Articles by the Hitokara Editorial Team on furigana, lyric display and solo karaoke.
What to focus on to score higher on karaoke machines. Scoring criteria differ by machine, so this covers general ideas: practice order, pitch, rhythm, dynamics, vibrato and mic distance.
General tips for when your voice is hoarse or your throat feels tired after singing: rest, drink water, don't force your voice, avoid dryness. See a doctor if it lasts.
ワイプ (waipu) is Japanese for 'wipe'. In karaoke it means lyrics that change color left to right as you sing; on TV it means the corner window. How the two differ.
How to decide where to breathe in a song: finding phrase breaks, taking short quiet breaths, marking lyrics to practice, and what causes running out of air.
An easy song fits your vocal range, has a comfortable tempo, leaves room to breathe and is one you know well. How to judge range, tempo, word density and chorus height.
Signs a key is too high or too low, how to find your comfortable range, what a semitone is, and what to try when the original key is out of reach.
A first-timer's guide to singing karaoke alone in a karaoke box: how the visit goes from check-in to checkout, choosing party size and time, drinks, picking songs, and staying relaxed.
What to do when lyrics drift or the wrong lyrics show up: per-song 0.1-second nudges, a global correction for earphone delay, picking and pinning lyrics by hand, and instrumentals.
How to set up karaoke at home: choosing a mic type, placing the speaker, what causes feedback and how to stop it, balancing volume, and keeping the neighbors happy.
A pronunciation guide for singing Japanese songs: vowels, long vowels, the small tsu, は/へ readings, checking kanji, unusual lyric readings, and a practice order.
How to show big lyrics on Apple TV and request songs from your iPhone. Covers connecting with a pairing code, the queue for taking turns, and how pricing works.
How to decide the singing order, fit in duets, include people who dislike singing, keep song choices varied and pace breaks when you do karaoke with friends or family.
A short beginner's guide to the words you see on karaoke screens and machines: original, backing track, guide melody, intro, interlude, key, tempo, scoring, duet and harmony.
How to pick a display when you can't read Japanese lyrics: the difference between furigana, romaji and off, and the katakana readings added to English, Korean and Chinese lyrics.
How to sing Korean and English songs when you can't read the lyrics: write the sounds in your own script, know the common pronunciation traps, listen first, and learn the chorus before the verses.
A simple pre-singing routine: light stretching, humming, lip trills and water. Plus what to avoid and when to rest if something feels off.
What solo karaoke (called hitokara in Japan) is, how to get started, how to pick songs that are easy to sing, how to look after your throat, and how to do it at home.
How furigana is generated for Japanese lyrics: splitting text into words, looking up readings in a dictionary, why one kanji can have several readings, and why lyrics are especially tricky.
What you need to start singing Apple Music songs at home, plus three common stumbling blocks: lyrics out of time, Bluetooth earphone delay and singing on a big screen.
The wipe effect in karaoke is lyrics changing color one character at a time as you sing. Learn how lyric timing data, playback position and color progress work together, and how to fix drift.
How to show lyrics on the iPhone Lock Screen and Dynamic Island with Hitokara's Live Activity: how to start it, why lyrics keep advancing with the app closed, and what to check when they stop.
