Karaoke Forums

Hey all,

Long story short, myself and my business partner used to do karaoke shows 4 days a week back in the day... then we both ended up moving away from the city and our lives went other directions, but we kept the company in storage. So well, looking at getting back into it.

I'm looking at going all digital using kJams, and wanted to know the legalities of it.

I've been trying to search online about licensing, etc and haven't come up /w much. I've found the $350 / year for a HD based player (for music) but I emailed them, and they said that was for music only, not karaoke.
(This is in Canada, FYI)
Any words of advice / information would be great... Thanks!

I dont now much about Canada but my advise is simple....buy your music on original manu's media, Rip it yourself, store the media and remain 1-1....then you know you will never have any problems and were raised to be honorable and moral

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"Integrity is choosing your thoughts, words and actions based on your principles and values rather than for your personal gain."
Unknown
"if a man has integrity, nothing else matters, If a man has no integrity, nothing else matters."
Lee McGuffey

Currently, hard drives for commercial karaoke are not allowed as the shifting cannot be licenced, this is due to sync rights. DJ music can be shifted after obtaining a licence from AVLA.

AVLA cannot authorize:

Synchronization (embedding of sound recordings into visual presentations).
Compiling sound recordings on CD-Rs to use as "give-aways".
Karaoke tracks (please contact the production companies of the karaoke discs for more information on licensing).

http://www.avla.ca/disc-jockeys.aspx

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You can be strange but not a stranger

So no KJMP HD's in Canada?

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My statements, opinions and conclusions are based on my own personal experiences, observations, research and/or just my own $.02. I'm not a "cheerleader", but that doesn't make me a Pirate.

That's the jist i've gotten is... "There is technically no legal way to do it".

In the states, I seen the SoundChoice Program where they can check your discs and verify you... (or you get a notification of lawsuit, then you have to get it checked) But if you're checked, and pass, you're good.

I legally own 100% of my discs, none of them burnt... And do plan on only having one system (although having a backup drive of course for obvious reasons). So morally it's all on the up and up... just the mess of a legal system.

So how many guys out there run a 'morally legit' system in Canada? (Own all discs, using just one HD based player per disc owned?)

Hiteck, if it's licenced for Canada then no problem, the same if the manufacturer gives you permission but no permission then no legal shifting.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

If you have the original CDGs, rip them to a drive, and run your show with the drive. As long as you have the original CDGs for each and every song, you will have no problems. Bank on it! Not one KJ has went to jail, paid any fines, or lost a court case that had their originals to back up the digital copies 1 to 1.



Also, if you use Compuhost, you can buy the KJMP hard drive and unlock the CB songs. You won't need CDGs to back those songs up because you bought the digital form of the songs from the manu directly. Game, set match, go to work!

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Don't make a "deposit" to that bank just yet!
There are still a few cases in the court system and they are slowly grinding their way through, so we shall see what happens with it. However, that is also in the US an not in Canda.
Just buy all your discs, rip them yourself, and then you have the discs on hand if anything happens and you need to rerip.

You are right. I'm not banking it. I'm finding a bookie and betting on it!

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

as long as you have permission from the disc manufacturers and all originals, then the likelyhood of you running into trouble is next to zero.

soundchoice and chartbuster offer audit programs, uk companies like zoom etc don't care as long as you have the original disc and unlike north american companies, they have master rights to their tracks which means if they give you permission, NO ONE can touch you, not even the music publishers.


Also, if you buy digital tracks from Tricerasoft, there licensing is supposed to include KJ use, which would make them legal to use in the US & Canada.

the KJMP drive from chartbuster/invicion is fully licensed for use in the US and Canada so any tracks purchased thru this system should be legal to use.

hope that helps

-James

Do soundchoice and chartbuster offer programs in Canada? I found things for the US, but not for Canada...

If you are that worried about it guy, then email them and explain your situation. Personally I wouldn't bother but if it will help you sleep better at night by all means you should do it. I don't think they do have programs in Canada but I'm no expert on the subject.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Hi goatee.

As long as you have proof that you've paid for the track, whether in receipt/digital receipt/CD+G discs, you'll be okay.

All you have to do is:

1, Make sure that if you rip tracks from CD+G, then you retire the disc, and stick to the digital version of it... just keep the discs, just in case.

2. If you use Tricerasoft, or any other legit MP3+G downloading site (if you are using Kjams, the stores are the same thing), then keep the digital receipts that get sent to your email inbox.

3. Make sure your venue is paid up with SOCAN.

Follow those and just stay legit. Mp3+G is a pretty cloudy area of the law... I've had a hard time getting any definitive answers, but Canadians seem to have it easier than Americans.

Oh... and one more thing. Be careful with that "Karaoke Locker" store on Kjams. They are rebranded Sound Choice songs under a new label called "Karaoke Channel (Stingray)" They say directly on their site that the songs are intended for personal use only. Now, there's been some debate on whether or not these are usable in shows. I don't see why not, seeing as you pay for them, but just use those ones at your discretion.