Controls for Karaoke Systems for Home Help an Aspiring Performer (Instrumentalist)
Copyright 10/2011 by www.GoKaraokeMachine.com
A karaoke machine will assist a musician of any age or skill level to achieve a beautiful performance, with practice.
By practicing with a recording, a musician may master songs more quickly than without a recording, and test his/her level of achievement.
If a karaoke machine has a control for tempo, a singer may perform at a preferred tempo.
If a karaoke machine has pitch control, a singer may sing or play in the singer’s vocal range; or if employing sheet music and an instrument, will be able to perform in the sheet music’s key while reading the sheet music.
To know what will be most wanted from a karaoke machine, a singer must understand the tasks to be performed, and ways a karaoke machine could assist during a performance. These 4 typical examples might help in the visualization.
Teacher Surprised – Student Improves Pitch (Don’t expect a sports story)
As a student musician, I once auditioned for a challenging music class. The teacher thought about not admitting me because I played my instrument “out of tune.”
I practiced with a recording for six weeks.
After the performance, my teacher stated it was unusual that I had remedied my pitch problem, and successfully performed a very difficult piece, as well. It had not only been pitch accuracy that I absorbed from practicing with a recording. The CD example had given me understanding to play at a certain speed, and trying to achieve a certain quality of tone and a certain style of phrasing I could not glean from the sheet music alone.
Before hearing the recording, my phrasing style was uncertain, and my tone undeveloped. The recording provided a measure of polish. It was the teacher I couldn’t afford.
Piano Student “Practices” while Scrubbing Pots
Knowing the value of practicing with a recording, I provided guidance to an older beginner piano student who hoped to achieve a more classically oriented musical education than many “older beginner” piano books allow. I encouraged her to supplement the “older beginner short-cut” piano books with Shinichi Suzuki’s piano course designed for children. (Suzuki’s courses of music with CD are available for many instruments.)
Suzuki believed that emphasis on a good tone is fundamental to a quality musical education. Because tone cannot be seen in sheet music, Suzuki provided a series of CDs to supplement the reading of sheet music. He chose selections with the objective of building musicianship day-by-day, step-by-step. It is required that a student listen to the recording while studying each piece, and that a student study pieces in sequence.
My piano student was able to listen while performing housework, and practiced while reading music when time permitted. While she had little free time, the practice time available was put to use.
The result was consistent progress and achievement over time. She remained inspired, due to the beauty of the pieces, and came to play beautifully due to hearing the depth of tone which made the music come alive. Of course, it helped to believe that if a child could play the songs well, so could she.
In addition to fostering a good performance similar to that on a recording, a karaoke machine can inspire a creative approach if it has the ability to alter three musical attributes: pitch, tempo, and tone. These three attributes of music allow a performer to really interpret a musical selection and adapt the song to his/her abilities as a musician, so that music may occur naturally.
Soprano Can’t Hit Notes, Won’t Sing
As a younger singer in a choral group, I had a soprano voice, and so sang soprano. Unfortunately, I could not hit the really high notes, and this resulted in my feeling I lacked ability as a singer.
I came to prefer playing instruments. My small difficulty proved determinative in the direction of my studies.
As a sometime composer of vocal music, I try to keep vocal parts within the best range for the singer, and consider the need for vocal warm-up within a score to prepare for more difficult vocal passages.
Song Transformed Along with Singer by Simple Change of Tempo
For reasons I can’t explain, I had an aversion to the song My Melancholy Baby (Burnett and Norton) up to the time I heard a performance by Diane Keaton in Woody Allen’s film, Annie Hall. The distinctive feature that caught my attention was that she sang it slowly, which caused her to explore a beautiful tone and mood.
It changed my opinion of the song.After that experience, if called upon to perform (accompany a singer) in a family setting, where I might feel uninspired, a simple choice of different tempo might be all that is needed to free up the performance from a prescribed style and adapt it to my capability and taste.
A video provided in this essay discusses how a singer may employ a basic karaoke machine to obtain conveniences provided through controls on a more capable karaoke machine.
Karaoke musicians will want to note that tempo control is an unusual feature in karaoke, and tends to be on more expensive karaoke machines. A TASCAM trainer, found at www.MusicStudioStore.com, will provide tempo control affordably. In general, tempo control should be digital, so as not to alter pitch.
In choosing a karaoke machine, a basic karaoke machine will often be appropriate. As karaoke singers develop in musical ability, more capable karaoke machines may be preferred. You will want to be aware of the potential importance of pitch control, and the creative potential of variable tempo in a karaoke machine.
At GoKaraokeMachine.com, we offer affordable karaoke machines for home and club and system components which may include variable tempo and pitch control. Our sister site at MusicStudioStore.com brings instruments into the karaoke mix by offering Sheet Music with CDs and TASCAM trainers. Enjoy exploring our sites.
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