VCD format vs the all popular CDG

[Brendan]

I think the best thing about vcd is the multiplex, you can remove vocals in a song while playing or have guide vocals while you sing. CDG cannot compare in that aspect.
Cheers

[dave]

That is false, you can buy multiplex CD+G discs and they work perfectly great with kJams

-dave

[Brendan]

Sure , you can buy muliplex cdg but they are not very that common like VCD. So technically it is false. I have 50 VCD's, all of them are multiplexed, I have 100 cdg,very few are multiplex.
Cheers

[ChurchCat]

Sure , you can buy muliplex cdg but they are not very that common like VCD. So technically it is false. I have 50 VCD's, all of them are multiplexed, I have 100 cdg,very few are multiplex.
Cheers

I am sure VCD is very good. I have not used it myself as I don't like video to play behind the lyrics. As with all things when there are two systems with similar functionality there will always be pros an cons. It is not always the best system that becomes the most popular.

With the advent of great software like kJams it will become increasingly irrelevant what format you buy your original karaoke on. It will all be able to be ripped/added to your HDD and from there played via your Mac.

CC


p.s.

Out of interest, when do you find the multiplexing useful? I suspect that for CD+G at least, the main reason there are not more MPX discs is that there was minimal demand for them.

[Brendan]

It' s great for me if i want to learn a song. I may know parts of the song, i can turn on the guide vocals which stop when i sing and play when i do not sing. It's just a nice function i guess not necassary. It's a great training tool though! Your right, there are pros and cons to both. I used to like betamax better than VHS, HDDVD better than blue ray.
Cheers

[ChurchCat]

I used to like betamax better than VHS, HDDVD better than blue ray.
Cheers

You know, for whatever reason, I am not surprised.




CC

[ChurchCat]

It' s great for me if i want to learn a song.

I can see that. We all have our favourite ways of learning.

My own is to buy CD+G discs that have guide vocals. I have a lot of discs from Pocket songs for that very reason.

On these the vocals are on the left channel. Thus I can use the balance control to determine how load the guide vocal is. I gradually turn it down as I get more confident.

Each song is on the disc twice. So one uses the "non guide vocal" track when you want the full stereo during a show.

CC

[dave]

Oh, THAT multiplex feature

Yes, at the present kJams can suppress right or left channel vocals, but it is manual.

Soon there *will* be an automatic mode where, if you're not singing you'll hear the guide vocal, but when you start singing the vocal will drop out.

-dave

[ChurchCat]

Soon there *will* be an automatic mode where, if you're not singing you'll hear the guide vocal, but when you start singing the vocal will drop out.

-dave

Now I find that little nugget rather a surprise.


< (see, that is me looking surprised.)


Just how many new features will be in this thing before it is finished?

I can see that I would find this feature really handy if I were to integrate it into my studio. It would help one of two of our less able students. It would be ultra cool if the guide vocals were to fade back up if the vocals stopped. So if you forget how a bit goes then it gives you some help.

Really though I think this is the cherry on the cake. The dream of a man who's software program has finally taken him over.







CC

[dave]

Just how many new features will be in this thing before it is finished

there are 1.2 bazillion features left to implement. As I approach release date, their implementation time approaches zero, so most of them will be done at the last second.

It would be ultra cool if the guide vocals were to fade back up if the vocals stopped.

yes that's the point

The dream of a man who's software program has finally taken him over

I think kJams grows out of my brain at night while i sleep.

[Brendan]

Yes! that's what i'm talking about. Thats a great feature. Do any cdg's currently have vocaltracks that fade out when you sing?

[dave]

It's not the CDG that does it, it's the player that does it.
Buy a nice hardware player that has a multiplex feature and yes, it will do that.
Buy a nice software player (eg: kJams) and wait for the developer to implement the feature, and yes, it will do that.
both situations require that you use multiplex songs in the first place.

-dave

[Brendan]

Hmm, intresting. I can wait, my plan is to use kjams exclusively and not mess around with CD's and expensive hardware.
Thanks

[Brendan]

So Pocket Songs are a brand? i dont have any of them, where can you find them?

[ChurchCat]

So Pocket Songs are a brand? i dont have any of them, where can you find them?

http://www.pocketsongs.com/intro/main.asp

Which country are you based in? If in the u.k. I can give you details of the importer. They are an American company.

They are fantastic for learning songs. Sadly you get less songs on a disc but you do get a standard and a multiplex version of each track. You also get a lyrics booklet. They specialise in Musical theatre so for singing students I find them fantastic. They have as fair selection of other styles too.

CC