Without a Doubt, You Love to Sing
One thing about great singers, they can get stage fright. It is not easy to go to a bar or lounge and sing in front of strangers on karaoke night. A lot of courage is involved when you try to display your vocal talents outside of your home.
If you are one of these people who have trouble singing in front of others, the best solution is to set up your own karaoke opportunity in your own home. Keep reading to find out how to do that.
3 Ways to have a top Home Karaoke Experience
1. Buy your own karaoke machine
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This is not out of the question for many people, especially if they do not have a computer to use. A home karaoke machine comes with everything you need already built into the device. There are three good reasons why you should buy your own machine to use at parties.
- One, you do not have to use your computer and download different software that will cost you a lot of money.
- Two, you do not need extra wires and other equipment as everything is included in your purchase.
- Three, these machines are very affordable and often cost less than a good computer.
- Plus, they are portable so you can take these machines to your friend’s house when you do not want to take your computer.
2. Use your Laptop
This is ideal when you are home alone and want to sing. The internet is full of karaoke software you can download and use to sing your night away. That makes it a handy method to practice your favorite songs.
One thing about using your laptop is that you can sing in the privacy of your home and make all the mistakes you want without feeling embarrassed. It is easy to build your singing confidence with this method. However, when you have friends over that also want to sing, the small screen is not that beneficial.
It is hard to sing crouching down or bending over to see the lyrics. In this situation you will need a large screen t.v. to handle the display portion of your karaoke singing. Then you will need to buy microphones, wires and so on just to have a great evening with friends singing some great songs.
3. The customized method
This method is used when you want a more professional atmosphere when you want to sing for a few hours. Also, this is probably the most expensive method you can use to entertain yourself and your friends.
Here is the equipment you will need when you want to go all-in with your karaoke time:
- Large screen television- needs HDTV connections and capability
- HDMI and XLR cables
- Microphones- the number depends on how many people will be singing at the same time
- Mixer
- Amplifier and speakers- a home entertainment center will also work here
The cost of this equipment will depend on where you buy them and the brand name you decide to go with. One thing is for sure, this method is far more expensive than the other two.
The music source
If you are brave enough, you can always do karaoke without the lyrics and music. All you have to do is have enough confidence in your voice to sing Acapella. But the karaoke experience actually requires music and lyrics. There are several sources you can go to in order to sing the different songs without having the professional vocals accompanying you.
Here are only a few suggestions for you to select from:
1. Compatible CDs
There are those karaoke machines that will play certain CDs. As long as the CDs are compatible with the machine, you will get the music and the lyrics without any vocals attached.
Or you can purchase those machines that have a USB port that does the same thing for flash drives as it does for CDs. They only provide the music and the lyrics for you to sing with.
Some other karaoke machines will connect to your computer and do the same job. You will be able to use either the CD or the USB options with this method.
2. Karaoke streaming services
There seem to be a few of them around and you just have to go through them to see which one will offer you the best deal. many of these services will have a free week trial period where you can test them out before paying any money.
That is the main drawback to these services. After the free trial period, you will have to pay some money. One offers its full service for $49 per week or $129 a month while another only charges $99 for their product while offering group packages, discounts, and renewal fees.
Finally, there are those that won’t tell you how much their service cost. You have to contact their sales department to get a quote. Then you may be able to select different packages from the same company and plan your music nights according to your needs.
3. Karaoke apps
This option works on your mobile phone and can be either iPhone or Android ready. The good news about these apps is that they are advertised as being free. The hardest decision you will have is deciding on which app you should purchase.
These apps are not perfect and some users have pointed out their weaknesses in their online reviews. They are available through the App Store and Google Play outlet so you know these options are legitimate and can be used for hours of fun.
4. Misc options
There are other options you can use and they are simple to operate. One option would be to use YouTube. All you have to do is search for instrumentals of your favorite songs and play them. This option would require that you already have the lyrics printed in front of you.
There are supposed to be karaoke instrumentals on YouTube so you can do a search for those songs and get the lyrics at the same time. It’s free and you can use your laptop screen or connect your laptop to your large screen television set so everyone can join in on the fun.
Another option is not free but it is handy. If you already bought the Amazon fire stick, you just hook your mixer, television and stick them together. Then tell Alexa to play karaoke night and you are on your way to a fun evening filled with music and singing.
Or you can create your own karaoke music by using an MP3 backing track and Lyric Video Creator. The process to create your own karaoke music may be a bit complicated and you will have to have some technical knowledge to do a good job.
Setting up your home karaoke experience
This is not really a difficult job to do when you are only using your computer or when you decided to buy a karaoke machine and use it. Even the all-in home karaoke system is not designed to be set up by rocket scientists or electronics experts.
Just follow the upcoming instructions and you will be able to enjoy karaoke at home within minutes.
1. The computer option
This is the easiest of all three methods so it deserves to go first. All you need to do is turn your computer on, create your free account at one of the app locations and download the app.
Next, you need to choose the songs you want to sing that night. After that, you simply hit play and start singing. You do not need any wires, microphones, or speakers for this method. Also, some apps allow you to change the pitch of the songs in order to match your voice.
2. The karaoke machine option
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- Connect to your TV for Scrolling lyrics via included RCA cable (TV Not included)....
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This is a little more involved than using your computer but not by much. This time you will have to attach some wires but if you can match colors then this is a very simple method to use.
Usually, all the wires and ports are colored-coded so all you have to do is plug red to red, yellow to yellow, and white to white. Then you may have to connect the HDMI cable but those cables and ports are unique in their design so you won’t be confused as to which port to use.
The final wire you need to hook up will be the one from your microphone to the machine. Again, this is not hard nor confusing, it is just a matter of putting the cable in the right spot. This cable’s connectors and ports are not the same, for the most part, as the red, yellow, and white cables you plugged in.
Oh, and do not forget to plug in the power cords. You won’t have much of a karaoke night if you omit this step. The machine and your HDTV will need electricity to work.
3. The customized option
Sometimes this is called the all-in method because you are using a lot more equipment. The reason many people use this option is that they get a better, more professional sound to the music as well as for their voice.
The hardest part is making sure you have the right wires plugged into the right ports. There are a lot of wires as you are using one or microphones, a mixer, amplifier, and speakers. Not to mention the large screen television you are using as a screen.
This option takes a little time to set up as you have to find the right places for the plugs while not mixing up those wires. If you do twist the wires, you will be giving yourself a little more work to get them untangled.
Once you have everything in place, you should have a good time on karaoke night. if you buy the right system, the ports and plugs should be color-coded or there should be labels placed under the ports letting you know which plug goes where.
What to look for in equipment
It is possible to go cheap and buy just any old equipment to use for your karaoke hobby. But that way of going about this is not the correct way. Not only do you get what you pay for, but you may be replacing pieces of equipment when they break down. That gets expensive and may postpone your singing time until you can get the money to replace those bad components
The following guidelines should direct you to the top-quality components that will make your karaoke experience superior to any other option:
1. Brand name
While many people do not like big-name corporations, those famous brands may be the only place to go to get the best equipment. These corporations have a reputation to protect.
Plus they have been in the business a long time and know when to not take any shortcuts when building their products. These items may cost you more but at least you know you are getting top-quality parts.
Also, if anything goes wrong with those products, you know you have a warranty and a good return policy backing up your purchase. Just make sure to read the fine print and do not treat the components in an abnormal manner.
2. Microphones
There are two types of microphones you can buy. The first type is the wired version and using them is very straight forward. The second type is the wireless option which gives you lots of freedom of movement when you sing.
Then, you need to find the right mic to use for singing as each of these two types come with different components making some better for speaking, some good for recording, and others good for singing. Take your time here and look at frequency options, as well as other key factors to make sure you get the best one for your purpose.
3. Speakers
Again, you can choose wired or wireless devices, and both options are fairly good. The wireless allows you to set up the speakers in any location you want. The wired style restricts your placement options considerably.
Like microphones, the quality of speakers you get will depend on your budget and how much you are willing to pay. Sometimes cheaper speakers produce great sounds and expensive ones fall short. You just never know till you try them out. Don’t get rushed into buying any set of speakers by the salesman as the quality of your voice does depend on the quality of the speakers.
4. Mixer
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This component is not mandatory when you use a karaoke machine or your computer. It is necessary when you create your own customized karaoke system. When you do that, you need to make sure the mixer is compatible with the style of microphone and set of speakers you are going to use.
The key aspect of the mixer is that it connects all your components together so you need one that will work with your large screen television set as well as all the other components you are using to create your sound. That includes when you are using wireless equipment. If the mixer is not set up for wireless, then you need to keep looking to find one that is.
5. Music software
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The key to any karaoke system, no matter which one you use, is compatibility. if the software is not compatible with your computer, karaoke machine, or customized system, then you are wasting your time and money.
You need to read all the details involved with the sound software to make sure it will play on your system. This means you will have to spend a little time reading instructions or owner’s manuals before you buy, just to make sure compatibility won’t be a problem.
6. Cables
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Usually this component is an afterthought and not given much attention or priority. But the type of cables you use will influence the sound and quality of the transmission.
If you are not sure about which cables you should buy, you should talk to some sound experts first before talking to a salesman. The latter person is out to make a sale and can say anything to get you to buy the product.
The sound expert will let you know which brands are best and why. Shielded cables are always the best to buy as they will protect the transmission and sound quality. Also, make sure the cables will be long enough.
If they are not, then you will have set up issues to deal with that could have been avoided. You do not have to go too long but just be long enough for the room you are going to have your karaoke experience.
7. Computer
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If you are going to use this device for your karaoke time, you need to make sure it has the memory and components to handle the workload. Computer speed is important as is having the right streaming service or app.
You can’t just rush out and buy a new computer just to handle your karaoke hobby. If your computer is not up to the task, buy a karaoke machine instead.
