| Karaoke mania is sweeping the world! Have you taken | | | | What's a new craze without it's own specialized |
| your trip up to the stage yet to belt out your favorite | | | | vocabulary to go with it? Here are some words to |
| song to those you know and love? If not, you might | | | | know: |
| just find yourself on the singing end of your nearest | | | | Karaoke Player - this is the karaoke machine itself. It |
| karaoke system very soon! | | | | plays songs, or music without the words. The lyrics are |
| So what is this anyway? What's the buzz about the | | | | shown on a monitor so people can still sing the song |
| newest karaoke player? What do you need to know | | | | even if they don't know the words. |
| to be "in the know" about this latest craze? Here are | | | | Spinning Karaoke - this is cycling on stationary bicycles |
| some facts, figures, lingo, and trivia you may want to | | | | while singing. What a workout! |
| know. | | | | KJ - this is the Karaoke DJ. He runs the karaoke |
| Karaoke is a Japanese word, made up of | | | | system, and gets everyone involved. He adjusts the |
| abbreviations of two other Japanese words. "Kara" | | | | player to alter the key or the pitch to better match the |
| comes from the word "karappo", meaning empty. | | | | voice range of the singer, and adds some echo, so |
| "Oke" comes from the word "okesutura", meaning | | | | that everyone sounds more professional. |
| orchestra. So "Karaoke" literally means empty | | | | Kamikaze Karaoke - In Kamikaze Karaoke, the KJ will |
| orchestra. Karaoke players play the music of the | | | | choose a pitch number for you, and you have to try to |
| songs, without the lead vocals. So empty orchestra | | | | sing the song in that pitch. |
| means you get the music without the voices. | | | | Hitokara - means you must sing the song alone. |
| The first system was invented in the 1970's in Kobe, | | | | Karamovie - movie video clips where they leave out |
| Japan, by Daisuk Inoue, a musician. He leased his | | | | the voices |
| player for 100 yen, and Karaoke soon became the fun | | | | Health Benefits: |
| thing to do. Unfortunately, he did not get a patent for | | | | And here is great news - karaoke singing releases |
| his invention, and someone else went on to patent it | | | | endorphins! Those are the "happy hormones" that |
| under a different name, "Minus-One". | | | | make us feel good! |
| As you see, his Minus-One system didn't catch on | | | | In addition, singing releases stress and tension, and |
| near as well as the catchy "Karaoke", so Daisuk still | | | | helps exercise the lungs. So the next time you want to |
| got his claim to fame. Word of Daisuk's new machine | | | | head off to your local karaoke bar, you can feel good |
| spread, and from Japan it has now become wildly | | | | about it! |
| popular all across Asia, Europe, and the USA. | | | | Newest Types of Karaoke Player: |
| Perhaps karaoke players are most popular of all in | | | | Now you can get Karaoke Ipods, Cell Phones, and |
| Finland. Finland holds several world records. They have | | | | DVD Player/Karaoke System combos. China has a |
| more karaoke bars per capita than any other place in | | | | Karaoke car. Japan, and now spreading to other |
| the world. They hold the world record for the largest | | | | countries, has Karaoke Boxes - system |
| amount of people singing the samesong at one time: | | | | sound-insulated rooms. |
| 80,000 people! What song were they singing? Hard | | | | Latest News: |
| Rock Hallelujah! Finland also holds the world record for | | | | Jackie Chan will sing the opening song for the 2008 |
| the longest round of non-stop singing: 240 hours! | | | | Beijing Summer Olympics - KARAOKE STYLE! |
| Imagine that! Now you can use your system to come | | | | Go figure. Maybe there's something to this after all. |
| up with new world records! | | | | You should try it! |
| Karaoke Lingo: | | | | |