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How to Record a CD With Karaoke Tracks

Recording your own karaoke CD at home can be done many ways, but the simplest requires only a computer and microphone. You can download MIDI karaoke songs with instrumental backing tracks from the Internet, for free or through online stores. Software is available for converting MIDI karaoke to digital wave files--Winamp, and for creating the final mix--Power Tracks Pro Audio. Burning the backing tracks with vocals to a CD is a simple process. So, find a quiet corner in your home or office, practice a few times in order to adjust volume, reverb and balance, and burn your new CD.

Things You'll Need

  • Winamp (media player)
  • PowerTracks Pro Audio (software program)
  • Computer
  • Microphone
  • Headphones
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Instructions

  1. Converting MIDI Karaoke to a Wave File

    • 1

      Start Winamp and open the toolbar menu "Options." Click on "Preferences."

    • 2

      Go to the "Plug-ins" and click "Input." From the list, select Nullsoft MIDI Player. Click on the "Configure" button, then select from the list of devices, "Direct Music/Microsoft Synthesizer (with output)." Click "Okay."

    • 3

      Click "Output" under the heading "Plug-ins." From the list, select Nullsoft Disk Writer. Click on the "Configure" button, then click the button labeled "Directory." Select a folder to output the converted wave audio file. Click "Okay," and close the "Preferences" menu.

    • 4

      Play a MIDI karaoke file in Winamp. There is no sound because Winamp is converting and writing the MIDI file directly to a wave sound file.

    • 5

      Locate the converted wave sound file in the folder you specified in Winamp's preferences.

    Recording a New Vocal Track

    • 6

      Open converted wave sound file in PowerTracks Pro Audio. Other audio editors for PC or Mac are also available, such as Cubase, Pro Logic or Ableton Live. One of the most popular freeware programs is Audacity.

    • 7

      Select a blank track for audio by clicking on an unassigned track with the mouse.

    • 8
      A microphone connected to a computer will allow you to record your own vocal tracks.

      Click on the audio recording button and record vocals. Use a microphone attached to the computer to sing along and record the vocal part.

    • 9

      Open "Launch CD Burner" and convert all tracks to wave file.

    • 10
      Burn one or several CDs once your master recording is completed.

      Burn one or more CDs with PowerTracks Pro Audio or others such as Real Audio or Microsoft Media Player.

Digital Music

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