What’s great about many of these karaoke machines is that they’re plug-and-play. Ones that don’t have a built-in display for lyrics connect to a television or through a home stereo receiver. What’s great about karaoke subscription services is the instantaneous cloud access to thousands of songs with an easy-to-use interface, saving you from having to shuffle through music CD+Gs or external media storage. Wired microphones are the easiest to set up, so long as the cord doesn’t get in the way (for example, dancing, during performances, foot traffic). Otherwise, there are microphones that offer wireless freedom, but they can be expensive as well as take a bit more effort to set up properly. But no matter what, always have at least two microphones available. Duets are more fun (and less terrifying) than solo performances, even if the song choice wasn’t originally meant for two people. And in the cases where you only feature one singer at a time, the second microphone becomes a handy backup in case anything happens to the first one or if the event requires an emcee. While some speakers connect to a karaoke player or device running a karaoke subscription service, leverage the power of your home stereo receiver to avoid substantial tweaking of the sound output and to enhance the audio through adjustment of its equalizer controls. These mixers work with computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets as well as with karaoke machines and receivers.
Do a trial run a day or two before the party. Double-check all audio, video, and internet connections (particularly if you’re holding the party further away from your wireless networks such as in the garage or back yard).Sound test your system with the microphones and singing. You may need to make some adjustments to the levels to get it right.Notify your neighbors as a courtesy.Set up a general playlist to keep the party vibe going without interruption. You can always change to a different track at any time.Invite your friends to send special song requests before the party so that you don’t spend time searching for them.Consider setting up teams for competitions, complete with judging and point-scoring.Have a bunch of costumes, wigs, props, and accessories available for everyone to use.
