A Milestone for kBand

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Wednesday Feb 22, 2012

The group is about to accomplish something of which we are quite proud, and I thought I'd share it here.

In the very near future (@ a gig) we will add the 1000th song to our list of available material (we're currently parked @ 999). That's 1000 songs that we can perform anytime, anywhere, with a total stranger.

The 1k mark has been a goal/aspiration since the very early stages of the project. And while the number or song itself doesn't really mean anything, it feels good to reach a goal, and it sounds kinda cool, too.

http://www.kband.org/songs

p.s. feedback/reprimands/constructive criticism/insults: welcome

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Wednesday Feb 22, 2012

What a benchmark! Does your software provide a list of the most requested?

TheBMC · Post by **TheBMC** » Wednesday Feb 22, 2012

That's awesome! good job guys. For whatever reason i always drink too much when I'm around you guys though... lol.

kayla · Post by **kayla** » Thursday Feb 23, 2012

thats intense!! i thought 40 was a lot

congrats fellas

- kayla.

riksylvania · Post by **riksylvania** » Thursday Feb 23, 2012

Bobbie and I will be testing a few out in Cresson this weekend. Hope your Dewey Cox is ready!

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Thursday Feb 23, 2012

That is quite a mile stone ! BTW do you do, "Let's Go Get Stoned" ?

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Thursday Feb 23, 2012

Joe, we can't, @ present, sort by number of requests. The data exists, (we upload a list of performances after every gig), but not the functionality. That's a good idea; we want to have more "sort" options.
"Love Shack" and "Folsom Prison" are probably the top 2. *sigh*

Hawk, the answer to your question is: yes AND no

The song is not on the "published" list, but it will be! Who did the original?

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Thursday Feb 23, 2012

Jasaoke wrote:Joe, we can't, @ present, sort by number of requests. The data exists, (we upload a list of performances after every gig), but not the functionality. That's a good idea; we want to have more "sort" options.
"Love Shack" and "Folsom Prison" are probably the top 2. *sigh*

Hawk, the answer to your question is: yes AND no
The song is not on the "published" list, but it will be! Who did the original?

It's been done by several artists from The Rolling Stones to Joe Cocker. But I believe Ray Charles did the original.

dakotarose · Post by **dakotarose** » Friday Feb 24, 2012

I have to say...the whole idea of live karaoke is genius...and what a party for you! You would HAVE to be accomplished and tight to do what you do! The 1000 song milestone is nothing short of amazing! I hope to come jam with you when we are not working...come to Johnstown! LOL

Don Hughes · Post by **Don Hughes** » Tuesday Feb 28, 2012

You guys do any gigs in Pittsburgh? I work at a bowling alley that this may go over great.

Craven Sound · Post by **Craven Sound** » Tuesday Feb 28, 2012

Is it only singing that people can join in on?

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Tuesday Feb 28, 2012

Don, we'd love to play Pittsburgh. I think it could really take off in a large city like that. We're working on a press kit to help get us booked there; it's hard to get a foot in the door being Altoona-based. Buy if you know people who might be interested...

Craven, we've considered instrumental sit-ins at different times throughout the project, but in order to keep the on-stage variables to a minimum, we don't have them. The fact is, we'd have to draw the line somewhere, or it would be Open Mic Nite.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Friday Mar 02, 2012

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Friday Mar 02, 2012

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Saturday Mar 03, 2012

Trace: Thank you for your input and your candor. In truth, I value your qualified criticism much more than the empty glad-handing, and "yinz rock" that we get during 3rd set. It's great to hear level-headed critique from fellow musicians.

and now for my rebuttal:

I also understand where you're coming from (for the most part). We're just looking at it from different angles. I hold the opinion that music is a form of expression; an emotional outlet, so everyone who has feelings can make music or art. I agree with Dave Grohl:

"It's not about being perfect, it's not about sounding absolutely correct... It's about what goes on in here [your heart] and what goes on in here [your head]."

and later:

"The simple act of creating music is a beautiful gift that ALL human beings are blessed with," Grohl said. "And the diversity of one musician's personality to the next is what makes music so exciting and.....human."

We love making music and want to share that experience with everyone. Why do we like the Foo Fighters better than American Idols? Because of the unpolished emotion. I see "non-musicians" light up a room every show because they convey energy and emotion.

As far as homogenizing the market, I challenge you to find another act that brings the diversity of both material and performers that kBand does. Our show is a far departure from most traditional rock band performances and a clear alternative in the local (& national) entertainment scene. I readily admit that I believe that everyone can be a rockstar. One thing this project has opened my eyes to is the fact that there are a lot of talented, musically inclined people out there.

soundman814 · Post by **soundman814** » Sunday Mar 04, 2012

After much thought, I think it might be a difference of opinion whether you want to "blow away" the crowd and show off your awesome talent, or whether you want to provide entertainment for the gathering and they go home remembering the great time they had.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Sunday Mar 04, 2012

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Sunday Mar 04, 2012

Soundman814 hit the nail on the head. We don't ever claim to provide a knock-your-socks-off performance (although that happens every time). What we provide is Fun. It's a struggle as musicians to go home at the end of the night knowing that we didn't deliver what WE consider to be a great performance, but the crowd's reaction and involvement is really what we're all about.

Trace, don't think that you are the only one who has studied and practiced music. The musical resume of kBand is far too extensive to list here. But what makes a "True Musician"? If not for music's accessibility to everyone, we would not have the blues, or punk, or folk. The very nature of Rock n' Roll is the fact that you only need 3 chords and cigarette-rasped voice to relate to millions of people.

Again, I don't want to cut down anybody's hard work or musical ability, but let's face it: there are only 12 notes. If a song doesn't modulate or keychange, it will use no more than 9 of those. It's not rocket science. It's not brain surgery. Imagine if you walked into the plumbing department of a hardware store and found only 12 components.

I agree that not everyone is qualified to be a vocalist/guitarist/bassist/keyboardis/drummer, but that is only my opinion. If I apply my standards to it, we wouldn't have many (most) of the highly popular and influential artists of the past 60 years.

So what's the solution? We've been in bands where we tried to bring our musical preferences to people, and we played to the chairs. We could do what's popular, but we'd have to buy more synthesizers and pitch-correctors. I think that kBand has struck a nice balance, and given the power to the people to decide and infuence their entertainment.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Sunday Mar 04, 2012

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Sunday Mar 04, 2012

Yeah, I hear that. I friend (and current bandmate) was hardcore anti-digital for a very long time. He eventually got tired of lugging his Rhoads to gigs. And he bought a set of V-Drums; he can lift the whole kit with one hand.

kBand offers 2 selections from both Lady Gaga and Adele.

But we don't provide the meat-suit.

KeithReynolds · Post by **KeithReynolds** » Sunday Mar 04, 2012

Person 1- "ive done all this stuff and done more than you ever will"

Person 2- "...but now youre working at mcdonalds with me... so you must not have been very good at what you did. now mop this shit up"

Person 1- "ok"

Person 2-

Im siding with Jasaoke here btw. Id explain my reasons why, but I dont wanna cause anyone to get all butthurt.

Btw- knowing 1,000 songs is badass. GJ kband!!!!

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Monday Mar 05, 2012

Thanks Keith, but it really isn't about sides. We don't expect everybody to like us. I'm pleasantly surprised at the support we get from musicians. I started the thread, so I'll stand up for it. I like to debate, I like how this thread didn't devolve into personal attacks and name-calling, and I greatly appreciate the honesty. If we never shared differing opinions, we would never learn and grow.

Peace

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Monday Mar 05, 2012

Kareoke isn't my thing for many of the reasons Trace outlined, and I've respectfully told Jason before that playing in a live kareoke band wouldn't be my thing. However, he's doing what he wants to do and being successful with it. I don't see anything wrong with that, especially since it seems that the demand was there to begin with. I'm a big advocate of letting musicians follow their muses, and the only thing I take issue with is when other musicians perpetuate things like pay-to-play schemes.

As far as using digital devices, I remember Filter's first album had this disclaimer in the insert stating (and I'm paraphrasing here) that some people believe that using electronic devices hurts creatively. The band went on to state that they didn't believe in that philosophy and fully disclosed that they used electronic devices for creative purposes. I have to agree with that. Creative people are going to be creative, regardless of the medium they use to be creative. Didn't Zappa compose all of his music on a synth in the latter part of his career? I'm not a fan of all of the Autotune and studio wizardry that takes place nowadays, but I dig electronic devices being used in a creative fashion. We opened for Shake Shake-Shake a few weeks ago. They used some digital sampling in their show and it sounded great. ...and trust me, those cats can play their instruments.

riksylvania · Post by **riksylvania** » Monday Mar 05, 2012

I think that it's hilarious that someone who plays ACDC covers on the weekends thinks that their artistry is being threatened by a karaoke band. Give me a break. I saw you sing with them before. If your 'art' is in such high demand you must not have time to bitch on a message board. Shut up and play, that's what the rest of us do.

KeithReynolds · Post by **KeithReynolds** » Monday Mar 05, 2012

riksylvania wrote:I think that it's hilarious that someone who plays ACDC covers on the weekends thinks that their artistry is being threatened by a karaoke band. Give me a break. I saw you sing with them before. If your 'art' is in such high demand you must not have time to bitch on a message board. Shut up and play, that's what the rest of us do.

AHAHA. EXACTLY!!!!!!