Karaoke Forums

I really wouldn't need much I don't think, already have a stage with pro lighting.  If I did the RockBand thing, I would need to re-evaluate where they would play, stage is big enough but it would be tight.  Investment - Just getting the game console & 2 guitar-sticks (if it took off I would probably get 2 consoles so I could have the next session cued up), then the actual sound packs that have the music.  The audio would go to my PA so it would sound just like any other music going through it, the video would go to the same screens that the karaoke is now on in the bar.  May need to get a bigger video screen for the stage - but other than that not much of a huge investment.

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

If people move to Rock Band we would still be able to have the Karaoke singer but could add the other instruments too.  This might work at building a bigger crowd because we could get wanna be musicians instead of just singers.  Lets see what happens

I think any wannabe musicians aren't going to play with toy instruments.   Singing is singing but a toy guitar doesn't cut it.    It has no strings just some colored buttons..   Glorified video game not an open stage night.


The nightly winner could win a game of darts.

Having looked at the quality of the "guitars" that we have in the house for Guitar Hero, it won't last in the bar atmosphere. One drunk thinking he can imitate Jimmy Paige smashing his axe to smitherines will be the end of that show. You already know what these drunken fools do to microphones.

I brought it up over the mic to our regular crowd tonight & the response was actually very positive - surprisingly.  It's going to be a serious consideration for a short term activation on 1 of the deader nights.

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

I sat in one night last December for a KJ who runs a 10pm-2am show on Sat night.  For the last year, the 1am-2am hour of her show has been devoted to GH.  And a large crowd is attracted to the venue for GH.  While some of the GH enthusiasts participate in karaoke, that's not why they come.  

Since then, other local venues have been playing around with GH nights.  While Lonman maybe correct about the future appeal of GH, I have noticed that it draws the "20 somethings"  I don't believe it will be appealing enough to a broader audience to replace Karaoke. but I could be wrong.  In general, just consider where the generational divide is when it comes to video games, because that is what GH is -a video game.

I cant see someone of my age (50ish) playing a guitar video game. Perhaps as a LATE-NITE weeknight filler activity----------MAYBE. But also the durabilty of the equipment is a question. But again I CERTAINLY wouldnt stay for an entire evening of it. And most likely would clear out after it began. Sorry---but I come to get up and ACTUALLY sing and hear others ACTUALLY sing(and dance also)---not watch someone pretend they are Jimi Hendrix on a VIDEO GAME. Just where I am on the subject.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

I just found out my dad (61) bought it for himself & plays it with the classic rock pack.  So obviously there is an appeal for older as well, maybe not quite as high though.  But I agree I wouldn't want an entire evening of it.

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

Any consensus regarding the popularity of Guitar Hero among those who actually play guitar ?  Just curious.  As I stated, I know nothing about it, just read up on it, and watched quite a few folks playing it. It looks as tho many are having a blast, and IMHO ANYTHING that gets folks into music is a good thing, perhaps this will spawn into more kids actually wishing to learn guitar, play this stuff in real, and as stated, anything that exposes more younger folk to classic rock is great IMHO..

JMO.  I'd like an actual virtual guitaraoke program similar to the concept I PM'd to you lonnie..


I suppose a lot can constitute fad.  Interest in types of entertainment have a life span, and of course music style is almost always "fad". Seems that most often it's technology that helps evolve one "fad" into some derivation.. Low tech fad was Pinball, foosball, darts, pool *still going strong* and when solid state electronics technology hybridized with analog technology there was a metamorphosis into virtual arcade type stuff (yet there always was some desire for this type basic concept  -folks were shooting ducks with light beams at carnivals since before I was born, it's just that technology brought stuff to the home living room and the "virtual" electronics phase given A/V capability was more fun...and stuff just becomes more desireable and really picks up when it becomes affordable... Most fads in certain places Lasted a long time in other geographic areas, yet depending on venue, with the exception of seldom seen pinball today (pretty much replaced by more sophisticated electronics at least in MY location) seems Karaoke has outlasted most all types of entertainment... Going for 20 years, and that's a long time (since I won't consider live musical entertainment at venues that can afford it "fad"),  not so shure if anything has outlasted the DJ/ KJ....   I think what crimps alot of what's going on at bars is also tougher times for the alcohol industry,  and decreased revenue so that has an affect on duration of certain popular forms of entertainment too.. So there are extraneous aspects affecting what's going to be seen at bars (due to revenue that's not generated at certain places).. Tough to know...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Never thought I'd last in a bar where primates were "doing the bump" in hiphuggers, and leisure suits, wearing big pewter medallions, earthboots open quiana nylon shirts with the NYC skyline silkscreened on it, spinning around like some whirling dervish (while pointing into the air like Michael Jackson), with laser lights, and near seizure inducing strobes while doing numerous ridiculous moves to Disco, yet I did get used to that stuff.. Not so sure lack of "upper class/echelon" behaviour kept many out've Jello wrestling, strip joints, adult clubs, greased pig night, and lord knows how many other foolish "appearing" activities that've taken place at "bars".  and how about some of these Rave places ?  and years back punk styles ?  Prior to that "The Twist", and some of the stupid looking dance styles that existed ?   Since I was old enough to go to bars,  to outsiders looking in, behaviour always appeared GOOFY... (Things became more tame with the advent of Karaoke however),  for the first time a relatively civil appearing activity was introduced to bars)  What people get into depending on phase of life is all goofy (with alcohol added) yet goofy is fun after we get used to it -wannabes abound at bars, whether it's Pete Townshend behaviour when allowed with guitars,  applying centrifugal force hurling a Karaoke mic like a slingshot, playing a poolstick like a guitar when a certain song come on in the bar.... altered behaviour abounds...always has..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I just heard that GIBSON Guitars is sueing Activision (The makers of GH) for copyight infringement as they patened a similiar game years ago  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  The report also said that GH has North AMerican sales of over 1 billion dollars  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

How much is the game and unit to play it?  Total cost.

But the most important factor is..what was the average age group it was sold to.  Now i know parents buy most of it but for what age?

If it's under 18 who cares.    Can't even come to your show anyway.

The ones that are at my shows bought it for themselves. Age avg 25-35, just found out my dad bought it (61) for himself - this is probably rare, but he loves the 70's rock.  
Total cost of the game system complete would be about $200-250, then I believe the extra music packs are like $40-50 each.

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

I wonder if Gibson is suing over the actual game,  or the fact that GH is using the Gibson SG design

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Guitar Hero is best done by jr high school lads in their basement.  

If anyone thinks that it will replace karaoke, ponder this....

When you are at a bar with a jukebox, what do most people want to hear?  Guitar wankers like Joe Satriani, Yngview Malstrum (sp?), or Steve Ray Vaughn?  Or lively songs that you can dance or sing to?

That's what i said about the ballads and love songs.    People do slow dance occasionally.

I just read an article on this and they have the rights to use the gibson guitar design the lawsuit is over a 1999 patent for" technology for simulating a musical performance " It doesn't sound like the same setup to me but if your interested the article is on gamespot.com under the "all the latest news" thread.

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I'll be alright as long as there's light from a neon moon

Question .. will guitar hero replace karaoke ... No, Hell NO!!!!.  Think about it people.  It's a friggin' video game.  I'm 40.  I stopped playing video games with the original nintendo system.  I like to sing.  I've got 20-30 singers that will say the same thing (they like to sing).  I agree GH is something for the younger kids.  I've heard it's addictive as hell, but how many GH systems is a place going to hook up to accomodate everyone that comes is.  Karaoke is a hit because it allows people to sing along, dance ... it's participative.  It's novel to watch someone wail on a plastic guitar, but for how long? and how many times you going to play the same songs before you start getting a headache?  Are there 10s of 1000s of songs to chose from on GH?  

The things we talk about sometimes crack me up.

Totally agree with you on this, Croakdog. I went to a friend's place...the thing is just BLASTING in the living room, the 18 y.o. is hammering away on the thing, we can't talk so we all end up staring at the stupid screen. He finally gives up the toy to someone, which lasts about one song... and we all have to migrate to another room in the house because it is so intrusive. If I'm going to spend time learning to play something, we've got 10 guitars....

PS: I was really good at Super Mario when my kids were little ... fought them over it. It can suck up HOURS of time that could be spent doing something much more edifying as far as I'm concerned...

k