Karaoke Forums

In the OPs defense, I have wanted to start a topic but decided to check the Archives before doing so and the number of subjects that come up can be daunting as far as trying to figure out if a topic has already been discussed. Plus, as a newcomer, much of which is rehash to you is new to me and I admire those old timers who have the patience to keep answering the same questions over and over again.

As far as manu selection, if it is a Custom disc I go with Sound Choice for Rock and Chartbuster for Country but if I am buying a pre-made CDG then it has gotten to the point that I preview all the possibilities before buying. If it is English rock, I tend toward Zoom but they have disappointed me sometimes by leaving out verses. But I covet their Beatles discs. Music Maestro is not well respected here but when their set of 450 Elvis songs came on sale for $50 I got it and the Elvis singers are having a ball with the more obscure songs. For old Elvis, the discs are fine, for new Elvis with more orchestration, the Sound Choice disc is substituted. So there are other factors to consider besides "best" and I'm not sure how ranking by manu is useful.

There is also the matter of duets--on the song "Happy Christmas, War is Over" Sound Choice provided the Yoko voice so if people want a duet, they have to go with Sunfly. Same thing on "The Letter that Johnny Walker Read" and "The Streets of Bakersfield." Sound Choice turned those into solos. On the other hand, if two people want to do Everly Brothers, chose Sound Choice but if it is just one person that needs the harmonizer built in, go with another brand.

I have been fooled by the little sound snippet previews, also. Sometimes you have to go to one of the karaoke singing sites to listen to an entire version before deciding. And how it sounds on line may be completely different once it is amplified. Even if it is not the most authentic version, Sound Choice is often clearer and easier on the ears.

In regards to closest to original arrangements go, here are my own preferences.
I will list them,but please keep in mind that it is a general ranking and there are ALWAYS exceptions.
First, Top Hits Monthly (but they are now defunct-Wahhh!). If you can find some of the used discs to purchase , I would reccomend picking them up. I find they are pretty true, generally speaking, to the original songs' arrangements.
Next, of course, is Sound Choice, although the older discs from many years ago can tend to be on the not so good side (remember, it's only my opinion!)
I also like Monster Hits for their true to the original arrangement, but I have also been told they are too midi-ish. I haven't found that to be so, but that just goes to show that everyone has their own opinion and they don't necessarily jive with each other!
I don't mind the Chartbusters, but haven't had much call to play alot of them as most of my singers prefer more rock and pop, and those that do want country, I tend to pick the Top Hits Monthly, if available.
I Like the Zoom discs as well. I find they have some really good renditions of Fleetwood Mac tunes.
Sunfly can be a good choice if you don't have any of the other aforementioned discs available.
Beyond that, it's a matter of hit and miss as far as picking the "right" version goes.
Hope this helps you.

many thanks bruce I shall look into it

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Morgan--Sound Choice has the Boney M version of "Rivers" on their Custom site--I actually ordered it as they didn't have the Bob Marley version but it hasn't come yet so can't tell you the bottom line on it. Maybe as that version has a woman lead it might work for you. But you are correct--most accurate version doesn't always translate to most singable.

Sing To The World is one of those that even the bad versions I've heard from them are MILES above bad versions I've ever heard from other manus. I have yet to hear a version from them that truly STINKS.

thanks for that also leo...when I said I settled on zoom, I had tried a friends sc...neither suited...you can imagine my angst when I find that I am only comfy with the crap version....actually the same applies to fields of athenry sf version suits my voice better....eeeek I wanna projectile vomit

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

There are actually SOME Sunflys that I like and I was just about to defend them when I thought I had better listen to what Morgan was describing first--I feel her pain. But in all fairness, the original is a bit strange, also. Anyway, just wanted to correct that I should have said it was the Melodians that originally did the song and not Bob Marley.

well there is one sf that I am stuck with cos they are the only ones that put this song out...Ballad of lucy jordan (Marianne Faithful)

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

The THM rock stuff must be a lot different than their country, which is generally pretty bad. I keep trying their stuff at a place that has one of those crappy CAVS collections, and keep getting disappointed. It is nowhere near as good as Sound Choice, Chartbuster, Pop Hits, DK, Big Country, or Supercore.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

I bite my tongue with some of my customers choices, One gentleman greeted me with the comment "I hope you don't have any cra*** disc brands, like most of the cheap karaokes round here.... I only sing songs produced by EK and Sunfly"

He refused to sing, when I handed him the master book (which lists the manu's) as it was too much work to search... I discussed our policy of using a variety of brands and replacing any poor versions as we go, the odds of finding a bad version is nil. (three songs have been replaced this year, Ebay (soundchoice to sunfly), You give Love a bad name (zoom to sunfly) and Lying eyes (mr Entertainer to Backstage)... and all because the customer prefered a specific version.

He still wouldn't sing, claiming that all of SC, ZM, ME, PHM where stupid american brands that were poor quality.


My partner pulls faces on any EK or EKI discs, yet one of my regulars swears blind by them. Shivers go down my spine every time I see a DK discs, ( i loved them for what they were, but there is now so much better out there folks .

On a whole,

1. ZM (very good, but it's the definate endings that sell it to me)
2. SC, ME, SBI,
3. CB,
4. SF
5. PHM, EK, STTW, MM, VCD original discs
6. SGB
7. SAVP, U Best, DK
8. BS

I happen to really like the EK stuff I've heard!

But since my audience is VERY American (LOL), usually, I've not bought too much of their stuff.

It's how I was introduced to STTW, and my very first custom from them! They bought in tracks from them for about a third of what they first put out...

In my opinion Ek isn't that bad, but some of their versions can sound " a bit midi". On the plus side, they quite often seem to speed up slightly slower songs by adding a drum beat behind, which makes songs like Sweet Caroline a little easier to bear.

Their major downful in my opinion is that towards the end of the song they tend to show the lyrics for the harmony's (or showy off bits) with the backing singers singing the tune... I meet very few singers that can handle this... most just want to blare out the chorus.. after all thats what they like to sing along to in the car.

Well, I'll do this again:

ZM - my business partner and I agree, generally speaking, that they are the best

Karaoke Bay - my absolute favorite but no longer in business

MM - cannot live without them if you have a crowd that likes DooWop and other oldies, particularly Elvis. Some good old country also.

PS - cannot live without them if you have a crowd that likes songs from the early fifties back to the "Roaring Twenties"

PHM - cannot live without them (when they were available) if you wanted up-to-date rap, hip-hop, R&B, etc

CB - can't live without them for up-to-date country

SC - I'd avoid them for up-to-date country, but some of the country stuff from the 80's and early 90's is right on. Love the Sam Cooke, Jimmy Buffett & Gene Pitney stuff not really available or not available in comparable quality elsewhere! And would have to go with them for "Rock n Roll", generally speaking

Nutech/SAVA - can't live without them for old country

DK - Either cherished or hated, depending upon who you talk to

AH - Thought to be excellent, generally speaking, by those who have gone out of their way to acquire them.

SGB - I like em

Supercore - Is a mix, it seems, of different labels and is pretty good!

Legends - Got many sleepers that can't be compared with.

Sunfly - I usually like them

Party Tyme - very good quality, consistently from what I have experienced; I only have maybe 6 discs but have found them when I am out and about at other shows

ASK - pretty good, particularly country and I have a couple dozen of them

The reason I wanted to rank the manufacturers was because my books are going to be way to big and bulky after using the sheet protecters since I was going to try and include both by artist AND by title in the same book.

After reading all the input, I think I will leave all my dupes in the books and just list them top down according to how I would rank them. That way people who don't really care will most likely choose the first listing. And those who do have a preference will have the number available to them.

Then I will just make separate books by artist or title and singers can choose which book they prefer. My best guess is five by title and ten by artist. What y'all think?

The bulk of our singers prefer the ARTIST book - I did mine backwards (more by title). Size dictated having two different books. As far as ranking, majority of people don't care. I got the point where I knew which ones were the best, automatically used those whether the singer knew it or not. With computer it is easier - but believe it or not, when using CDGs I would remember FAR too many numbers and just use the best manu. Ideally you could do your books without dupes, have one reference book for your use only that indicated ALL manus of a certain song, and you choose the best one. Would keep the size of the book down, etc., but would initially require a little more time in setup.

Again, majority of singers don't care; very serious singers, at least in our area, carry their own CDGs and use only those (even if I have those) - fine with me, wear out your own disc! Medium serious singers will ask why there are multiple numbers (even though I am computerized, I still use old books with numbers) - I explain that there are different manus, they ask if I would please use the BEST one, or the one closest to the original.

Seems like ranking would take more time than just removing dupes, or allowing singers to let you choose the best one.

k

It's hard to print all versions when it would make your book larger than it needs to be, more cost only to have 99% of the people coming up to ask the host - "What's the difference between songs?" Only to have them say after you explain that every manufacturer is different & is going to put out their version sort of like going to see several different cover bands playing the same song. And their final response is ultimately - "Well just pick the version that is best!" Meaning pick what I think is best anyway. So I no longer list all dups - saves money & questions & the ones that really want a particular version can always ask & I will comply.

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

I only buy/bought THM when the song isn't available elsewhere - which alot of their rock never seemed to be available on other manus (maybe WHY they are now defunct). Not a big fan either, the music was very lacking & often just wrong IMO.

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

I'm a Zoom fan, as well as Radio Starz and Monster Hits.


Sound Choice: Just never thought they were all they are cracked up to be


Chartbuster: Still number one for country. Pop- not so much


ASK Karaoke: OK for country

Big Hitz: Big waste of money


Sing It Now: Interesting. They used to be downright horrid. Now they own Pop Hits and are matching Pop Hits quality, which is.....good

DK: Equal to, and sometimes better, IMHO, than Sound Choice

Sweet Georgia Brown: I agree about the bad rap. True, they have more than their share of stinkers, but they have good tracks that others don't, and some truly SUPERIOR tracks. Their "Son Of A Preacher Man" is by far the best- same with War Pigs.

Nikkodo's SAVP and SAVA: Though better than the original Nikkodo discs, they are still pretty awful.


Backstage (formerly Standing Ovation)- REALLY iffy. Some GREAT single artist discs, i.e. Neil Diamond, Queen, etc..., and some really horrible ones i.e. Elvis.


SuperCore ( originally KJ Tools): My all time favorite compilation collection. A MUST for beginners, GREAT value for the money.


Pocket Songs: A firm mid-level manufacturer


Idol Makers: Freakin' Horrible

All Hits: Great Value, decent tracks, with a few that really shine ( White Rabbit, PBTDL, Wonderful World, and many others. A good, inexpensive collection to own.


Singing Machine: Except for Disc G5102, almost all crap

Star Disc: A few decent tracks, mostly not....


Medacy's Karaoke Party and Sybersounds Party Tyme: Of the department store discs, these two are, IMHO, the best. They are multplex, and in many cases, the singers on the vocal track are good- useable a DJ music....


Doctor Music: a limited but good quality mfr. Famous for disc DM101- Simon & Garfunkel. Excellent.

Amerising: Many excellent tracks at a good price. Comparable to ( and also included in) SuperCore in many ways.


Lost Classics: Excellent source of quality tracks for older or more obscure songs...


Music Maestro: Excellent for Oldies, but not for much else


Legends: I like them. Hard to pin down, because they are very subjective. Some people like them a lot, some don'T


Sunfly: Most of the early stuff was a disaster. the newer stuff is much better.

U-Best: See Backstage/Standing Ovation. Same manufacturer.


Memorex: Possibly one of the most under-rated mfrs. out there. I have yet to find a clinker. Fantastic mixes of songs like At Last, Big Spender, and almost every other that I've heard.


Star Quest: I only have one of their discs- Billy Joel. It would be excellent, but for some screw-ups in NY State Of Mind at the end


Super Trax: Just plain dreck

All Star- also a "pass"

Stage Door: Excellent for show tunes. BTW- Music Maestro's MBTH-1 is actually good for show tunes as well.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Apologies for the double post. Couldn't figure out how to delete the first one.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Has Priddis been mentioned? They range from pricey to $5.00 close out but they have clear sound and good arrangements. Probably the least MIDI-sounding "Whenever, Wherever" that I have heard and they made sure to have the drums booming in the right places.