Karaoke Forums

We have a show in a town where the two other companies evidently promote being able to slow the song down as one of their services--for the singers who can't keep up with the words. As we are still on disc, our players don't do that like a computer show would yet we keep getting requests to "slow it down." I was just curious as to how many others out there promote their ability to slow a song down as a feature of their show. We had never had a single request for it until we hit this particular town.

I've definitely had people complain that the words are too fast. But no one asking for a slowdown.

WRT disks, don't most of the RSQ players have a tempo control?

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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.

You know, over the years i've heard, "It's too fast!" or "It's too slow!" about two dozen times from singers.

Out of probably tens of thousands of singers, two dozen or so patrons issues with the songs speed is not enough to make me want to do something about it, especially because in most cases, the speed issue is simply the singers own perception.

A wise man named Bill Cosby once said, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

Offering key change I can understand to a point.. although I generally recommend a person choose a song within their range or better suited to their voice.

Changing the songs tempo/BPM.. no way. I wouldn't do it.

In nearly 20 years, i've had MAYBE 10 people specifically ask for a tempo change. My current program does not have the ability at this point but should soon. It would not be anything that I advertise though and would use sparingly as it will affect the music quality, haven't heard one that hasn't yet.
I do know of hosts that actually speed up all their songs to get a few more people in and says that most do not know/realize it.

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

Heck, I speed up all my songs tempo sometimes to squeeze a few extra songs in over the course of the night.

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Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

April Fool! (I hope...)

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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 wouldn't be surprised if he was being serious. They charge singers by the song at his place, so the more cattle you run through the chute a night, the more jack you make.

I'm surprised he hasn't already figured out a way to abridge each song and charge 'em $2 for the short version, and $3 for the long version.

His system already lets singers 'bribe' the automated system into bumping them up in the rotation by forking over a little extra green.

Who says karaoke is soulless?

While my system has that capability it is not something I would advertise or even use! I have had one singer (the owner of the venue) who has asked for a tempo change but dealing with it "slow it down a little more, no speed it up some, start the song over, etc. etc.", is not something I want to deal with on every song and I simply won't do it, if you can't sing the song then pick one you can sing! I am not a band, I will change the key of a song up or down 1 or 2 but no more than that!

As Lonnie said it does affect the sound of the song in a detrimental way.

Compuhost does have this feature. Only used it for myself. It also will speed up the lyrics or slow them down. I've used this occasionally.

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

Yes there are some songs that the lyrics are out of sync with the music and this feature does help!

I have noticed that quite a few of the Karaoke Version karaoke tracks are terribly synced. The words change colors way too soon and it seems to get worse as the song gets closer to the end. I've had to re-do the the cdg file on a few of the tracks that I bought from them. You think that you're saving some time by springing for that extra dollar to get a karaoke version instead of just an mp3 but you wind up having to make your own cdg file anyway. :c(

I don't know why anyone expects to use the text on the screen to perfectly sync their singing to the original track.

Guide lyrics on the screen are for general reference. If you're singing a song for the first time, you should already have a good idea of how the song goes.

I mean, if you're expecting to walk up and sing a song you've never heard before relying solely on the guide lyrics, you aren't ever going to sound right.. even if the guide lyrics are perfectly sync'ed.

Nope, not april fool. We call it "Global Tempo Adjust" in autokdj (global meaning, all songs)

You got it right Cheese. More through, the more money. In that respect, we're going to do some more things to try and make more. (Good business right?)

One issue we have is at the end of the night we're having a lot of no-shows. (40 man rotations usually mean a 2 hour wait for 1st song) We're going to add a checking station next to the stage soon. If you don't checkin before your song starts, you get skipped.

Thus freeing up room for someone else to give us a $1

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Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

Good business right?

No mate.

If you are that desperate that you will spoil a song...
Are you living really beyond your means?

Nope . . . documented feature of autokdj. It's got a bribe system too, that you can set an amount that will get you bumped up one song.

Honest Injun!
edit: toquer beat me to it.

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Dave's not here.

It depends on the situation.

If a crowd of 20 people walk in, and we're sold out till the end of the night (with 60+ songs ahead of us) and they want to sing, drink, and throw money around. Yes, that's good business. Attracting a crowd is one aspect of our jobs, retaining a crowd is another.

3% to 7% doesn't make all that audible a difference in the tempo. In fact, some songs sound better.

Global Tempo adjust is an old radio station trick to get more "airtime". Eg more songs per hour. If you have 0% tempo adjust, and no more normal airtime, making more magically appear puts its price at a premium, beyond the normal bribes.

_________________
Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

I can slow songs down. I know there is one song out there that a guy asks me to slow down as the Karaoke version is about 3% too fast.

Just like Key change this is not something I would do for customers, you can't sing it, than don't.

I agree.
Kill their dreams.
Who do they think they are?
Bloody mortals.

Like some of the others here, I use Compuhost. I've never had a singer ask for a tempo change. I have played with it myself at home when trying to learn one of the faster songs such as the Barenaked Ladies "One Week".

I personally can't hear any difference in the song quality or pitch within the parameters that Compuhost allows me to manipulate the speed.

Now let me ask you guys, how many would be tempted to gradually tweak the speed up during a performance of PBTDL, Freebird or American Pie?

I'd say this type of cyber-karaoke is ok, but just like cyber-sex....it's no where near as good as the real thing........course, I don't get either, so you'd say I really don't know.......ya got me.......