Comments on: State of the Karaoke Nation by Ron Ralph

By: Don

Don — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:56:39 +0000

Karaoke disc are not origionaql renditions of the origional compositions,therefore shoukd not be covered by ASCAP, or the courts. The music is slightly different, and so are the lyrics. How can groups like ASCAP claim these need to be licensed?.. Too bad some law firm don’t go after ASCAP, and groups like them, and sue them for extortion and fraud.

By: DJ-Mace

DJ-Mace — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:36:44 +0000

I’ll do my best to answer these questions as I understand them, and the laws pertaining to them.

Without the Factory Original Disc to support every song available in a digital karaoke unit, the unit is “Pirate”. One must presently own a legitimate Disc to support every song in the machine.

To my knowledge, the use of an “establishment owned” Digital Karaoke unit of any sort, in any establishment, without the proper ASCAP / BMI etc. licensing is illegal, because it is playing the musical property of the artist / producers. Playing music for entertainment in a “for profit venue”, be it Karaoke or a Juke Box, needs the proper licensing. An establishment must have the proper entertainment licensing to hire a Band or Karaoke host.

There is no performance license granted by the simple purchase of a CD+G disc.

The purchase or selling of a “pre-loaded” karaoke hard drive, without the supporting legitimate Discs, is illegal.

If a company that owned a CAVS unit “ripped” the songs from the patrons CD+G discs, the resulting copies are “Pirate” and therefore illegal. The CAVS owner, must own the Discs also.

By: DavetheKJ

DavetheKJ — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:32:35 +0000

I am a small DJ / KJ here in Indiana. I have been in business since 1999. I have noticed that several of the manufacturers I prefer have gone out of business. This hurts me, despite the fact that my company is comprised of me & my 2 partners.

My understanding of the licensing fees for a KJ to play the music are paid by the KJ when he/she buys a legitimate CDG. If I am wrong, then I apoligise for my misinformation.

By: MissBeth AKA Lilkaraokediva

MissBeth AKA Lilkaraokediva — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:24:28 +0000

So, since my last post I sent e-mail to Ascap and they tell me, that despite the fact that the music that’s on the system at my favorite bar, that they STILL HAVE TO PAY A LICENSING FEE TO PLAY IT!!!

This to me seems like double dipping!!!! Why on earth should we pay to play if the company seeling the karaoke music has already paid a fee for the music. Seems to me that the one gettin rich here is ASCAP!

I actually wonder what the writers of the original song’s think of what ASCAP is doing. Seems to me that they more than benefit when people hear a song and then people go out and buy the original music.

This little bar I used to karaoke at can’t afford the nearly 500 bucks ASCAP wants to keep playin’ karaoke without worrying about being fined by them, or worse yet…taken to court.

I dunno, seems kinda goofy to me.

By: Warren J. Estrem

Warren J. Estrem — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:58:33 +0000

Karaoke is still alive and well in the Mid-West. Probably too alive and well for it’s own good. I have lost a considerable amount of business to bootleg companies that have no real overhead and come in and undercut my prices by as much as 50 percent. By the time the establishment owners realize the mistake they’ve made, the reputation has been made that the karaoke program is sub-par. And not only have they lost me as a host, they have lost a strong base of good core singers. And I have moved on to another establishment. I don’t have a problem getting another gig, however it gets frusturating spending time to build a good reputation for a karaoke venue and then the bootlegger comes in and offers a price you can’t beat with a stick. I have reported bootleggers to ASCAP but it seems like these karaoke clown bootlegger companies are too small of potatos to bust. I understand that the larger bootleg disc producers are the ones being hunted down but these little bootleg karaoke clowns are like bugs destroying an apple orchard.

By: MissBeth AKA Lilkaraokediva

MissBeth AKA Lilkaraokediva — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:30:43 +0000

OK so I have to ask this question – is it now a copyright infringement if the bar I do my Karaoke singing at as well as sometimes hosting as well is using a Cavs JB199 that came loaded with 20 thousand titles???

This system was inherited by the previous ownerhip who was ALWAYS careful to use ONLY legitimate CD-G’s from people who brought their own discs. The system has not had any new music added in nearly 2 yrs under the new ownership, mostly because they don’t know how AND the cost involved to do so.

So, can they continue to use the music already loaded?

By: Mike Burke

Mike Burke — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:30:40 +0000

Hey! I disagree Come to Washington DC. That’s all anyone wants here anymore is karaoke. It might be dimming across the country but not here. It works in reverse here. Karaoke is alive and growing in this area. It’s all I ever get calls for anymore and I don’t have it. Karoake is expensive. Hence my business is suffering because I am unable to keep up and don’t have equipment to do it.
I’ll be moving on to new opportunities in October and sinking the DJ business because I don’t have Karaoke. Makes me obsolete.