Karaoke Forums

Just wanted to pass this info on. Following the FL SoundChoice filings, I visited a few of the larger bars that had suits filed against them and/or their KJ. I put together a pretty professional presentation and made them aware of the pending suit as well as the possible ramifications for thier establishment, and offered my 100% legal KJ services to replace their current services.

That was about 3 weeks ago, and none of the places have contacted me. I presented myself to each in person to the highest-ranking manager I could find at the time, and followed up with e-mails.

In all three bars here in my area that I visited, the alleged pirate KJs are still employed.

Point being, I can say first hand that the SC suits are not benefitting legal karaoke hosts in my area thusfar, though in all three cases the suits are still pending, so this may not be the ultimate outcome.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

What incentive would they have to switch?

Their KJ has 1 of 2 choices available to them:

1. simply agree to remove all SC tracks from their systems and continue on in business.

2. Pay the money for the discs and STILL continue on in business.

Do you see a pattern here?

When SC files against a club, it is (IMHO) a very hard row to hoe to convince anyone that the club "knowingly" hired a pirate. It's just not their business to get that involved with their vendors and why should they? When they order beer, they call the distributor and the distributor shows up with beer... Why would the club want/need to know the actual origin of the beer other than the brand? They don't ask the distributor if the beer they're buying was stolen... it's just not their business to delve into the inner workings of their distributors. Anymore than you feel it's your duty to know whether or not the songs you have on your system were all properly licensed or not in the first place.

In this case, it's even less than that because clubs don't care about "karaoke brands" at all. They don't care if you're whistlin' out your rear end as long as you can bring in a crowd.

Earlier today, a KJ buddy erased all SC tracks from his hard drive.. Even though he has the disks, and is not multi-rigging..

So goes the drama..

I agree, using SC even if in compliance is not worth the possible headache.

Just think, you play a track that you LEGALLY OWN... now you either turn over all your drives, discs and computers for adit under threat of lawsuit. And your employer gets a threatening letter as well.

To some that is considered "straightforward", to me it aint worth it.

Thank the lord I only have 4 disks..

I have been told by many KJ's who own SC disks that they are going to stop using them - They don't like the idea of being accused of illegal use nor do they want the venue they play at being accused either. They also said they would go to another manu to purchase future disks.

So goes the drama.........

Pretty soon, only the pirates who paid off Sound Choice will be using Sound Choice tracks. People who paid full price for them are being scared into removing them just to avoid the hassle of possibly having to deal with the BIG BAD WOLF. Most of the KJs around here are running from laptops and they seem to have every Sound Choice track known to man. God forbid you bring a song, on a disc, that they don't have though. They look at you like you're a trouble maker. "Why can't you just find something to sing out of the 100,000 songs that I have"....Oh I don't know ...I thought I'd like to sing my favorite songs iinstead of singing everyone else's favorite songs.

I don't have any karaoke music on my laptop, but I threw my laptop away just to be safe.

Awesome!

I look forward to marketing the fact that I have the largest legal Sound Choice library on computer! Nothing like the full version of War Pigs & N.I.B. by Black Sabbath only available on Sound Choice!

I'm glad that I have a headbanging rocker crowd at many of my shows who love these tracks!

Also I have 2 copies of 8125, one for each system! YAY!

All mine are 1:1 and open for audit!

I have no problem with that & I am not scared at all!

and once the local pirate pays off Sound Choice, He'll have every Sound Choice song on his hard drive too.... and according to Sound Choice's agreement, their tracks are just as legal as yours are

That's the first time I agree with BF4L. This IS funny...

Of course you're not scared, you ALREADY signed away your rights.

You don't get it do you? Your pirate competition will remain in business, WITH OR WITHOUT Sound Choice. The few extra discs you have won't mean squat. You're not about to become hugely famous or more sought-after then any other KJ no matter what your pals at KIAA say....

Marketing the "fact that I have the largest legal Sound Choice library" really means NOTHING.... The club doesn't care.... and most of your singers won't care.... if they do, then you probably have a small group of people that sing the same 5 songs every week, the karaoke "divas" that are there to "perform" and not there to have a good time with there friends.

When will some of these KJ's realize that it's not "the library" that keeps your singers happy.... it's the atmosphere that the KJ PROVIDES to the patron that keeps them there.

One night (years ago... MANY years ago) the company that I first started with had a "setup guy" that would set up systems and move them around from club to club and one night he set up the system and forgot to leave the discs there. And when life gives you lemons, then you have to add vodka and have a party...

I used to carry a set of "KJ Tools" in my car along with a "DJ Tools" set of 10 discs.... So, I simply grabbed that and we all had a great party off the 10 discs that were there.... How many songs was that? dunno, maybe a couple hundred or less, no songbooks, no nothing....

So it's not "the library" that counts and you won't lose anyone (that you want to keep) just because you don't have that 1 song on that 1 brand that they like.

I'm waiting for the group to form that would be re-mastering all these tracks to remove their trademark.... with a simple $99 program. What would they sue for then? Not trademark... it wouldn't be there.... and not copyright, they sold that to StingRay digital....

Driz, come see me tonight. Oxford, Snohomish. 8 p.m. You can throw my lappy away too.

Open for audit... So it seems we agree playing SC tracks can result in an audit at anytime, even being 1000% legal 1:1.

Thanks for the confirmation.


You have no problem with it, some do have a problem with a company expecting their CUSTOMERS that paid thousands of dollars for their discs to go through an invasive inspection of all their discs, computers and hard drives under a threat of lawsuit(themselves and employers).

"I'm waiting for the group to form that would be re-mastering all these tracks to remove their trademark.... with a simple $99 program. What would they sue for then? Not trademark... it wouldn't be there.... and not copyright, they sold that to StingRay digital...."

When Dan Sterns get's a hold of that software, he'll be back in business over night.

and oned they "pay off" the will agree to a random audit in the future and if caught again they will not get off as easy as the first time.

If you happen to run a laptop and have SC you shouldn't have anything to fear as long as you have the discs to back it up. Even if you get the tap on the shoulder from SC wanting proof, just do it and all is good. You don't have to sign any agreement after that either. There is no law that will compell you to either.

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

Tracks on the laptop will not be legal, only discs.

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

Sound Choice isn't trying to stop anyone from using a laptop as long as they have a 1:1 ratio of discs to MP3+G tracks.

Except for the fact that SC wants you to sign the agreement BEFORE they will check your collection. This, after THEY accuse you. No signature on their agreement means no audit and that in turn means formal service of the lawsuit and a day or two in court.... So no, you don't have to sign anything unless you want to go to court.