Karaoke << kair ee OH kee >> is a popular entertainment in which people sing alone or in groups accompanied by recorded music. The word karaoke is a combination of parts of two Japanese words meaning empty and orchestra. The singers sing into a microphone, using a public address system. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol or highlighted type changes to guide the singer. Karaoke may be performed in bars, clubs, or in homes. Karaoke is popular around the world. It is enjoyed in many languages by people of all ages.
Karaoke is believed to have started in the 1970’s in Kobe, Japan. In 1971, Daisuke Inoue, a Japanese musician, designed a type of jukebox that combined a type of audiotape player called an eight-track cassette player, a guitar amplifier, and a coin box. The cassettes featured recordings of popular songs without vocal tracks. Each track of a recording is a separate channel of sound. Most recordings have multiple tracks. Inoue called his invention the 8-Juke. He began leasing the machines to bars in Kobe. The invention became especially popular among Japanese businessmen.
In 1975, the Filipino inventor Roberto del Rosario independently created a music system that included a speaker, tape mechanisms, and an optional tuner or radio. The system could also use a microphone mixer to add special effects to the live singer’s voice. Del Rosario called his invention the Sing-Along System. He received patents for it in 1983 and 1986.
By the mid-1980’s, karaoke had spread to other parts of Asia and other countries around the world. Today, karaoke machines use music recorded on compact discs (CD’s) or digitally (see Recording industry (History) ). Karaoke machines often come with a list of many popular songs from which the singer may choose.
