Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom
Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom

Finding ways to stretch your budget in a music classroom is always important and even more so when trying to purchase high tech electronics, software, and other materials.  This article provides an updated list of dozens of different low cost or free alternatives to expensive music education products.  It includes such categories as music notation software, drill design software, special needs hardware, and many more.

 

Read more
The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.
The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.

This document contains sheet music for all common instruments to play The Star Spangled Banner, also known as the sheet music to the National Anthem of the United States of America. You can view the sheet music online or download the individual parts arranged for all common concert band instruments.  If you do not see your instrument listed please scroll to the bottom of the page and try one of the the other instruments.  Most musicians will be able to find at least one instrumental part that matches their range and preferred key signature.  If you are seeking a simple piano version of the song please select from the voice, trumpet, or alto saxophone versions.

 

Read more
Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom
Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom

Music, band, choir, and orchestra classrooms can be huge and assessing the knowledge and retention of individual students in such a large class can be daunting.  Plickers are one of several solutions that can be adapted to work in large groups, making the act of assessing a student’s understanding a little easier and a whole lot faster.  

Read more
Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check
Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check

In recent years the question of whether or not marching band is a sport has been brought up time and time again for various reasons and by various groups.  On one side you have the YES crowd who says that marching band is competitive, physically demanding, and every bit as much a team event as any traditional sporting event.  On the other side of the coin are those who say no, that marching band is NOT a sport and it is a musical pursuit that happens to involve coordinated movements.  Both sides are right, but to make a final decision we need to look deeper into the facts.  Read on to find out what they are!

Read more
Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews
Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews

Scroll down to view the comparison chart of over a dozen different portable digital audio recorders.

Buying a portable digital audio recorder is a major decision.  The balance between price, features, and quality is a fine line that has many different options to choose from.  There are dozens of different models of portable digital audio recorders, some of which have drastically different sets of features yet sell for roughly the same price.  This easy to read head to head comparison chart and guide to many of the more popular portable digital audio recorders is intended to help potential buyers more easily see these differences and make an educated buying decision.

Read more
Apps and More for the Choral Classroom
Apps and More for the Choral Classroom

The number of apps, software, and gadgets available for use in the music classroom continues to grow each year but finding things that can actually be beneficial to your classes grows more and more difficult as well.  We spoke with Dr. Christopher Russell, Director of Choirs at Oltman Middle School in St. Paul Park, Minnesota to get his must-have list of apps.

Read more
previous arrow
next arrow
Shadow

The History of Karaoke

Details
While Karaoke has become popular in recent years, it is important for everyone who is involved in Karaoke to know and respect the history of Karaoke and how it was created.  This article details a bit of the history and evolution of karaoke as a popular worldwide activity.

The Invention Of The First Karaoke Machine

The Karaoke machine, which has fueled the Karaoke culture into what it is today, was invented by Daisuke Inoue , a Japanese drummer. According to Inoue, his Karaoke machine was nothing more than a car stereo, a coin machine (like the ones used by arcade game machines), and an amplifier.

 

Inoue brought Karaoke into the popular scene by leasing machines to local bars, which would allow any patron to try their hand at singing a song.

Due to the fact that Inoue never patented his Karaoke player , many Japanese electronics companies took advantage of the Karaoke trend and furnished their own devices for commercial and personal usages.

Karaoke Spreads Across Asia

By the 1980's, Karaoke had caught on as a popular trend across Asia. The success of Karaoke in Asia during this time was helped by the fact that songs did not have to be translated into another Asian language before they could be used for singing.

The technology of the Karaoke machine also improved during this time, as companies started to replace the cassette tape with the compact disk. With the popularity of MTV, a special type of compact disk (the video compact disk) was created to allow music videos to be played along with the Karaoke.

Karaoke Comes To The United States

When the 90's arrived, the Karaoke machine managed to make it into the United States. While Karaoke was not extremely popular in the US at first, it slowly caught on as more people started to invest in home theater systems. Additionally, the 90's brought in the first machines that would download a Karaoke song that someone wanted to sing. These machines would connect to the internet and download the desired song using a dial-up connection.

Now, in the 21st century, Karaoke has become a mainstream part of culture. Karaoke bars are now the common venue to sing at and feature an impressive array of technology that makes the first Karaoke machines laughable at best. Karaoke libraries are no longer limited to a set number of songs with the addition of the DVD and the improvement of internet access. Additionally, new equipment can modify the Karaoke song to fit the vocal range of the singer.

Considering the advances of Karaoke since it was created in the early 1970's, it can only be assumed that the technology behind it will continue to improve in years to come.

Note:  The articles on this site may contain referral links to sites such as Amazon and other online retailers.  The small amount of income received from these links has helped keep MusicEdMagic.com up and running for over ten years now.  Thank you for your support!