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Before you totally write off this article you'll have to admit: karaoke is fun! If you haven't yet had the experience of blasting out vocals to your favorite songs with your friends then you are missing one of life's greatest experiences. If this is you, stop reading right now and make a date with your friends to hit up the local karaoke bar this weekend. With a little bit of practice (okay, maybe A LOT of practice) this could be you: What about those who still have a fear of performing in front of people? Well, that's why the home karaoke system was invented. Designed for those who want to host a more intimate karaoke outing. Also, a great addition to liven up any regular house party. For the rest of us, we know how exhilarating it can be hitting the high notes to the backing track. We know the feeling of seeing the crowd actually enjoying a karaoke performance. Some of you may even be familiar with the high that comes from an enthusiastic applause from the audience. But karaoke isn't something that we actually should take seriously is it? Well, in my opinion, the answer is both YES and NO. Mastering singing is just like any other musical endeavor. It requires both time and purposeful practice. Those who have the control to really let loose while singing have spent hours training their breathing, vocal chords, and posture. They've put in the hours and hard work required to master a skill. One common thread that every experience singer shares is time. If you ask them they will likely tell you they are constantly singing. The sing in the car, in the shower, doing laundry, washing dishes. While this is not exactly purposeful practice, the hours add up over time. If you're like most people, finding all that time to sing can be exhausting. Seriously, who has an extra hour a day to devote to singing? This is where karaoke comes in. While it may be difficult to find the motivation to grind out an hour of practicing the major scale, it's far easier to head down to the bar with your friends for a fun night of karaoke. This is a place where you can relax and let loose. You can challenge yourself under pressure. You can push the boundaries of your range and ability with a little help from alcohol. You may even find yourself getting far more singing in then you would during your typical practice session. Learning a new skill doesn't always have to be a grind. Through finding fun workarounds you are able to make the process much easier. You may even find that karaoke provides you with a new source of motivation. The karaoke stage can be a great way to showcase your talent to a receptive and forgiving crowd. If you underperform, no one has to know that you've been secretly taking singing lessons for the past year. If you knock it out of the park, all the power to you. So while karaoke can be another powerful tool in your arsenal, it doesn't have to be shrouded in a technique and rigor like your regular rehearsals. While I know many of you will still look down your noses at karaoke, I hope I've inspired at least one person to go and give it a chance. What do you think? Is karaoke something worth trying? Let me know in the comments below!