Obsessed with karaoke? Looking for a fun way to pump up the energy for parties and get-togethers? You may be considering using YouTube for karaoke. A YouTube karaoke setup is a quick and easy way to sing karaoke whenever you want.
If you're in a crunch for time and just looking for a quick karaoke sesh with you and your friends, you may feel like this is the best option. While it's okay to use it here and there, it's not the best option you have available.
If you are a business using Youtube karaoke might even be illegal – read more.
We’re here to walk you through everything you need to know about using YouTube for karaoke and some great YouTube karaoke alternatives you can consider.
Here's everything you need to know:
How to sing karaoke on YouTube
If you’re looking to experience a full-fledged karaoke experience in the comfort of your home, you may be quick to go straight to YouTube. YouTube is a popular video platform with different videos and karaoke songs uploaded by users from around the world.
To get started, all you need to do is:
- Use a smart TV or connect your computer to your TV to gain access to YouTube
- Connect your microphone to your TV or your computer
- Search for a song in the search bar
- Choose a video from the selection
- Start singing!
Read our guide for at home karaoke set-ups here.
While the process may seem relatively simple and easy to use, youtube karaoke setups aren’t always the most effective. Several inconsistencies could negatively impact your karaoke experience.
The problems with YouTube karaoke
YouTube ads
One of the biggest problems with using a YouTube karaoke setup is the ongoing changes to YouTube ad policies. We all hate when an advertisement interrupts the user experience, and you need to wait until you can skip the ads to jump back into the video.
What’s worse? Over the last year, the amount of unskippable ads has clearly multiplied. Some individuals claim that they've received over 10 non-skippable advertisements in a row.
If you choose a song or plan on enjoying a night full of karaoke, you may sit in silence for over 60 seconds every time someone new gets on the mic. You’ll need to constantly combat unstoppable ad breaks and quickly grow bored of the experience.
Lack of features
Whether you're singing with your friends or own a bar you want karaoke in, the features of the karaoke apps are a big deal. Features like singing duets with friends and group performances aren’t available on YouTube. You won't have access to a complete library of songs, customizable vocal features, or custom key and tempo options.
While YouTube may be a free solution, you'll only have access to what you can find. The limited song library and lack of features will make it hard to create a seamless, immersive karaoke experience.
If you’re singing for fun with your friends, you may not feel like you need access to all these features. However, several low-cost karaoke apps can enhance your experience and keep you entertained for hours.
Inconsistent quality of uploads
Let’s be honest. You never know what you’ll get with a YouTube karaoke setup! Some videos on the platform may be what you’re looking for. The song quality might be crystal clear, and the lyrics show on the screen at the perfect time.
However, when you click on other ones, they may not have the right background music, graphics, or words even! This inconsistency can negatively impact the user experience, especially if you’re planning to use youtube karaoke songs for a big event, party, or a karaoke room in a bar. Just imagine the look on your friend's faces when you accidentally click a bad-quality video one too many times... they'll want to put an end to the disaster of a karaoke night.
Problems with the sound
You'll need to connect a microphone to your TV or computer to get the complete karaoke experience. Depending on the video, you may run into recurring issues with volume and the song itself.
You may click on one video with okay sound, the next may be too high, and the one after may be too low. This means you'll always need someone manning the volume and adjusting the speakers whenever you choose a song to play.
Best Youtube Karaoke Alternatives
Ready to say goodbye to your YouTube karaoke setup? There's a wide variety of karaoke apps that are easy to use and great for small and big groups. They come with a suite of karaoke features to create a next-level experience and are typically low-cost.
Here's a list of the top three alternatives:
Singa Karaoke
The Singa app turns your phone, computer, or smart TV into a personal karaoke machine. With this app, singers can enjoy high-quality karaoke songs from an always-growing list of new songs. Users can easily modify the song pitch or turn on guide vocals to adjust the song pitch to suit their unique voice. Whether you're looking to have a karaoke party with your friends or have a solo singing night: This is the YouTube karaoke alternative you need.
Pricing: Singa has four different packages. Singa Free $0.00/month. Singa Premium is $9.99/month, Singa Premium is $89.99/year, and a two-day pass for $5.90.
Pros:
- Singa Premium provides you with access to unlimited singing and the highest-quality sound.
- The best-priced option for the number of features and capabilities.
Cons:
- Singa Free only allows you to sing three free songs a day. If you want the complete Singa experience, you'll upgrade to Premium.
Spotify Karaoke
Spotify recently rolled out a new karaoke feature that subscribers can use whenever they want. All you need to do is choose a song, play it in full screen, click the lyrics, and tap the microphone setting. It's that easy. The best part? Spotify will even give you a rating at the end of your jam sesh. You can keep singing and trying to hit that 100% accuracy goal!
Pricing: Spotify has a free but limited version. Spotify premium starts at $9.99/month.
Pros:
- Available to all users
- Great for solo karaoke sessions
Cons:
- The karaoke feature is currently only available in English-speaking countries
- Can be challenging for small and large groups
Smule
Sing! By Smule is the perfect solution for individuals who obsess over karaoke. With their platform, you can practice and fine-tune your karaoke skills whenever you're in the mood. Once you're ready to take the stage, you can invite your friends to duet or take on a group performance with you at parties or events. You can choose from different difficulty levels, set singing goals, and choose from a catalog of popular songs.
Pricing: The VIP Smule experience is $7.99/month or $39.99 for an annual subscription.
Pros:
- Over 10M different songs in the catalog
- Take on a solo, duet, or group performances
- Get access to your karaoke session and share it with your friends and family
Cons:
- Sing! By Smule is also a social media platform. If you’re only interested in singing karaoke and don't want to use their platform, these extra features may not be worth the monthly cost.
- The only way to play is to pay
Can you use Youtube karaoke at your bar?
A YouTube karaoke setup isn't a sustainable solution for bars, nightclubs, or establishments. Karaoke at the bar should be professional and provide your customers with an interactive experience. They come to your bar ready for a good time. As a bar owner, you want to do what you can to create that experience for them.
Not only that, but this practice is illegal and can and will result in incurring legal fines. Youtube doesn’t have the licensing to these songs you need to run karaoke in business. Many of them are illegally uploaded and violate private usage laws. Recently a karaoke venue in Las Vegas has been sued for $264 million dollars.
Keep in mind: Every country has different licensing and public performance laws for karaoke. Whether you’re opening a bar in the United States or Canada or you have a nightclub in Australia or UK: You’ll want to read through the karaoke licensing laws for your country first before getting karaoke set up.
Best youtube karaoke alternative for business
If you're serious about karaoke, you'll need to use legal karaoke content. Any content from YouTube or regular karaoke discs is for private usage only.
With a karaoke subscription like Singa Business, you can provide a full-fledged, legal karaoke experience at your establishment. All songs available with Singa Business are fully-licensed karaoke songs for commercial use. You'll also get access to...
- An extensive song library filled with your customer's songs
- Digital signage to display special offers, ad space, or your logo
- Tailored karaoke room features
- Gain authentic exposure in your community with the Singa mobile app
The Singa Experience takes YouTube Karaoke to the next level. If you're serious about keeping your customers engaged and energized with karaoke, you'll need a solution like this by your side.
Say goodbye to Youtube karaoke
If you love karaoke, you need a real karaoke subscription. It's time to say goodbye to YouTube karaoke for good and find a solution with a suite of features that accommodate your needs.
With Singa or Singa Business, you can ensure you create a fully immersive karaoke experience you and your friends can always enjoy. Not only will you have access to a suite of features and over 10 million songs, but you’ll have access to unlimited singing and the highest-quality sound.
Ready to start singing? Learn more about Singa today.
