Karaoke Forums

This goes out to just the KJs here that are NOT set up to play discs at thier shows.

It is a well-known fact that many of us Singers here like to sing certain songs from specific manufacturers (or sing songs that we know the KJ might not have in their library), so to remain within our comfort zone, we like to bring our own discs with us when we go out to a Karaoke show. Since several of you have stated that you run a Computer-based show, and do not have a hook up to play our discs, some people here have mentioned/suggested that they just bring a Flash Drive/Thumb Drive with them to these shows, and give it to the KJ to queue their songs.

I recently purchased an 8gb Flash Drive. I have several BIN Files of karaoke songs (from my CDGs) saved on my home PC, so I can burn these onto a disc anytime that I need to. I have a program called MP3G+TOOLZ loaded on my PC. I created a New Folder on my Desktop, and then moved these Bin Files into that folder. I then selected the option to convert BIN File to MP3G. The next thing I did was to select the option to create MP3G to ZIP File. After this was done, I sent it all to my Flash Drive.

If I were to come to one of your shows with my Flash Drive, is there something else that I would need to have on this Flash Drive for you to be able to use it? How much work/trouble is it for you to use my Flash Drive, and Open/Convert the file into CDG format (so that I could see the display and sing from it)?

Now, for those of you KJs who REFUSE to accept a Singer's Flash Drive at your show (for whatever reason), please DO NOT respond with that statement unless you have some other advice or instructions to add to what I described above.

First off, I don't play customers discs or flash drives.

But if I were to play a flash drive for someone, I would want it in the MP3+G format (.mp3 file with a .cdg file). It could be zipped or not.

If you are going to use the MP3+G format, make sure you rip your songs at a good quality (bit rate).

If you have the song in a zip folder with an mp3 and a cdg both named identical except for the .mp3 and .cdg file extensions you are good to go. The rest depends on the KJ and his knowledge of the software and computer he is using.

I have and will play from a flash drive if it's from someone I know well enough to trust that the content wasn't malicious or illegal ( I've even had singers with their original work on flash drive and CD). Having said that, I'd like to relate a personal experience as a singer at someone else's show.

I was at a show with some friends a few years ago and requested a song the KJ didn't have. He said he was a big fan of the song and hadn't heard it in years and would see if he could order it for later. I sang something else. We had a good time and returned the next week. I brought the song with me on my flash drive and asked him if he would play from it. He was excited at the prospect and agreed to play it for me from my flash drive. When we returned a couple weeks later, he asked me to sing it again. I offered him my flash drive and he took it and then played the song without ever plugging it in.

I don't know if he had intended to copy my song for his library, or if he just didn't know any other way to make it play, or if he had purchased it in the meanwhile, but I don't offer up my flash drive anymore to anyone.

Since then if I plan on returning to someone's show and they didn't have a song I wanted to sing, I'll get their e-mail address, buy it from SBI, and have it sent to them. It's only a few dollars and usually results in a free drink.

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KNOW THYSELF

On a PC run system, there are drives that can play CDG Disks, one has to look

I don't have a clue how to do that. What I use is the GOLDENHAWK software to burn a copy of my CDGs (on a PLEXTOR unit). I select the tracks I want, and then it creates a BIN File to my Desktop. When I want to burn that onto a disc, I then select the Bin File from my Desktop, and select the CDG option, and select 4X for the speed (which is almost the slowest speed to copy at (becuase I have problems with my discs when I burn them at faster speeds)).

If you were to bring a flash drive to our shows we would only play it if you also brought the original manufactures discs to show the drive was loaded with music that was paid for......downloads would not be played. We do have a few customers that do this....and the format would have to be in MP+3 format

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I have had people bringing their own cassettes and cd's over the years and would not have any problems using their flash drives. As for asking them to bring the original as proof? nope, not my job to police other people.

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Cheers
John & Kandie
Mobiletoonz Entertainment

If one will play the singer's music, and requires a disc, then one should then have the equipment to play said disc.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Please try to keep this topic in one direction. The arguement about bringing legal discs vs burns to a show is a totally different topic (which has been discussed many times).

you don't need much Cue. your .BIN files should be fine on the software. if you want to do MP3+g instead, just use a good encoder and rate (as was mentioned earlier). i will use someones thumb drive only if i know they are getting them from discs they own. basically friends that i help help their stuff myself. the answers on the technical side you have gotten pretty much cover it.
although, i thought Hoster needed them in .KMA format, has that changed?

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

If you're so fussy about the music that you need to bring your own I don't want you at my show. I won't play home burned disks or flash drives at a public gig for fear that they are pirated. Recently, the technology to embed the name of the licensed owner into the cdg graphic has become available so if one was marked like that I wouldn't have a problem playing it. That being said...

I would want the music in MP3+G format, not zipped, to be compatible with all players. Then I would need the fully qualified path name to the file(s) you want to play. It would be best to keep them all in the root directory.

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Okay, who took my pants?

If you brought that stick to my show , i could play it no problem , i could key change and as soon as i switched off my computer your track would not be on my computer , i do not copy the tracks just have the ability to play them.

i can play zips ,mp3+G the two files so no problem. my software can also play CDG discs again not copying them permanently but allowing me to play the track you want.

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I have used flash drives from people before, it's not common, but mostly from out of towners that do not want to bring in their discs.
I prefer an mp3/cdg file combo (again both files have to be named identically) as well - you have to have both otherwise you won't get the song to play. Just put them on the drive or you can put both files in their own folder, but both files HAVE to remain in the same location.
Using Goldenhawk only rips them to bin files. Instead of doing the rip & then converting them down, just use a program that will rip them directly to mp3g. Use this for free. http://www.karaokeware.com/CDGRip.html
Like said rip to the best rate (ie 320).

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Hoster can play it's own kma, mp3, wma & zip files (along with 11 different video formats as well). Always has - at least as long as i've been running it since 05 - although the videos have grown.

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Or you can use MP3G TOOLZs to convert from BIN to MP3+G.(link below)

Just make sure you setup to rip at 320 bitrate.


http://www.activeaspsoftware.net/defaul ... &N_IncNo=1

I know you can convert, but it's just an extra step that don't need to be taken IMO to get them to mp3g - that is of course, they aren't already ripped to bin in the first place, in which case there isn't really a need to re-rip, then converting would make sense.

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

I would require the original disc as well although the program would require me to reload my database after the show to remove the file from my database. I'd import the info from the flash drive without copying to my hard drive.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

What are you using Danny that copies the song?

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Actually Cue, your OP is unduly limited.

Though I would play a customer original disc and not a memory stick, there is something else to consider- not just PC based.

Both my mixer/amp in my mini setup AND my cd+g player are equipped with USB ports for the use of memory sticks.

I won't use it for customers due to unknown content and inconvenience, but keep in mind that nowadays your question applies to non-PC based shows as well.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Not really, Joe. My OP is specific to those who can not play discs at their shows. I've been to your show, and you play discs; therefore, it is a non-issue for you. I would have no reason to come to your show with a flash drive, since I know that you can (and have) played my personal discs.