Food For Thought About The Karaoke Business

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:25 am

I see more and more movie theaters closing down.

What killed them?

Video rentals?

Big Screen TVs?

Pay-Per-View?

Cable TV?

Tivo?

Internet & Computers?

Piracy?

Surround Sound?

What will it take to kill karaoke shows the same way?

Do you think we could suffer that same fate?

djBe · Post by **djBe** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 2:08 pm

Karaoke fills a primal need for public expression. In the 20 years since karaoke emerged in the bars it has grown while movie theaters have declined. Big multiplexes, however, have increased - it's the smaller theaters and drive-ins that have closed. Drive-ins are often the victim of develpment pressure as their land becomes too valuable.

I definitely think many of the pastimes you list have an effect on the bar scene generally - inmost cases what you can do at home costs less than going out. Then the whole DUI thing...

Onthe positive side, new technologies are helping to evolve karaoke. Singers are posting photos and now videos on FB the next day, etc.

I'm more afraid of KJ-less karaoke taking over...the dreaded karaoke jukebox phenomenon that's sweeping Asia and the Phillipines and could make us obsolete!

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 2:21 pm

I was thinking more along the homeuser line. It seems that Sound Choice and a few others with their recent actions have killed or are trying to kill bar KJs.

We were their original bread and butter. Now we are considered the crumbs.

Focusing more on the home user. That's why 300 companies have 300 versions of Can't Help Falling In Love. No new music....just the same old same old.

Maybe they all have the karaoke jukebox thing in the works. Put us out of business with legal mumbo jumbo and the field is wide open. They keep all the profit, no middle men...us. No public sales, no piracy. Wanna sing? Buy our jukebox.

leftygt · Post by **leftygt** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:47 pm

To be honest Bigdog I'll tell you what started me being a home user, the smoking ban! I built a cabin at the end of my property and now instead of going to bars and having to brave the weather outside to smoke, myself and friends can have some comfort while we smoke. It was just a natural progression from small hi-fi to powered mixing desk + laptop set up. I am 100%certain if we could still smoke in the bars, I would'nt have a fraction of the gear I have.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:35 pm

I'm not going to get into the "your habit is killing me debate"

I'll admit the lines have been drawn. The smokers and non smokers have divided into 4 groups.

Nonsmokers

Nonsmokers that still go to smoking bars

Smokers that go to nonsmoking bars

Smokers that only go to smoking bars

I have lost some smokers after the ban. I only do nonsmoking jobs now. Summer is coming so I could get some of them back..for a while.

The smokers are using their smoking as a way to get the hot chicks alone outside.

They have something in common and it breaks the ice. I watch a lot of guys hit the door with their smokes when they see a hot chick going to smoke.

I'm going to take up smoking...

spotlightjr · Post by **spotlightjr** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:48 pm

When I started doing karaoke I would take "smoking gigs" and would literally have to put all my equipment in my front yard after a show to clean and air it out. Speakers, props, mics, etc all wreaked of cigarette smoke.
Thank god those days are over.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:14 am

leftygt wrote:To be honest Bigdog I'll tell you what started me being a home user, the smoking ban! I built a cabin at the end of my property and now instead of going to bars and having to brave the weather outside to smoke, myself and friends can have some comfort while we smoke. It was just a natural progression from small hi-fi to powered mixing desk + laptop set up. I am 100%certain if we could still smoke in the bars, I would'nt have a fraction of the gear I have.

Seriously contemplate this. Having to build a place to entertain your habit.

Consider how many trips people make outside during a night of karaoke. You people have a very serious addiction that is no better than being any other kind of junky.

Get treatment. Pretend it's heroin...it's going to kill you. Dead is dead.

Doesn't really matter which drug that did it. Just say no. Save your life for your wife and kids. Is it fair to expose them to your habit? Knowing there are deadly side effects for them. You're being selfish. All addicts are the same. ME, ME, ME. I don't care what you say or think. It's my body and I'll do what I want. Doesn't the rest of your family have any input about your future?

I have to pay higher insurance costs for junky treatment.

And all the related side effects.

leftygt · Post by **leftygt** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 3:45 pm

Bigdog wrote:
leftygt wrote:To be honest Bigdog I'll tell you what started me being a home user, the smoking ban! I built a cabin at the end of my property and now instead of going to bars and having to brave the weather outside to smoke, myself and friends can have some comfort while we smoke. It was just a natural progression from small hi-fi to powered mixing desk + laptop set up. I am 100%certain if we could still smoke in the bars, I would'nt have a fraction of the gear I have.

Seriously contemplate this. Having to build a place to entertain your habit. Consider how many trips people make outside during a night of karaoke. You people have a very serious addiction that is no better than being any other kind of junky.

Get treatment. Pretend it's heroin...it's going to kill you. Dead is dead. Doesn't really matter which drug that did it. Just say no. Save your life for your wife and kids. Is it fair to expose them to your habit? Knowing there are deadly side effects for them. You're being selfish. All addicts are the same. ME, ME, ME. I don't care what you say or think. It's my body and I'll do what I want. Doesn't the rest of your family have any input about your future?

I have to pay higher insurance costs for junky treatment. And all the related side effects.

Is'nt this what a bar is? a place for you to feed your habit - as in alcohol. Oddly enough I quit smoking about 2 weeks ago, but I like my set up just fine now. It was'nt actually built for the purpose of beoming a smoking bar, but when the ban came in it just worked out that way.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:02 pm

While I'll admit the bar scene feeds addictions...alcoholics. An alcoholic can't cause lung cancer by breathing on me. Second hand alcohol hasn't been proved to be a major cancer causing substance.

Smokers are in DENIAL just like every other addict. The only way to cure the problem is to admit you have a problem and want to do something about it.

If you want to kill yourself with drugs or smoking...don't do it in public where it can effect others health and well being. Stay home and do it in private. I don't want to watch it.

Today the smoking bars are equivalent to opium dens. PROMOTING FIRST AND SECOND HAND DEATH. Everyone laying around indulging in the same high. CIGARETTES. The same addiction. NICOTINE. The same final outcome. PREMATURE DEATH.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:37 pm

I have smokers that are mad at me because I quit all my smoking jobs.

They tell people they are the ones that made me. My loyal following.

If they loved me so much why are they mad if I don't want to let them kill me with their habit? I have a choice in the matter. As do you.

It's all about them. Screw me. They don't care about their own health and I should expect them to worry about mine?

They are taking it personally. ME, ME, ME. TYPICAL SELFISH ADDICT. No it isn't about you or how you feel about it.

How did this turn into a smoking thread?

Post by **wiseguy** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:49 pm

Bigdog wrote:How did this turn into a smoking thread?

The real question is how long will this continue to be a smoking thread?

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 6:26 pm

I think because it's Bigdog's thread he should lead the way out of the smoking issues.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:23 pm

Back on topic...

Do you think Sound Choice and others want to put an end to KJs & karaoke as we know it?

Do you think they care if we stop buying their discs?

Do you think they care if legit KJs go out of business?

Is the karaoke home user so big we don't matter any more?

mnementh · Post by **mnementh** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:15 am

Bigdog wrote:Back on topic...

Do you think Sound Choice and others want to put an end to KJs & karaoke as we know it?

No! They MUST however, unless their heads are buried in the sand, know that the trend is toward PC Karaoke.

Do you think they care if we stop buying their discs?

Yes and No! For the same reason as question 1) above, discs will inevitively be phased out.

Do you think they care if legit KJs go out of business?

Absolutely! The track producers would go out of business very quickly if that happened and let's face it, they're in business to make money and you do NOT kill the goose that lays the Golden eggs!

Is the karaoke home user so big we don't matter any more?

I would suggest that home Karaoke is very much in the minority just now, with only stand alone kit with very few tracks available. However, this might change if some quick thinking software producer puts out a decent package with good support in terms of discs at a reasonable cost.

I believe however that in much less than 10 years, you will be unable to buy discs at all. Tracks will only be available for download. CD systems will go the way of the Karaoke Laserdisc and be regarded as antique collectors items.

This will, as usual, hugely benefit the producer in terms of production and distribution costs and make many people out of work, saving wages. The curse of modern society.

Sandy

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:49 pm

Is there any acurate way to find out how many professional KJs (meaning they actually work) there are? As compared to home users.

I would argue that 99% of the karaoke sites like Karaoke dot com & Karaoke Warhouse & Ace are not geared to professionals.
I say they are marketing the home user hot and heavy.

My argument is that most of the equipment they hawk isn't professional quality. Good enough for home stuff. However it does fool many wannnabe KJs.