Karaoke Forums

My question is this - why is it illegal to use original instrumental or audacity et al type instrumental tracks? Specially if the ones you make are not available.

I make for my own use, here in Thailand I can sing the tracks karaoke, I actually get most of my backing tracks from karaoke version or SBI, surely by singing there material you are promoting, attributing if you like to that artist.

Apparently I still have not got broadcasting rights (ie sing in my local karaoke) even if I have purchased the backing track myself. Sunfly and SBI are ok because they have there own venue here and I know the bosses.

Its not the same as sitting in an basement and downloading and burning the latest Lady GA GA album then selling it down the local market ?

It is exactly the same as that. It's stealing. It's someone else doing all the work and the thief profiting from it.

Intellectual property is treated much like physical personal property here in the US. The artist (record label, publishing company, etc.) makes the song and owns the song. The consumer can not obtain that song without paying for it, or it's treated the same as going to an electronics warehouse and stealing a TV to take home. Just because it's intangible property doesn't make it any different than physical property.

The laws may be different in Thailand, but here in the states that's the basic idea.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Illegal copying of software is a crime in the U.S. & many other countries, Thailand included. http://www.ehow.com/list_6467898_thaila ... -laws.html

Copyright law provides for severe civil & criminal penalties for reproduction & distribution of unauthorized copyrighted material. Violation may result in fines, and/or imprisonment. I don’t think knowing the bosses at your local Sunfly & SBI corporate offices will play any clout in front of a judge. Notoriety of Thai prison system is well-known; worse than my country of origin, the Philippines. Is it worth it? Think it over! Get permission & pay for the service! Simple as that.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

Thank you both for your reply. i was deliberately a bit coy just to Get the vibe as it were of this forum. I just get fustrated when the material I want to sing is never available.

I am fairly certain most karaoke backing tracks are electronic interpolations of the real thing. You can sometimes hear a faint voice, and being the geek I am I have ananlysed the waveforms and running times. Thats why on some tracks one examplle is crash and burn by savage garden the singing is slightly overdubbed from verse to chorus which is common, why not just add another bar to the beat the running times are identical, they either have some kind iof advanced re sampling software, or they get access to the original multitrack.

Simple Acoustic tracks they re record but anything complicated it would make sense to get a copy from the Studio rather than hiring a band to do it.

What counts as an original recording? If someone samples something the resulting out put is not the original its a copy but the sounds are not "real" there made up in the computer.

I did know that its illegal here but the laws are not enforced, I could go down the road here and buy a copy of Windows seven for $10! that includes Office 2010.

The karaokes are interesting. I have a Bee Gees one Ive had for a while original footage karaoke and original music. Makes a change from looking at a black or blue screen. But other countries have videos as well Thai music (which I sing as Well) is all on Karaoke and original MV footage its a totally different experience when you sing and you see the Artist

I think in the west we are getting a raw deal. They will always get pirate copies from Russia its a totally UN-enforceable law. The artists only get a miserly 15% anyway.


Just my thoughts Is whats legal necessarily always right?

I've never understood myself why the studios don't put out original track karaoke. I think it honestly boils down to them thinking it is somehow beneath them, and them being out of touch with the positive exposure it gives their artists, not to mention it is a billion dollar industry.

There are some artists that put out karaoke with their original tracks. I have a 6 disk Motown collection that is all original tracks that sounds awesome. Taylor Swift is well known for including karaoke versions of her songs with all of her studio albums.

Who knows....maybe one day the studios will figure it out. All they need is a guy to do the lyric swipes and they don't need the annoying CDG manufacturers. 100% royalties sure looks better than 15%.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Topher I think it's just a matter of dollars and cents. I don't think it would be profitable for them to put out a 1 for 1 regular/karaoke disc (at least in the old days - did I just say that) and spend money promoting them. Remember karaoke is a niche market. Most companies, ie Ford, Marvel, etc do not make/market T-shirts, etc but sell a licence to a manufacturer to make them.

They would make more money, less work to licence the work to a karaoke manufacturer.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I think more and more individuals are buying onesy twosy karaoke tracks. My sister buys one or two a week for my niece. I directed one of my regulars to the download sites just last week so he can get a track for his daughter to sing in a talent show. I think Taylor Swift is smart. Why not have the girls pay a little more to also sing along with her? It's smart. She'll probably tell you it's how she started. My niece has been singing karaoke since before she could read and she is unreal.

I'm afraid to sing Taylor Swift, because they might start passing me around like a party favor at the Kennedy Compound.

And the problem with that is..................... jd, I wouldn't mind it at all if I was offered to Taylor Swift disguised as a party favor

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

Thank you both for your reply. i was deliberately a bit coy just to Get the vibe as it were of this forum. I just get fustrated when the material I want to sing is never available.

I am fairly certain most karaoke backing tracks are electronic interpolations of the real thing. You can sometimes hear a faint voice, and being the geek I am I have ananlysed the waveforms and running times. Thats why on some tracks one examplle is crash and burn by savage garden the singing is slightly overdubbed from verse to chorus which is common, why not just add another bar to the beat the running times are identical, they either have some kind iof advanced re sampling software, or they get access to the original multitrack.

Simple Acoustic tracks they re record but anything complicated it would make sense to get a copy from the Studio rather than hiring a band to do it.

What counts as an original recording? If someone samples something the resulting out put is not the original its a copy but the sounds are not "real" there made up in the computer.

I did know that its illegal here but the laws are not enforced. <snip>


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junaid

You know, I'm not completely certain that some companies don't use original recordings, at least sometimes. I recall hearing a track - Barbara Ann by The Beach Boys - and being certain I could still faintly hear their ad lib ( "Carl, pass me the famous ashtray" or something like that) during an instrumental break.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Maybe they are just waiting for there to be enough money to make it worth their time to enforce their rights, after all why pick on someone who can't pay you anyway? As a small fry, I intend to protect myself from future action just in case I ever get rich enough to attract their attention.

Moved to the appropriate forum.