Why we use original audio

Traditionally, karaoke has been made by hiring out a cover band, or even synthesized using midi. So why do we make a big deal about using the original audio?

• Singer expectations - If you use the original audio, it’s guaranteed to be the right speed, pitch, tone, and even little details like incidental background noises. This makes it easier to perform, since it’s the version the singer is used to.

• Quality - While a cover can potentially have high quality, the original by definition is guaranteed to have quality as good as the original.

• Supporting the artist - When we upload to YouTube, most of the time the audio is recognized by the Content ID system. This provides the artist/label a share of the ad revenue from the video.

• Legal issues with covers you don’t own - If you commission the covers yourself you don’t have to worry about this, but if you happen to rip the audio from a corporate karaoke brand, there is a chance they will go after you. They can also potentially pursue legal remedies against venues that use the tracks. So please, just don’t.