Karaoke Forums

Could you not just list what the different versions offer and state your favourite if there is one ?? Also mention if you are a "die hard fan" of that artist. I would have little clue about if the SGB versions of Cream songs are any good, since neither I or my customers sing them.

Eg. suspicious minds

SC: About five minutes long, the track starts to fade out just before the end before coming back in with a definate ending. Clear swipes.
ZM: My personal favourite. Clear swipes, runs slightly longer about 3:40 for a definate ending
SPC: Clear swipes, pan flute in background, slightly slower than some versions, great for the novice singer and fade out ending.

PS: I have ZM version of I'm gonna be (solo singer) and found it an excellent replacement to the SAVP version I owned before.

ZM: Clear swipes, definate ending
SAVP: can be difficult to read swipes (light text on light background) and pan flute throughout.

Marble, THAT is the idea I was thinking of, just a general opinion, and the reason for, and against. I guess you make it look too easy!! Even if people had differing opinions, the original poster could sort it out, from maybe a concensus of all opinions. That's WAY too easy though.

Rosario

The version I have is from SBI. Sounds pretty decent to me.

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I think most on-line retailers now have the ability to sample and listen to MOST tracks for sale. I think SBI does ?

I like the JVC version... have had it for years and never a single complaint.


I THINK.... the best way to determine whether or not a karaoke track is good is to synchronize it with the original.

here's another test for you: Listen to the versions of "Carry On Wayward Son" on the following brands: DK, Dangerous, SC, Priddis. You'll find that each one is different from all the rest depending on whether you want the "rock version" or studio version, or want an introduction or don't want background singers.

SC's "Wasted On The Way" (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) has so many prominent parts in it you don't know what part to sing where the Priddis version has NO background harmony singers (bring friends to sing with you).

So how do you determine which is "closest" to the original?

I think the real question here is which version is the most "usable."

I've got it on Pioneer, and I've been satisfied with it.

[
here's another test for you: Listen to the versions of "Carry On Wayward Son" on the following brands: DK, Dangerous, SC, Priddis. You'll find that each one is different from all the rest depending on whether you want the "rock version" or studio version, or want an introduction or don't want background singers.

SC's "Wasted On The Way" (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) has so many prominent parts in it you don't know what part to sing where the Priddis version has NO background harmony singers (bring friends to sing with you).

So how do you determine which is "closest" to the original?

I think the real question here is which version is the most "usable."[/quote]
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above a quote from C. Staley post


This is one of the exceptions to taking out duplicates in our books. For some we will offer the same song "With Background Singers" or "Without Background Singers."

Another thing SC does is turn duets into solos by providing one of the parts. "The Letter That Johnny Walker Read" provides the female part so it is just a male solo song. "Games People Play" adds a lot of extra singers so it isn't a group song. Sort of bugs me but on the other hand I waited years for someone to do "Hips Don't Lie" with me and no one would learn the male part. So I was happy to find an SBI version that provides the male part. It is really lame to have that much singing provided on the song but sometimes I do it for a joke bedcause it makes me happy. But let that be a warning to anyone who buys that version of the song. I know, you wouldn't anyway but I like it.

Seems this topic MIGHT work after-all!!

Rosario

I suppose the question should have been which version are you referring to?

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I'm not sure what "drunks" have to do with your evaluation. I like the DK version of Paradise for being complete and for having timely swipes.

Musically (instrumentally and background singers) .... the AH's version is the "closest to the original"

And I think that Leopard Lizard has nailed what some of us have been trying to say about rating various versions against one another of any track.

I think it is C. Staley that nailed it and I did a bad job of using the quote function--the first part of my post is a quote from one of his.

In my area most people are familiar with the sunfly version which cuts out the commentary completely. However not all of the sunfly versions have both parts, so a lot of people just learn the song, so they don't have to trust the screen as much.

"drunks" tend not to care too much about versions and just want to sing... because DK lowers the song a key, it's easier for most people to sing (rather than scream) and like you said has all the parts and timely swipes, plus it has the pan flute helping them stay on track, which in turn makes it easier for the listener. Strangely quite a few people in my area don't know there is a commentary due to hearing the SF version so often. Perfect for drunks wasn't a criticism of DK's version... more of a nod to how good it was.

Possibly...

Then we can get together and decide who should be the next president.

Maybe it's just living in the YUK.
Sometimes when I play a soundChoice version of a track I get
WHAT THE £$*&^% IS THAT.
People simply as Lon stated, prefer the version they are used to.
What ever I like it seems I am doomed to Sunfly.
Sucks dunit.

Rosario

I think this is a great idea.

Maybe an easier way to go about would be to list the songs in rows, and more popular manus in columns. And we vote for which version we think is the best.

If someone can write the code etc., it should be possible to tally up the count and display total votes. (N.B: My IT skills are non existent, so I could be wrong)

This will make sure scores are averaging out at 'best value' (decent lyrics, instrumentation, etc) as opposed to closest to the original. Most people will vote for the version they have, the one they use regularly - because this is the one they are happy with. If they aren't they would have got another version.

This should give us a good average to work with.

I know this will lead to a hundred new questions about which manus to include, but I know you guys have been in the business long enough to know what is more readily available and what is not.

I love the idea, as I am buying disks left and right lately and it is starting to hurt my pockets.

WHILE I'VE GOT YOU - WHO MAKES THE BEST "DEAN MARTIN" and "FRANK SINATRA" discs? Someone's 75th Birthday coming up, and I want to make sure I am prepared.

Cheers all

Vic in Sydney, 'Straaya

I would probably go with Pocket Songs and Just Tracks (they're Pocket Songs) for Frankie. I don't recall seeing a whole lot of stuff on Dean.

Vtrod, just saw "best of the Rat Pack". Frank, Sammy, and Dean. Ps2031. Three disc set, looks pretty good to me, it does have a couple dupes, but still seems worth getting. I may even get it myself.

Rosario

I have to agree with mcky on this. Maybe the best way is to know each song that is in your data base? Or at least the main stays.

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

Well, in a perfect world, we would ALL have minds that could remember EVERYTHING we see and hear, but to think that ANYONE could possible know EVERY song in their database, in my opinion is RIDICULOUS. Unless you have a very small database, it's IMPOSSIBLE to not only know ALL the songs in EVERY genre, but to know what the whole song sounds like. I won't argue the point, because I already know that there's just NO WAY. So I'll stick to asking questions, and asking for input, instead of thinking that I KNOW IT ALL. For anyone that thinks this topic is worthless, DON'T POST ON IT. For the rest, I hope it works.

Rosario

The way I see it, the "best" version is the one most popular with the singers.... Theirs is the only opinion that counts.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

But it also varies from singer to singer. I'm not going to spend money to purposely get duplicates from other manus, unless the version I have is unanimously inferior, then I will work on a replacement - which I have done & actually just did a month ago on a song that I had numerous complaints about. Replacement version has garnered all praises.

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