Difference between revisions of "Digital karaoke"

Revision as of 19:33, 17 June 2011

Digital karaoke is the future of the karaoke business.

Two types of Karaoke in digital format:

1. CDG - digital karaoke on compact disc media
2. MP3g - karaoke music files hosted on and ran from a PC

The industry is moving from CDG to MP3g.

Digital Karaoke File Types

There are 2 music types for karaoke

• Audio (MP3, OGG, WMA, AVI, etc.)
• and MIDI (MID, KAR)

Common Karaoke Associated Files: It may take a combination of two file types to have Karaoke.

• KAR - MIDI Karaoke file - (synthesized music + lyrics)
• KOK - DelMP3Karaoke file - (lyrics only)
• LRC - Lyrics file - (lyrics only)
• CDG - Audio Karaoke file extract from CD+G discs - ()
• MID - MIDI file - (synthesized music only)
• MP3 - Compressed Audio - (audio music only)
• OGG - Compressed Audio - (audio music only)

MP3g Digital Karaoke Files

MP3+G stands for MP3 plus Graphics. Karaoke songs are stored on the hard drive of a computer in the MP3+G or some other compressed format. The songs are played with karaoke "hosting" software. The hosting software has many needed features such as digital key control, next song, song / artist search, singer history, and so on.

MP3+g or MP3g is the karaoke version of the MP3. In order to utilize MP3 for Karaoke a second file is created which contains the graphics for the display of the lyrics. This has a .cdg file extension. Both files together form an MP3+g (sometimes MP3g) karaoke track. You can play these tracks on your computer using special karaoke software such as WinCDG or burn them to a blank disc in .BIN format and they will play as normal CDG karaoke discs.

KMF Files

A KMF file is basically an MP3 file and a COMPRESSED CDG file merged into a single file. The CDG data is compressed to save even more space than the RAW CDG file by removing unnessesary info. KMF files, however, are proprietary to TriceraSoft.

KAR Files

these are NOT TRUE MUSIC files, they are midi format. They are small files and because the music is midi, there are no copyright issues. However, audiences will not be pleased when you fire up your karaoke and instead of real music they hear corny midi synthesizer crap.

MP3g

This format describes a dual file system. The mp3 file contains the music without vocals (typically) or backup vocals only, while an accompanying cfg file, with the exact same name, contains the lyrics to the karaoke music. Free Karaoke MP3+G Downloads are places where the music is exchanged for free, although typically in opposition to the copyright holder's permission. The format is also available to be purchased legally from several online sources.

Other Karaoke Files

karaoke file: KFN, CDG, KOK, LRC, AVI, MPEG

Software Karaoke for the PC

Software

• KaraFun Karaoke Player
• B Lyrics Mimer
• Karaoke SoftShop

If you are attempting to DJ from a laptop computer you should consider the problem of Laptop Ground Loop Noise.

LEGAL

Copyright Blanket License =

P.R.O.'s are music licensing organizations that license business for the public performance of music (radio, tv, live, karaoke, djs, comedy, e.t.c). The P.R.O.'s represent 3 PERFORMING RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS and they all represent different catalogs of music(different writers) and no writer can belong to all 3 organizations.

1. BMI (Broadcast Music Inc)-which is the largest
2. ASCAP (American Songwriters Composers & Publishers) represent a little under half
3. SESAC - you can get away without this one since it is mostly obscure stuff

There is no requirement for a Karaoke DJ to carry these licenses, however, the venues where the Karaoke DJ plays should.

To operate a Jukebox some venues go through JLO, which is a joint venture of the United States performing rights organizations, ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, to obtain a license that covers all there and is often more affordable. However, the jLO Jukebox license agreement is only good for the jukebox. If a location has music that is performed by some means other than the jukebox (DJ's, bands, tapes, etc.), spearate licenses from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC are required.

Karaoke and Live Music in a Public Business

Owners of taverns, clubs, and other venues where Karaoke is an available form of entertainment, or live music performances where artists are performing copyright music, the venue is required to be licensed. What really stinks about the licensing is that the music industry is rather greedily controlled by BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC.

There is no umbrella license for live performance at a venue like there is for a Jukebox. Each one of these agencies wish to charge the venue. What is worse is that the license fees exceed what is reasonable for most smaller venues to afford. Offering Karaoke can very easily become a money loss situation when a small establishment is being charged $400 for each license, and they ARE required to have a license from each, bringing the grand total to $1200. If your seating capacity is under 80 then it takes a big bite out of your revenue. In smaller towns a venue can easily be a loss for a fiscal year offering Karaoke or live music do to the draconian license requires.

The lack of an unbrella license also offers no guarantee of copyright compliancy. Some venues have choosen to acquire only one license from one of the big three. If a venue decides against a license from BMI, and only acquires a license from ASCAP, then that venue must ensure no copy right material under BMI is used or performed.

ASCAP has a database that you can reference to see if the artist or title is under their license:

• ASCAP: ACE Title Search

ACE is a searchable database that contains information on compositions in the ASCAP repertory ...

• ACE Title Search Explained