Karaoke Forums

Gidday Cobber!
As a singer, I would not "go away mad" if you didn't have a specific manufacturer's version of a song. There are certain manufacturer's versions of songs that I will choose not to sing at all, but I don't boycott all songs from that manufacturer. Lonman is totally correct in saying that all manufacturers have some lemons, just some more so than others.

I have in the past had a KJ stop a track that is particularly awful and asked if they had a different version, but mostly I would sing through a song and make a point not to choose that one from the book again.

If it happens that most of the songs I choose to sing from a host's collection have backing tracks that I do not like, I will probably never return to that venue. However, that is not a definite.

What is more important is the KJ's persona and attitude and the customer service they provide. And part of that customer service that is important to me, is the KJ's willingness/ability to play backings from my own CDs.

In extreme, you can have the worst host with the best version of every track ever made for karaoke (possible), or you can have the best host with the worst collection (not likely) and I know which show I'd be walking out of.



You can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.



Some are, some aren't. To me it's more about the hosts' persona, the way they run the show and their attitude. And to me, "after all it is just karaoke" is not a good attitude for a karaoke host to have. It reflects on their opinion of their own business.

While having a good disc label is important, you can have the best song rendition and still have bad sound. I'll take great sound and a synth version over crummy sound and a realistic version.

Amen to that.

Personally when visiting other shows I like to see the brands as I know I will have better luck succeeding if it is a familiar version.

For our singers, they may not always know one brand from another or which is which but they do notice tempos, wrong lyrics, missing verses and sound and they will make comments. So having reliable brands makes them happier. Our one heavy metal guy wouldn't be happy with weak guitar backing. Songs with really good backing tracks get people going on the dance floor, also. And the more we talk about trying to get them the best version of the song they request and ask them if they like it, the more they seem to start noticing the quality.

Sometimes it is also familiarity. We might think we have "done good" by buying a Sound Choice version of a requested song and find that the person likes Chartbuster better because that is what they are used to singing at the other show. There is also a contingent of former hosts/old time singers in our area who are more comfortable with Legends. So brands matter and are noticed but maybe not in a logical, analytical way.

I don't think most people care too much as long as the song sounds 'close enough', but there are certain songs that are so far off on some versions as to make singing them not worth the effort. Some versions are also impossible to get a good mix with, so even a good singer will not sound right .
A peeve of mine is when there is a lead vocal , usually in the 'money note' part of a song.Most versions of Mariah Carey-Someday cut off before the whistle note ending,anotyher thing some versions do that I wish they wouldn't.
Or, to put it another way, YES, Manus matter, but IMO, not as much with some tunes as with others.

SORRY FOR THIS DUP POST

No one has ever argued that there is a karaoke manufacturer that doesn't have some clunkers.

And, personally, the more familiar I am with the original song the easier it is for me to find a karaoke "lemon"!

You posted that there are versions of songs that you choose not to sing. I can only assume you avoid those tracks because you are familiar with their content and not because of a bias against the manufacturer?

And your reply, Murrlyn, is the perfect response IMHO. The OP is asking, in effect, do karaoke singers have biases against or for certain manufacturers? If you are willing to stop a track in the middle, it reflects that you are willing to try something new and if you can't make it work, you let go of it. And when you stop the track it is because of the track and not because of the manufacturer. So, you obviously have no bias against the manufacturer of the track you stopped. If you did you wouldn't have selected that track in the first place!

There are KJ's, I believe, who are so biased against certain brands that they really don't listen for what is good about that manufacturer's tracks, but only what is bad. The more critically one listens to karaoke tracks, the easier it becomes to find problems with them.

I am out to enjoy myself and not to struggle with a track. And very few of the tracks have I encountered would I call troublesome. But when it becomes a struggle to use the track, I remember that track. Otherwise, I'll use whatever track is in the book!

And since you, Murrlyn, know what tracks you prefer, you'll chose them if they are available. But if they are not, you seem to imply that you'll try a different version. And I will try a SGB version any time if it seems like the best bet! I will avoid a track from a manufacturer, however, that I am unfamiliar with unless I have no other choice, That's just one of my biases.

Thus my post questioning why some KJ perfer NOT to include manufacture info in the book. You can't make a choice when such info is not available. Asking the KJ about it may just irritate him/her, as some indicated.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

And what is stupidest is a listing like this:

[pre] Elvis Teddy Bear 02331
Elvis Teddy Bear 03942
Elvis Teddy Bear 05533
Elvis Teddy Bear 08838
Elvis Teddy Bear 10200[/pre]

That is a simple waste of paper.

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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.

Completely. So you have 5 versions of this song - WHICH version is what? If there is no manu code, then don't even bother listing the dups.

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

Just ask the singer - I'm not sure how much it matters to any of my singers. I will ask around at my shows next week. Most can't figure out why there might be multiple listings so how would they know to state a preference? Singers that carry discs definitely have a preference. Most would suggest that it is MY job to fulfill their request as far as versions: Backing vocals, pan flute, best music, closest to original, same key, etc., etc.

In These manu preference threads there are some points that are never mentioned.



The types of singers range from mimics to those with their own bands and versions.

The mimic type often is the Elvis impersonator. They need a version that sounds like the original band. SC versions mimic the original bands and that is why it is considered the "better" brand. Add another factor to this whic is EFX. Original classic rock used the only effect then which was spring. (actual springs like screen door springs). More accuracy is obtained when the mp3 track is ERX, with the proper amount. (Some impersonators are so accurate they inflect vibrato in theirvoice which imitates the original spring effect) A good soundman can take different versions and apply the right type and amount of EFX to any version.

On the opposite end is the more experienced pro type singer that does not mimic but sings every genre in his own style. They can cross genre or sing any karaoke version with the right system and sound man. In fact they improve their ablities and range by singing different versions and singingsome songs with a different beat and/or genre. There are a few songs I can do this. One example is Travis Tritts Only You And You Alone. I started singing the Platters version and one night discovered his version. I had never heard his version so my first time was my version which I have used all these years. hat is one of the few that I prefer one brand If I remember right it is MM (Music Maestro).

Some old old country is branded into my mind and soul and my version unless I really ccncentrate is pretty much a mmic of the original. After singing many genres and even cross gendering this is not as prevelant as it was years ago.

Most singers are in between the two extremes. A good host will have the abiliy to recognize the type of singers and when they learn their regs they will give them what they want on specific songs.

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But this is not:



Presley, Elvis.

Teddy Bear MM, SC, SF, CB,
Hurt MM, SF
Love Me Tender SC, SF, CB, LG



edit: those manu codes are suppose to be in column

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Hi All

To be completely clear, the statement - "it's just karaoke after all" was a reference to the fact that it was for everyone to have a really great time; NOT that I didn't care about my work.

I do my best to make sure each one of my shows is as good as it can be. For perspective, I started my show about 2 years ago playing various different locations as a backup to the regular KJs. 3 months in I had 5 bars asking me to be their permanent KJ and were willing to replace KJs who had been running their gigs for years. Either the old guys were doing a really crap job or I am doing something right

blergh!

Vic in Sydney

That's exactly how my own book is.

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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.

While I agree many singers can tell the difference between a good and bad version, few are going to know the relative merits of more than 3-4 manus if that. Some singers that insist on SC cant even name 3 other manus. Those people are just karaoke snobs, not real purists.

For that reason much of the info can be useless and a distraction for the singer.

Sure as a KJ it is important for us to learn which manu is worth the money (or not) because we have to buy the songs. It will often come down to the question do I spend more for a SC or whatever version to upgrate my song list. If you are going to upgrade a song might as well get a BETTER one than what you already have.

Same story when it comes to getting a song you dont have yet, buy it from a low reputation manu or a better one. Of course lots of factors come into play here, mainly ease of obtaining and cost.

Hard rules for manu X being the "best" of course are not always true but even for specific songs there can be different rankings by different KJs.

There is no way to get a reliable ranking for all the manus for all the songs, and even if something like that existed it would be too complex to use when buying more than a few songs.

A general guide does work though, some manus are better or worse on average. And when it comes to some manus, the best buy may be different from the best song. Is buying a whole SC disk with 14 repeats or uneeded songs worth it for that one song when it can be downloaded (legally) or put on a custom disk from another Manu. Of course we all ask ourselves these questions. Sometimes it will be, other times not. Same with buying many of the large discont packs, if only 20% are good, but the price is low enough to make them competitive with disks that are 80% good.

I lot of KJ does not understand the spec that come with the equpment they buy, but that does not make those spec useless.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Is it difficult to make a songbook like that?

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I guess you can judge that one what you are used to as a customer. I get customers every night looking for a particular version. If your customers do not care what version or how they sound, then no they are not going to care what version they are singing from. If the customer has any inkling on manus & how the kj is going to mix the sound, then yes they are going to care & the manu IS going to matter. I had 6 people last night alone ask me which version they were singing off of - out of curiosity I asked the server how much they spent ( just to see if they were a water sipper or someone I shouldn;t bother with) & their tabs were all between $60-200. So every one of these 'picky' singers knew exactly which version they wanted.

When I buy one song for one customer, I will get it on a custom disc, if it's not a good version, I will re-buy it for them IF it available elsewhere. I want my customers to know I am there FOR them! If it weren;t for them, I would not be in business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, but if given a choice I will either listen (if that is an option) or if lstening is not an option I will everytime pick the manu that is more consistant if I had to pick a song blindly!


Nope for every song - almost impossible. For the general overall best, hands down SC will win 90% of the time with most singers - this is from my experience only with contest quality singers not just drunk screamers.


I do not believe ANY song is legal for download in a commercial show so this is moot point! If I wa buying a disc with one song for a good repeat customer, then I would buy that disc & it would be completely worth it IMO! I don't take the cheap way out like many low budget kj's!

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Here's another good reason to have the Manu codes listed in your books...

Those Singers who DO actually care what version they are going to sing from (whether it be a preference of theirs, or just a curiosity to know who made that disc), sometimes might consider purchasing that disc themselves (whether it be for their own personal use, to give as a gift to someone, to use at their own show (those that are KJs themselves), etc...). That happened with me about 2 years ago... I was at a show, and someone was singing Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight. " I happened to like the version that was being sung, and, to my surprise, I actually did not have that song in my vast library. I could have gone out and bought that song on a SC disc (since I know it's listed on one of their discs), but I decided that I wanted to get that version instead. I asked the KJ what version that was on (since he didn't have his book listing the Manu codes), and he showed me the disc. It is on a Fat Cockeral disc. I never heard of this brand before (yes, there are many brands that I haven't heard of, in spite of how many years I've been involved with Karaoke), so I searched for it, and when I found it, I bought a copy of it.