Colin's Disco offer a full range of Karaoke Services which can be hired separately or as an element to a Disco.

The Karaoke Craze swept into Great Britain from Japan in the mid-80s, and seems to be here to stay!

Karaoke, from the Japanese meaning ‘Empty Orchestra’ is a modern Japanese custom - a way of team building, relaxing and confidence building. In the Western World it is more just a form of entertainment and pure fun!

At Colin's Disco we use a specialist Karaoke Console which is different from our usual Disco console.  As well as the necessary Effects and Mic Mixing, it has special CD Players which read the graphics on the Karaoke Disc and output them to a monitor. Depending on connections we can also hook up to a venue large screen TV or Projector, or you could even hire our own specialist Projection Screen or 42" LCD.

Because of the different equipment needed for Karaoke it must be booked in advance. Please also note that the sound system is different and optimised for Karaoke, so if your party is particularly large then it is best to choose either Disco or Karaoke, and not a mixture of both., Of course, even at a Karaoke we will play music too, if there are any quiet periods or whilst waiting for people to hand in slips and get a good few drinks in them!

Karaoke is particularly popular with students, and we do a large number of them for Durham University, where we are approved suppliers. We also do Karaoke for Foreign Language Students at Summer School as it can be an excellent way to learn English 'on the fly'! And we have fantastic regular Karaoke events at St Aidan's College, Durham!

Karaoke is a great way to break the ice at school, college or university, and is also used extensively at Company Conferences, Fundraisers as well as at the more offbeat Birthday Bash! It's especially effective if you combine it with a Fancy Dress party!

It isn't even unheard of to have a bit of a Karaoke Session at a Wedding!! Certainly a way to do things just a little differently!

If the above has given you a desire for Karaoke, then feel free to contact me for prices and more details!

Or - for those who want to know everything........ read on!

Some Common Karaoke Questions

Why does the music sound different to on the radio/CD?

Because it is different! Many people believe that a Karaoke track is simply the original recording, but with the vocals removed. However the record companies would never allow that, and instead simply licence the musical score to the Karaoke companies, who employ musicians to play the backing track, without the vocals. This is why karaoke disks sound very different to the original recordings.

 How can I sound as good as the original singer?

Well - obviously the original is performed by a professional artist, in a recording studio with specialist equipment. If you are a poor singer then nothing is going to make you sound good - the idea is just to have a good time.  However, if you have a half decent voice, then with good microphone and breathing technique, and plenty of practice you will still sound good. Your DJ will constantly be adjusting sound levels, reverb, echo etc to try to achieve the best sound too.

 How should I hold the Microphone?

Basically hold it firmly about half way up, and at a slight angle to your face. Don’t hold it vertically or horizontally. Remember that the closer the mic is to your mouth, the more bass will be generated, and the further away, the less bass. So, you can adjust the sound without being louder or quieter, just by moving the mic. Try moving it whilst you are singing, to find the position that works best for you. Under no circumstances ‘cup’ the mic or hold it like you see Rap stars doing it. Trust me you will sound awful, and run the risk of damaging equipment. Mostly when you see this on TV it is actually dubbed. When it is really live then special equipment and techniques are used. Watch other singers and entertainers and you will see that they mostly hold the microphone in similar ways. This is because Mic design isn’t new, and there are technical descriptions of Pick Up patterns etc - too long to go into here. Also - never ever tap or bang the microphone to see if its working. Your DJ will ensure the mic is on when it needs to be. Tapping or banging it can damage the delicate diaphragm, which will make the mic sound poor, or even worse - stop it working or even damage other equipment.

 What should I do if I mess up?

Don’t worry about it! It’s supposed to be a fun night, so just pick up where you can, and carry on. Nobody expects Placido Domingo or Kylie Minogue, just enjoy yourself. If you lose your place in the song then stop, smile, listen and drop back in where you can. If you are nervous, perhaps get someone else to sing with you, or on standby to jump in. Likewise - if you see someone else mess up, help them out by joining in from the sidelines, or cheering them on!

The 'Rules' of Karaoke

DO - Encourage other singers with applause before and after their song.

DO - Choose 1 song at a time (sing 1, bring 1!).

DO - Try to relax, breathe properly and enjoy yourself.

DO - Pass the Song Book etc around.

DO - Hold the microphone firmly in the ‘normal’ grip, without fiddling (it will be picked up by the speakers)

DO - Hold the microphone close to your mouth, then adjust the distance to get the best sound.

DO - Choose songs you are familiar with (Unless you are a good singer, in which case why not try something new?)

DO - Help - if you see a singer struggling, then sing-a-long, or cheer them on

DO - Be patient and wait your turn to sing

DO - Enter the Singing Area quickly when your name is called to sing

DO - Respect the Songbooks. They are expensive to produce.

DON’T - Trick others into singing, or put forward the name of someone who doesn’t want to get up

DON’T - Tap or bang the microphone. They are switched on when needed so no need to do this, and you can damage an expensive piece of equipment

DON’T - Cup the microphone ‘Rapper Style’. It will make you sound awful. When you see this on TV it’s usually dubbed, or else specialist mics/mixers are used

DON’T - Ask the DJ if he has a certain track. If it isn’t in the songbook - we don’t have it!

DON’T - Ask to jump the queue, or hand in loads of slips at once. It isn’t fair on others

DON’T - Scream, yell or tap/bang or shout into the microphone

DON’T - Swing the microphone by the lead or toss it in the air. This is dangerous and may damage the equipment. If you do this you will be asked to leave the singers area, and charged for any damage.

DON’T - Don't take your drink in the Singers Area

And most of all - have a GREAT TIME at one of our Karaoke nights!