Karaoke Forums

As you may or may not know, SyberSound (Party Tyme and Billboard Karaoke) bought out Just Tracks/Pocket Songs, as well as some other labels, and are having a big re-launch soon.
I just got an email from Jan Stevens of SyberSound today, and they are gong to be selling a streaming player that has mic jacks, echo, HDMI, USB, and VGA. The cost is
$399.99, but it is only any good if you also pay $150 a month for the streaming karaoke. They also will be selling a kiosk.
She asked me what I thought, and I told her that I, as well as most KJ's, would prefer to be able to buy single tracks that are downloadable on the net.
When I hear more, I will pass it along.

Since Pocket Songs stopped making new Karaoke tracks, SyberSound won't be adding anything new to the PS and JT libraries. It sounds like (to me) they are probably going to re-brand the labels they just bought, and list them under their name when they re-issue the discs (as an example, like Priddis did with Lost Classics).

This was covered some time ago:

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=31298

The PS/JT library has been remastered and is being converted to Party Tyme brand just as Cue said. The primary focus of distribution will be HD format on Party Tyme devices. Eventually a custom service for CDG will follow.

If there is anyway to offer mp3+g downloads? I believe that would be the preferred way for KJ's to buy your tracks. Of course I realize you may or may not be able to do that in the US.

Here is the upcoming issue with streaming karaoke -

I may like SOME of Digitrax content....
I may like SOME of Sybersound's content....
I may like SOME of Sound Choice content.... (not streaming but a monthly HELP fee)

No one can AFFORD to subscribe to all three and be profitable.

The industry is forcing us to choose a label and forego the others. Especially if individual downloads go away completely.

The karaoke companies need to work with an aggregator (like Select-a-Track or KaraokDownloads.ca) to bring all of their streams together in one location, under one subscription, for one monthly fee.

Or......

I may be wrong and we might see a price war. Digitrax drops to $79/mo for new subscribers. Sybersound drops to $74.99. Sound Choice drops to $69.99.

I think streaming is going to catch on, but not until the pricing and access to multiple vendors issues gets resolved.

_________________
-Chris

I think the whole concept of a monthly fee is ludicrous. As others have repeatedly observed - it might not be bad for a brand new operator to use for a time while he builds a library, but for someone who has already invested thousands in building a library? Pure insanity!

There's only one brand even a new operator should want if he's got to shell out $150/month and that brand is NOT Party Tyme.

I addressed this issue way back when DigiTrax first came online -

One subscription plan that includes all content already made and everything new they produce. This plan would cost more since it grants access to everything past, present, future. This plan would be targeted at new KJ's with very little content.

One subscription plan for only new content. Perhaps grandfather in X number of previous months/years releases. This plan would cost less. This plan would be targeted at KJ who have an existing library and only need new releases to stay current.

The movie industry has been doing a form of this for 40+ years in the form of HBO, Cinemax and other premium movie channels.

Some major players in the software industry have begun moving some products to a subscription model.

The Music industry is a little more contentious. There is a fight brewing between streaming providers, publishers, and rights holders. Every indication is that streaming will "win" because that is the way consumers want to get their music. But the streaming services will have to concede profit margins or pass the cost on to consumers.

Karaoke is a niche industry compared the ones above. It changes more slowly. But we already have downloads and streaming. We will not see new karaoke companies starting up production on disc. They cannot be profitable with physical media. They will either do downloads or streaming, or a combination of both.

_________________
-Chris

A thousand dollars can start you off with a nice collection of music that you will own forever. If you can't afford $1000 for music, then you're not ready to start a business.

_________________
Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

Streaming works in the personal music world because people don't want to be bothered with buying songs, and they can listen to it on their phone anywhere they are. This may also work for personal karaoke, but for KJs, paying a monthly fee makes no sense at all. I've said this before, and I'll say it again. What KJ would spend his entire KJ career paying a monthly fee and then retire with nothing to show for it? (unless he keeps paying the monthly fee). DJs and KJs have always taken pride in their libraries. Especially after years of building it up. Also, all it would take is one big internet outage on a busy show night for anyone to realize the other flaw in the streaming thing.

You can have your streaming. I'll stick with controlling the ownership of my songs.

100% with you on this. Private ownership of anything by ordinary people is becoming an endangered species in all walks of life. Indentured servitude and throw you off the land with nothing when you can no longer pay the "protection"

I disagree. That was true 10 years ago, but not today. A KJ today can buy a few CDG disc collections for under $100 just to start, OR even not a single song at all and buy as they go. With legal downloads from karaokedownloads.ca and karaoke-version.com, a KJ (in theory) could start their first show with absolutely no karaoke songs. Play a couple filler songs to start and as people put in their requests, simply buy the songs on the spot and have them loaded when the singer gets up. The first couple shows would cost anywhere between $30-$70 depending on the rotation, but each subsequent show would slowly cost less and less as his or her collection started to grow. That cost would be covered each night by the KJs take home pay. That being said, a KJ would only need about a $100 balance on his or her debit card to start, and the rest would be paid for by their earnings.

The beauty of buying single songs as you go is that you know that EVERY song you have was at least requested by someone and could possibly be requested in the future. If one person wants to sing it, chances are that another will too. Spending $1000 up front on a basic collection doesn't guarantee that you've purchased all songs that people want to sing or ever will sing at your show. I'm starting to look at the old school way of buying most of your music up front as being very inefficient, and if I had it all to do over again, I surely would have started with nothing but requested songs as you go.

If you have the money to buy a big collection up front, yes, that is great, because it is a bit embarrassing for a fledgling KJ to have no song list to show at first. I wish the download sites offered packages for beginner KJs starting out, like the option to purchase the 100, 500, or 1000 top downloaded songs in a package deal.