VDJ Ron
Some UK venues that don't have a specific license for karaoke advertise such an event as a sing along. This is in addition to a general music license. However I don't know much about what they need.
" the venues pay for a public broadcast license so why should it matter where the physical music comes from? "
That's an interesting point.
" the venues pay for a public broadcast license so why should it matter where the physical music comes from? "
That's an interesting point.
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 3:46 pm
Don Moir
Doesn't matter where the music comes from... If copy righted music is played in a club by whoever, it is the owner's responsibility to get the licenses and the owner is the one that is liable and has the most to gain or lose.. I figure most well established clubs do this automatic and just another cost of doing business.
It looks like broadcasting for TV or radio is in a different category and with it's own rules.
In the states there 4 main PROs (performing rights organization) ASCAP, BMI, and 2 other main ones. They say the only way to be safe to get a license for all of them. Some artist might use one service and some other artist might use a different service.
ASCAP tried to go after the girl scouts for singing copy righted songs around a camp file...It made most of the major news papers and front page on the Wall Street Journal. ASCAP got a lot of extremely bad press and backed off.
I wonder how far this ban on Karaoke will go? If enough people step up and complain it could make a difference.
I was wanting to do something with Karaoke and started to look into rights and such and ran into this. It appears to me that any video, karaoke, lyrics, or music, that is based on copyrighted material must be sanctioned by one of the PROs for you to even buy it, otherwise it is illegal. But even if you have a legal copy, the club still has to have license for you to play it legally. In the UK and US, you must have permission (sanctioned by one of the PROs) to create CDGs.. Other countries don't abide by this so may be illegal.
Karafun appears to be sanctioned but looks pricey to me. You tell me if that is inline or not.
https://www.karafun.com/pro/subscribe.html
It looks like broadcasting for TV or radio is in a different category and with it's own rules.
In the states there 4 main PROs (performing rights organization) ASCAP, BMI, and 2 other main ones. They say the only way to be safe to get a license for all of them. Some artist might use one service and some other artist might use a different service.
ASCAP tried to go after the girl scouts for singing copy righted songs around a camp file...It made most of the major news papers and front page on the Wall Street Journal. ASCAP got a lot of extremely bad press and backed off.
I wonder how far this ban on Karaoke will go? If enough people step up and complain it could make a difference.
I was wanting to do something with Karaoke and started to look into rights and such and ran into this. It appears to me that any video, karaoke, lyrics, or music, that is based on copyrighted material must be sanctioned by one of the PROs for you to even buy it, otherwise it is illegal. But even if you have a legal copy, the club still has to have license for you to play it legally. In the UK and US, you must have permission (sanctioned by one of the PROs) to create CDGs.. Other countries don't abide by this so may be illegal.
Karafun appears to be sanctioned but looks pricey to me. You tell me if that is inline or not.
https://www.karafun.com/pro/subscribe.html
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 5:00 pm
wildcountryclub
while I get to skirt the issue and never play karaoke, our sister club next door does... in the U.S. the rules are so much more relaxed compared to what you guys are having to deal with.
there are so many companies online putting out karaoke discs and offering downloads that you can shop for days, but as far as licensing or other restrictions - as long as it's bought legally and ASCAP and BMI get paid we're pretty much golden.
easy solution to karaoke woes Ron - emigrate!
there are so many companies online putting out karaoke discs and offering downloads that you can shop for days, but as far as licensing or other restrictions - as long as it's bought legally and ASCAP and BMI get paid we're pretty much golden.
easy solution to karaoke woes Ron - emigrate!
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 5:36 pm
kradcliffe
I have never done a karaoke gig. I just avoid them like the plague :)
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 5:42 pm
wildcountryclub
my flat fee for karaoke is the same as for weddings - $1,000,000
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 5:51 pm
Don Moir
Yep, just pay them and keep them off your back. Maybe 500 to a 1000 per year... John do you know? I seen where fines could be as high as 150 thousand. I don't believe an individual can buy a license from US PROs... It is up to the business to buy the licenses. If you keep the PRO's happy they probably won't come snooping around and probably don't care how you got the music.
The ban is about karaoke but the licensing part applies to any copyrighted video, music, lyrics, and karaoke.
The ban is about karaoke but the licensing part applies to any copyrighted video, music, lyrics, and karaoke.
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 5:55 pm
VDJ Ron
I don't quite do karaoke..so if I get a lot of cats and dogs I play music. If the singers are good they get treated like Kings and Queens. Most singers if they have an idea about a song and try can excel. This then creates a show as opposed to a karaoke.
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 6:01 pm
wildcountryclub
depends on license Don
ASCAP current minimum for a nightclub, restaurant, or bar is $356 but can be higher depending on some factors like capacity
and this result (might not be current) gives an example of what kind of headache you can expect for BMI. - and our club pays BOTH...
How much does a BMI license cost?
Instructions are to take the occupancy (50) times $3.33, which equals $166.50. However, ASCAP has a minimum fee of $356. Pay whichever is greater. So that's what this restaurant owes in order to play songs by ASCAP songwriters for one year.Aug 6, 2013
yeah... and they wonder why people try to roll dirty. if you have a venue like the event center up the road with a 3,000 person capacity, then you have to book a minimum number of events per year to pay that license (unless they have specific exemptions - which I did not dig around for yet)
but for the U.K... ? that looks like it would take a lawyer with a mental condition to sort out. no thank you.
ASCAP current minimum for a nightclub, restaurant, or bar is $356 but can be higher depending on some factors like capacity
and this result (might not be current) gives an example of what kind of headache you can expect for BMI. - and our club pays BOTH...
How much does a BMI license cost?
Instructions are to take the occupancy (50) times $3.33, which equals $166.50. However, ASCAP has a minimum fee of $356. Pay whichever is greater. So that's what this restaurant owes in order to play songs by ASCAP songwriters for one year.Aug 6, 2013
yeah... and they wonder why people try to roll dirty. if you have a venue like the event center up the road with a 3,000 person capacity, then you have to book a minimum number of events per year to pay that license (unless they have specific exemptions - which I did not dig around for yet)
but for the U.K... ? that looks like it would take a lawyer with a mental condition to sort out. no thank you.
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 6:15 pm
kradcliffe
wildcountryclub wrote :
but for the U.K... ? that looks like it would take a lawyer with a mental condition to sort out. no thank you.
Hit the nail on the head there John.
Posted Sat 09 Mar 19 @ 6:32 pm