Karaoke Forums

Most of our Library is chartbuster, but we do have quite a bit of SC tucked in there with them. But it never fails, ever once in a while I get a group of "professional" Karaoke singers that come in and make a stink about not having every song they would like to sing available on SC. They even ignore the books and just come up and take up as much time for them and away from the show as they need to discuss this. I've explained that while SC is a great version so are some of the Chartbusters etc. /sigh hard to deal sometimes
Thoughts?

Me: "No, actually I don't have that particular song on Soundchoice, but I do have it on Chartbuster or DK, or whatever." Him (or her): "I know it's on Soundchoice, because so-in-so at the other place has it, and they don't even have books, you just have to go up and ask for the song". Me: "Well, then what are you doing here?" "We use books, slips, have a "limited" number of songs approx. 15,000 titles, NOT ALL SOUNDCHOICE, so if we don't have what you're looking for, and you don't want to look in the books, or fill out slips, I'm sorry, but you're probably better off going to the other show. But thanks for stopping by...

Srnitynow

It's funny how you pretty much hit it right on the head, I got to hear that last night too. "so and so" has pretty much all of them on SC and that's the version I'm used too.

I do the same thing and I get great delight in seeing their reaction, because I have plenty of singers, and 1 less pushy singer is a welcomed relief.

Thankfully, people around here aren't that spoiled.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Even tho I am not doing any shows at this present time, I have been asked if I have "xxxx song," and my response has always been the same... "If it isn't listed in my book, then I do not have it." I have received some "Brand Specific" requests, but I have NEVER gotten the, "Well Mr. KJ at this other place has it.".

Last year a host came in and berated me for not having "Lying eyes" On SC. I laughed, because I thought he was joking... but no, every other show he goes to including his own has it.

I said the zoom version was just a popular quality wise, give it a try... He was happy by the end of the night, which is the important thing.

The main problem I come across in the Uk, is Sunfly addicts who refuse to accept any other brand may be just as good, fortunately their numbers are dwindling, as more and more shows expand their collections to contain other companies.

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'A genius is one who can do anything except make a living'. Joey Adams.

I prefer SC usually, but I wouldn't make a fuss about someone not having it. I sing quite a few different songs, so I never have a problem finding more than enough songs to sing....even with the smallest library. Sometimes, when I'm used to the SC version, I get tripped up by other versions, especially if the key is different, but I hang in there, even if I got to bring out my she-voice... .....it's all good. If SGB had been the only karaoke manu to ever hit the mainstream, I'd still be happier than a pig in sh!t...... .......man I wish I had karaoke when I was a lad.

I simply state that if it isn't in my kiosk then I don't have it. I will however look for it and just maybe it will be in there for next time. If it's a SC song then you have to wait three weeks for it to appear in my collection as I now get customs at clark music's site.

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

I am a karaoke snob. I like the version I like. I will try other versions if I really want to sing a song, but for the most part I want what I am used to. of course I prefer SC or most other brands but there are a few versions of songs that I prefer PI, CB, LG, or whatever for.

Cue - I have a LOT of songs that aren't in my books because I buy music regularly and I only update books every 6 months are when they get too gunked up. I even announce that if it is not in my book, feel free to ask about it anyway because I may be able to buy it on the spot if it is available.

-Chris

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-Chris

It was nice to meet you last night Chris

AS I buy more songs, even if they aren't in my physical book, I add them, immediately to my book file, so I can always find out quickly if I have something someone wants to sing.

As for being a brand specific singer, I feel that if you are a good enough singer you can make most versions sound good. If the words are wrong, as long as you know them you can fix the wrong spots while singing them. Also, if you are halfway decent singer, and the song is in the wrong key, you will be able to tell the host how many steps to raise or lower it to your liking.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

A "professional" singer should be flexible enough to adapt to may different variations of the same song. These people just sound like snobs.

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If you're going to eat my mic, do you at least want some condiments?

Even a decent amateur should be able to do that.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Some times it's not so easy if you sing two or three thousand different songs.......you need all the help and accuracy a karaoke cut can provide..... actually, if your preformance doesn't go as good as you'd like it to go......you're usually the only one who notices it...

If someone is used to singing a song in a certain way, based on the karaoke version that they have at their house, any variation can throw that person off when trying to sing that song from a different version. I don't think that is too much to ask to have the KJ provide that version or provide a way to play the singer's own disc.

Just the other day, someone here was looking for a particular version of "CANDLE IN THE WIND". Both versions are very similar but if you are expectong one and end up getting the other, you will most likely trip over the parts that are different. It seems that many KJs don't give a rat's a$$ if the singer has a positive xperience at karaoke. All they seem to care about us getting paid. They think that every singer should just be satisfied with whatever version they have purchased; even if it's crap.....because it's just karaoke and you should be able to just wing it on the fly without worrying about doing a good hjob or not. The more flubbs the better. They don't want those pesky divas, who might actually practice at home, coming to THEIR shows. Many of them want to be the only good singer at their show because they ALWAYS get to sing along with the version that they are used to.

It's THEIR show and you are limited to what they are willing to provide. Leave your personal discs at home.

I don't think that is quite true. I won't by any more SC, not for the reasons you just stated, but because I don't like their practices. I will gladly play anyone's personal discs, unless they are burns, no matter what brand they are. But for now, I will not buy any more SC, so if there are SC singers at my shows, (which hasn't been a problem), they are out of luck, but I WOULD explain my objection to buying SC.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

fair enough.

Since I wouldn't be able to sing any of my home made tracks at your show, since they are all on burned discs, I probably wouldn't go to your shows anyway. Nothing personal. I just like to sing what I like to sing. I do find it a little funny that you'd probably let me sing "AT A MEDIUM PACE" by Adam Sandler or "CLOSER" by Nine Inch Nails at your show but you wouldn't let me sing a song that I made myself because it is on a CDR disc.

It's your show and your rules. I get it.

My homemade tracks are every bit as legal as anything produced by All Hits, Sweet Georgia Brown and a myriad of other karaoke companies. The only difference between the two are that those companies had their discs pressed instead of burned and they had their labels professionally done. Those companies sold their discs to many people who assumed that they were buying a legally produced product. My tracks aren't sold to anyone so no money has been made on the backs of the musicians who created the songs. I buy my backing tracks from Karaoke version, I-tunes and amazon and I'm pretty sure that those companies pay the owners of the material their fair share.

There is nothing illegal about "At A Medium Pace" or "Closer". BUT there could be legal issues if I play your burned disc. That is the difference. NOW, if all publisher and mfr BS were to cease, then your burned discs would be welcome additions to my show.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

My home made tracks are just as legal as the All Hits versions and SGB versions of Closer. At least I paid for the music I used to make them.