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Vocopro and RSQ USB units.

Your comments, questions, or opinions on any karaoke related hardware.
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DJ Dave
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
Location: West By God Virginia

Vocopro and RSQ USB units.

Post by DJ Dave »

Hello to all KJ's and DJ's. Question. Do Vocopro and RSQ make good equipment for the pro Kj? I'm interested in the vocopro DVG 777 KII or the vocopro MJX Pro 250 MG. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm looking to add Karaoke to my DJ in jobs due to the demand in our area. What ever the equipment needs to be able to tour on the road. After reading many posts this might ease some minds about legality issues. In our area all establishments that have entertainment, Bands, KJ', DJ's, juke box, video games, must purchase a annual license from ASCAP. This enables them to have there entainment and for rights to play copy writes. As far as the KJ/DJ this doesn't protect if you make your own cds or karaoke cd-g's. Only applies to what you bought. Hope this helps some.


Bigdog
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Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

Vocopro is the determining factor between amature and professional KJs.

Professionals don't use it. Most of us have switched to computers to host. Our music is on a hard drive. We don't beat match or change the tempo of the songs.

Most DJs don't last long as KJs. Espesically after they find out how expensive the music is. Now you need to keep two different music libraries up to date. To full-time KJs, karaoke isn't just an add on to get more gigs.

Second they want to do it as cheap as possible. Is your DJ musical equipment cheap? Why?

Do you have any experience mixing live music? Not just the volume control. You will need to become a sound man just like a band needs. Mixing the live vocals with the canned music and using vocal effects correctly. Correcting feedback issues. Watching your microphones hit the floor. Listening to screaming drunks F bomb every song. DJ speakers that sound fine with recorded music can not handle live vocals. From the distortion and feedback issues.

As a DJ you are now totally in control of all the music played. As a KJ you lose that control because the singers now pick all the music being played. You will no longer be running a high energy show. It gets boring especially if they can't sing well. My point is karaoke is a whole different animal. There are many different types of DJs. Club DJs, wedding DJs, scratchers, radio DJs. There are 2 kinds of KJs. The ones that are good and the ones that suck. Real ones and imitation ones. Equipment plays a part in that.

If I as a fulltime KJ wanted to add DJing to my show, would a two hundred dollar lesser name turntable work? Would you consider me a DJ now?

Karaoke isn't just a matter of adding a microphone and words on a TV. It's just as much of an art as being a professional DJ. I wouldn't be a good DJ.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
DJ Dave
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
Location: West By God Virginia

Post by DJ Dave »

Hey Bigdog, Thanks for the info. I agree with the equipment issue. It seems that in Karaoke the equipment doesn't seem very reliable on the touring end, its geared for home entertainment. I'm not really new to the scene. Brief history. been in the entertainmant business for 32 years, playing in bands. Music and sound has been my passion and I started up a sound company running sound on the C circuit for such bands as Exile, Confederate RailRoad and Ricochet. Not sure you would say My equiptment is cheap. I'm currently running my FOH tops are JBL Vertec 932 LA and bottoms are SRX 718 subs. These are actually over kill for most jobs, due to they are touring speakers.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
DJ Dave
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
Location: West By God Virginia

Post by DJ Dave »

For smaller venues I run 1 SRX 718 sub and 2 JBL MR 15's which have discontinued, but to compare apples to apple are = to JBL SRX series speakers. My boards are Yamaha from the PM series down to a small powered 12 channel 1000 watt EMX 512 SC. I use the DBX Drive Racks for speaker management, Have both the Drive PA and the Drive Rack 260 RTA-M both with reference mics. Enough on that, but do to demand in our area and DJ's must be felexible. Clubs jobs owners ask do you have Karaoke? I already figured that a Laptop was the answer, but your right, cheaper was getting in the way. my conclusion was a external hard drive loaded with both dj and kj music, But ? continued.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
DJ Dave
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
Location: West By God Virginia

Post by DJ Dave »

There are the small single rack usb units out there that might do the trick and be as portable as a laptop and fit right into my rack. Thats why I'm asking about these units. I appreciate your feedback. Always willing to learn. Thanks Bigdog.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
DJ Dave
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
Location: West By God Virginia

Post by DJ Dave »

I forgot to add I use a TC Helicon Voiceworks plus. This unit is a piece of work, its a vocal harmony producer with voice modeling and effects processor. Which in other words I can make even the worst singer sound in tune and pitch,ect.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
Bigdog
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Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

I don't know of any KJs using anything to "correct" anyones voice.

I'm not sure they would appreciate that once they found out. They aready think they are magnificent. Could make them mad that you insinuated they sucked and needed "correction." Just my thoughts on it. I would never do it.

You certainly sound qualified to to the sound aspect of karaoke. Most KJs don't even have a clue.

Years ago DJs could get $3-400 a night. I don't know what they get today. It's not that way with karaoke. Karaoke started out as an experiment. So most KJs did it really cheap and unfortunately that price has stayed low. Too much crappy competition that can't do a quality show. So they work for peanuts. Most bar owners don't even want to pay peanuts. That could be an eye opener for you.

The popoularity of karaoke remains strong. The going price doesn't reflect that. Most good KJs are lucky to get $200 a night. Some get more maybe depending on the area of the country. But far more get a lot less.

Bar owners are cheap. Since they are used to dealing with crappy cheap KJs, they think everyone of us should be cheap too. They don't understand and appreciate good sound quality. A KJ is a KJ to them. They also don't understand good business practices.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
Bigdog
Posts: 2937
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

As far as "karaoke" equipment...if the advertisement says it's a karaoke whatever...it probably sucks. Unless you are talking about a karaoke disc player. There is no such thing as a karaoke mixer or karaoke speakers or karaoke microphones or anything else. It's all ad hype to suck in the unsuspecting (home) user. But many wannabe KJs fall for it.

Professional sound equipment comes from musical instrument stores. Not a karaoke store.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
DJ Dave
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
Location: West By God Virginia

Post by DJ Dave »

Hey Bigdog thanks again for your in put. The TC Helicon is just like a key changer in karaoke players, but far more advanced. It doesn't correct or alter ones voice. Its there voice when they sing, but its mixing there voice in real time so that it makes them sound cd quality live. Its a more advanced mixer, but only for the human voice. although you can make their voice to be different parts of harmony, perfect example Kenny Chesney in alot of his music when you hear Harmony parts being sung its actually his voice, not another singer. This Helicon can due that live so he sounds just like his recorded cd done in the studio.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
Bigdog
Posts: 2937
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 am

Post by Bigdog »

There is equipment that can change people voices by correcting sharp or flat notes in real time. I thought that was what you meant. :oops:

Vocal effcts like reverb or chorus or delay works well.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
DJ Dave
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
Location: West By God Virginia

Post by DJ Dave »

Correct this is defining a digital voice algorythm in real time with better effects ect. also too note that when I'm talking about getting into the business I will have actually 2. A DJ service and a KJ service. The reason being is I have cold called some businesses that didn't need a DJ and asked me if I did Karaoke. If I had Karaoke I'm convinced I would have had a Karaike night job. I'm thinking keeping the dj service as a wedding/private party service and through the week at clubs doing only karaoke. As far as bookings on weekends I can run the karaoke and my assitant will be able to handle the DJ end. (my wife, assistant.) Thanks bigdog.
How to Build a Home Karaoke System
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