Karaoke Glossary - The Jargon Buster!Simply click on the word for an explanation
Balance: A control on the Amplifier or Karaoke Machine which adjusts the level of sound coming from the left or right speakers. BIN File: A karaoke track that is derived from an mp3+g file. Bin files which are burned to a cd will play on karaoke cdg players. In simple terms a bin file is a track which has fused the 2 files of mp3+g (the mp3 and the graphics file) into one, allowing a cdg player to read it. CDG: Refers to the main type of format for karaoke cd's with cd+g being the more correct term. This stands for compact disc plus graphics. These disks contain the normal audio component for producing the music (without lead vocals) plus special code written in the subchannel of the disk which produces the on screen graphics. Cdg disks will only play properly using a cdg compatible player. Ordinary cd players such as those in home stereo systems will only play the music - they will not produce the graphics. The same is true of most cd-rom drives on PC's. In order to rip, burn or play cdg disks on your computer you require a compatible cd-rom drive. All Plextor and some Sony models have this functionality. Alternatively quite a number of PC-DVD drives are capable of reading the subcode. Recently an scdg (s stands for super)format has been developed which allow hundreds of songs on the one disc. CDG Burner: Refers to the process of creating karaoke cd's using your PC. Special karaoke cdg burning software ensures that not only the sound but also the graphics are copied or "burned" to a blank cd. CDGM or CDG Multiplex: A variation to the ordinary cdg disk. Multiplex cdg's contain lead vocals which can be "cancelled" using a cdg player with the multiplex function or by using the balance function on the amplifier. The lead vocals are recorded on either the right or the left stereo channel and can be cancelled by adjusting the balance control. This helps Karaoke singers to learn songs. Not very common nowadays due to DivX and DVD. CDG player: A cd or dvd player capable of playing both the music and the graphics on a cdg karaoke disc. CDG ripper: Software which copies cdg discs to your PC. The best packages are able to rip and reformat files, but most require compatible cd-rom drives capable of reading the subcode, such as drives made by Plextor. Many pc dvd drives are also compatible. DivX: A new video compression format which has been described as the video equivelent to MP3. Allows many more songs than a CDG disc and will play on most DVD players. DVD (Digital Versatile Disc): Recently there has been a slow shift from CDG discs to karaoke DVD's. These are capable of producing both the sound and graphics required for karaoke and in addition video sequences can be added in the background. DVD's are also capable of holding more songs than the traditional cdg discs and can of course be played on a normal DVD player. DVD player: A device capable of playing DVD's. Most DVD players can also play other formats such as CD's and DivX whilst many can now play VCD's and CDG's. Echo: This is an important feature which creates a more professional sound when you sing. The echo control digitally adds repeat and delay sequences to the voice, creating an echo effect for a richer sound. All professional singers use the echo function. Equalizer: An equalizer allows you to filter the level of different sound frequencies and can produce a very professional sound. PC's with a soundcard usually have this feature built in - try clicking the volume control icon in the task bar. Although some karaoke systems have this feature built in, many do not. Input: Refers to the connectors on a piece of equipment which allow other components to be connected. For example a karaoke machine will have at least one microphone input, whilst an amp may have inputs for microphone and cdg player. Kar files: A midi karaoke file format not compatible with most cdg players. Karaoke Book Software: Specialist software which will allows the production of professional looking printed karaoke track lists for use by KJ's. Karaoke Download: The process of getting karaoke songs or software from the internet. Karaoke song downloads are usually in mp3+g file format. Karaoke Machine: The term usually used to describe all-in-one systems, which integrate all or most of the components required to enjoy karaoke. Speaker(s), amplifier and cdg player are sold as one unit (in a similar way to midi hi-fi systems). Karaoke machines range from small children's versions to high end semi-professional units with an integrated TV monitor. Karaoke Software: Computer software required to enjoy karaoke using a PC. This can be a simple karaoke player or a more sophisticated karaoke studio package featuring recording functionality. Karaoke System: Usually refers to a setup of separate electronic components connected by leads and cables. A basic setup would consist of an amplifier, cdg player, speakers and TV monitor. A more advanced system might include lighting effects, an equalizer or cd recorder. Most professional kj's use a system with separate components. Key Changer or Key Control: This is a utility which raises or lowers the pitch of a karaoke track, making it easier for the singer to sing in their own range. In the early days of karaoke this was achieved by slowing down or speeding up the track. Thankfully we now have digital key control where only the pitch is altered and not the tempo(speed) of the track. KJ (Karaoke Jock): The karaoke version of a disc jockey (DJ), ie the karaoke host. Laser Disc: A very early method of producing karaoke - more or less now extinct! Discs look like 12inch cd's and are notoriously unreliable. Microphone or Mic: Perhaps the most important part of a karaoke system. Available wired or wireless (also known as a radio mic) and uni-directional (captures a narrow area of sound - suitable for a solo or lead singer) or omni-directional (captures a wide area of sound - suitable for a choir or backing singers). Midi Files: Computer or synthesiser generated music file. Midi files usually have .mid as their suffix and can also programmed with karaoke lyrics to become .kar files. Mixer: A piece of electronic equipment used to mix vocals and backing music, creating the correct balance. Most karaoke amps include a mixing function. Monitor: Usually refers to the screen on which the karaoke lyrics are shown, which is more often than not simply a portable TV. Can also refer to a small speaker which faces the singer allowing him or her to more easily hear their own voice and/or the backing track. MP3+g files: A simple and effective format for playing karaoke on your pc. Essentially, 2 files - an ordinary music file in MP3 format and a graphics file - are run together to produce the music and the on screen lyrics. The name of each file (other than the extension ie the bit after the full stop) must be identical. Karaoke playing computer software is also necessary. NEO+g: A very new format which allows about 2000 songs to be stored on a single disc, with the added functionality of being able to select songs from a main menu. Requires a NEO+g player of which there are few currently. Output: The connectors on a component which allow processed sound to be passed onto another component. A Cdg player has an output which connects to the Amp which in turn has outputs for the speakers. Speakers: An essential component of any karaoke system. Speakers comprise a woofer (which vibrates to produce the bass (low frequency) notes and a tweeter which vibrates to produce the high (frequency) notes. Streaming Karaoke: A method of enjoying karaoke on your pc. Instead of downloading MP3+g tracks, the music and lyrics are "streamed" to your computer by one of the specialist web sites. No other software or hardware is needed. Subchannel: The part of a cdg disc which contains the graphics which are seen on the screen. Subcode: The special code contained in the subchannel of a CDG disc containing the graphics. This produces the onscreen lyrics. Tone: A control which alters the balance of treble (high frequency) and bass (low frequency) sound. VCD: Video Compact Disc, playable on many dvd players and a good format for karaoke, with plenty of capacity, although rather now overtaken by the DivX fromat Vocal Partner: A facility on multiplex discs which cuts out the lead vocals once the karaoke singer starts to sing into the microphone. Voice Cancel: A facility on multiplex which cuts out the lead vocals by cancelling the left audio channel and splitting the right channel into two with no vocals. Voice Reducer: A facility that reduces the lead vocals on an ordinary music cd. This usually only reduces the voice without cancelling it completely. It may also reduce some of the music which is in the middle range of the audio frequencies. Voice Replace: The same as voice cancel. WAV file: The format used when you rip an ordinary music cd to your pc hard drive. This will also be the format if you rip a cdg track to your pc without either a cdg ripper and a compatible drive. There will be no lyrics on the resulting .wav track.
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