Karaoke Forums

I wanted to comment on this thought. I have noticed that nearly all my karaoke singers nowadays do not have a publisher preference. The old 'hardcore' crowd still demands their favorite version, usually DK or Sound Choice, simply because that is what they are used to.

When I had my request slips reprinted, I removed the disc number line, and only asked for artist-title-singer name. This met with almost no resistance at all. A couple regulars wrote in 'DK' or 'SC' but didn't even mention the new slips.

So I tried something I have been wanting to do for a long time; I removed the disc numbers from my books resulting in Artist-Title or Title-Artist listings. This also allowed me to remove all the duplicates from my books, slimming them down considerably. Again, no mention and no resistance. A few even commented that their songs were easier to find!

I can only conclude that the new generation of karaoke singers are less concerned about the publisher, and only concerned with whether you have their song or not. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this as a die-hard karaoke pioneer. I used to sing karaoke on cassette tape with the paper lyric sheet in my hand as many of you probably started. The quality was very important to me, and still is. I guess in the age of the internet, the importance of karaoke is taking a back seat to instant gratification. I think I feel a little sad about that.

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Ken Wilson
San Diego DJ & Karaoke

My patrons don't know one manufacture from another. What they DO notice is the quality. I have heard over and over "your version sounds soooo much better than the others guys!", etc. When it comes to the core songs, I chalk that up to SC.

The younger singers have no idea as to brand but I am having a bit of a trend as far as filling a request for a current hit and then getting a complaint that it doesn't sound right or it has been shortened.

Bazza, you can always say to them, "That version you just sang was from a Manufacturer called Sound Choice." Then when they decide to go over to kwilsonjr's show, he'll finally get to hear someone ask for a "publisher preference" of the next song they want to sing. That's how it gets started (again)... If you don't tell them, then they have no idea, and thus, no preference (except that they know the version sounded better at your show vs KJ X's show).

That is when I start to educate them of the difference in manus and which manus are typically better more often. Like Cue said if you don't explain it, then they have no idea why.

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

Yesterday, I submitted answers to questions given to me by the local print karaoke magazine. This is the related question to the current discussion -

Do your singers prefer a particular karaoke brand?
I don’t think the current generation of karaoke singers have much awareness of brands. I usually only get brand requests from the folks that are 40 and older and have likely been singing for a while. However, I am very familiar with the brands so I usually pick Pioneer for tracks they made up to the early 90’s. Sound Choice for pop and rock, Chartbuster for Country, and KaraokeVersion or SBI for new releases.

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-Chris

I do the same thing only my priority is DK, SC, CB (country) and PHM. Now that Pop Hits is gone I don't know where I will land for new music.

When I get the rare comment about song quality I too give them the speal about different publishers=different quality. Those conversations are getting fewer and fewer though.

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Ken Wilson
San Diego DJ & Karaoke

I actually use a lot of PHM content and should have included them.

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-Chris

It is amazing how different preferred brands vary from area to area. I have several hundred Stellar cd's including THM and SIN and I have played only a few of those songs in over 7 years.

When you say you have THM, are you referring to just Stellar's or also Panorama's (who took the THM name, and caused Stellar to change theirs to PHM).

I think all my THM's are Panorama. I switched to PHM when THM stopped producing. Now I'm going to have to go dig them out and check. Thanks alot

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Ken Wilson
San Diego DJ & Karaoke

Not really sure about the time frame, but I have many Panorama made cd's, and I know Stellar was giving CAPS for that brand up to ~2007.

I wonder if that CAPS program was ever legit to begin with. I never understood how they could grant the ok for labels they never owned - especially THM (panorama).

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

i think it also is less important to todays singers as there are more quality versions than before. when the ones asking for a particular brand started singing, there was DK, SC, and then the others that were nowhere near the quality (SAV, Sweet Georgia Brown, Music Maestro, Idol Makers, Hot Stuff, older Sunfly, All Star, Party Tyme & Zoom). today however, SBI, Sunfly, Zoom, Karaoke Version, Party Tyme, All Star, and before they folded PHM all have come up to equal or surpass those companies. i just think it is less of an issue now as the odds of getting a bad version is much lower than it was back then.

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

I think Stellar had bought the ownership of THM's tracks after Panorama folded. And don't forget... Stellar's CAP program (sans audit) was similar to that of SC's Audit program, where they said if you subscribed to the program, they would not go after you in Court.