should websites sell info on how to be a karaoke pirate?

[KaraokeJunkie]

I am someone who pays per song for my karaoke music. I then create a CD and take it to the Karaoke Bars. I've never ran into a situation of the KJ to not play the disc. I DID NOT STEAL the songs and I resent anyone who considers all burned CDs to be pirated music. Just because it doesn't say "partytyme","chartbusters" or "Priddis" does not mean that it is an illegal copy. Then I guess every CD I created from iTunes, CAVS, and other legit sites are illegal too....

I am a singer, not a KJ. However, when they have a "dead" night, they're happy that they are able to count on me to pick things up a bit. There are songs some KJs just don't have that I love to sing. Some versions of songs are not produced as good a quality as some of the songs I have. The other singers enjoy some variety each week. It makes it fun and we come back each week for something new.

If it bothers you so much that someone has a burned CD, first asked where they get there music from. If they did get it illegally, then you can always tell them that you might lose your license if you get caught playing it. This would avoid any confrontation - but only if this person did this habitually. But for one song it's not worth the confrontation. Unfortunately, even though you are right in turning it down, your business may suffer. Word of mouth is a powerful thing. You don't want to lose a steady gig each week because he might like his version of "It's Too Late" than the one you have.

[wiseguy]

Just because it doesn't say "partytyme","chartbusters" or "Priddis" does not mean that it is an illegal copy.

Unfortunately it does mean that it is an illegal copy.

I guess every CD I created from iTunes, CAVS, and other legit sites are illegal too....

You are correct.


Sucks doesn't it!

[Full House Entertainment]

KaraokeJunkie

I'm glad you pay for your music, to me that is expected. However, if you bring in a burned disc, I have no way of knowing whether or not you paid for the song. Unfortunately many people do not and, if you've been watching, several karaoke manufacturers have faded from the scene, for one reason or another.

I will run my business the way I see fit and, if you bring in a burned disc, I will determine whether or not it's worth it or not to decline to play it. My determination is ----- Nope, sorry, I do have lots of music for you to choose from and would love to have you sing with us, feel free to choose one from my book or make a request - if it's something I don't have and worth the cost to me to add to my book I will.

Even if I didn't have lots of music it's still my business decision to decline. You'd be surprised how much copied material is "shared" or sold. Would you be surprised if I told you that it hurts the manufacturers bottom line for every "shared" or sold copied song? As a retail karaoke store owner, a KJ who pays for each disc and a singer with my own "personal" paid for collection, pirated music hurts my bottom line as well....

Just my 2 cents - yep, the same 2 cents,
Susie

[KaraokeJunkie]

I guess you're not familiar with iTunes, are you? This IS a legit site. As for burning a copy for my personal use, it is not illegal to do so. (Please check the law before making additional statements ) The sharing and selling of additional music is. Yes, manufacturers get hurt from continuous sharing of files. But if the entertainment industry sees this as habitual, they should've jumped on the opportunity of song downloading and make money. So companies have done so. That is why there is iTunes, Rhapsody, and other pay-by-song companies that do in turn pay royalties to the publishing companies for songs that were purchased by the customers. I know much about this subject since my world has been both surrounded and directly involved in the music industry; the financial, legal and business aspect. So yes,..... I do know what I'm talking about. Only 10 years ago, I wouldn't be fined for recording a movie I missed on TV or playing a tape that I recorded on the radio. The industry needs to see the change in demands and know how to reach these demands, thus making money. I would rather buy a complete CD with the music I enjoy than what is shoved down my throat just to get ONE song and pay 10-20 dollars in doing so. i.e. Paradise by the Dashboard Light (By Best Karaoke - a legit company sold in Best Buy) paid $25 for one song. So who is really stealing here? I just felt I did by paying so much for one song.

With all this said, and knowing it would never change how you, a retail karaoke dealer, would feel. However, I do respect that you are noble enough to stand by your beliefs regardless of what others around you might feel.

By the way, now if you have a child or grandchild that performs in a play and you record it in video, remember to pay the publishing company or you'll get fined. This law also applies to our most precious memories that we are not legally allowed to have. It's a fine line between the publisher's rights and our right to keep our memories. Just remember that.....

[Full House Entertainment]

<snip>The industry needs to see the change in demands and know how to reach these demands, thus making money. I would rather buy a complete CD with the music I enjoy than what is shoved down my throat just to get ONE song and pay 10-20 dollars in doing so. i.e. Paradise by the Dashboard Light (By Best Karaoke - a legit company sold in Best Buy) paid $25 for one song. So who is really stealing here? I just felt I did by paying so much for one song.

LOL - I never cease to find it interesting that "people" feel they know best how others should run their business; i.e. saying the karaoke manufacturers should put all their karaoke songs on the internet for downloading to keep up with the times is, to me, just plain silly.

I don't believe it is a marketing scheme, as has been implied in earlier posts, that the karaoke manus are researching, paying fees and producing 14 crap songs to sell one "good" song for an exorbitant fee. Personally, I have found some great songs I never would have known about if it weren't on a disk I purchased for a completely different song....

As to you paying $25.00 for PBTDL at Best Buy - ??????? How is it that they are stealing? Someone put a whoooole lot of $ and work into that disc, right down to the retail space and cashier.

With all this said, and knowing it would never change how you, a retail karaoke dealer, would feel. However, I do respect that you are noble enough to stand by your beliefs regardless of what others around you might feel.

I've felt this way even before I was a KJ or a retail karaoke store owner. There will always be beliefs to stand by, regardless of what others might think - your way of thinking differently than myself and many others is proof of that.

Susie

[LoneWolf]

I hope I am not out of line to add my thoughts to your thread. I am a relatively new karaoke company, but have been singing karaoke for years. I make it a point to make sure my music is all legitimate. I do not play anyone else's music whether burned or not, as I do not have a cdg player. I use a hosting program and all my music is on my external hard drive. Now so much for the disclaimer. Personally I have felt for years that a way of purchasing the songs you want instead of having to purchase so many that you will NEVER play, is overdue. I agree that we have no call to tell companies how to run their business. However, I do feel that these companies need to get with the program and produce either the means to download music per song, or offer compiled discs at a reasonable cost. No need to fill me in on how hard it is for these companies to compile these discs, or how much it costs.I also get irritated when kj's claim to have 7-10,000 songs , only to find out that they have 7 copies of the same song. (exagerating a bit here) and turns out they do not have anymore than I do. I do like different versions of songs but do not like that the kj's promote more songs than they have.

[Marlena]

i agree with you lonewolf. I hate going to a place for karaoke the front of the book advertises 10,000 songs, but yet they are including 7 versions of i fall to peices or 12 copies of crazy. i understand the need to know where your alternative copies are. In my master copy i have all listed, but the books on the table ONLY see 1 version. if a client doesn't like it then i mark in my book which one they like, so i will know for next time. it aggrivates me to no end. If i kept all my duplicates in my table books they would be double the size they already are and i'm having enough problems finding a binder that will hold my books now let alone if the duplicates were in there.

Marlena

[wiseguy]

LOL - I never cease to find it interesting that "people" feel they know best how others should run their business; i.e. saying the karaoke manufacturers should put all their karaoke songs on the internet for downloading to keep up with the times is, to me, just plain silly.

We can't tell them how to run their business but we can certainly affect their sales income. All karaoke song manufacturers will have to offer their song titles as downloads or they will not be able to survive. It's not about keeping up with the times, it's about providing what people want to buy. There's nothing silly about it.

[LoneWolf]

Wiseguy, you are right on with the last post. Either you keep up or you lose out. I understand that the music industry feels they are being ripped off, but as so many others I think it is more the other way around. It is hard to feel sorry for a company that grosses billions.I do not use the illegal file sharing which is why I asked if there were downloading sites that were legitimate. Since I cannot find the site that marlena mentioned, concerning streaming, perhaps we should start one that would be legal. Think of how great it would be to have practically any song at your fingertips and never have to say 'sorry we don't have that one yet'

Downloading IS the way things are going, and either the companies will get with it or they will go the way of the 8 track player.