Karaoke - A Blessing For Amateur Singers

When the original voice could be deleted from the track, the stage was set. 

Karaoke is a Japanese term for a performance in which a person sings along to recorded music. It is formed from a reduced version of the term Karappo, which means 'empty,' and an abbreviated version of the word Okesutura, which means 'Orchestra.' As a result, the name can mean "empty orchestra" or, in more familiar terms, "music without the lead melody."

Daisuke Inoue, a Japanese inventor, and musician created the world's first oke machine, the Juke-8, in 1971. The machine's patent, however, is registered by Filipino innovator Roberto del Rosario. He developed the Karaoke Sing-Along Concept in 1975.

Traditionally, film music was presented, or rather duplicated, on stage for public consumption with the assistance of a regular orchestra. Brass, percussion, woodwind, string, and rhythmic sections would make up an orchestra. Saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, tabla, dholak, bongos, tripe congo, drums and octapad, cymbals, flute, harmonica, accordion, harmonium, banjo, violin, mandolin, cello, guitar (string acoustic, electric, Spanish, Hawaiian), piano, keyboard, and other devices and gadgets to produce special effects are typical.

In terms of Light Music Orchestra, I recall vividly A.V. Ramanan's Musiano and Sridhar's Navraags in the 1980s, Balaji's Mazhalai Pattalam, and, more recently, Lakshman-Sruthi, UK Murali, Mouna Ragam Murali, and others in Chennai.

Having spent my whole school life in Mumbai, I can't help but think about Babla and his orchestra, whose plays were hugely famous.

Singing with an orchestra needs skill, planning, and practice. Surprisingly, this was an entry barrier and a stumbling block for aspiring lay vocalists. Those with some talent and ambition couldn't make it to the stage! One had to have a voice that sounded similar to the original singer's and be able to sing well. Only then would he or she be able to sing in an orchestra.

Then there was Karaoke, which had a more common description in its early days — Sing-Along.

With the advent of technology and multi-track recording, as well as the introduction of Karaoke, it was now possible to delete the vocals from a recorded song! As a result, the stage was created for lesser mortals (like me!) to walk on.

BGMs that do not have a voice track

These soundtracks with the whole Background Music (BGM) absent the Voice became known as Minus One songs in professional music circles. In today's terminology, these are known as Karaoke Tracks, and they can be either audio or video. Video tracks are more user-friendly since they allow you to sing along with the visual prompts on the screen.

Singing over audio Karaoke tracks necessitates a greater acquaintance with the song's BGM, subtleties, and cues, which the singer must recreate and remain in tune. Using Open Source, with free software and apps now accessible, one can change the size and/or pace of the tune as well.

Aside from software, which may be used to change these crucial elements to fit one's needs, there are studios and online sites where one can sing and record their performance. Online portals such as Smule and Star Singer are famous, and it is a blessing for budding singers to be able to use these resources to showcase their skills.

There are also YouTube channels run by individuals who provide excellent service by offering free Karaoke tracks, primarily video tracks. Some of them are especially good quality — their replication is quite close to the original. Singing with such high-quality, high-fidelity music is a particularly rewarding experience.

Thousands of people have emerged from their toilets and bedrooms onto the stage as a result of the free availability of such Karaoke songs! We see a range of Karaoke-based acts performed by groups and individuals, both in private and public settings. For these individuals and groups, holding an open event is a cost-effective option because all that is required is audio equipment, which can be rented for a reasonable rate.

As a result, Karaoke has provided opportunities for everyone with some talent to perform on stage. In my upcoming essay, I'll provide some practical and effective Karaoke singing advice. Until then, keep singing...