MTU‘s Microstudio program allows you to make backup copies of your CD+G discs, as well as rip tracks from CD+G discs into MP3+G format. You can also use it to make custom CD+G discs, which are useful when you go to a karaoke bar, since you can take a disc of just the songs in your collection you want to sing that night. It also works well as a personal karaoke player on the computer – although it is really not ideal for running a karaoke show for parties or professionally.

If you plan to only purchase MP3+G downloads from digital stores online, then this software will work for you no matter what kind of optical (CD, DVD) drive your computer has. If you want to use this software to play CD+G discs, copy or create CD+G discs, or rip files from CD+G discs, your computer must have an optical drive attached that supports the CD+G format. My current laptop and desktop computers I bought from HP a couple of years ago do have drives that work with these discs, but not every computer does.

Luckily, MTU offers a free trial of Microstudio that you can download from their website. Once installed, you can use Microstudio to test your computer’s drive for compatibility. If it doesn’t pass, then you might want to check out the list of drives that MTU certifies for use with their software on the website.

If you want to run a smooth karaoke show, then you want to buy MTU‘s Video Hoster. This software has everything you need to host a show.

Use Video Hoster to rip your CD+G discs to MP3+G format, and Video Hoster automatically adds them to your song database. Once they are in your song database, you can use Video Hoster’s songbook feature to create simple RTF files that you can use to print songbooks.

Whether you decide to use CD+G discs or MP3+G files in your karaoke show, Video Hoster will run a seamless show that your audience will enjoy. Add songs and singers to the playlist, and arrange them in the order they should sing. Configure the marquee underneath the song currently playing and your guests will be able to see the next few singers who will come up and it even provides an estimate of what time their song will be up. The top marquee scrolls across the screen can be used to make announcements or provide information to your audience. I have mine set to display the internet address of the site where my online songbook can be accessed from their smartphones and tablets.

If you attach a second monitor or television to your computer, Video Hoster lets you display the screen for the singer and audience on the secondary monitor while allowing you to work in the administration area on the screen only you see. While a guest is singing, you can change your marquee on the fly without interrupting their song.  You can also add new singers or rearrange the songs in the playlist without interrupting the current song.

Video Hoster costs a little more than Microstudio but is well worth it if you want to host karaoke parties or professional shows.

I’ve used MTU software for years with very good results. Their suite of karaoke software has proven solid, rarely having bugs that I have found. Their website offers a wealth of information on their own products as well as how to configure your karaoke system. They also run a very popular messageboard where you can find tips and support from both MTU and other customers. It is important to note that to use karaoke software with CD+G discs, you must have an optical (CD or DVD) drive in your computer that supports that format. Not every optical drive works with CD+G. MTU offers free trials of all of their software, and you can use the free trials to test whether your computer’s drive works with CD+G discs before spending money on the software. Both my HP laptop and HP desktop computers came with computers that support CD+G. If your computer does not, MTU has an area on their site where they recommend drives that do.

I currently use two MTU products pretty regularly: Video Hoster and Microstudio. These two programs have some similar functions, but their differences make it worth buying both, at least for me. I go into more depth about these two programs with individual posts on this site.

If you do decide to buy any of the MTU software, be sure to keep your eyes open on their main page for any specials they might have. They often have their products on sale, and usually list those deals near the top of their home page.

Video Hoster

Video Hoster is the software I use to run my karaoke shows. It transitions from song to song seamlessly, shows a scrolling marquee where you can input custom messages, and shows a static marquee to the audience that lists who the upcoming singers are. It can rip CD+G discs into MP3-G format and it can import digital karaoke tracks. If you just want karaoke software you can practice with at home, this is overkill for you and you might find Microstudio a better fit. It is worth the money if you want to throw karaoke parties, though. You can also use it to create songbooks. Read more about it on my post here.

Microstudio

Microstudio is the software I use when I want to make copies of my original CD+G discs. It can also be used to make custom CD+G discs. If you just want a karaoke player to practice with at home, then this is also a good option. It isn’t ideal for running a karaoke show during a party or professionally, though – that is what Video Hoster is for.  Read more about it on my post here.

Vogone

You can use Vogone to remove vocals from your audio CDs or MP3 files. This is great if you are a singer who needs the background music to practice with and you already own the song on CD or MP3. This is also a tool you would use if you want to try and create your own karaoke tracks. I had a copy of this software years ago, intending to make my own karaoke tracks for some songs that I love but have never been produced in karaoke format. Vogone worked pretty well back then, but I haven’t tried it in years. The only reason I didn’t do more with it was that even though Vogon was easy enough to use, it proved harder to make karaoke tracks than I anticipated.

Vogone Easy

This is a more basic, less expensive version of Vogone. I’ll update this post soon with information about the differences in the two editions.

Karaoke Home Producer (KHPro)

Karaoke Home Producer is the tool used to create your own karaoke tracks. With this software, you take an audio file with (or without) the vocals removed and add the lyrics to the song. I bought this software years ago, and have updated it or tried it in a long time. I found that even when I knew the song very well, it was harder than I expected to format the lyric file correct and press the key at just right moment to get the guide lyrics to highlight at the proper moments in the song. I may buy the newer software and give this another try sometime soon, but it will be a few months at least before I have time to experiment with this.

Keyrite

You can use this to change the key for your CD+G files. It is handy if you have a need for it.

Songverter

This utility converts the file format for many different file types into CD+G tracks.

Karaoke Software Package Deals

If you are interested in purchasing several MTU programs, check this section of their site to see if one of their package deals has what you need at a better price than purchasing them individually.

Karaoke Touchscreen Ultrabooks

MTU sells several touchscreen laptops that are ideal for running karaoke shows using their software.

MTU Karaoke Certified Drives

MTU offers a line of optical (CD, DVD) drives they have certified for use in playing, copying, and creating CD+G discs using their software. If your computers doesn’t have an optical drive that supports the CD+G format, this is a good place to look for one.

Blank CDR Discs

MTU sells blank CDR discs that they have certified as best for creating or copying CD+G discs. I’ve not had any trouble with the CDR brands I buy from Amazon and other stores, but it is good to know this source is available if I had problems with others.