5 years though, can't you? I have not seen the agreement yet; I do not know where to find it on their web site.

I have heard you must promise to submit to their auditors if they ask you to. That would be a pretty big inconvenience, and it does seem especially silly to make someone you know is buying your songs prove that you bought them, but if you consider multi-riggers it does make sense. I imagine there are multi-riggers that buy several copies of every disc, but not quite enough copies for their busiest nights. So my thinking is SC probably wants to be able to make sure they really own enough copies for every hard drive or every show, however they keep track of it. There would be no reason for them to audit the individual KJ who they know purchased the songs because they already have a record of them buying the set.


The agreement is here: http://www.soundchoicestore.com/skin1/i ... icense.pdf

Yes, if you read the agreement you technically don't own the discs. You are licensing their use for professional purposes for five years. After five years you have to renew for "No more than $100". I suspect this is CYA for them and assuming you have been a good boy will be waived, but if not, I don't have a big issue with it.

The reason for all this as I see it is if you breach the contract (pirate the songs, copy them to multiple rigs, etc) they can get you for breach of contract and demand the return of the songs which is much easier to do than the current "copyright infringement" tactic.
Author:  Dr Fred [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 4:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
I take that mountain of papers to read that anyone who buys the cds cant resell the origionals later to someone else without a mountain of hassle.

That would seem to say that their re-sale value is going to be seriously discounted, while on the other hand CDs have done a reasonably good job of holding onto half or even a lot more of their value when used.
Author:  vamp [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
i'll stick to my cdgs thanks
Author:  vamp [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
all in all i think sound choice needs to get back to making new releases
Author:  Bazza [ Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
Dr Fred @ Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:37 pm wrote:
I take that mountain of papers to read that anyone who buys the cds cant resell the origionals later to someone else without a mountain of hassle.


Well, you do have to transfer the license. But I don't see filling out a form as a "mountain of hassle". It took me all of about 10 minutes.

Dr Fred @ Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:37 pm wrote:
That would seem to say that their re-sale value is going to be seriously discounted, while on the other hand CDs have done a reasonably good job of holding onto half or even a lot more of their value when used.


Yeah, that worked great for Vinyl and Cassettes when the newer CD's came along. They held their value great! :P Seriously, I don't see them being seriously discounted at all. Why would they be any different than used Bricks & Foundations that still sell well?

Then again I also don't plan on ever selling them. If I get out of the biz, I will keep them as I will still love to sing.

UPDATE: Just got the tracking! A 10 pound box of SC love arrives Monday!
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEM Series: Seems I am first in line.
Dr Fred @ Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:37 pm wrote:
I take that mountain of papers to read that anyone who buys the cds cant resell the origionals later to someone else without a mountain of hassle.

That would seem to say that their re-sale value is going to be seriously discounted, while on the other hand CDs have done a reasonably good job of holding onto half or even a lot more of their value when used.


.....MOUNTAIN OF PAPER is like making a pact with the DEVIL :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
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