Using Karaoke Tapes

by Howard and Sylvia Lenhoff

As you listened to Gloria's holiday tapes, you may have wondered how we could afford to pay a band and chorus to accompany Gloria's singing. We couldn't; instead we used musical backgrounds provided in the popular karaoke ("Sing-along") audio cassettes.

Karaoke tapes are also useful to teach your children new songs and to sing with accompaniments. We have been using this technique for several years. For those not familiar with these tapes, on one side you can listen to a singer with an accompanying band. The other side plays only the accompaniment so that you can sing the song solo. (Some tapes may separate the singer from the songs by switching from both stereo channels to only one.)

In either case, it is easy and fun! You can usually purchase a wide variety of karaoke tapes in either general or specialized music stores in most metropolitan areas. If you can't find a convenient store, the tapes can be obtained by mail order. The two companies that I like the most and that have large selections are: Pocket Songs, 50 Executive Blvd., Elmsford, NY 10523-1325, and Lonestar, 920 South Oyster Bay Road, Hicksville, NY 11801-3518. Pocket Songs covers the range from kiddy songs, to old time popular favorites, to current music.

There is one special trick we use that we find well worth the effort. It helps your child and relieves you of countless hours of finding specific songs on the tapes. We purchase inexpensive tapes that play 5-8 minutes per side. Then we find the songs that Gloria likes and put only one song with accompaniment on one side of a single tape, and then put the accompaniment alone of that song on the other side. We then label the tape and the plastic cassette box. After that Gloria is on her own. She goes into her room for hours, plays and listens to both sides, practices singing on her own, and within a week she has added a number of new songs to her repertoire. In this way we also have accompaniment tapes readily available for her when she sings for company or at parties.

It works for any age. Just get started and leave the rest to your kids. The whole family will have fun.