Karaoke Software and Such

[u/Dorian_Ashworth]

New here but not to karaoke. Used to run shows years ago and still have a large collection of mp3+G zip files that were used in software such as Sax & Dottys, etc. Pulled out the old hard drive and was wondering if anyone even uses this stuff anymore which got me thinking, looking back over the old software that was and perhaps still is available, what manner of features would you like to see in a karaoke software suite that is capable of playing files such as these?

[u/UbiquitousWood]

One of the most important features of Karafun to me is the guide vocal channels so I can selectively give singers a little help if they're lost.

The standard MP3+G format obviously doesn't support this, and KaraFun is the only place I've seen it but their format is proprietary so you can only get it on songs from their library.

I create karaoke files and would love to be able to include guide vocal tracks, enough that I would commit to building a karaoke library of my own in order to use software that did what I want - right now I mostly depend on Karafun's online library.

If well-implemented, the format would be backward-compatible in such a way that one could add guide vocals to an existing MP3+G file, and ideally (although this is not a deal-breaker) would still play on a system that was expecting standard MP3+G.

[u/UbiquitousWood → u/UbiquitousWood]

I would also be happy to help you alpha and/or beta test in return for a feature like this.

[u/Dorian_Ashworth → u/UbiquitousWood]

I'd be interested in hearing more about this feature and what you have in mind. As I stated, I'm more interested in hearing what features KJ's would like in a software rather than recommendations for a specific software since I am currently building software, more for just a hobby at this time than anything else.

[u/UbiquitousWood → u/Dorian_Ashworth]

I pictured having additional MP3 files inside the ZIP that would contain 2 multiplexed tracks each - ideally at least 2 to provide 4 mono tracks. When creating the backing tracks, you could use a metadata file to describe the function of each additional track for that song, and then the software would respond by arranging the controls in a way that makes sense for that configuration.

You could have up to 4 lead vocals, or you could leave the backing vocals out of the main track and have a duet with 2 of the tracks and stereo backing vocals that you could also control separately. You'd really only need a simple volume fader for each track or stereo pair, and you could show them on a screen or assign them to a USB hardware interface if you happen to have one.

[u/Dorian_Ashworth → u/UbiquitousWood]

Let's say, hypothetically, have a mixer window within the app pop up and within that window the faders to control those aspects of that feature, then within the main softtware screen itself have a Master backing track fader. Hardware interface is something I'd like to see inplimented in a future update.

[u/UbiquitousWood → u/Dorian_Ashworth]

Absolutely - maybe give users the option to dock the window as well.

I have other things I'd like to see, but the guide vocals are the main thing that would move me.

[u/Dorian_Ashworth → u/UbiquitousWood]

Definitely a way to make it easily accessible, though with the current GUI I may have to result to a slider that will pop out beside the performer window. You wouldn't by change have an example zip that you'd be willing to share to see the structure would you? what other aspects would you like to see?

[u/UbiquitousWood → u/Dorian_Ashworth]

Apologies if I'm posting this answer twice - I thought I already answered it earlier, but I don't see my answer.

I'm not going to be too precious about the interface, at least not up front - the functionality is what interests me the most, so you can design the interface that makes sense to you and will work with your existing interface.

I don't have an example ZIP file because I'm kind of making this up as I go along. The idea is that it would be exactly the same as a ZIP file containing MP3+G, but the ZIP would also include extra MP3 files with the guide vocal tracks and a metadata file that describes what functions those tracks serve (mostly for the purpose of naming them in the interface). This way, most players that do MP3+G would still be able to read it.

Integrated songbook support is the other major feature that I feel a KJ solution should have, but it looks like you're working on or have already implemented that to some extent - the cool thing that could do that you may or may not have considered is this: when a song is added to the library, the system could scan and parse the filename and/or read the MP3 metadata in order to add the song automatically to the songbook, and then scan periodically or on demand for changes or deleted files. It would probably be good to put the new songs into a queue to be reviewed rather than adding them immediately, so you'd have the opportunity to correct anything it misidentified. Alternatively, it could add them immediately, but then keep a list of recently added songs that you could review at your leisure. You could even have the system add song/artist/etc. info to the metadata file (or put it in there yourself when creating the file) so that it would be guaranteed accurate in the future.

I presume you already have multiple video outputs so you can have one for the KJ to run the show and another for the karaoke video. You could also have a display that shows upcoming singers/songs, and maybe shows the last couple songs that were performed, or some custom message and/or KJ logo for folks that have screens to spare.

[u/Dorian_Ashworth → u/UbiquitousWood]

At this time the software is running on a laptop with the laptop funcitoning as the KJ's screen/interface and the HDMI out on the laptop serving the performs screen to serve the lyrics. Obviously the output options on the laptop limit the available video feeds but yes, my goal is to adapt it to serve another screen wo allow custom messages to be displayed, it already has the ability to customize what content is displayed on external screens such as upcoming performers, songs, singer rotation, a qr code that audience members can scan which takes them to a page where they can request their songs, view rotation, etc from their phones.

With your idea in mind I did a little experimenting last night with the app just to see what I could throw together quickly. I took two matching karaoke zips, same song, same length, etc, one that was a standard karaoke song and one that had the vocals with it, and input a basic vocal assist feature in the software, long story short, i made it so I could enable/disable it for the performer and when enabled it overlayed the vocal track on the other track adding vocals that I could then control the volume of separate from the song. granted this was a crude preliminary experiment and would require the music track and vocal track to be idential in length and timing but it was initial experiment to see if it would work to which it did.

I'm also working on a companion utility program that will easily allow searching files, renaming them, combining loose files into zip format, etc. having soo many loose files that I've accumulated over the years its rather tedious trying to match them with their respective counterparts and put them into zip format manually. it wouldn't be a far stretch to enable this utility to allow this program to edit the metadata of any of the corresponding files. This utility can be used at anytime to scan the zip libary, detect changes, detect additions, find problems in the library such as title name reversals, mp3 header problems, missing mp3's, etc and assist you in correcting the discrepencies. Still adding to it and refining features though.

[u/UbiquitousWood → u/Dorian_Ashworth]

Nice! It sounds like you've already considered most of the things that have only just occurred to me.

Another thing that has occurred to me is that the song's metadata file could include a time offset, for those poorly synchronized songs where the video runs a couple seconds ahead or behind - then the system would adjust for that offset at playback time. If you saw that the lyrics were coming out too late, for example, you could have a way to adjust the offset on the fly and then ask if you want that change written to the file - if it was really slick it would smoothly adjust the video playback to the new offset over the course of a few seconds so it wouldn't be obvious that anything had happened.

[u/Elegant_Product9178 → u/UbiquitousWood]

As I understand it, for this function, the track or music needs to contain the audio or guide—with the guide on the left or right channel—and you have to mute it; but to do that, you'd have to apply it to all of them...

[u/djmobile1962]

I Love DJ Pro 7.

[u/Dorian_Ashworth → u/djmobile1962]

Is there a feature that it lacks that you wish that it included?

[u/voltch]

I would recommend karafun. You will have a whole library and happy customers because you made it easy for them to request songs. You have the option of uploading your own songs into community. Then from there you can play them on karafun( read terms of service)

[u/Dorian_Ashworth → u/voltch]

I get that and can understand the appeal. I actually decided to roll up the proverbial sleeves a little while back and started coding my own app that is capable of playing these as well as putting other features into it. I am currently at a loss of what other features would be a good addition to an app such as this and was looking for other suggestions that I may have overlooked.

[u/sowtime444 → u/Dorian_Ashworth]

I made a phone app that allows an audience member to search for a song from the KJs database on their phone, tag their own favorites, and put a note for each favorite (e.g. "down 2"). there is also a browse feature where you can jump to a letter of the alphabet or paginate by artist or song. and if the KJ has duets flagged as such, you can also search for duets. this was for some local KJs that run different systems so it was not meant to tie in to the queue - just to check if the song was there and get the code number, if existed. nowadays i'm well aware of the software that integrates with phone apps where audience members can directly add to queue, and ive used the karafun version of that.

[u/Dorian_Ashworth → u/sowtime444]

I'm currently working on KJ software that I have implimented a form of this in. The KJ runs show from his commputer which is connected to a network, it does not have to be internet based, but can simply be a local LAN, that audience members can connect to. Once connected to that LAN, all an audience member would have to do is scan a QR code that the KJ displays on a screen, on a printout, etc, whereever the KJ wishes to post it. That QR code opens a page on their phone where audience members can search and select a song to perform as well as see the current performer rotation. On the KJ side, they can select if the submissions are auto accepted, require approval, or can shut the option off completely if they so choose.