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Karaoke: Making Stars Around The World
By Horace Jurdon
Sometimes you've just got to sing, and when the mood strikes you to belt out a favorite tune, can set the stage to find the hidden star in you.
With karaoke, anyone can be in the spotlight. Singing is a great stress reliever and the perfect way to leave your worries at the doorstep. Besides, singing makes you feel good and it's just plain fun. A machine is a great way to have a blast with your friends and family and it's the perfect starting point to building your own in-house jam session.
The word "karaoke" is a Japanese term derived from two words: Kara, meaning "empty", and Oke, a short term for "okesutora" (orchestra). This "empty orchestra" is actually an entertainment system that's packed with pre-recorded musical scores of popular songs and melodies. Most machines provide a screen with lyrics for the performers to follow along as the music plays on.
Karaoke music and parties have fully swept Asia, and is now making a solid presence in North America. Since the first virtual concert machine was introduced in 1970's Japan, parties have favorite pastimes for music aficionados of all stripes. became so popular, the media adopted the term to use on occasions when a live performance was substituted by pre-recorded or "canned" music.
This history of Japan is rich with artistic elements, including music. Traditional Japanese music is present in ancient culture, mythology and history. Japanese Samurais are even known to use dancing, singing and music as an element in their training and education.
The history of in Japan begins in the early 1970s with a singer named Daisuke Inoue. He was so popular at a bar called "Utagoe Kissa" that the crowd began to ask for recordings of his music so that they could sing along. Seeing the potential, Inoue created a tape recorder that would play a song for a 100 yen coin. At that time, 100 yen would buy two lunches, so this was considered to be a rather pricey pastime. Regardless, the combination of old-fashioned jukebox and would-be machine proved to be a huge hit in Japan. Inoue decided to lease the machines to nightclubs and stores, so that they would not have to purchase new songs on their own.
The invention proved such an important social success that Daisuke Inoue was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. The basis of his award was for "providing an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate each other."
The
act of singing is known as "Karaoke Time", and has been a popular form of entertainment in East Asia since the early 1980's. The phenomenon quickly spread to other parts of the world, and its popularity soon reached record heights. Before long, the craze reached North American shores, took the entire continent by storm and opened brand new opportunities for enterprising individuals.
This new entertainment import flourished in the western world. Enterprising Americans quickly saw the potential of investing in this new type of entertainment. It provided cool, relaxing fun and was able to bring people together in a patient and tolerant manner. Nightclubs and bars known as "KTV boxes" began to open across North America, bringing new venues, software and equipment to eager performers.
Since first arriving in the United States and other western countries, has gained regard and respect. Even though American bars are unlikely to feature seven nights a week as they do in East Asia, many have upgraded their equipment from the small, standalone machines that started the craze more than twenty years ago. While the singers perform, those in the audience can read along with the lyrics on television screens displayed throughout the bars. Many clubs even provide big screen TVs.
Many North American homes have also welcomed the sensation. From inexpensive machines for kids to pricey high-end versions, home machines can be connected to a pre-existing entertainment center, allowing family and friends to join in the fun. When performers tire of the music on hand, they can simply go online to download tracks from the Internet. With music available on the web, plus a couple of computer speakers and a microphone, you don't even need a machine to sing like a star.
If you've got song in your heart and just need to sing out loud, find a machine and bring out the star in you. Writer Horace Jurdon writes for some of today's most popular Internet magazines, on hobby crafts and ultimate hobby topics.
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