How can I buy or download good software for transforming cds into karaoke?

This kind of software strips or erases the vocals. I perform publicly, so I am concerned about the quality.





Suggestions?

How can I buy or download good software for transforming cds into karaoke?
well, you're entering into some shaky ground. the Thompson vocal eliminator is a very, very EXPENSIVE unit that doesn't work as well as one imagines it should on most recordings. (i know...i have one at work and i'm looking at it right now! hehehe)





how these things work: human voice is mid-rangey, so the first thing this machine does is take out the mid range and boost the highs and lows...it does it subtly, but that's essentially what it does. ALSO, most modern mixes have the lead vocals pegged right down the center (panning-wise), so it also eliminates any tracks that are panned in the direct middle......hence, bye bye, significant part of the bass drum and bass guitar tracks!





one of the big hang-ups of this is it is REALLY dependent on the quality of the master and how "standard" the mix is. for the 1000+ dollars they're asking for the Thompson unit, you'll be disappointed. (Yes, the thompson has other algorithms that do other things besides "center/mid" cutting, but it's really not as effective as you want it to be after spending that money)





truth is, the best karaoke tracks are made from the masters....like, the studio masters where the vocals are limited in a NEW MIX based on the original studio sessions. that's really the ONLY way to get great-sounding karaoke tracks.....and most tracks in karaoke bars aren't all that GREAT sounding. they're either sad mock-ups of the songs with poor instrumentation OR they're the work of machines like the "Thompson Vocal Eliminator" - doing only a good job on a few records; leaving the rest completely poor-sounding.


(yes, it DOES work on a few songs VERY well, but it's a crapshoot.)





if you want to try a vocal eliminator, you can get some cheaper things like the alesis unit for 99 bucks.....i have that, too....you'd be surprised at how little the difference is between the two....although, in all fairness: the thompson DOES work a bit better, but nothing worth multiplying the price by 12 for!





you asked about software, i'm SURE there has to be some shareware available somewhere on the net for doing this.....maybe as a plug-in for DAWs or something, but no software company makes anything that i (or the guys in Sweetwater) know of....at least not at the time when i was looking - about a year ago.





My suggestion: go to a good karaoke website and buy per song in your set. plan on spending a few bucks each time you add new tunes to your repertoir....and if you're gigging jazz/r%26amp;b/ or ANYTHING, really, that can take different arrangements, try and find a local there in NYC to do a few for you in Finale or something. it's easy enough to get a good arrangement and many of the vocalists i know paid someone for tracks/arrangements. if you hit one of the local music schools, put up flyers for a student to do it. most of them would JUMP at the practice. (i say jazz/r%26amp;b, etc because that music isn't dependent on a specific arrangement like pop songs are....imagine "thriller" by michael jackson with a different arrangment and different hits....eiwww! hehe)





good luck!
Reply:there is good HARDWARE product that does just that


product name is THOMPSON VOCAL ELIMINATOR VE-4


company that makes it is LT Sound


web page is http://www.LTSound.com just left click this link


address : LT Sound


Dept PS 1


7980 LT Parkway Lithonia GA 30058


there is 24 hr demo/info phone line (770) 482-2485


also free brochure/demo


company has been in business for over 30 yrs