Best of Love Songs DVD #4 Released by Promo Only

Promo Only Announces the Release of Hot Video Classics Best of Love Songs Volume 4 – A Collection of Romantic Ballads for Every Occasion

Orlando, FL (January 5, 2009) – Promo Only, Inc., the industry’s complete source for music and music video, is pleased to announce the release of Hot Video Classics Best of Love Songs Volume 4, the latest in its series of music video classics on DVD.

Spanning five decades of romantic hits, Best of Love Songs Volume 4 offers a sweeping collection of pop’s greatest ballads designed to instantly set the perfect romantic mood while bringing back the fondest of memories.

Available individually as a Promo Only subscription addition, Best of Love Songs Volume 4 includes such favorites as My Love, Lionel Richie; If You Don’t Know Me By Now, Simply Red; Drive, The Cars; Forever and Ever, Amen, Randy Travis; Leave A Tender Moment Alone, Billy Joel; and My Girl, The Temptations.

No matter the occasion, no matter the event, Best of Love Songs Volume 4 offers pure DJ gold — an instant library of classic love songs, both old and new, on a single DVD.

For more information concerning Hot Video Classics Best of Love Songs Volume 4, or any Promo Only audio or video product, contact Promo Only by phone at 407-331-3600 or by email at customerservice@promoonly.com.

No dealer inquires, please. Subscription to Promo Only required.

About Promo Only

Promo Only offers 18 different formats of music on CD and 8 different formats of music video on DVD, each designed to meet the specific needs of music professionals and entertainment venues. Subscribers to Promo Only enjoy the widest variety of the newest releases, access to turnkey audio and video libraries, and a suite of custom audio and video programming services (hospitality and retail establishments only).

Ron Dante – The Voice Of The Archies – For MBLV09

An mp3 of the Interview is available lower in this text and via ITunes.  Full text is below and selected portions are published in Mobile Beat Magazine – to subscribe go to https://members.mobilebeat.com.

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Jim Barnhart – For MBLV09

An mp3 of the Interview is available lower in this text and via ITunes.  Full text is below and selected portions are published in Mobile Beat Magazine – to subscribe go to https://members.mobilebeat.com.

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Accurate Two-Way Monitoring Loudspeakers Feature USB Audio Connectivity

Cumberland, R.I. (Jan. 15, 2009) – Alesis, the world’s leading manufacturer of professional audio equipment and studio electronics, announces M1Active 520 USB studio monitors with USB audio connectivity. M1Active 520 USB monitors will be on display at the 2009 NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif., January 15 – 18, 2009 at the Alesis booth, number 6400.M1Active 520 USB is a pair of active, bi-amplified, two-way reference monitors that faithfully reproduce frequencies from 20,000 Hz all the way down to 56 Hz, covering nearly all frequencies audible to human ears. Engineers can send audio directly from their DAW via USB to the speakers for extremely low noise, low-distortion signal flow. Priced attractively for any studio’s budget, M1Active 520 USB monitors perform with linearity, clarity and neutrality typically reserved for monitors that cost much more.

The M1Active 520 USB monitors are designed around a five-inch polypropylene low-frequency driver for full, smooth response in the low end and a one-inch silk dome high-frequency driver for absolute clarity in the highs. The low-resonance bass-reflex cabinet features beveled edges to reduce edge diffraction and a tuned port for bass extension. M1Active 520 USB’s bi-amplified design delivers 50W to the woofer and 25W to the tweeter. The monitors are magnetically shielded so studios can place them near computer screens and hard drives without concern.

When multitasking, engineers will appreciate the M1Active 520 USB’s large, front-panel, bi-color display that indicates presence of signal in blue and clipping in red for instant feedback on system status.

In addition to USB playback capability, M1Active 520 USBs boast a pair of TRS-balanced 1/4″ inputs, enabling them to be used as a high-quality computer audio interface. Users can connect a stereo source or two mono sources including a mixer, keyboard, sampler or tape deck and record directly to their computer through the speakers.

“The new M1Active 520 USB studio monitors make getting low-distortion signal from your DAW to your monitors simple,” said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Alesis.

M1Active 520 USB studio monitors will be available from musical instrument and pro audio retailers in Q3 2009, at an MSRP of $299.99 and an estimated street price of $199.99.
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About Alesis
Alesis manufactures a full line of professional audio and musical instrument products capitalizing on its strengths in digital, analog, semiconductor, and transducer technologies. Alesis delivers revolutionary product solutions to the music and audio production industries. For more information, visit www.alesis.com; images are available at http://www.alesis.com/media.

Digital Karaoke, Copyrights, and the Disc Manufacturers

My last post had a response from Bill Smith who stated,

“SoundChoice and Chartbuster came out and stated that they have no problems with a one for one copy of a legally purchased disc, I think I would be moved to initiate that. I also believe it would clear the air one and for all.”

Bill said he was looking for some clarity.

Let me explain the problem a step farther. Stellar Records (Pop Hits), Chartbuster, and SoundChoice have all been sued repeatedly (and some still have pending lawsuits) by various music publishers. Since they are the only pockets deep enough to go after they keep getting hit. The problem is that Karaoke has never been specifically addressed. There is a rule allowing anyone to put out a remake of a song and sell it. The section of the law defines a procedure for what is called “compulsories”. In the early days all the Karaoke companies (the ones trying to be legal) were paying these fees and registering their songs. However, since CDG’s combined active graphics the publishers pointed to a section of the Copyright law stating that it was combining the music and a visual production and thus did not qualify as a “phonograph” recording and compulsories did not apply…? This was the beginning of the end of many Karaoke disc companies. They now must get a compulsory license and for lack of a better term a “Karaoke sync” license. They must get every writer, composer, performer and publisher to agree to allow the track and after that negotiate a contract with each one prior to releasing the track.

The problem is this. SoundChoice, Chartbuster, Stellar etc, get the license and it is defined as for use on the particular Karaoke CDG and it has an expiration date. It is not in the scope of their license to tell you that you can make a copy of the disc in digital format. If they say you can do so, they open themselves up to more lawsuits. There is a great deal of disagreement among the remaining companies as to how this needs to be handled, but the bottom line is they all understand technology and acknowledge that digital copies are going to happen.. They have agreed that as long as you have 1 for 1 copies of the original for every show you do that they will not pursue any course of action. This is the same as with DJ’s using digital tracks and what the RIAA has stated.

After years of very intense discussion and quite a bit of animosity I was able to get Bill Becker, current General Manager of Sound Choice to release this press release: http://www.uskaraokealliance.com/images/SoundChoiceKaraokePressRelease9-08.pdf.  Bill and Sound Choice have been more than reasonable to deal with of late and they are trying to move forward proactively.

However, they can not state it is okay to go digital as it would put them in legal jeopardy, but they have stated that if you have one for one copies for every set of gear that they will not come after you.

So the answer is once again, that we all live in the gray area as digital DJ’s always have and that until it is addressed SPECIFICALLY, there is no hard and set rule. SoundChoice has discussed it with me and the USKA can act as an intermediary for a KJ member and negotiate a way to pay for license certificates for digital content that you do not have discs to support. We have spoken to Chartbuster and Stellar and they are both working on similar programs, but theirs’ are not in place yet.

If we can get even a small portion of the people to pay to make their illegal copies legal this will create a revenue stream for the disc manufacturers and help them to survive and hopefully as we police our own industry we can bust a few people and create awareness that gets the ball rolling.

See http://www.uskaraokealliance.com/Karaoke_Legal_Talk.htm for more info on all of this.

Ron Dante of the Archies to Open For Otis Day and the Knights

The schedule keeps on filling up.  Another opportunity for entertainment came our way with Ron Dante wanting to perform for the Mobile DJs at MBLV09.  He will be doing a 15 minute quick set before Otis Day and the Knights hit the stage.

Ron Dante’s Site is at http://www.rondante.com/

Pop music fans know Ron Dante as the voice of The Archies who performed the legendary hit song “Sugar, Sugar”. His hit number one single topped the charts for over 5 weeks and was the “Record of the Year” in Billboard Magazine for 1969 selling over 10 million copies. His hit “Tracy” also was a million seller and topped the charts a year later. 

Lots of music lovers hum Dante’s tunes without every knowing it. Dante was the singing voice on hundreds of popular radio and TV commercials. It’s Dante’s voice you hear on spots for Coke, Dr. Pepper, McDonalds, American Airlines and even today Dante is the voice of Yoplait’s TV campaign singing “Itsy Bitsy Yellow Poka Dot Bikini”.

Dante is also known for his work as record producer for such artists as Barry Manilow, Pat Benetar, Cher, Ray Charles, John Denver and other major recording artists. Dante produced all the huge million sellers for Barry Manilow including  “Mandy” ” I Write The Songs” ” Could It Be Magic” and the Grammy Award winning ” Copacabana”.

Dante is currently featured on the new PBS Special “My Music Part 2″ airing this month. He can also be heard singing “Sugar,Sugar’ in the Jerry Seinfeld hit film BEE MOVIE.

Check out more info at http://www.mobilebeat.com/las-vegas-dj-show/

Why is Piracy a problem for Karaoke?

Hey everyone! Before getting started, I am new to this blog and new to blogging altogether so please bear with me.

I am Eric Godfrey,  President of the US Karaoke Alliance www.USKaraokeAlliance.com. I am owner of Starz Entertainment, (www.StarzEntertainment.net) and Starz Karaoke (www.StarzKaraoke.com). We do about 600 to 700 Karaoke shows per year in bars and clubs and about 50 more private shows.

We are going to be addressing all issues Karaoke on this blog and will deal with any aspects you want to deal with. So all that said let’s touch on this topic which is Why is Piracy a problem for Karaoke?

With the development of computer technology, copying of discs was available then later ripping of songs and playing of songs from hard drives. I am an advocate of this as a trained computer engineer. There are many benefits to hosting with digital Karaoke files and that will be another blog topic up later today.

Problem is this… in addition to copying of Karaoke discs, the technology has allowed easy copying of Karaoke files and those have been put up on peer sharing technologies like RealmWorld which advertised by KaraokeInfo and has allowed people to download massive collections which they have used Ebay, Craigslist and a host of other sites to sell content they downloaded illegally with no costs at all.

We run 3 bar systems and 1 private system and since 1998 we have spent over $140,000 on Karaoke music. I can not compete with someone who obtains all their music at no cost and is using untrained hosts on home quality Karaoke systems for the price of a bar tab. That is my side of the problem.

The music industry gives little or no respect to Karaoke and Karaoke technology has never been specifically addressed in any legislation. Therefore contracts and agreements have been loosely based on the US Copyright Law and many disagreements have resulted. The record companies have not gone after small disc companies who are totally infringing on copyrights and paying nothing in artists and publisher commissions… They have gone after the larger companies that are trying to do it right and make ends meet. So all of the major companies have been getting sued and buried in legal fees and settlement fees while the worst of the infringers march on.

End result of all of this… Major companies like NuTech, Music Maestro, DK, Priddis, Legends, and Pioneer are now gone… They are out of business. Top Hits Monthly went out of business with several other companies that were putting out discs, but never did it legally. Reasons vary, but end result, they are all gone! The only remaining companies that are doing it right and paying fees in accordance with the existing system are Pop Hits Monthly (Stellar), Chartbuster, Sound Choice, Disney, All-Star (makers of most of the brands you see at Wal-Marts and other chain retailers), and Sound Choice. All of these companies have watched fees go up, legal costs sky-rocket, and sales go down as more and more of their music is being shared and copied instead of purchased. All of them have extremely questionable futures and even these companies that were once extremely successful have cut back to the bone and are still watching revenues drop to nothing.

Why is all of this a problem? Do you love to sing songs, like I do? Do you enjoy having your favorite versions of songs? Do you share my desire to do things the right way and do it legally while making sure artists are compensated? If you said yes to any of these questions, you must realize if these companies go under, where are your new Karaoke songs going to come from? What quality will they be? The cost of putting out a legal Karaoke disc with 10 to 12 tracks is somewhere in the neighborhood of $8,000 to $12,000. 15 song discs can run up to about $20,000. This is including licensing fees, sync fees, administrative documentation fees, production costs, etc. It is NOT including overhead of the company, costs of the disc production and distribution. So, if they go out of business will anyone be putting out any legal music or is the entire industry doing to go underground and be the land of computer geek, hackers and file sharers using illegal content? Meanwhile, legitimate Karaoke hosting companies are going under because they can not support paying for music, properly trained hosts and professional equipment because of extremley low cost competition by the the myriad of people doing shows with no costs in exchange for beer money.

We all need to come together and work together or the Karaoke world we love is going to go away.

Folks, I apologize for the bleak first post, but I want everyone to understand the dire situation we are in… This is all written from my personal perspective and from my opinion…   Any companies mentioned are from my memory and any omissions are not intentional.

All that said; go to USKaraokeAlliance.com if you want to get involved in the effort to fix these problems before it is too late!  Look forward to hearing from all of you and chatting at Mobile Beat in Las Vegas!

Double Derby X with LED Technology Debuts at NAMM

The Double Derby^TM X may look like a classic derby effect with rotating, crisscrossing multicolored beams. But this DJ mainstay has been transformed into a modern icon of LED technology.

With just three high-powered 3-watt LEDs, this workhorse provides DJs with preprogrammed shows using the crisp red, green and blue beams in different combinations: green/blue, red/blue, and red/green/blue, with an astounding 132-degree wide floor coverage, enough to blanket an entire room.

Strobing is built in to the automated program. Blackout is controllable using a DMX controller.

Thanks to LED technology, the Double Derby^TM X is light weight — just 6 pounds. That’s also due in part to its lightweight case. Its size is just 11 inches X 11.7 inches X 10 inches.

As with most LED-fitted lights, the Double Derby^TM X is ideal in settings where heat must be avoided and where energy consumption must be minimized. And because of the low heat, there are no duty cycles.

The Double Derby^TM X provides the ultimate level of versatility and can be used virtually anywhere due to its acceptance of a wide range of voltages, from 100-240V. The autosensing feature automatically triggers the unit’s adjustment to the voltage supplied.

Add more effects to the show by linking with the other X products, which share the X-Bracket, in a master/slave configuration. Mount multiple units on top for an amazing array. Since each unit draws just 24 watts, up to 37 fixtures can be daisy chained at 120 volts.

With the new Double Derby^TM X, CHAUVET preserved all the classic effects of the traditional derby while boosting the value and productivity of this popular luminaire.

http://www.chauvetlighting.com

SCS Mixer & Deck professional controllers herald a revolution for the digital DJ

HOLLYWOOD, FL – January 14, 2009 – Stanton DJ, an industry leader in the design and manufacturing of professional audio products for DJs, announces the official release of the SC System into retail locations worldwide. The SC System is an innovative set of digital controllers for the professional DJ, comprised of the SCS.1d deck and the SCS.1m mixer. Both units are advanced control surfaces that give the laptop DJ new performance abilities and functionality within the MIDI-compatible software of their choice, while preserving the familiar feel and layout of more traditional equipment. The components of the high-end system can be used standalone or together, allowing for multiple configurations and diverse functionality that goes far beyond the parameters set by traditional DJ gear.The SC System is the result of years of research in new technologies and user interface design, and unites these elements in an ergonomic and intuitive package. “As a company, we made a commitment to invest in technology that would take DJ performances to the next level,” states Tim Dorwart, CEO of The Stanton Group. “The SCS-1 deck and mixer show our commitment to this market, to the DJ controller paradigm and to our customers, who have been instrumental in providing feedback and input into these products.”

Several new technologies are found in the SC System. Among these are HSS1394, a proprietary high-speed communications protocol developed by Stanton Magnetics and Bome’s Software for the SC System 1 family of products. This groundbreaking innovation allows MIDI messages to be translated and rapidly exchanged via FireWire. HSS1394 solves the need for extremely fast communications from control surfaces to DJ software, and ensures the fastest messaging achievable with hardware while still maintaining the appearance of a standard MIDI device.

To support the hardware’s diverse software compatibility, Stanton has developed a preset library for the System, including a preset for Traktor Pro^TM as well as a general preset that applies to other popular software applications. The presets will be updated regularly, and are available for free download off the Stanton website.

For more information on the SC System 1, other products in the SC System family, and Stanton’s full line of traditional DJ equipment, visit www.stantondj.com and www.enterthesystem.com.
About Stanton Magnetics

Founded in 1946, Stanton Magnetics is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of professional audio products for DJs, Live Sound Reinforcement and install applications. A member of the Stanton Group of companies, Stanton DJ products include turntables, high-performance cartridges, CD players, DJ mixers, accessories, and digital controllers. With over 50 years of innovation, Stanton is the name DJs trust. For additional information, visit the company online at www.stantondj.com.

Wedding Ceremony Mini System from Samson

Hauppauge, NY – Samson makes public address a breeze with an all-in-one portable sound system that provides everything you need to deliver a professional and memorable presentation or performance. The XP40iW is perfect for a number of PA situations and settings, including tour groups, classrooms, conference/meeting rooms, health clubs, outdoor events and even small auditoriums.

“Thanks to comprehensive features and accessories that are also quite practical, the XP40iW truly is a single system solution,” says Mark Wilder, Director of Marketing for Samson Technologies. “We brought all the most useful features possible in terms of sound applications and we incorporated that into one portable, great sounding system.”

The XP40iW includes an iPod dock with level control and a built-in VHF wireless microphone system as well as bass and treble control all running on a rechargeable battery. Because of high-quality components and convenient portability, the XP40iW provides a consummate all-in-one solution to a wide range of public address applications.

To ensure pristine, full-range sound, the XP40iW employs a 6-inch woofer and a titanium dome compression driver. The unit is powered by a 40 watt Class D amplifier that is perfectly matched to the drivers for high efficiency and low current draw. Since this amplifier is also lightweight, it enhances the portability of the system. The XP40iW even has a convenient integral top handle to make it easier to transport.

Samson Technologies Corporation designs, manufactures and distributes high-performance wireless, audio and music accessory products in the United States and 106 countries abroad. Samson is also the exclusive worldwide distributor of Hartke products and the exclusive U.S. distributor of Zoom recording and signal processing electronics. Samson Technologies is based in Hauppauge, New York.
samsontech.com

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