Karaoke origin of the word

WORD ORIGIN :

The Japanese word «karaoke» is now listed not only in Japanese dictionaries but also in the latest edition of The Oxford English Dictionary published in England, one of the most distinguished and formal English dictionaries, proving the word has become common throughout the world.

Karaoke is a typical form of entertainment for Japanese business people; they drop into a bar with colleagues after work, have a drink, and enjoy singing popular songs to the accompaniment of karaoke. Karaoke has been entertaining people ever since its invention over 20 years ago, and has become firmly established in Japanese society, going far beyond just a temporary boom.

BORN IN KOBE :

Karaoke is a Japanese abbreviated compound word: «kara» comes from «karappo» meaning empty, and «oke» is the abbreviation of «okesutura,» or orchestra.

Usually, a recorded popular song consists of vocals and accompaniment. Music tapes in which only the accompaniment is recorded were named «karaoke.»

It is now widely recognized that the use of karaoke started at a snack bar in Kobe City. It is said that when a strolling guitarist could not come to perform at the bar due to illness or other reasons, the owner of the bar prepared tapes of accompaniment recordings, and vocalists enjoyed singing to the tapes. Even though it is only legend, this might have been the beginning of karaoke, and since then, karaoke has been commercialized and has become popular all over Japan.

NEW TRENDS COME FROM THE WEST OF JAPAN :

There is a saying in Japan that «New trends come from the West of Japan.» Japan’s first supermarket and sauna were established in the Kansai area, and Kansai has successively created unique businesses and products such an instant noodles or automated ticket gates. Especially among the cities in the Kansai area, Kobe features an original urban atmosphere.

There is another saying that «Fashion comes from Kobe.» It is said that the fashion of young women is recognized first in Kobe and becomes popular in Tokyo later, so fashion magazines have to keep an eye on the women in Kobe.

Since Kobe Port was opened to international trade in 1868, on the eve of the Meiji Restoration, Kobe has been leading the way towards international exchange, and many foreigners have come to live in Kobe. Western-style residences in which foreigners used to live are located in Kitano-cho, where a jazz festival is held every year, showing Kobe to be a mecca for jazz fans. In addition, many foreigners participate in the «Kobe Festival,» known for its parade enlivened with samba rhythms and dance. Such musical leanings may lie behind the birth of karaoke.

THE BACKGROUND OF KARAOKE’S POPULARITY :

The Japanese like parties. From ancient times, a party become enlivened when someone started singing and the others kept time with hand-clapping, making the atmosphere more cheerful. It has never mattered whether the person sings well or not. Even if he sings out of tune, it can spark laughter and make the party more lively.

Having such a custom, the Japanese are generous when they listen to other people sing, and can easily sing in front of others without feeling reluctance. This also seems to be one of the reasons that karaoke has been largely accepted in Japanese society.

Karaoke was born in a night amusement quarter at the end of the high economic growth period. Until then, customers used to listen to popular songs via wire broadcasting, request favorite songs by telephone, and the wire broadcasting company put the songs on the air. Such a system continued for quite a while.

However, it might be unnatural for many Japanese who like singing to only listen to other people sing.

It was then that karaoke appeared on the scene. Holding a microphone and singing a song to the accompaniment of an «orchestra,» you can feel like a professional singer. If other customers give you a big hand, you feel all the happier. Karaoke has thus stimulated people’s desire to sing. For corporate soldiers living in a stressful society, there is no other entertainment that can make them feel so refreshed. Consequently, karaoke immediately spread from Kansai all over Japan.

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS AND THE KARAOKE BOX :

Though karaoke was at first an entertainment mainly for business people, it has grown to be a nationwide amusement, thanks to technological development and a new business called the «karaoke box.»

Originally in the form of tape of a popular song’s accompaniment, karaoke evolved to the compact disk, which can locate the beginning of a song immediately. This development also made possible the enhancement of video scenes to create an atmosphere suitable to each song, displayed on a TV monitor along with the words.

Using technological innovations such as the video disk, laser disk, and CD graphics, karaoke has grown to be a major entertainment industry. Family-use karaoke sets have also become popular, making the amusement formerly limited to night spots possible in the home.

However, there is an obstacle to this end of the business: since most Japanese houses stand close each other and are still built of wood, with poor soundproofing, it would be very annoying of the neighbors to sing into a microphone at night.

Seizing upon the opportunity created by this problem, entrepreneurs created the karaoke box, a roadside facility containing closed-door insulated rooms for singing. They are advertised as a place where you can sing to your heart’s content. The first karaoke box appeared in 1984 in a rice field in the countryside of Okayama Prefecture, just west of the Kansai area. It was built from a converted freight car.

Since then, karaoke boxes have been built on unoccupied grounds all over Japan, and in urban areas, karaoke rooms, which consist of compartments made by partitioning and soundproofing rooms in a building, were introduced and set up one after another.

As these facilities were established mainly to provide places to enjoy singing, they became widely popular among all sectors of the population — female office workers, housewives, college students, and even high school students.

KARAOKE’S UNEXPECTED EFFECT :

Since karaoke boxes are closed-door facilities, they became an object of public concern as potential havens for misdeeds among young people. On the other hand, however, since not a few families enjoy singing together in karaoke boxes, the karaoke box also plays a role as a place for family communication through singing. This is important at a time when generation gaps and family breakups are a nationwide concern.

How, the karaoke boom has spread abroad, enjoyed not only in Korea and China but also in Southeast Asia, the U.S., and Europe. Since karaoke displays the words and scenes of a song on a monitor, it has also been attracting the attention of countries trying to improve their literacy rate, as a good educational tool.

It is likely that karaoke, the entertainment industry born in a small night spot in Kansai, will continue to make further strides in both technological development and popularity.

It is said that since the popularization of records, radio, and TV, people have become passive receivers of entertainment. The advent of karaoke might help correct this phenomenon and make a great contribution to the history of musical entertainment.

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Japanese カラオケ (karaoke), from 空(から) (kara, “empty”) + オケ (oke, “orchestra”), a clipping of オーケストラ (ōkesutora), from English orchestra.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkæ.ɹiˌəʊ.ki/, /ˈkæ.ɹəˌəʊ.ki/ (anglicized)
• (US) enPR: kâ’rē-ōʹkē, IPA^(key): /ˌkæ.ɹiˈoʊ.ki/
• (emulating Japanese) enPR: kä-rä-ō’kā, IPA^(key): /kɑːɹɑːˌokeɪ/, /kɑːɹɑːˌokɛ/ (Pronounced both emulating Japanese (pure [ɑː] vowels, terminal [e̞], approximated by [ɛ] or [eɪ]), and, more commonly, in anglicized form (initial-syllable [æ], terminal [iː]). Compare pronunciation of end of karate, which has undergone the same adaptation, and of bokeh, which has not, as reflected in the spelling.)

Noun[edit]

karaoke (countable and uncountable, plural karaokes)

1. (uncountable) A form of entertainment popular in clubs, at parties, etc, in which individual members of the public sing along to pre-recorded instrumental versions of popular songs, the lyrics of which are displayed for the singer on a screen in time with the music.

   • 1993 March, Wagner, Michael J.; Brick, John S., “Using Karaoke in the Classroom”, in Music Educators Journal, volume 79, number 7, →ISSN, →JSTOR, page 44:

     The karaoke has been well received by those who frequent the oriental cabaret scene and adopt its particular social behaviors such as conversation, companionship, being seen, and showing off.

   • 2006 February 24, Real Time with Bill Maher, season 7, episode 2:

     American Idol will always have a place in my heart. It’s where I met Clay. And what could be more exciting than televised karaoke?

   • 2008 December 9, Raftery, Brian, Don’t Stop Believin’: How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life, Cambridge: Da Capo Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 1:

     I was always split on Henley. Then I found out that he doesn’t want people to sing his songs at karaoke. In fact, Henley actually forbids karaoke companies from rerecording songs in his catalog.

2. (countable) A karaoke session.
3. (countable) A karaoke parlour.

   Synonym: (especially in the Korean context) noraebang

Derived terms[edit]

[edit]

• karate

Descendants[edit]

• Welsh: carioci

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

karaoke (third-person singular simple present karaokes, present participle karaokeing, simple past and past participle karaoked)

1. (intransitive) to perform karaoke

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• a capella
• KTV

Czech[edit]

Noun[edit]

karaoke n

1. karaoke (singing entertainment)

Further reading[edit]

• karaoke in Akademický slovník cizích slov, 1995, at prirucka.ujc.cas.cz

Esperanto[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From karaoko (“karaoke”) +‎ -e.

Adverb[edit]

karaoke

1. in a karaoke manner

   kanti karaoke

   to sing karaoke

   • 2004 July 9, Tani Hiroyuki, “Re: Asia esperanto”, in soc.culture.esperanto, Usenet‎^[1], message-ID <cclltn$j17$1@nwall2.odn.ne.jp>:

     Se vi ŝatas kanti karaoke, vi estas karaokulo.

     If you like to sing karaoke, you are a ‘karaoke-er’.

   • 2005 May, Hämäläinen, Riitta, “KEF post kvin jaroj refoje en Finnlando”, in Esperanto en Danio, volume 12, number 2, Dana Esperanto-Asocio, →ISSN:

     “La plej amuza programero estos verŝajne esperanta karaokeo kun la efektiva bando mem – se nur iu kuraĝos karaoke kanti “Ĉu vi pretas” kun Dolchamar”, ridetas Riitta.

     “The most fun event will be, it seems, Esperanto karaoke with the actual band itself – if only someone will have the courage to sing karaoke “Ĉu vi pretas?” with Dolchamar”, smiles Riitta.

[edit]

• karaoka (“of or relating to karaoke”)
• karaokejo (“karaoke lounge”)
• karaoki (“to sing karaoke”)
• karaokilo (“karaoke machine”)

Finnish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English karaoke, borrowed from Japanese カラオケ (karaoke).

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɑrɑoke/, [ˈkɑrɑˌo̞ke̞]
• Rhymes: -oke
• Syllabification^(key): ka‧ra‧o‧ke

Noun[edit]

karaoke

1. karaoke (form of entertainment)

Declension[edit]

Inflection of karaoke (Kotus type 8/nalle, no gradation)
nominative	karaoke	—
genitive	karaoken	—
partitive	karaokea	—
illative	karaokeen	—
	singular	plural
nominative	karaoke	—
accusative	nom.	karaoke	—
gen.	karaoken
genitive	karaoken	—
partitive	karaokea	—
inessive	karaokessa	—
elative	karaokesta	—
illative	karaokeen	—
adessive	karaokella	—
ablative	karaokelta	—
allative	karaokelle	—
essive	karaokena	—
translative	karaokeksi	—
instructive	—	—
abessive	karaoketta	—
comitative	See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of karaoke (type nalle)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative karaokeni — accusative nom. karaokeni — gen. karaokeni genitive karaokeni — partitive karaokeani — inessive karaokessani — elative karaokestani — illative karaokeeni — adessive karaokellani — ablative karaokeltani — allative karaokelleni — essive karaokenani — translative karaokekseni — instructive — — abessive karaokettani — comitative — — second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative karaokesi — accusative nom. karaokesi — gen. karaokesi genitive karaokesi — partitive karaokeasi — inessive karaokessasi — elative karaokestasi — illative karaokeesi — adessive karaokellasi — ablative karaokeltasi — allative karaokellesi — essive karaokenasi — translative karaokeksesi — instructive — — abessive karaokettasi — comitative — — first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative karaokemme — accusative nom. karaokemme — gen. karaokemme genitive karaokemme — partitive karaokeamme — inessive karaokessamme — elative karaokestamme — illative karaokeemme — adessive karaokellamme — ablative karaokeltamme — allative karaokellemme — essive karaokenamme — translative karaokeksemme — instructive — — abessive karaokettamme — comitative — — second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative karaokenne — accusative nom. karaokenne — gen. karaokenne genitive karaokenne — partitive karaokeanne — inessive karaokessanne — elative karaokestanne — illative karaokeenne — adessive karaokellanne — ablative karaokeltanne — allative karaokellenne — essive karaokenanne — translative karaokeksenne — instructive — — abessive karaokettanne — comitative — — third-person possessor singular plural nominative karaokensa — accusative nom. karaokensa — gen. karaokensa genitive karaokensa — partitive karaokeaan karaokeansa — inessive karaokessaan karaokessansa — elative karaokestaan karaokestansa — illative karaokeensa — adessive karaokellaan karaokellansa — ablative karaokeltaan karaokeltansa — allative karaokelleen karaokellensa — essive karaokenaan karaokenansa — translative karaokekseen karaokeksensa — instructive — — abessive karaokettaan karaokettansa — comitative — —

Derived terms[edit]

• karaokebaari (“karaoke bar”)
• karaokelaite (“karaoke machine”)
• laulaa karaokea (“to karaoke”)

Anagrams[edit]

• korkeaa

Indonesian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Japanese カラオケ (karaoke), from 空 (kara, “empty”) + オケ (oke, “orchestra”), an abbreviation of オーケストラ (ōkesutora), from English orchestra.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ka.ra.o.ke/
• Hyphenation: ka‧ra‧o‧ké

Noun[edit]

karaoke (first-person possessive karaokeku, second-person possessive karaokemu, third-person possessive karaokenya)

1. karaoke: a form of entertainment popular in clubs, at parties, etc, in which individual members of the public sing along to pre-recorded instrumental versions of popular songs, the lyrics of which are displayed for the singer on a screen in time with the music.
2. A karaoke session.

[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Romanization[edit]

karaoke

1. Rōmaji transcription of カラオケ

Polish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from Japanese カラオケ (karaoke).

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ka.raˈɔ.kɛ/
• Rhymes: -ɔkɛ
• Syllabification: ka‧ra‧o‧ke

Noun[edit]

karaoke n (indeclinable)

1. karaoke (form of entertainment)
2. karaoke pub

Further reading[edit]

• karaoke in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• karaoke in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

karaoke m (plural karaokes) (European spelling)

1. Alternative form of caraoque
2. European Portuguese standard spelling of karaokê.

Spanish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English karaoke, borrowed from Japanese カラオケ (karaoke).

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /kaɾaˈoke/ [ka.ɾaˈo.ke]
• Rhymes: -oke
• Syllabification: ka‧ra‧o‧ke

Noun[edit]

karaoke m (uncountable)

1. karaoke
2. karaoke machine
3. karaoke bar
4. (slang, Chile) fellatio

Further reading[edit]

• “karaoke”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Swedish[edit]

Noun[edit]

karaoke c

1. karaoke

Declension[edit]

Declension of karaoke
	Uncountable
Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	karaoke	karaoken	—	—
Genitive	karaokes	karaokens	—	—

Derived terms[edit]

• karaokemaskin (“karaoke machine”)

References[edit]

• karaoke in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• karaoke in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)

Tagalog[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English karaoke, or directly from Japanese カラオケ (karaoke), from 空(から) (kara, “empty”) + オケ (oke, “orchestra”), a clipping of オーケストラ (ōkesutora), from English orchestra.

Pronunciation[edit]

• Hyphenation: ka‧ra‧o‧ke
• IPA^(key): /kaɾaˈoke/, [kɐ.ɾɐˈo.xe]

Noun[edit]

karaóke

1. karaoke
2. karaoke machine

Further reading[edit]

• “karaoke”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila: Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2018

Turkish[edit]

Noun[edit]

karaoke (definite accusative karaokeyi, plural karaokeler)

1. karaoke

Declension[edit]

Inflection
Nominative	karaoke
Definite accusative	karaokeyi
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	karaoke	karaokeler
Definite accusative	karaokeyi	karaokeleri
Dative	karaokeye	karaokelere
Locative	karaokede	karaokelerde
Ablative	karaokeden	karaokelerden
Genitive	karaokenin	karaokelerin
Possessive forms Nominative Singular Plural 1st singular karaokem karaokelerim 2nd singular karaoken karaokelerin 3rd singular karaokesi karaokeleri 1st plural karaokemiz karaokelerimiz 2nd plural karaokeniz karaokeleriniz 3rd plural karaokeleri karaokeleri Definite accusative Singular Plural 1st singular karaokemi karaokelerimi 2nd singular karaokeni karaokelerini 3rd singular karaokesini karaokelerini 1st plural karaokemizi karaokelerimizi 2nd plural karaokenizi karaokelerinizi 3rd plural karaokelerini karaokelerini Dative Singular Plural 1st singular karaokeme karaokelerime 2nd singular karaokene karaokelerine 3rd singular karaokesine karaokelerine 1st plural karaokemize karaokelerimize 2nd plural karaokenize karaokelerinize 3rd plural karaokelerine karaokelerine Locative Singular Plural 1st singular karaokemde karaokelerimde 2nd singular karaokende karaokelerinde 3rd singular karaokesinde karaokelerinde 1st plural karaokemizde karaokelerimizde 2nd plural karaokenizde karaokelerinizde 3rd plural karaokelerinde karaokelerinde Ablative Singular Plural 1st singular karaokemden karaokelerimden 2nd singular karaokenden karaokelerinden 3rd singular karaokesinden karaokelerinden 1st plural karaokemizden karaokelerimizden 2nd plural karaokenizden karaokelerinizden 3rd plural karaokelerinden karaokelerinden Genitive Singular Plural 1st singular karaokemin karaokelerimin 2nd singular karaokenin karaokelerinin 3rd singular karaokesinin karaokelerinin 1st plural karaokemizin karaokelerimizin 2nd plural karaokenizin karaokelerinizin 3rd plural karaokelerinin karaokelerinin

Further reading[edit]

• karaoke in Reverso (Turkish-English)

Karaoke (;^[1] Japanese: [kaɾaoke] (listen); カラオケ, clipped compound of Japanese kara 空 «empty» and ōkesutora オーケストラ «orchestra») is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music is an instrumental version of a well-known popular song. Lyrics are typically displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol, changing colour, or music video images, to guide the singer. In Chinese-speaking countries and regions such as mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, a karaoke box is called a KTV. The global karaoke market has been estimated to be worth nearly $10 billion.^[2]

History[edit]

1960s: Development of audio-visual-recording devices[edit]

From 1961 to 1966, the American TV network NBC carried a karaoke-like series, Sing Along with Mitch, featuring host Mitch Miller and a chorus, which superimposed the lyrics to their songs near the bottom of the TV screen for home audience participation.^[3] The primary difference between Karaoke and sing-along songs is the absence of the lead vocalist.^{[citation needed]}

Sing-alongs (present since the beginning of singing) fundamentally changed with the introduction of new technology. In the late 1960s and into the 1970s, stored audible materials began to dominate the music recording industry and revolutionized the portability and ease of use of band and instrumental music by musicians and entertainers as the demand for entertainers increased globally. This may have been attributable to the introduction of music cassette tapes, technology that arose from the need to customize music recordings and the desire for a «handy» format that would allow fast and convenient duplication of music and thereby meet the requirements of the entertainers’ lifestyles and the ‘footloose’ character of the entertainment industry.

1970s: Development of the karaoke machine[edit]

The karaoke-styled machine was developed in various places in Japan. Even before the Invention of the first machines, the word “karaoke” had long been used in Japan’s entertainment industry to refer to the use of instrumental recordings as backing tracks in situations when a live band could not be arranged for a singer.^[4] Japanese engineer Shigeichi Negishi, who ran a consumer electronics assembly business in Tokyo, made the first prototype in 1967.^[5][6][7] He subsequently began mass producing coin-operated versions under the brand name «Sparko Box,» making it the first commercially available karaoke machine. For media, it used 8-track cassette tapes of commercially available instrumental recordings. Lyrics were provided in a paper booklet.^[8] However, he ran into distribution troubles and ceased production of the Sparko Box shortly thereafter.^[9] Another early pioneer was Toshiharu Yamashita, who worked as a singing coach, and in 1970 sold an 8-track playback deck with microphone for sing-alongs.^[7]

In 1971, nightclub musician Daisuke Inoue^[10] independently invented his own karaoke machine in the city of Kobe.^[11][12] His biggest contribution was understanding the difficulty amateurs had in singing pop songs, recording his own versions of popular songs in keys that made them easier for casual singers. As such he also included a rudimentary reverb function to help mask singers’ deficiencies. For these reasons, he is often considered to be the inventor of the modern business model for karaoke, even though he was not the first to create a machine and did not, like Negishi or Yamashita, file a patent.^[13] Music has long been part of Japan’s nightlife, and particularly so in the postwar era, when a variety of establishments such as cabarets and hostess clubs emerged to serve the needs of salarymen unwinding and entertaining clients. Music, whether performed for listening or singing along, played a key role.^[14] Inoue, a bandleader, drummer, and Electone keyboardist, specialized in leading sing-alongs at nightclubs in Sannomiya, the entertainment district of the city of Kobe. He grew so popular that he became overbooked, and began recording instrumentals for clients when he could not personally perform for them. Realizing the potential for the market, he commissioned a coin-operated machine that metered out several minutes of singing time. Like Negishi’s, it was based on an 8-Track cassette deck, and Inoue called it the “8 Juke.”^[15] Inoue loaned the machines to establishments for free in exchange for a portion of the monthly earnings from the machines.^[16] He placed the first 8 Jukes in Sannomiya’s “snack bars,” but they initially failed to take off. Inoue then hired hostesses to ostentatiously sing on them, which successfully sparked interest. This also caused a great deal of friction with Inoue’s fellow musicians, who saw it as drawing customers away from them. Nevertheless karaoke spread throughout Kobe, then, over the course of the Seventies, all of Japan as major manufacturers such as JVC began producing their own versions of the singing machine.^[17] Karaoke was long performed mainly in bars and hostess clubs in front of other patrons, but in the Eighties, a new style with private rooms emerged, called karaoke boxes. This became the dominant form of karaoke performance in Japan. In 2004, Daisuke Inoue was awarded the tongue-in-cheek Ig Nobel Peace Prize for inventing karaoke, «thereby providing an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate each other.»^[18]

The patent holder of the karaoke machine is Roberto del Rosario, who is from the Philippines. He developed the karaoke’s sing-along system in 1975 and is recognized as the sole holder of a patent for a karaoke system in the world.^[19]

Later developments[edit]

Shortly after the development of the LaserDisc, Pioneer started to offer Video Karaoke machines in the 1980s. These are capable of displaying lyrics over a video that accompanies the music.^[20][21]

In 1992, a scientist named Yuichi Yasutomo created a networked karaoke system for Brother Industries. Called «tsushin karaoke» («communications karaoke») it served up songs in MIDI format via phone lines to modem-equipped karaoke machines. This new technology swept Japan; by 1998, 94% of karaoke was being sung on networked karaoke machines.^[22] As an early form of music on demand, it could be called the first successful audio streaming service. It also allowed for big data analysis of songs popularity in realtime.^[23]

Karaoke soon spread to the rest of Asia and other countries all over the world. In-home karaoke machines soon followed but lacked success in the American and Canadian markets. When creators became aware of this problem, karaoke machines were no longer being sold strictly for the purpose of karaoke but as home theater systems to enhance television watching to «movie theater like quality». Home theater systems took off, and karaoke went from being the main purpose of the stereo system to a side feature.

As more music became available for karaoke machines, more people within the industry saw karaoke as a profitable form of lounge and nightclub entertainment. It is not uncommon for some bars to have karaoke performances seven nights a week.^[24] commonly with high-end sound equipment superior to the small, stand-alone consumer versions. Dance floors and lighting effects are also becoming common sights in karaoke bars. Lyrics are often displayed on multiple television screens around the bar.

Technology[edit]

A basic karaoke machine consists of a music player, microphone inputs, a means of altering the pitch of the played music, and an audio output. Some low-end machines attempt to provide vocal suppression so that one can feed regular songs into the machine and remove the voice of the original singer; however this was, historically, rarely effective. Most common machines are CD+G, Laser Disc, VCD or DVD players with microphone inputs and an audio mixer built in, though VHS VCRs are sometimes used.^[25] CD+G players use a special track called subcode to encode the lyrics and pictures displayed on the screen while other formats natively display both audio and video.

Most karaoke machines have technology^[26] that electronically changes the pitch of the music so that amateur singers can choose a key that is appropriate for their vocal range, while maintaining the original tempo of the song. (Old systems which used cassettes changed the pitch by altering playback speed, but none are still on the market, and their commercial use is virtually nonexistent.)

A popular game using karaoke is to type in a random number and call up a song, which participants attempt to sing. In some machines, this game is pre-programmed and may be limited to a genre so that they cannot call up an obscure national anthem that none of the participants can sing. This game has come to be called «Kamikaze Karaoke» or «Karaoke Roulette» in some parts of the United States and Canada.^[27]

Many low-end entertainment systems have a karaoke mode that attempts to remove the vocal track from regular audio CDs, using an Out Of Phase Stereo (OOPS) technique. This is done by center channel extraction, which exploits the fact that in most stereo recordings the vocals are in the center. This means that the voice, as part of the music, has equal volume on both stereo channels and no phase difference. To get the quasi-karaoke (mono) track, the left channel of the original audio is subtracted from the right channel. The Sega Saturn also has a «mute vocals» feature that is based on the same principle and is also able to adjust the pitch of the song to match the singer’s vocal range.

This crude approach results in the often-poor performance of voice removal. Common effects are hearing the reverb effects on the voice track (due to stereo reverb on the vocals not being in the center); also, other instruments (snare/bass drum, bass guitar and solo instruments) that happen to be mixed into the center get removed, degrading this approach to hardly more than a gimmick in those devices. Recent years have seen the development of new techniques based on the fast Fourier transform. Although still not perfect, the results are usually much better than the old technique, because the stereo left-right comparison can be done on individual frequencies.^{[citation needed]}

Early age[edit]

Early karaoke machines used 8-track cartridges (The Singing Machine) and cassette tapes, with printed lyric sheets, but technological advances replaced this with CDs, VCDs, laserdiscs and, currently, DVDs. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Pioneer Electronics dominated the international karaoke music video market, producing high quality karaoke music videos (inspired by the music videos such as those on MTV).^[28]

In 1992, Taito introduced the X2000, which fetched music via a dial-up telephone network. Its repertoire of music and graphics was limited, but its smaller size and the advantage of continuous updates saw it gradually replace traditional machines. Karaoke machines which are connected via fiber-optic links enabling them to provide instant high-quality music and video are becoming increasingly popular.^{[citation needed]}

Karaoke direct is an Internet division established in 1997 been serving the public online since 1998. They released the first karaoke player that supports MP3+G and now^[when?] the KDX2000 model supporting karaoke in DIVX, Format.^[29]

One of long-running karaoke device is the DVD, HDD karaoke system, that comes with thousands of songs which popular in business such as karaoke machine rentals and KTV bars, and became popular in asia, especially the Philippines. This device also provides MIDI format with on-screen lyrics on a background video and scoring after you sing, the score will appear from 60 (lowest) to 100 (highest) based on timing and pitch.

Video games[edit]

The earliest karaoke-based music video game, called Karaoke Studio, was released for the Nintendo Famicom in 1985, but its limited computing ability made for a short catalog of songs and therefore reduced replay value. As a result, karaoke games were considered little more than collector’s items until they saw release in higher-capacity DVD formats.^{[citation needed]}

Karaoke Revolution, created for the PlayStation 2 by Harmonix and released by Konami in North America in 2003, is a console game in which a single player sings along with on-screen guidance and receives a score based on pitch, timing, and rhythm. The game soon spawned several follow-ups including Karaoke Revolution Vol. 2, Karaoke Revolution Vol. 3, Karaoke Revolution Party Edition, CMT Presents Karaoke Revolution: Country and Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol. While the original Karaoke Revolution was also eventually released for the Microsoft Xbox console in late 2004, the new online-enabled version included the ability to download additional song packs through the console’s exclusive Xbox Live service.^{[citation needed]}

A similar series, SingStar, published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, is particularly popular in the European and Australasian markets. Other music video game titles that involve singing by the player include Boogie and its sequel Boogie Superstar, Disney Sing It, Get On Da Mic, the Guitar Hero series starting with World Tour, High School Musical: Sing It!, Lips, the Rock Band series, SingSong, UltraStar, and Xbox Music Mixer.^[30]

An Xbox Live App with the same name created by iNiS and powered by The Karaoke Channel/Stingray Karaoke was released on 12 December 2012.^[31] The app uses Unreal Engine 3.

VCDs[edit]

Many VCD players in Southeast Asia have a built-in karaoke function. On stereo recordings, one speaker will play the music with the vocal track, and the other speaker will play the music without the vocal track. So, to sing karaoke, users play the music-only track through both speakers. In the past, there were only pop-song karaoke VCDs. Nowadays, different types of karaoke VCDs are available. Cantonese opera karaoke VCD is now a big hit among the elderly in China.^[32]

On mobile phones[edit]

In 2003, several companies started offering a karaoke service on mobile phones, using a Java MIDlet that runs with a text file containing the words and a MIDI file with the music. More usual is to contain the lyrics within the same MIDI file. Often the file extension is then changed from .mid to .kar, both are compatible with the standard for MIDI files.

Researchers have also developed karaoke games for cell phones to boost music database training. In 2006, the Interactive Audio Lab at Northwestern University released a game called Karaoke Callout for the Nokia Series 60 phone. The project has since then expanded into a web-based game and will be released soon as an iPhone application.

Karaoke is now available for the Android, iPhone and other playback devices at many internet storefronts.

On computers and the Internet[edit]

Since 2003, much software has been released for hosting karaoke shows and playing karaoke songs on a personal computer. Instead of having to carry around hundreds of CD-Gs or laserdiscs, KJs^[who?] can «rip» their entire libraries onto their hard drives and play the songs and lyrics from the computer.

Additionally, new software permits singers to sing and listen to one another over the Internet.

Karaoke devices in the 2000s saw a shift towards the use of hard drives to store large collections of karaoke tracks and touch screen devices that allows users to select their songs. This trend was driven by the declining cost of hard drive storage^[33] and improvement in touchscreen technology in the consumer space.

In 2010, a new concept of home karaoke system through the use of live streaming from a cloud server emerged. The earliest cloud based streaming device, KaraOK!, was released by StarHub on 14 January 2010,^[34] licensing songs from RIMMS.^[35] The use of cloud streaming allows for smaller devices with over the air updates compared to costly and bulky hard drive-based systems.

In August 2017, ROXI home music system launched in the UK, and later that year in the US, providing on-demand music streaming and a karaoke singalong feature called Sing with the Stars. ROXI matches songs in its cloud based licensed music streaming catalogue to a lyrics database to provide real time scrolling on-screen lyrics. The music system also uses a hand-held Wii style point and click controller with built-in microphone allowing users to select and sing along to thousands of songs from its catalogue.^[36]

In July 2019, YouTube channel Sing King Karaoke reached 6 million subscribers, making it the largest karaoke channel on the platform.

In automobiles[edit]

Taxicabs equipped with sound systems and a microphone appeared in South Korea in the 1990s.^[37]

Chinese automobile maker Geely Automobile received much press in 2003 for being the first to equip a car, their Beauty Leopard, with a karaoke machine as standard equipment. Europe’s first commercial «karaokecab» which was a London TX4 taxi with a karaoke machine inside for occupants of the cab to use to sing whilst in the cab. The idea and installation were made by Richard Harfield of karaokeshop.com and was featured on Channel 4’s Big Breakfast and several German TV stations featured the karaokecab. Granada TV also featured the cab, which is now in its 4th vehicle and operates in Bolton, Greater Manchester as Clint’s Karaoke Cab. Karaoke is often also found as a feature in aftermarket in-car DVD players.

In 2010, karaoke taxis were available in London, England in the ‘Kabeoke’ fleet of private hire vehicles.^[38]

Tesla’s newer cars have an infotainment system that features a «Car-a-oke» app.

Alternative playback devices[edit]

The CD+G format of a karaoke disc, which contains the lyrics on a specially encoded subcode track, has heretofore required special—and expensive—equipment to play. Commercial players have come down in price, though, and some unexpected devices (including the Sega Saturn video game console and XBMC Media Center on the first Xbox) can decode the graphics; in fact, karaoke machines, including video and sometimes recording capability, are often popular electronics items for sale in toy stores and electronics stores.

Additionally, there is software for Windows, Pocket PC, Linux, and Macintosh PCs that can decode and display karaoke song tracks, though usually these must be ripped from the CD first, and possibly compressed.

In addition to CD+G and software-based karaoke, microphone-based karaoke players enjoy popularity mainly in North America and some Asian countries such as the Philippines. Microphone-based karaoke players only need to be connected to a TV—and in some cases to a power outlet; in other cases they run on batteries. These devices often support advanced features, such as pitch correction and special sound effects. Some companies offer karaoke content for paid download to extend the song library in microphone-based karaoke systems.

CD+G, DVD, VCD and microphone-based players are most popular for home use. Due to song selection and quality of recordings, CD+G is the most popular format for English and Spanish. It is also important to note that CD+G has limited graphical capabilities, whereas VCD and DVD usually have a moving picture or video background. VCD and DVD are the most common format for Asian singers due to music availability and largely due to the moving picture/video background.^{[citation needed]}

Silent karaoke[edit]

Silent karaoke is a noiseless singing exercise microphone.^[39]

Terms[edit]

Jūhachiban

(十八番. also ohako). Many karaoke singers have one song which they are especially good at and which they use to show off their singing abilities. In Japan, this is called jūhachiban in reference to Kabuki Jūhachiban, the 18 best kabuki plays. 十八番 means eighteen in Japanese as well.

Karamovie or Movioke

Karaoke using scenes from movies. Amateur actors replace their favorite movie stars in popular movies. Usually facilitated by software or remote control muting and screen blanking/freezing. Karamovie originated in 2003.

Karaoke jockey or KJ

A karaoke jockey plays and manages the music for a venue. The role of the KJ often includes announcing song titles and whose turn it is to use the microphone.

Hitokara

Singing karaoke alone is called hitokara (ヒトカラ, abbreviation for ひとりカラオケ; ひとり hitori, «one person» or «alone» + カラオケ karaoke) in Japan. Recently this trend has become very popular amongst amateur singers in Japan, India and China, though mostly Japan.

In culture[edit]

Public places[edit]

Asia[edit]

In Asia, a karaoke box is the most popular type of karaoke venue. A karaoke box is a small or medium-sized room containing karaoke equipment rented by the hour or half-hour, providing a more intimate atmosphere. Karaoke venues of this type are often dedicated businesses, some with multiple floors and a variety of amenities including food service, but hotels and business facilities sometimes provide karaoke boxes as well. In South Korea, karaoke boxes are called norebangs.^[40] In mainland China and Taiwan, a karaoke establishment is called a KTV.

In some traditional Chinese restaurants, there are so-called «mahjong-karaoke rooms» where the elderly play mahjong while teenagers sing karaoke. The result is fewer complaints about boredom, but more noise. Noise regulations can be an issue, especially when karaoke is brought into residential areas.

Violent reactions to karaoke singing have made headlines in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, with reports of killings by listeners disturbed by the singing. In the Philippines, at least half a dozen killings of people singing «My Way» caused newspapers there to label the phenomenon «My Way killings»; some bars refuse to allow the song, and some singers refrain from vocalizing it among strangers.^[41]

Prostitution has been an issue in certain karaoke boxes in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia despite being illegal in these countries.^[42][43][44] In Thailand, «karaoke girls» are brought in not only from Thailand but from neighboring countries and are sent to other parts of the world.^[45]

Asian karaoke establishments are often fronts for gentlemen’s clubs, where men pay for female hosts to drink, sing, and dance with them.^{[citation needed]} In Japan, such a business is called a piano bar.^[46]

After the COVID-19 outbreak, karaoke bars in Japan reopened with rules such as mask wearing, mic covers, and singer must face same direction as onlookers.^[47]

Taiwan[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2013)

In Taiwan, karaoke bars similar to those in Japan and South Korea are called KTVs, which stands for karaoke television. Karaoke is a highly popular form of recreation in Taiwan. The biggest KTV chains in Taiwan are Partyworld Cashbox, Holiday KTV and NewCBParty.

South Korea[edit]

A noraebang (Hangul: 노래방) refers to a singing venue in South Korea where private sound-proof rooms are available for rent, equipped for singing – typically microphones, remote controls, a large video screen, couches, and mood décor such as disco lights and tambourines. The term noraebang is a Korean compound word, blending norae (Hangul: 노래, English: song) and bang (Hangul: 방, English: room). It is the regional equivalent to the Karaoke box in Japan.^[48]

Singing is an important part of social life in Korea, where people will perform, and be persuaded to perform, an impromptu song at virtually any social occasion.^[49] As such, noraebangs are popular and widespread, often identifiable by bright neon signs with musical notes or microphones.^[50]

Often the last stop after a night of alcohol-lined entertainment for youths and businesspeople alike,^[51][52] noraebangs are also a favorite family pastime, and many are surprisingly dry venues.^[53] People also frequent noraebangs as a form of stress relief, and some noraebangs cater to those who seek to sing alone.^[54]

Philippines[edit]

Karaoke (Filipino: videoke) has become a pastime activity in the Philippines especially when entertaining friends at home. Instrumental music (also widely called minus-one) on tapes during the late 1960s particularly with the dominance of pop hits from the Beatles had become favorites. Singing contests during town or barangay festivals and fiestas would attract contestants who carry with them cassette tapes with these instrumentals to perform in their own rendition.

Videoke in the Philippines is also known for the My Way killings, a number of fatal disputes which arose due to the singing of the song «My Way», popularized by Frank Sinatra, in karaoke or «videoke» bars. A New York Times article estimated the number of killings to be about six up to 2010.^[41] Another source estimated at least 12 between 2002 and 2012.^[55] Opinions differ over whether the possible connection is due to the coincidence that the song was simply frequently sung amid the nation’s videoke bars where violence is common or to the aggressive lyrics of the song itself.^[41][56]

North America and Europe[edit]

A karaoke bar, restaurant, club or lounge is a bar or restaurant that provides karaoke equipment so that people can sing publicly, sometimes on a small stage. Most of these establishments allow patrons to sing for free, with the expectation that sufficient revenue will be made selling food and drink to the singers. Less commonly, the patron wishing to sing must pay a small fee for each song they sing. Both are financially beneficial for the establishment by not having to pay a professional singer or a cabaret tax which is usually applied to any entertainment of more than one person.

Many establishments offer karaoke on a weekly schedule, while some have shows every night. Such establishments commonly invest more in both equipment and song discs, and are often extremely popular, with an hour or more wait between a singer’s opportunities to take the stage (called the rotation).

Private karaoke rooms, similar to Asia’s karaoke boxes, are commonplace in communities such as Toronto, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, Houston, TX, San Francisco and now New Jersey. Toronto’s Koreatown is one example of an area where popularity is growing to the point that private karaoke rooms require reservations on the weekends.

Karaoke is very popular in Scotland with dedicated karaoke venues in most reasonably large towns. Aberdeen is home to a number of notable karaoke bars including Weagleys, The Spirit Level, Bardot’s Karaoke Bar, Sing City. In North America, the Tri State area is known to have many lounges that participate in weekly karaoke shows. New Jersey has many establishments that are frequented by people of different backgrounds who also participate in karaoke. Hugo’s Lounge and Love Lounge located in Plainfield, New Jersey are just a couple of the many establishments with weekly karaoke schedules.

Throughout much of North America, live band karaoke is also popular. With live band karaoke, singers sing with a live band instead of the prerecorded backing track.

Rock critic Rob Sheffield claims that the 1986 music video for the song «Wild Wild Life» by the Talking Heads was the first depiction of karaoke in American popular culture. The video features a variety of characters taking turns singing portions of the song to an audience at a bar.^[57] However a karaoke bar in Honolulu called «Sing Sing» is depicted in an episode of the American TV series Magnum, P.I. entitled «The Man from Marseilles» first broadcast on March 14, 1985.

In Italy, karaoke had become popular by early 1994, popularized by television personality Rosario Fiorello who had a karaoke program that appeared weekly on national television.^[58]

Karaoke made a brief appearance in Sofia Coppola’s 2003 movie Lost in Translation, and it was, three years before, the primary focus of Bruce Paltrow’s 2000 film Duets, written by John Bynum and starring Paltrow’s daughter Gwyneth and Huey Lewis, «anchor-man» of Huey Lewis and the News.

Also popular among the international performing arts community in Europe, a group of Finnish producers organized an international karaoke competition called KWC (Karaoke World Championships). Their 2011 international karaoke competition has attracted ABC producers to help host America’s karaoke competition in Las Vegas Nevada called Karaoke Battle USA. The competition is promised to select 1 male and 1 female contestant to represent the U.S. in the international arena. Largely supported by the Broadway community in Times Square, Pulse Karaoke Lounge sponsored 2011’s New York state karaoke finals to select individuals representing New York in the eastern finals.

According to The New York Times, the dozens of karaoke bars in Portland, Oregon make it not just «the capital of karaoke» in the United States, but «one of the most exciting music scenes in America.»^[59]

Australia[edit]

In Australia, karaoke was gradually popularized in the late 1980s. A number of Filipino migrants brought with them their own ‘minus-one’ music from cassette music tapes and video tapes purchased mainly in the Philippines. A number of Philippine-imported karaoke units with two cassette drives were used in private households. Video TV tapes, mainly consisted of popular and contemporary songs rendered by Filipino artists, and with a mix of English and Tagalog songs were soon used. Projected lyrics on TV screens became very common as the main source of karaoke renditions. These tapes were soon replaced by CD+Gs, but a plug-n-play karaoke microphone that housed a factory built-in songchip loaded with hundreds of karaoke songs quickly became a favourite. This unit would usually be purchased in the Philippines and brought into Australia, becoming a common household item and is popularly used during gatherings.

Commercially, karaoke was first introduced into Australia in 1989 by Robin Hemmings who had seen karaoke operating in Fiji. Prior to this, karaoke was generally unknown to the broader population. Hemmings, of Adelaide, South Australia, offered systems manufactured by Pioneer which used 12in (30 cm) double-sided laser discs containing a maximum of 24 songs with accompanying video track and subtitled lyrics.

Despite some initial resistance, Adelaide hoteliers The Booze Brothers offered limited access to their hotels and the karaoke phenomenon was born. Hemmings business, Karaoke Hire Systems, operated seven machines on a casual rental basis to numerous hotels, clubs and private parties in and around Adelaide with an additional machine on snow-season lease at Jindabyne, NSW. Each system came complete with up to 24 discs containing a maximum of 576 music video tracks. In Adelaide, karaoke reached its zenith in 1991 with virtually every hotel offering at least one karaoke night per week with many having undertaken alterations to their premises with the addition of purpose built stages and sound systems. Karaoke rental suppliers had proliferated during this period and Hemmings is known to have sold his business in late 1991 as a going concern.

Karaoke’s popularity in Adelaide waned from mid 1992 and was virtually extinguished by early 1993. Despite periodic attempts by hoteliers and clubs to revitalise karaoke, it has never managed to re-establish its former popularity.

In the mid-2000s, a number of karaoke bars sprouted in Sydney with karaoke boxes frequented by Japanese students and tourists and a few locals, especially on Thursday nights and weekends. A number of clubs such as RSL, League Clubs and restaurants and bars mainly feature karaoke nights to entice more customers and to entertain guests. Sunfly Karaoke is probably the major karaoke brand in Australia as well as the UK.^[60]

Production methods[edit]

Karaoke is very popular in Asian countries, and many artists distribute a karaoke track at the same time the song is released. The most common form of karaoke nowadays^[when?] is released in MIDI format with on-screen lyrics on a DVD background video.

In Europe and North America, karaoke tracks are almost never done by the original artist, but are re-recorded by other musicians.

South Korean firms T.J. Media, Magic Sing, Kumyoung produce digital music content in MIDI format and manufacture computer music players for the Asian market.

Contests[edit]

Since the rise of karaoke around the world, karaoke contests have become a phenomenon of mainstream culture, giving non-professional singers opportunity to showcase their talent, win prizes, and at times, travel the world. Contest participants are usually rated 50% by customer votes and 50% by judges’ votes, but this may vary, depending on the venue and the level of competition.

Karaoke World Championship is one of the most popular karaoke contests and has been around since 2003. In September 2011, Karaoke World Championships took place in Killarney, Ireland.

World records[edit]

As of 2009, the world record for the most people singing karaoke was at Bristol Motor Speedway in the United States. Over 160,000 people began to sing Garth Brooks’ song «Friends in Low Places» before the NASCAR Sharpie 500 race began.^[61]

Hungary holds the record for the longest Karaoke marathon with multiple participants for an event organized in the Honey Grill Restaurant by Gabor Dániel Szabó (REVVOX Music). It lasted for 1,011 hours, 1 minute, between 20 July 2011, and 31 August 2011. Each song was over 3 minutes long and the gap between songs was no longer than 30 seconds. No song was repeated in any two-hour period.^[62]

The record for the longest Karaoke solo marathon is held by the Italian Leonardo Polverelli, who sang 1,295 songs in 101 hours, 59 minutes, and 15 seconds.^[63]

See also[edit]

• Closed captioning
• Fansub
• List of English words of Japanese origin
• Music Minus One
• PowerPoint karaoke
• Same language subtitling
• Subtitling
• Surtitles
• Utagoe Kissa

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Where does the word “karaoke” come from? This article will share with you all about its origin and history. Let’s read on to discover.

Karaoke implies an inexperienced singer who sings along to an instrumental genre of music. It originated in Japan. 

Karaoke started at a Japanese snack bar where a musician was unable to show up. Instead, the bar manager played some pre-recorded instrumentals and encouraged people to sing along.

What does “Karaoke” mean in Japanese?

It’s no wonder that karaoke is a Japanese word because it started in Japan. The term “Kara” comes from “karappo”. This word means void or empty. The term “oke” derives from the word “okesutra”. It means the orchestra.

Who invented Karaoke?

Daisuke Inoue, a Japanese musician, pioneered the karaoke machine in 1971. Inoue was a keyboardist. He used to play piano and drums at a club as background music for solo performers. He intended to provide an instrumental recording so he could perform on his own.

Then, he invented the 8 Juke, the first karaoke device. It came with a sound system, a microphone, a coin machine, and an amplifier.

Robert Del Rosario created the very first patented karaoke box in 1975. As a result, some people believe that Karaoke originated in the Philippines since Robert is a Filipino.

When did Karaoke become popular?

After global companies like Toshiba, Columbia, and Polydor started to make karaoke content at the end of the 1970s, the karaoke machine had become a great hit in Japan. 

Following the establishment of the first karaoke club in Los Angeles in 1982, it got more popular in the United States.

Following the advent of video cassettes in 1982 and disk drives by Sony, karaoke became increasingly popular. 

However, they lacked enough soundproofing in Japan to be capable of performing adequately at home. As a result, they began to construct Karaoke Boxes. These inventions provided sound-proofed chambers particularly built for karaoke.

Today Karaoke

Interactive karaoke first appeared in the 1990s. Singers had the unique chance to sing songs and watch the videos from that provider.

Earlier karaoke systems only enabled karaoke singers to perform songs that were physically accessible at the karaoke facility. Meanwhile, this innovative communication technology allowed anybody to request almost any song from everywhere.

The karaoke business has experienced even more profound transformations as a result of huge technological advancements. Cassette tapes gave way to CDs and DVDs. Karaoke is now available on mobile items, computers, and the Internet. All these facts indicate that the progress has been significant.

Karaoke on the Internet

You no longer have to go to a karaoke bar to sing thanks to technological advancements. You may do it from home or while traveling. You only need a strong internet connection and a mobile item or a computer.

There are many karaoke applications available for both iOS and Android. These apps can transform your cellphone into a fantastic karaoke machine.

You can see the words of the songs on the screen while singing along to the orchestral version of the song. They make your phone a mobile karaoke box.

Aside from karaoke applications, many websites provide high-quality karaoke options. Most of them allow you to pick from millions of songs in their collections for free. Some sites even enable you to film and upload your performances on your networking site.

How does a Karaoke machine work?

The karaoke machine plays the song’s backing track while also flashing the words across the screen. This process allows the singer to sing along with the music. Karaoke machines include built-in displays. Some can connect to a TV or computer to display the lyrics.

The karaoke procedure also features a microphone and a speaker system. This pre-recorded music amplification system includes a mixer, an amplifier, and speakers.

The sub-code is in charge of encoding the pictures and lyrics shown on the screen. 

Most karaoke systems have technology that enables the tone of the music to shift automatically and adapt to the singer’s vocal range. This function allows singers to sing along to almost any song while still maintaining the original beat.

Fun Facts about Karaoke

Now that you’ve learned a little about karaoke’s background. Here are some interesting facts that you may not know.

• The Philippines is the country with the most karaoke boxes available.
• There are more than 100,000 karaoke bars in China.
• Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean is the most sung karaoke song.
• Over 100,000 karaoke machines are present in Japan.
• The world’s longest performance on karaoke lasts for more than 450 hours.
• 160,000 was the largest group of people singing karaoke at the same time.
• There is a competition for Karaoke called “Karaoke World Championships” in Finland.

Frequently Asked Questions

Karaoke fans have some queries which we have answered below. Don’t hesitate to ask. We are always willing to assist you,

1. How can I set up a computer-based karaoke system?

You need to first obtain the necessary karaoke components. After that, you’ll have to configure the sound systems, the mixers, and the rest of the karaoke gear. Then, pair all of your speakers with your computer. Next, connect the items to it through WiFi or Bluetooth.

2. Without a machine, how can I conduct karaoke?

If you don’t have access to a standard karaoke machine, the best option is to use a Smart TV or Youtube. You may also look for karaoke renditions of your favorite songs on your gadgets. If the screen is small, it’s preferable to utilize an HDMI cable for optimal performance.

3. Is karaoke Filipino or Japanese?

The Karaoke system is, technically, a Filipino innovation. However, the idea of Karaoke came from a bar owner in Japan. The word “karaoke” also originated in Japan. It is truly a Japanese word.

4. What is the most popular location for karaoke?

Karaoke is 10 times more prevalent in Asian countries than it is in any other area. The Philippines and Japan are real karaoke hotspots.

Conclusion

Thanks to the invention of karaoke, we all have a chance to be a singer. Hopefully, this article can offer you all the necessary information to understand this kind of entertainment.

If you need any further information, please feel free to ask. 

Thank you for reading!

The word karaoke is derived from two Japanese words ��� ‘kara’ comes from the word ‘karappo’ meaning empty or void and ‘oke’ comes from the word ‘okesutura’ or orchestra. Some say that it started in the 1970s with a Japanese singer called Daisuke Inoue, who recorded songs and sold it to people to sing along too.

Why did Roberto del Rosario invented karaoke?

In 1971, Daisuke Inoue was a keyboard and vibraphone backup player in a high-end Kobe, Japan, bar, and his abilities were in great demand at customer parties. A customer wanted him to perform at a party but he was too busy, and he recorded the backup music on tape and gave it to the customer.

How did Inoue Daisuke come up with his idea?

With part-time jobs banned by Japanese schools, Inoue had to keep his evening employment quiet. Little did he know that he had given Inoue the idea for his creation. The idea was simple; put coins into a machine hooked up to a microphone, a speaker and an amplifier, and it would play the songs people wanted to sing.

What does karaoke mean in English?

: a device that plays instrumental accompaniments for a selection of songs to which the user sings along and that records the user’s singing with the music a karaoke machine also : a form of entertainment involving the use of such a device (as in a bar)

What is Daisuke Inoue famous for?

Daisuke Inoue (井上 大佑, Inoue Daisuke, born May 10, 1940) is a Japanese businessman best known as the inventor of a karaoke machine. Inoue, a musician in his youth employed in backing businesspeople who wanted to sing in bars, invented the machine as a means of allowing them to sing without live back-up.

Is Daisuke Inoue alive?

Deceased (1935–1977)

What is the impact of karaoke in the society?

Stimulates The Brain: Performing karaoke stimulates your brain because it raises the bar on all of those things you normally do when singing alone or to yourself. It also causes activity in the neurons of your brain. These are the neurons that bring together emotional, physical and psychological activity.

Is karaoke patented?

Patent rights to Karaoke In 1996, the court ruled that the Chinese company violated his patent rights. He was recognized as the sole holder of a patent for a karaoke system in the world. However, most scholars credit Daisuke Inoue, a Japanese, as the inventor of the karaoke. Inoue invented the karaoke in 1971.

Who is the father of karaoke?

Roberto del Rosario

When did America get karaoke?

90’s

Why can every Filipino sing?

Not all Filipinos have the talent to sing. Why are they good? It is because of the culture in the Philippines. Most families have their own karaokes at home, in this way, they can enhance their voice to become a good singer.

What is a karaoke night?

The definition of karaoke night in the dictionary is a social occasion when karaoke sessions are held for entertainment, often in a pub or bar.

You probably know that karaoke (カラオケ) is a Japanese word. It’s a blend of two words — kara (“empty”) + oke (short for “orchestra”). Karaoke is a form of entertainment where an amateur singer sings along with recorded instrumental music.

Is the word karaoke of Chinese origin?

Why is it called Karaoke? Since karaoke originated in Japan, it’s no surprise that the word is derived from two Japanese words. “Kara” comes from the word “karappo”, which means empty or void. “Oke” comes from the word “okesutra” which means orchestra.

Is karaoke Japanese or Filipino?

Technically, the Karaoke Sing Along System is indeed a Filipino invention. This is because Roberto del Rosario, then president of Trebel Music Corporation, patented it in 1975. He’s also known to be a prolific inventor, having a total of 20 devices patented under his name.

What does the Japanese word for karaoke mean?

Karaoke (/ˌkærəˈoʊki/; Japanese: [kaɾaoke] ( listen); カラオケ, clipped compound of Japanese kara 空 “empty” and ōkesutora オーケストラ “orchestra”) is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone.

Where is karaoke most popular?

The World’s Best Places to Sing Karaoke

• Tokyo, Japan.
• Berlin, Germany.
• London, England.
• Los Angeles, United States.
• Bangkok, Thailand.
• Toronto, Canada.

What is the best karaoke songs for females?

Best Female Karaoke Songs

• Shake It Off – Taylor Swift.
• Stronger – Kelly Clarkson.
• I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor.
• It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls.
• Single Ladies – Beyoncé
• Like a Virgin – Madonna.
• Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus.
• Emotions – Mariah Carey.

What is the easiest song to sing on karaoke?

60 Easy Karaoke Songs That Will Bring Down the House

• ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor.
• ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ by Pink.
• ‘heard it through the grapevine’ by marvin gaye.
• ‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls.
• ‘Good As Hell’ by Lizzo.
• ‘All i want for Christmas is You’ by Mariah Carey.
• ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen.

How do I choose a good karaoke song?

It can be hard to choose a song that’s easy enough to sing and make you sound good, but also that’s fun for you and the audience….How to Pick a Karaoke Song

1. Make a list of your favourite songs.
2. Think about your audience.
3. Be realistic about your ability.
4. Get the tempo right.
5. Don’t pick a lengthy song.

What is the best song for a girl to sing?

Top 20 Karaoke Songs For Girls

• 1) Wannabe – Spice Girls.
• 2) Respect – Aretha Franklin.
• 3) Stronger – Kelly Clarkson.
• 4) Juice – Lizzo.
• 5) Someone Like You – Adele.
• 6) Jolene – Dolly Parton.
• 10) No Scrubs – TLC.
• 12) Thank U, Next – Ariana Grande.

Who is the best girl singer?

The Greatest Female Music Artists Of All Time

• Joni Mitchell.
• Stevie Nicks.
• Lady Gaga.
• Bonnie Raitt.
• Janis Joplin.
• Kate Bush.
• Carole King.
• Alicia Keys.

What is the hardest song to sing for a female?

Hardest songs to sing – female artists

• Chandelier by Sia.
• Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush.
• Video Games by Lana Del Rey.
• Rolling in the Deep by Adele.
• Crawling by Linkin Park.
• I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith.
• Stay With Me by Sam Smith.
• Welcome to The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance.

What female has the most hits?

Madonna

Who is the No 1 female singer in world?

Multiple nominations

Rank	Artist	Years
1.	Taylor Swift	2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021
2.	Rihanna	2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017
3.	Ariana Grande	2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021
4.	Adele	2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017

Who has the most #1 hits in rap?

Drake

What is the most played song ever?

Probably, but for the sake of it, here are the 10 most popular song inm the world according to YouTube.

• Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft.
• Ed Sheeran – Shape of You – 5.2 billion views.
• Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft.
• Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk ft.
• PSY – Gangnam Style – 3.9 billion views.
• Justin Bieber – Sorry – 3.4 billion views.

What is the world’s worst song?

Jimmy Webb wrote “MacArthur Park”, which is popularly held as the worst song ever written.

What is the world’s most popular 2020 song?

The Official Top 40 most-streamed songs of 2020

	TITLE	ARTIST
1	BLINDING LIGHTS	WEEKND
2	DANCE MONKEY	TONES & I
3	ROSES	SAINT JHN
4	ROCKSTAR	DABABY FT RODDY RICCH

What is the happiest song in the world?

1. Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen)
2. Dancing Queen (Abba)
3. Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys)
4. Uptown Girl (Billie Joel)
5. Eye of the Tiger (Survivor)
6. I’m a Believer (The Monkees)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
8. Livin’ on a Prayer (Jon Bon Jovi)

What are the top 5 songs of all time?

The Top 50 most iconic songs of all time

• Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana.
• Imagine – John Lennon.
• One – U2.
• Billie Jean – Michael Jackson.
• Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen.
• Hey Jude – The Beatles.
• Like A Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan.
• I Can’t Get No Satisfaction – Rolling Stones.

What songs will make you cry?

Below, 20 Reddit users share the life-changing songs that make them tear up every time.

• “When She Loved Me” — Sarah McLachlan.
• “Wish You Were Here” — Pink Floyd.
• “Living Years” — Mike and The Mechanics.
• “Hurt” — Johnny Cash.
• “Julia” — The Beatles.
• “Friend, Please” — Twenty One Pilots.
• “Supermarket Flowers” — Ed Sheeran.

What’s the saddest song ever written?

• R.E.M. – ‘Everybody Hurts’
• Harry Chapin – ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’
• Nirvana – ‘Something in the Way’
• George Jones – ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’
• Pearl Jam – ‘Black’
• John Prine – ‘Sam Stone’
• Alice in Chains – ‘Nutshell’
• Hank Williams – ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry’

What are the saddest songs 2020?

The Best Sad Songs of 2020 Might Just Give You a Little Hope

• “Lost in Yesterday,” Tame Impala.
• “Long Time Coming,” Caitlyn Smith.
• “la,” Kelsea Ballerini.
• “Anyone,” Demi Lovato.
• “Letter to Nipsey,” Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch.
• “Who’s Gonna Love Me Now,” Cold War Kids.
• “At The Door,” The Strokes.
• “No Time to Die,” Billie Eilish.

What is the most beautiful love song ever written?

The 50 Most Romantic Songs Ever Written

• “Make You Feel My Love,” by Bob Dylan (1997)
• “At Last,” by Etta James (1960)
• “Perfect,” by Ed Sheeran (2017)
• “I Will Always Love You,” by Whitney Houston (1992)
• “Kiss Me,” by Sixpence None The Richer (1997)
• “Come Away With Me,” by Norah Jones (2002)

What is the best song to say I love you?

Even More “I Love You” Songs About Falling in Love

• Crazy in Love. Beyonce (featuring Jay Z)
• I Love You. Celine Dion.
• I Knew I Loved You. Savage Garden.
• I Love You More Than Words Can Say. Otis Redding.
• I Just Called to Say I Love You. Stevie Wonder.
• I Honestly Love You. Olivia Newton John.
• I Love You. April Lavigne.
• Let Me Love You.

What is considered the most romantic song ever?

Keep reading for a look at the greatest love songs of all time.

• “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele (2008)
• “Thinkin’ Bout You” by Frank Ocean (2012)
• “At Last” by Etta James (1960)
• “You Make Loving Fun” by Fleetwood Mac (1977)
• “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire.
• “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston (1992)

What is the #1 wedding song?

These are the most popular wedding songs in America — and the ones your state loves

1	First Dance Justin Bieber, Usher	3:42
2	Thinking out Loud Ed Sheeran	4:41
3	All of Me John Legend	4:29
4	At Last Etta James	2:59
5	A Thousand Years Christina Perri	4:45