Karaoke Forums

Hi all
Discovered this site today - awsome!
I noticed the selectatrack site in this post and wondered if anyone knew how I stand in the states for purchasing tracks.
I emailed selectatrack and and got a lame "auto" response pointing me to their terms & conditions.....

Both Selectatrack and the MCPS are based in the United Kingdom, anyone ordering from outside the UK does need to check with their local publishing organisations on local terms of use regarding public performance.

Does this mean the tracks are not licenced for use outside the UK ?

any help anyone please

Chris

Hi
I live in the States and contacted selectatrack to find out if I could legally purchase and use tracks from their site.
Theye gave me a lame reply pointing me to their terms & conditions which says....

Both Selectatrack and the MCPS are based in the United Kingdom, anyone ordering from outside the UK does need to check with their local publishing organisations on local terms of use regarding public performance.

Does this mean the tracks are not licenced for use outside the UK ?
What is the point of buying them if I cannot use them?

Does anyone have any information on this and how I stand if I do buy them.

I am trying to get hold of the MCPS in the uk to see how I stand, but I do not know who I would contact over here (Florida)

thanks for any help anyone!

Chris

MCPS licencing specifically excludes the USA and Canada. It is valid everywhere else in the world. Further info can be found at www.prsformusic(dot)com

MCPS licencing specifically excludes the USA and Canada. It is valid everywhere else in the world. Further info can be found at www.prsformusic(dot)com

However, I have never heard of ANYONE being sued for using any karaoke tracks that they have legally purchased other than Sound Choice suing for format shifting their logo. That being said; If the venue is paying their performance fees; who is the victim if a select a track music file is used during a show? and who would be the entity that would file a law suit against you?

MCPS licencing specifically excludes the USA and Canada. It is valid everywhere else in the world for redistribution, for sale to the end customer it is valid.

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

"MCPS licencing specifically excludes the USA and Canada. It is valid everywhere else in the world." for redistribution in the U.S.
stores can not buy and resell but direct to customer sales are allowed.

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

Not the answer I was looking for.

I have serveral downloads from them, and now find I can't use them! How do they get away with this?

I actually wonder if anyone is getting their money for the tracks.... not just the UK manufacturers, but if the MCPS knows about all of this.

Why couldn't they just make this clear on the site?..... they say......

All the tracks we supply are fully-endorsed by the manufacturer and are sold with their permission to use at home or commercially in any public venue worldwide (assuming that venue has the appropriate public performance license). Selectatrack is an approved licensee of the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) to which a royalty is paid for every track sold to cover song writer and publisher royalties. Both Selectatrack and the MCPS are based in the United Kingdom, anyone ordering from outside the UK does need to check with their local publishing organisations on local terms of use regarding public performance.

I have asked about use in the states, and they refer me to the above.
I don't think it fair or right that they should take your money for something you cannot use (or return!)

Am I the only one that thinks this?

Just use them. Nobody cares.

Why would you look to the performing rights society of another country for answers on the use of music in this country?
That's pure silliness.
The performing rights societies of the Untied States (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) are the only ones that apply here. If the venue in which you perform has paid their dues to these organizations you can legally play those tracks.
It's as simple as that.

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KNOW THYSELF

at the risk of sounding like a broken record. Go ahead and use the tracks. EVERYTHING sold is for non commerical use in karaoke.

What makes it legal to use in a country is the PERFORMANCE fees, which are not the KJ's responsibility.

as long as you can prove you bought the track, you should be covered

all the sites I download from allow you to print out reciepts of your past orders

-James

Just use them and enjoy your shows. This Saturday, I had a customer who wanted to do Tribute from Tenacious D. I found it on Tricerasoft and had it for him withing a minute or two. I was happy, he was happy and the show went on. Just use the damn tracks. Nobody is bothering with those songs. Sound Choice is the only company that WANTS to sue you.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

This isn't about SC! It's about publishers and using UK products in the USA - quit turning everything into a SC bash!!!!!!

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

everything does not have to be an SC bash, but SC is the company that started telling everyone that no license exists for downloads (false) and that downloads can not be used in the U.S. (false). so in this case, it is SC's fault for spreading the mis-information that is causing all the confusion.
nothing was stated about the suits but i would assume that would be the op's fear and SC being the only company suing hosts or venues, reiterating that none of the other companies have issue with digital use seems pertinent.

"anyone ordering from outside the UK does need to check with their local publishing organizations on local terms of use regarding public performance."
the local organizations are ASCAP, SESAC, and BMI who license public performance through your venue, as long as those are paid, the tracks are legal for use in a karaoke show, the track itself requires no other licensing as no other license exists, and this is from an I.P. attorney working in the industry.

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

If it was just a general statement, i'd agree, but since he likes to push that tidbit of info into any (it seems) post he makes, it DOES turn into a bash. However since SAT doesn't sell SC product it was moot point to bring it up at all, this was a publishing/licensing question regarding UK tracks being used in US. In this case anyone suing would be publishers or artists themselves - which is unlikely - PROVIDED the club these songs are being played in are paying their PR fees. If the club is NOT paying these, then lawsuits could possibly happen by these entities - i've seen it happen here.

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

But they would be suing the venue, not the KJ. If a venue tells me they are paying their fees, I have to believe them, and act accordingly.

I'm not sure what the law is in NC (and maybe you should check) but here in Canada, bars have to publicly display all licences and permits, including liquor, food, SOCAN (Canadian version of ASCAP, etc), gaming, occupancy, etc.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Not the club that was sued in Spokane a few years back - the kj was named in that suit as well for having non-legally produced music.

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

that part made a big difference. he wasn't sued for the venue not paying PRS fees, he got hit for using bootleg music, not that i'm complaining about that at all

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

The point is, the club got nailed because they weren't paying their fees, and the kj got hit along with them by the publishers.

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