Karaoke Forums

I have had about 5, in the two years I have done this, actually request SC or CB. I have had 3 ask me why I do not deal with them. A couple of those were KJs, and they understood. And they STILL come to my shows. If I get requests for songs that are ONLY on SC or CB, I just tell them I can't get them because they are out of print. Certainly not far from the truth.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

you have had better luck than I. there has yet to be a singer coming in that must sing from brand x that has not been a pita diva expecting the world handed to them on a silver platter. in almost 10 years i have not had one that did not have a demanding holier than thou attitude, sip water and complain about having to wait while others sing to get their turn again.

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

I ACTUALLY had one guy ask for the SGB version of one of the Skynryd songs. I was in shock!!

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

While few and far between, there actually are a FEW SGB titles that I prefer over the majors renditions. Best example I can think of off the bat is "Slow Boat To China". The SGB version is the only one that is up tempo like the big band version I'm used to, as opposed to the dirge versions that the majors came out with, and that doesn't count the titles that are unique to the brand (of which there are a number).

I'd say the majority of singers just want to sing the version they are familiar with, the pacing,the sweeps, etc. If it's true that SC and CB are the most pirated by both kjs and singers, makes sense that those brands would be the most familiar to regular singers.

It's the older, long term karaoke singers that request specific versions at our shows. The younger singers don't care so long as you have it and it doesn't sound like crap.

To KarenB's point - what I did was unique. I had a a 3 year plan and knew I would be buying a lot of discs to support multiple rigs. Most karaoke operators are single rig and don't need nearly the quantity or variety I have to support.

Sound Choice pricing is out of reach for all but the most dedicated fans at this point. I point people to eBay and Craigslist for bulk buys and iCroons.com for specific requests.

That said....I am considering a HELP license for our 7 night/week show. Lots of diversity there and I think adding access to the bulk of the SC library could be used to draw in more people.

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-Chris

Ok...that being said, how would you acquire the songs, other than the ones you already have on disc? I mean, don't you have to find a method that has been being called ILLEGAL by SC/PEP, or are you an advocate of the claim that they can just magically make it LEGAL by charging a fee? If distribution of unauthorized copies is illegal, you cannot make it legal for the DISTRIBUTOR, even if this Magic Fee made it legal for the distributee...

I just cannot see how one can steer clear of being contributory in an actual crime in all of this process. Seriously: have you ever heard of a company suing folks for illicit activity, and then not only being able to legitimately make said illicit material kosher, but also being able to grossly profit from it???

I think what people might be missing is there is a difference between ILLEGAL and IMMORAL just because something suddenly becomes legal to do, doesn't make it the RIGHT thing to do.

Now there are people out there who just simply don't care about the difference and sometimes in life you just have to choose the best option that your conscience is willing to let you live with.

In my opinion, the HELP program is the best option available for those who wish to multi-rig with one set of discs.

that is all I am going to say

-James

I will speak to this post as it relates to my last post, since it appears to be somewhat of a response to it: I am not sure how prudent it is to bring morals into the discussion. If anyone who is concerned with morals in their decision making process, they would have to go live on an island and live off the foliage to come as close as possible to avoiding moral dilemmas, since virtually every company in existence does things that would upset their moral balance, even if they have to dig a bit to find it...

Not sure where the statement "suddenly becomes legal to do" comes from...things do not become legal until certain steps are taken by the corresponding governmental agency to enact changes of law. Even court decisions aren't technically law until the corresponding governmental agency enacts them. Making a decision to attempt to derive monetary benefit from self-proclaimed illicit activity most certainly does not constitute something "suddenly becom(ing) legal to do".....

He probably do what most multiriggers in my area do- copy the ones he has over to a new drive especially if he ripped them at above 192K bitrate that the help license calls for, which knowing Chris's computer background he did.

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

Strike ONE...Try reading the original question again, slowly, and try to come up with a relative answer that doesn't take a jab at others...../jk

I would be too, that version is horrid!

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

Most of the people asking aren't the typical 'diva'. They drink, spend money & party. Just know the versions they prefer. I have a guy that comes in on Wed night ask for specific songs on SC, when I tell him that I don't have it but have (or can get) the other brands, he thanks me but says he's tried several of the other brands and none of them sound very good. Whether he just doesn't want to try or really has tried the others is the question.

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

I did read the question and if I had the full SC library and wanted to set up a second system, which for me would be easy to do since all I am missing is a second mixer, That would be what I would do. Copy my SC library and pay for certification of one rig and the PEP fee for the other. who is to say whether or not he has the full library? Maybe one of his windfalls was a complete set of SC discs.

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

I do not have a full set of SC Discs. So I would have to verify the quality of what I do have and then acquire the remainder......somehow.

This program is not much different from the old Stellar CAP program except for the quality requirements. No one complained about that one.

IMO - People are only complaining about it because it is Sound Choice.

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-Chris

i disagree Chris.
you got the Stellar CAP because you bought a loaded drive before you were informed on the true legalities of that purchase. buying the CAP was to get square with what you already bought in good faith and pay for what you had, that's why it was a one time payment.
the HELP program is specifically for a host to steal everything they want from wherever they get it and pay for someone to look the other way. that's why it is a forever payment.
two very different programs.

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

How the Stellar CAP was positioned in the wording on their site and how it was treated in reality are two completely different things. It was made abundantly clear to me that I could obtain music after the fact and still be covered under the CAP. i think there was even some language to that effect in the CAP agreement I received, but i would have to dig it out to be sure.

They are still effectively the same - They don't care how the music is obtained. They don't care if you obtain it before or after signing up. They just care about they payment.

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-Chris

Chris CAP was a one time payment. SC's program is for the entire time you are using the product. If you use it for 20 years, you pay for 20 years.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Easy. We are talking about copyright infringement, which is a crime. Now if the person who owns the rights says that copying is OK as long as you pay them X dollars *in this case every month* then there is no copyright infringement and hence no crime. It USED to be illegal and now because the owners say its ok it is not.

It is absolutely no different than soundchoice going to the publishers and paying for the right to make a karaoke disc.


That being said, since Stingray is NOT currently participating in HELP if you copy all 16,50 tracks you ARE committing copyright infringement against Stingray. I do not see any way around that.

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Not true! To get certified is a one time small fee for those that own their discs that want to transfer them to computer. The monthly HELP fee is for the people that bought their drives illegally (or want to legally multirig their systems) that don't have 1 disc (or multiple libraries) to show for their library. Don't make it into something it isn't!

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