What's Disc Safekeeping?
When we started the GEM series licensing program in 2010, we shipped out sets of 200 discs to each licensee. After a few years, we found that some
licensees had lost or destroyed the discs that were entrusted to them. Since those discs are technically our property, loss, damage, or destruction
creates a significant problem for us and for our licensees.
To combat this problem, we established a program called "Disc Safekeeping." When you license the GEM series, instead of shipping you the discs, we
set aside the discs associated with your license agreement in our warehouse. You receive a special high-capacity USB drive that contains all of the tracks
from your GEM series set, which you can either use directly with your computer or copy to your own hard drive. If your USB drive ever fails, just contact us
for a prompt replacement.
As an added bonus, this arrangement makes it much easier for you to move the tracks to your karaoke system. Instead of loading and copying more than 200 discs,
you can simply plug-and-play.
GEM series licensees are part of our
Licensee Directory
(and if you get licensed, you can be, too)
The GEM series is a safe and sound investment.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who have a lot of time, energy, and money invested in trying to convince karaoke operators not to
cooperate with us. These people like to get on karaoke-focused message boards and forums and spread disinformation about our brands, our company, and
our licenses.
Don't believe the myths.
We've all heard the arguments. Don't be fooled by the hype.
MYTH
"The GEM series could be taken away from you at any moment with no notice."
This one comes courtesy of some naysayers who want people to believe we're constantly in danger of having to recall the GEM series
because of disputes with music publishers. It can't happen. All of the copies of the GEM series we own were produced in accordance with a written
license from a cooperative agency that represents all of the music publishers who have rights in the songs on the GEM series. The royalties were
paid when the discs were sold to us. The First Sale Doctrine, a provision of the Copyright Act, protects our ability to keep and use those
discs as we see fit.
MYTH
"All the music on the GEM series is old and out of style."
When we hear this one, we wonder whether the person who says it has ever been to a karaoke show. There might be some karaoke shows where the only
songs that get played are the current Top 40. But we haven't been to any of them. Almost every karaoke show in America features songs from the 1950s through the 2000s,
and the GEM series has that covered better than anyone. With the GEM series, your patrons will always be able to find something they want to sing.
MYTH
"It's better to own the music so you know it's yours."
This one is a real head-scratcher. If you want to own Sound Choice discs, you're welcome to try to source them on the secondary market.
(We stopped selling Sound Choice CD+G discs in 2014, but they are often found on eBay and other sites.) But we've taken a lot of steps to try
to make the GEM series license something that is, for the licensee, as much like ownership as possible without
sacrificing our ability to keep track of who is supposed to have it and who isn't. As long as you follow the very easy-to-follow rules in the
license agreement, you can keep your GEM series forever. Yes, there's a very small ongoing cost—no more than $50 per year after
the initial 3-year license. But you'll probably pay a lot more overall buying original "red logo" discs.
As always, if you have concerns,
talk to us, not some guy on the internet who has an agenda.
