Glossary for Karaoke

In addition to all of the terminology associated with consumer electronic products, a few additional terms are used almost exclusively in karaoke. These terms are meant to familiarize you with the world of Karaoke. The features listed below may not necessarily pertain to the particular Singing Machine that you have. The following are some brief explanations of karaoke terms.

Auto Voice Control (AVC)

When the AVC function is activated, the vocals on a multiplex recording are eliminated as soon as the singer begins singing into the microphone. When the singer stops singing, the vocals on the multiplex recording are automatically re-activated. This useful function is used primarily during practice sessions while a singer is learning a song. Please note that the AVC function only works with multiplex recordings and not with standard audio recordings.

CDG

This is an acronym for Compact Disc plus Graphics. You will also see variations CD+G and CD+Graphics. This is a regular CD with information stored on a data track simultaneous to music. In laymen's terms, CDG has a video output for simple graphics (not full motion video). In the case of karaoke, the graphics function is used to store song lyrics, and display the lyrics in synch with the music. In most cases, CDG software displays lyrics, which change color as they are to be sung. A regular television is all that is required to display CDG lyrics.

Echo

Echo adds depth and resonance to a singer's voice. This echo is produced by creating minor controlled feedback in the singer's voice. The echo function does not affect the music.

Key Controller

Key Controller changes the key of the music (+ or - steps) to adjust to the singer's voice.

Multiplex

A Multiplex allows you to separate the vocals and music by using the balance control on your Singing Machine Karaoke System.

Pitch Control

This function controls pitch of music by controlling the speed at which a cassette tape plays back. By increasing the speed of the tape, the music sounds higher (sharp). By slowing the tape speed, the music sounds lower (flat).

Glossary for Musical Instruments

Chord

In music and music theory a chord is three or more different notes that are played simultaneously, or near-simultaneously.

Harmony

In Western music, harmony is the use and study of pitch simultaneity, and therefore chords, actual or implied, in music. The study of harmony may often refer to the study of harmonic progressions, the movement from one pitch simultaneity to another, and the structural principles that govern such progressions.

Melody

A melody, also tune, voice, or line, is a series of linear events or a succession, not a simultaneity as in a chord. However, this succession must contain change of some kind and be perceived as a single entity (possibly Gestalt) to be called a melody.

Polyphony

Polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony).