Karaoke Forums

I have been buying karaoke discs to get a library together that will always be in compliance 100%. I do know that many companies started doing their CD+G discs in-house as it was cheaper than the glass mastering and mass bulk of print, but I have a question about Music Maestro.

I know many say they dislike them, but they do have some good hit and miss tracks. I recently purchased discs from 2 VERY WELL KNOWN sellers across the USA. I got my Music Maestro Discs and even though they are silver on the back the front looks like the ones Chartbuster and a few others did. I don't know how it is done but it looks like the disc was printed on instead of the typical silk screen.

I called the companies and they assured me that Music Maestro ended up doing their own discs without the glass masters. One of my discs was black and white with silver back and not a paper label. I got some that were pink and some which were yellow. The one thing I noticed was there was no ID ring.

After asking these 2 companies about the Music Maestro and a few others they got very nasty with me and said not to call back because they do not sell pirated music.

I know that CB did their own printing on disc and some were silver or light green and glossy looking on the top and some were a matte type finish. I know they used and tried different methods to get their final new labeling to work well and play on CD+G players without problems. I was assured by the company why and that it was how they did their printing. I understand that PHM did the same thing at the end.

What I don't understand is why these companies would send me a disc in a paper sleeve which I know cut down on costs and shipping and then tell me they will not take the time to go look at the same disc I bought.

They refused to take them back and said they were legit and that Caryn and Aldo had made their last batches on these type of CD's but I want to make sure I am safe. I also noticed this with a few Star Disc that I bought.

I would name the companies here but they are VERY well known as the top karaoke retailers and all of them have the same answer. What do I do? Not use the Music Maestro and dispute it with my credit card company? I am well aware PHM and all of these companies sent everything out on spindles at the end of their closure and you were lucky to get a jewel case. I do plan on media shifting and have started on the discs I know for a fact which are safe but it bothers me that there is a possibility that these companies are selling materials which are not legit.

If you go on e-bay you will also see the same type discs I am talking about. They do not have the master ID ring on the MM. I had never heard of Star Disc doing this. It is very disheartening and to have 2 well known companies get irate with me and also someone else who bought from them asking the same questions to not call back and take my business elsewhere.

I would upload a pic but am unsure how to do so. If someone could tell me how, I can show you exactly what I am talking about. Also, I do own Chartbusters and won't be media shifting them until I have all the ones to finish what I need from them purchased. If I can't find them then I will later add them to my collection after paying the $50 dollar fee to PEP. I have no problems with this. I just prefer to wait on the CB's until I have everything I'm in need of getting to enhance the rare country and pop/rock songs.

I do not do shows for personal gain or money, but I do these shows to help our Veterans and also for Cancer and other diseases when fundraising is needed. If a situation came up and someone did need a service for an evening I would want to know that everything is legal.

I am a publisher and also a writer and arranger. I own a publishing company and also work through ASCAP. I can not in good faith support piracy and need to make sure that I really am getting a legit product.

Once again, I know many stopped doing glass mastering and silk screen to cut costs and I spoke with those companies 1 on 1. I wish I could find out from the makers of Star Disc and from Caryn and Aldo if they did make Music Maestro's in house at the end of their run.

Can someone please help me shed light on this issue? I believe in honesty, loyalty and do NOT support piracy as it is killing the music industry.

Thank you.

Well I hadn't heard of Music Maestro doing in house burns (doesn't mean they didn't toward the end). I do not think Star Disc ever did as they were pretty much out of business around late 90's early 2000's. If you have anything other than a factory production from that label - i'd question it.
However you cannot even trust the retailers these days, I know a retailer that has the infamous Sound Choice 8125 on their site for regular new disc prices - and i've actually bought discs from them I thought were going to be real and turned out to be burned with thermal printed labels - these happened to be the Karaokemaker Blue Rodeo discs.

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Lonman,

I appreciate you letting me know. I will say this company usually pops up in google or any search engine as the first karaoke seller. If you go on e-bay you will notice there are a lot of MM discs that look that way. I had a friend purchase a 5 disc set in a binder and the discs looked like mine do. As far as StarDisc, I know they ended up going to NorthStar. I don't even know who made them or what to think. I just said well, I will just buy Chartbuster for the country. I questioned the information on the CDG's and there are MM's shrink wrapped in jewels which look the same as mine. I know they had their select a track or maybe it was disc on demand. I am not sure but what bothers me is the companies who did in house and labels did indeed verify the discs I had were legit. Stardisc quit in 2006 I believe and granted I wanted some of those but I'm not that worried if I can't get them. I know Caryn and Aldo from when they had the original Music Maestro and they had glass master disc. Then they made the last packs where they went into the hub and they used different media but I don't know what to do at this point. Before DKM went out of business I had Song Factory send me a replacement disc that was printed on and the back was a blue color. They sent a few Millennium sets out this way at the end but I was not too happy about it. I kept my receipt and wanted this song for a few Pointer Sisters songs on it.

I personally don't use Sound Choice because I don't do normal shows except for fundraising but I do encourage people wanting to be KJ's to go with the Gem Set. I direct them to PEP.

There was a UK company who had MM songs but the intro screen was not the same. It was broadway musical songs. I wish I could get a solid answer on it. Let me see if I can post a URL here.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-MUSIC-MAESTRO-KARAOKE-COUNTRY-HITS-OF-THE-90s-VOL-VIII-CD-G-6039-/252835757866?hash=item3ade2f7f2a:g:zJ8AAOSwEzxYWYyx

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KARAOKE-CHRISTMAS-CLUB-PACK-4-DISCS-62-SONGS-CDG-CD-G-OUT-OF-PRINT-MUSIC-MAESTRO/131018551958?_trksid=p2045573.c100643.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555014%26algo%3DPL.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3De7e26e76f5ed4d0f8b804dc6de479425%26pid%3D100643%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26

I got these images from e-bay as the retail stores don't show you the discs and only the jewel cover and songs. It gives you a clear picture of what I mean. The back is silver and the fronts are like this. There is no ID Press Ring though.

MM has had a checkered past the company was put out of business for producing tracks and not obtaining the proper license to do so from the copyright holder of the material. I heard that the President of the company actually went to jail for a time, of course I have no real hard data as to that. They have some good material in their library especially 50's and of course the Velvet Elvis series. I think most hosts are pretty much in the same boat that wish to be legal. You can try as hard as you can to keep your material between the lines, and still you can end up with tracks in any library that are questionable, as far as their legality. The way most hosts cover themselves is to keep their original discs and all paperwork on their purchases. Even taking those steps will not protect you if some copyright holder decides to sue you. The chances of that are small, however, so far. Only SC/CB/aka PEP are using the legal approach, and that is mainly directed against venues now, since the average pirate doesn't have two dollars to rub together. If other copyright holders such as publishers decide to start suing then it could be the end of professional public karaoke hosting. Since you are not commercial but working in the non profit sector I don't think you would have much of a problem, getting sued. Just my opinion of course. I'm retired from active commercial work and just do a gig now and then. In over 19 years of hosting I was never sued.