Karaoke Forums

Mr Harrington, have you considered installing a thicker pad on your desk to protect your head?

Sorry everyone , had to put that in.

If necessary Jim, I will send you a hockey helmet.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Ugh. This whole thing is giving me a headache. So, theoretically, if this list grows quite a bit, when it comes to new purchases we will basically be limited to US licensed legal manus only? With SC and CB out that leaves what, PH? Singers will not be happy about this. Does this also mean that for Cloud/KJ Media Pro users (UK manus) the new additions will be highly limited to US users?

DT is re-licencing the tracks offered on "the cloud" so they are legal for use here in the USA. I do not know info on the MediaPro tracks however.

Please note that DT has been honest- they do not claim the tracks are licensed for use in U.S. based shows, and won't after new licensing either. They are licensed to download the tracks to you. What you do with them is YOUR responsibility and liability.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

DT has stated that the downloads are also for KJ use in shows.

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

Cool. Get a .TXT document stating that with each download stating that for each track, or documentation for general coverage signed by the pres and you're good to go. Otherwise it's nothing but air.

Get the documentation, and the KJ is relieved of liability. If not, Usage is the KJ's responsibility and liability.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

As soon as I get one for every disc as well (which will never happen either), then I consider them the same!

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

Yup, but discs are original factory production bought in good faith, with- if you COMPREHEND the disclaimers on the labels, leave liability on the shoulders of the producer.

Download sites, who LOVE uneducated KJs, leave that liability on the KJ's shoulders. Producers know KJs who are dumb enough to download are shifting liability to their own shoulders, not owning original discs- and truly appreciate those who do not learn about their business before entering it.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Myself and many, many other "dumb enough" KJ's have read the disclaimers and feel comfortable using the downloaded products.

When I by a download from an online karaoke producer I am buying an original product in good faith. No different than buying a CD+G in good faith (except I get to use my product immediately instead of waiting for it to arrive).

Karaoke-Version is not pursuing KJ's and if I remember correctly, some email correspondence was posted a year ago from KV saying it was perfectly acceptable to use their product in a commercial setting.

Me thinks that ODB hosts are starting to fidget a little because they realize computer hosts have access to more and better content in a much more timely fashion than they will ever have.

-Chris

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-Chris

All good Chris. When I post on these matters it's mostly to explain why I don't do things that way. I have no desire to tell other good hosts how they to run their shows. However, there is no reason why all should not at least exercise caution before jumping into anything.

As for me worrying about PC shows: Maybe you forgot that I actually ran PC some years ago using the original PCDJ/KJ Red. Liked it too, but when the PC crapped out ( they did that more often then they do now) I just chucked it and went back to disc.

At this point no PC show, pirate, or undercutter has laid a glove on me- thanks maybe to a long run time in my work area.

As a matter of fact I get a LOT of new singers from PC shows.
Some can't or won't play their discs, or cannot mix the discs properly.

Some are either unwilling or unable to generate books with mfr. codes ( This COULD happen with disc hosts as well- but it would have to be intentional, but it's usually a problem either with a PC song list generator or a pirate { more of whom are PC based than burned disc} who doesn't KNOW what's on the HD he bought off of Craigslist).

Some figure that since they are using a PC anyway, it's cheaper to use virtual mixers that simply don't work as they should ( Yes, I know some are much better than others).

I have won a speed loading contest against a PC host ( granted, this was a few years ago- maybe PC's are starting to catch up now)

The point is, I'm not "worried" about anything but putting on the best, most fun show that I can- which seems to keep working, as well as doing the best I can to limit business liabilities.

BTW- You ever notice that PC hosts are STILL the ones that keep telling everyone that they should do things their way? OMD hosts pretty much just say " whatever works for you, bro...enjoy."

Why is that?

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Karaoke Version has this on their website: "This website respects all music copyrights. All rights are reserved for the protected works reproduced on this website. Without permission, all uses other than home and private use are forbidden.All musical material is re-recorded and does not use in any form the original music or original vocals or any feature of the original recording."

Not sure what that "permission" entails but just wanting people to be aware that it IS on their site that it is needed. I know people will jump in that it just means have your BMI but that would just be an individual interpretation and not something that is really spelled out. Sounds like a bit or rear covering to me.

As far as a disc host being worried about not getting new songs, I'm more worried about the state of things with the publishers, the imports ban and the no fly list than the form the song is in. If more and more artists don't want their songs used for karaoke then everyone is up a creek.

Karaoke Version also has this in their FAQ section.


Can I use your instrumental tracks for public performances?


Use for public events
We are happy to allow the use of our soundtracks for public audiences and other performances.
However, we'd like to remind you that in order to be legally compliant, you must receive an official agreement from your national music rights management office (PRS For Music in the UK for example).
In the case of a non-commercial private event, use of soundtracks is, of course, allowed and unrestricted.

National music rights management in US would be the ASCAP/BMI/SESAC equivalent.

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

And aren't the above trying to tell us "no" to offshore/Canada manus? I'm not sure I agree that they would win in a test case but on the other hand I don't have the money right now to be the Crash Test Dummy. Just want people to be aware it's a possible grey area.

the alphabet soup are what licence things to be played publicly as opposed to pirvately.
they are not the ones that tried to get offshore discs banned. that was the U.S. publishers.

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

Kind of hard to figure out how publishers, who depend on a world-wide support of their work, can think it is good in the long run to cut off import works. I mean, China owns like 15 to 20 percent of our debt...what would the government do if they got into exporting or doing download websites of English karaoke?!?!?

Absolutely correct, and exactly what I was referring to in terms of awakening the sleeping giants. "Whoever" is most responsible for bringing the karaoke industry to a more prominent part of their attention did/will not bring ANY karaoke producer anything positive, whether they think so or not.

The publishers have no NEED of anything the producers have to offer them ( except maybe a lot more money- fees to be passed on to us), and have no reason to do anything of benefit for them.

The giants can do anything they wish with their property, and also have the juice to keep outsiders (offshore) out of their territory, if they so desire. They could, with a little effort, actually pull the karaoke plug. I'm not saying this will happen, only that they have that capability. They are the top rung on the music industry ladder.

Somebody woke Daddy up....

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Daddy was sound asleep until one company decided to skirt U.S. licensing laws and move all production to the U.K. and import everything that way........

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

Re-read this and thought about it. Now, again, IMHO, they are only saying that THEY are OK with KJ usage, and can't give publisher permission.

HOWEVER: If this statement appears as shown by Lon on their website and the KJ downloads/prints that page, it could be used as a defense against liability in court. Though it may be misleading, a judge would probably see how a KJ would be led to believe that it's publisher licensed for their purposes by the company. Print that page and save it, and you may well be covered.

Of course, if they only state it verbally it's worthless, and we're back to square one.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

Absolutely and exactly correct, along with said company making enough noise and stick poking by gaining publicity screwing things up in court, filing frivolous suits, and trying to make money off of a worthless pic/graphic that they attached to property of actual value- that belongs to Daddy.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."