Karaoke Forums

I stated that I too think the Gem is a good base product.
However, my veiw of SC as a company has everything to do with the way they are doing business; including their methods of licensing. A poor naming convention is not something a professional would do for someone who is respected as a customer. It is sloppy, and sloppy is the maximum effort a low down dirty pirate deserves.

By listing a few of the loopholes built into the license agreement, I was pointing out that pirating your discs is not the only way to lose your license. If soundchoice wants their discs back, they have many options built into their one-sided agreement that they can interpret as an infraction.

Of course, you are under contractual obligation to disagree.

_________________
KNOW THYSELF

I'd Love to give your discs back but my dog ate them.

Depends on where you live I guess.

I don't speak to other GEM licensees. We are not a cult, as much as you like to think so. I also do not know who else got the disc buy-back. Maybe I was the only one who asked?



I defend my purchase "nice and loudly" because...it was a great deal! I also do it because so many love to spin yarns about how AWFUL it is and how TERRIBLE the license agreement is. Yet, being the oldest GEM licensee, not one of the chicken little GEM warnings has happened to me.



Oh please, now you are grasping at straw-men. The merit of base sets is an entirely different discussion. Update discs? "One shot"? Hello McFly....it's a COLLECTION. If you bought the Indiana Jones Box Set with all three original movies, would you raise hell that they didn't later give you the 4th for free as an "update"? Wait...don't answer that, you probably would.

Besides, nobody, except you, has ever claimed it to be the "end-all, be-all of karaoke libraries".



It tells me you don't have a GEM set because I get support from SC anytime I need it.

1) Nothing thinly veiled here. You returned product that you OWNED for product that you LEASED.

2) If you made a profit on the return, I commend you GOOD JOB! However, you were not only the first, but probably the ONLY to get that deal. If someone else did the same, please let us know.

3) It's kind of like the average Joe going to a restaurant and being happy with whatever they serve, and a food critic doing the same and knowing the difference in quality. I would rather offer the quality that pleases EVERYONE, rather than taking the chance of being sued and pleasing just those who don't know the difference. Please keep in mind that I don't work in noisy kiddie bars, but rather specialize in high end adult - and quieter- restaurant bars. Because of this I get effusive compliments on my sound versus PC MPG KJs in other venues.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

And it is quite possible you were the "loss leader" to get the ball rolling an because....


You are "nice and loud." Your loud defense of the product is better advertising than they could buy, making your trade-in a worthwhile exchange for them too. So for you, it's "win-win" because you got a discount and they get your advertising.



No straw man here at all and your analogy is incorrect: If the Indiana Jones set consisted of 5 boxed sets (read as 18,000 songs) and they only leased you 2 of them (or 6,000 songs) then there is plenty left to "update" and I never suggested "free" ... that was you.

Your "collection" is purposely "limited" and not "complete" with no expansion in site... even if you pay for it. It's clearly only about 1/3 of what they've made over the years.



Define "support" that you receive directly "anytime you need it."

Joe:

1. No different than owning a car then trading it in/selling it to lease a vehicle. BTW he wasn't forced to sell his discs.

2. An assumption on your part that no one got the same deal as Bazza.

3. Who ever said a critic is always right? It they were most of the top grossing films would be flops, fast food joints would be out of business, etc.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

The Gem Series are the 6000 songs that actually get played on a regular basis. The rest of their library was mostly fluff to fill up discs so they could sell more discs. I went to a new show just the other night and the computerized KJ seemed to play nothing but Sound Choice material. I asked her if she had the capability to play a disc and of course she said NO. Not a singles Zac Brown song in her book but apparently, plenty of them on her hard drive. . She has so many songs that she can't possibly keep adding to her already huge song book. Hundred thousand songs but no money for a disc player or software to play a disc. Another karaoke venue scratched off the list of places to go to.

I would have to disagree.... There's LOTS of "filler" in the Gem series... A lot of ancient stuff that will never get played. Check out the listings of the Sapphire mixed discs 5 & 6 from their own website. Pretty low on the totem pole of popularity... unless you really like TV themes, show tunes (and old ones at that) with a mixture of kiddie songs and spanish... When was the last time you had someone sing "The Anniversary Song?"

Bout a month ago. Older couple on their anniversary.

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

Interesting, since I've never had anyone request it.... ever. Even on their anniversary.

But then again, you don't have the Gem series do you Lonman?

(nope)

Nope but have the song, that is what you asked - so owning the GEM is irrelevant for that answer.

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

Wrong Lonnie, Owning the gem set is EXACTLY what it is about, and the question was directed to Bazza. If you want to split hairs like that, then go sit a little closer to Harrington.

How many times has Bazza used it? (better?)

The point is that there are a load of "filler songs" on the gem set too.

Again I responding to the question 'When was the last time.....' which I answered.
There is no telling what is filler. I see songs people post on the occasional 'overdone' threads that NEVER get sung at my shows, but then I list a list and they NEVER get done at others shows. So what is filler to some, may be killer to others and vice versa. What you consder filler, be great for others - kid shows, mexican restaurants, older folk shows. Just because the songs are ancient doesn't mean they do not get used by others nor wanted. I've stated numerous times, I have most everything that is included on the GEM and many of these do get sung. Now the kids and spanish songs I really don't have any need for in my current club, but I do on occasion do kids shows where they would come in handy and have done mexican restaurants where I needed even MORE Spanish songs. I have over 1000 Spanish songs and several hundred kids songs stored away - even though I have some at my show. Mary Had A Little Lamb actually got sung a couple weeks or so ago - as a joke mind you, but it was done.
Just because it's filler to you doesn't mean it is to all.

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

Well at least you are admitting publicly to stooping to personal attacks. Very honest of you.



This is really getting old. I would suggest you and Bird-Of-Song get together and form a study group so you can comprehend my posts.

BUT! I will do it AGAIN!!!!!

I was offered and accepted to get FULL RETAIL CREDIT for my old, scratched, used 1500 song set of foundations & bricks. I then used that credit to license the 6000 song super-duper set. 4500 more of the best songs. And it is paid up. NO rent, NO lease, NO $$$. 6000 for less than half what you paid.



Thank you. That is very kind. Please explain this to Bird-Of-Song if you will.



I have NO idea. I cannot speak for others, only myself.



Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, we all know. You have golden ears and only cater to karaoke singers with golden ears.

Funny, but you never did agree to my scientific, university professor proven test, at my cost, on your equipment, at your venue, to PROVE you do not have golden karaoke bar ears. Why was that again?

Scientific test have proven that in controlled studio circumstances, the number of people with the perceived ability to hear the difference between a WAV and 320kbps MP3 of the exact same music is no better than random chance. Now! Throw a karaoke PA system into the mix, some compression, a snake-oil Sonic Maximizer and even in your hushed BAR...and all bets are off. There simply is no truth to this claim any more than homeopathy, remote viewing or magic underwear.

Want to prove it? Agree to my test. Invite all your friends and all the witnesses you want. Video tape it. I don't mind. Nothing hidden, except your eyes.



But Chip, you can say that of ANY of the dozens of karaoke SETS. Sound Choice, Chartbuster, even Sweet Georgia Brown. Heck even the 500 piece Super Craftsman Tool Kit from Sears has some tools you may never use. But the PRICE of the set is far less then the price of the parts ala-carte. THAT is why people buy sets....of anything

If this generic point is the only argument you have left, you have lost.

Chip never loses - at least in his own mind.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

timberlea
why is it that every time we turn around
your are attcking chip with negative post and smart (@$%&#!) comment's

well turn about is fair play
why would any one post what looks like a prison photo
for there avatar

sorry admin but he had that coming

1) We have different viewpoints.

2) No assumption at all, which is why I requested anyone else who got the same deal to please let us know.

3) Agree. Especially when it comes to food. BTW, what pretentious dork came up with a "deconstructed salad" ( previously known as a "formed" salad for some obsure reason)? Separate vegetables on a plate. At best it would be an "UN-constructed" salad, or "salad parts". Deconstructed makes it sound like someone made a salad, then separated the veggies by hand.... And who decided that a tomato goes on everything automatically. Years ago, they and other things like pickles were put on the side, awaiting consumer choice. Some of us think of tomatoes as a sack of vegetable snot, and just appetizing.

Dam, another rant building up. Let it go, Joe.....let it go...

NOTE TO BAZZA: I stated that someone with a strong business education would not have done what you did. This was an observation based on education and experience. This was not meant as a personal attack, and if you took it that way, please accept my apologies.

I'm glad that it worked out well for you, due to circumstances rearding your disc collection as explained by you. However, generally speaking, I still say it is not something that would be considered a good business practice.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

I always get a big kick out of it when Joe C makes these posts about his venues.

JoeChartreuse wrote:
Please keep in mind that I don't work in noisy kiddie bars, but rather specialize in high end adult - and quieter- restaurant bars. Because of this I get effusive compliments on my sound versus PC MPG KJs in other venues.

I couldn't disgaree more. Two of his gigs are as close to Railroad tracks as you can get and they are two little dives that in no way would be considered high end; unless you were comapring them to a McDonalds.

"Some of us think of tomatoes as a sack of vegetable snot, and just appetizing."

my wife could eat them all day long like an apple, and i couldn't care if they never grew again.

_________________
Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens