The goal of using Karaoke Revolution in the Music Education classroom is to allow students to receive visual guidance and instant feedback on their pitch accuracy and phrasing/breath control. The following course works well to maximize the benefits and effectiveness of using KR in a classroom setting.

 

Step 1:  Introduce the Karaoke Revolution unit

 

To generate extra enthusiasm from the start, mention that Karaoke Revolution was developed by the same company that produces Dance Dance Revolution, which most students will be familiar with, and may have experienced in their PE classes. Provide a general overview of the KR game, covering the unit goal and the pitch accuracy feedback tool.

 

To immediately alleviate any potential individual performance anxiety, note that students need not sing “solo.” They will sing along with KR vocals, classmates and a duet partner if desired.

 

 

Step 2:  Select specific KR song titles on which to focus as a class

 

Each Karaoke Revolution game version contains at least 25 song titles from which to choose. To efficiently and effectively manage the Music Class experience with KR, narrow the possibilities down to no more than four song choices per class of students. Teachers may elect to narrow the choices themselves, or have students vote on their top picks.

 

To have students vote, you can launch the KR game and navigate to the song selection screen where you can listen to sound clips for each title. You’ll find instructions for navigating the game in the previous section.

 

 

Step 3:  Familiarize students with songs and lyrics

 

Once your students have identified the songs they want to learn, they should become comfortably familiar with song melodies and lyrics before they test out their vocal control with the actual game — even if they think they know a song well, chances are they will benefit by spending time learning song verses. This will set them up to be able to focus on controlling their pitch and phrasing when it is their turn on the KR microphone instead of scrambling to read unfamiliar lyrics or sing unfamiliar song verses during game play.

 

Most KR song titles are available to download from iTunes for less than $1 each. By downloading selected song titles, you can create and burn a CD containing those songs and play them at the beginning or end of each music class for two or three weeks until students really become comfortable with melodies. Hand out lyrics sheets for each song option during class so students can sing along with recordings. Lyrics sheets for some highly recommended KR songs for the music class setting are available here to download free.

 

Note: There may be multiple recordings of a single song available from iTunes that have slight variations from KR titles and lyrics sheets. The differences are usually minor, and will not affect game play.

 

 

Step 4:  Play Karaoke Revolution in Class

 

Once students gain a working comfort and familiarity level with song melodies and lyrics, they’re ready to play the actual Karaoke Revolution game in class.

 

Start with Training Mode

 

From the main menu, scroll down to Extras and press X. Highlight Training Mode from Extras options, and press X. Let the tutorial explain to the class how Karaoke Revolution works, with you or a selected student demonstrating singing into the microphone as the KR trainer instructs.

 

Recommendations for presenting Training Mode to students:

 

· Intentionally sing out of tune when the KR trainer instructs you to try, and then readjust to sing the correct pitch. This effectively demonstrates how the pitch arrow reacts to correct or incorrect pitch.

· Go through Training Mode two times so students can pick up information they may have missed the first time through. Encourage students to sing the training song as a class following the KR trainer’s instructions.

 

Explain student options

 

Before playing KR, students need to make a few decisions.

 

· Which song?
Remind students of the KR songs they learned as a class, and ask each student to choose one of those songs to sing into the microphone.

· Practice or scoring mode?
Have students determine whether they will sing in Practice mode where they won’t risk getting booed off the stage if they consistently sing out of tune, but they won’t receive a score based on their accuracy either. Or, they can select Full/Short mode where they will receive a score and feedback, but risk being booed off the stage if they don’t sing in tune.

· Solo or duet?
As with all units of study, you’ll have some students who can’t wait for their turn to sing into the microphone, and you’ll have others who would prefer to come down with the flu. We have been able to successfully encourage participation by this second group by:

— giving them the option to have their whole class sing along when it’s their turn.

— offering to let a buddy sing along in duet mode on a second microphone.

— placing the PS2 and microphone behind their classmates, so nobody feels like they’re on stage (we set it up this way for everyone).

         Singer  —>  Classmates facing screen  —>  TV/projector screen

 

Adapting Karaoke Revolution to the

Music Education Classroom

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