The world of karaoke machines can be very complicated. Adding to the confusion is the fact that there are so many different types of karaoke machines. They do not all use the same type of equipment. Different machines have different features. Plus they don't even use the same type of technology on their song disks! How do you make sense of it all?
Here to help you is Karaoke Machines 101: Everything You Need To Know! So let's get started. The first thing to be clear on is what all those terms mean that you hear bandied about.
Karaoke System - The karaoke system is the karaoke player, the monitor, the speakers, and can include the library of karaoke songs played by the player.
Karaoke Machine - usually this term is used to mean the karaoke player, or the machine that plays the karaoke music. However, some karaoke systems are all-in-one units which include the player, the speakers, and the monitor all on one machine. In this case, the karaoke machine is the entire system.
Karaoke Player - the machine that physically plays the karaoke songs.
Karaoke Monitor - the screen where the lyrics to the songs show up. The all-in-one units include this screen on the machine. Other systems use your TV as the monitor and for the speakers, too.
So that also explains your 2 basic types of karaoke systems. You have the all-in-one units, and you have the karaoke machines that hook up to your TV, similar to a DVD player.
Now let's look at the different types of karaoke song disks. The mainstream, and most popular, types of disks include DVDs, CDGs, CD+Gs, MP3s, and in-built songs. Most karaoke machines are built to accept one kind or the other, instead of all the different kinds.
DVDs - These are regular DVDs which include the music sound track and then the pictures on your screen are the lyrics. Most of the time you have the lyrics against a solid background. A lot of the newer ones, though, include moving, scenic backgrounds or videos.
CDGs, CD+Gs - Both of these terms mean the same thing. Basically, it is a CD for the sound track, but the CD is also embedded with the graphics, which are the lyrics to the songs. So the "G" simply stands for graphics.
MP3s - These are usually for your computer, MP3 player, or Ipod. You can find software which will strip the vocals from your MP3s so that you can then use the sound tracks for karaoke.
In-built - Some karaoke machines come with their own libraries of karaoke songs, so they are already built into the system.
Lastly, let's look at the various features available on your karaoke machines. Karaoke machines have different features you can use to make the singer sound better and more professional. These features include being able to change the pitch of the song, the key, the tempo, the volume. Being able to add echo to your voice is pretty standard, but some machines also include different ways to adjust this feature also, such as setting different echo lengths. Some machines call the echo feature "reverb".
All karaoke machines have an input for a microphone. But what if you want to sing duets? For this reason, many of the machines now include two microphone inputs. But only some of them have the capability to adjust each microphone separately for pitch and volume.
Another feature that you might like is a scoring system. With this feature you can have karaoke contests or see how your own routine improves with practice. The few machines that have this system usually score your performance on how well you control things like your pitch, tempo, volume, and tone.
There is one other feature that only some karaoke machines include, but it could be an important feature to you. These machines have the capability to let you play the songs with the vocals included to learn the songs, and then you can turn off the vocals to sing karaoke style.
So basically, all those different models, all those different features, and all those kinds of disks, boil down to just a few key concepts. Understanding these concepts will take you a long way towards understanding pretty much any model of karaoke machine. Now that you know them all, have some fun with your karaoke machines!
How to Choose and Buy a Karaoke Machine
Here are some hints and tips on things to consider when choosing and buying a karaoke machine:
Type of Karaoke Machine
The first thing to decide is whether you want a DVD Player/Karaoke Machine or a stand-alone karaoke machine. If you already have a good home entertainment system, you may want to choose a DVD Player/Karaoke Machine, as you can use your home entertainment system speakers with it. These models are also versatile as you can use them in the same way as a standard DVD player, and they tend to be compact and easy to store.
However, if you are looking for a karaoke machine that has its own in-built speakers and television screen, the stand-alone karaoke machine will be the best option. These tend to be bulkier but are ideal if you are going to be having regular karaoke sessions.
If your karaoke machine is only going to be used by the kids, you may want to consider buying one of the funky and fun karaoke machines or stands specifically designed for children.
You should also check the product description of any model that you are considering to make sure that it plays the type of disc that you are likely to use. The main types of disc used are CDs, CDGs and DVDs.
You can find out more about these different types of karaoke machines and karaoke discs on our Types of Karaoke Machine page.
Effects and Features
When you are using your karaoke machine, you’ll want to make your voice sound as good as you can, and different models of karaoke machine have different features and effects to help you to do this. Check the product descriptions carefully to make sure that your chosen model has the effects that you think you’ll want.
Some of the features and effects that you can get are:
- Pitch controller – this alters the pitch of the backing track by speeding it up or slowing it down so that you can change it to suit your vocal range
- Key controller – this alters the key of the song so that you can change it to suit your vocal range
- Echo – this adds an echo effect to your voice, which makes it sound more professional and interesting to listen to because it gives it depth.
- Auto vocal cut – this automatically removes the vocals from recordings that contain the vocal track when you start singing, which means that you can play the track with the vocals to help you learn how to sing the song. This doesn’t work for standard audio CDs, so you can only use it with certain karaoke CDs known as “multiplex recordings”.
Accessories for Karaoke Machines
Check to see whether your chosen model comes with microphones and karaoke discs, as this can add extra value. It’s worth buying a selection of karaoke discs so that you have plenty of choice and two microphones so that you can sing duets!
If the model that you’re buying doesn’t include these, it’s worth ordering them at the same time. You can find out more about some of the different products that you can buy to go with your new karaoke machine on our Accessories page.
Warranty
Check the product description to make sure that you are happy with the terms of the manufacturer’s guarantee, as the warranty length can vary depending on the brand and model that you choose.
Further Information
To find out more about the different types of karaoke machine available, visit our Types section.
For details of specific models of karaoke machine, visit our Brands section.
To find out where you can get some great deals on karaoke machines, visit our Where to Buy section.
To find out more about the types of accessories you can get for your karaoke machine, visit our Accessories section.
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