Getting started as a host

The best way to learn Karaoke Name is a real gig — there is no separate practice mode or simulated session. Create a normal gig, invite a friend with your gig code or QR, and (if you use The Rig) mount the karaoke folders on your machine for playback.

This page is the short path. When you need the how-to, open Joining a gig, Running the queue, Request window and singer notifications, or Songbook and player folders.

1. Create your first gig

1. Open the Host Dashboard.
2. Create a gig (venue name, times, and options below).
3. Start the session when you are ready to take requests.

For a dry run or private party, turn on Private Gig when creating (or later in Gig Settings). That hides the night from Find Gigs map and list. Guests still join with your gig code or QR — not by browsing. Optionally add a password if you don’t want the code alone to be enough.

2. Let singers join

Singers join from their phones — no app install required.

1. On the gig screen, open Display QR Code or use Print QR Code for table tents.
2. Share the gig code shown in the header if people are next to you (especially important for Private Gigs).
3. They search your songbook and add requests; those land in your Request Pool, then you move them into the Active Queue.

More detail: How to print and display your QR codes. What singers see: Joining a gig.

3. Run the queue

• Request Pool — incoming requests from singers (and walk-ups you add yourself). Fair is the default pool view (one card per singer).
• Active Queue — the running order for the night. Reorder, mark played, and keep the room moving.
• The first time you open a gig management screen, a short tour highlights QR tools → Request Pool → Active Queue → Karaoke Player → Help (Help is in the site header on laptop/desktop).

How-to: Running the queue (Fair piles, peel, walk-ins, already sung tonight). Fair-rotation craft (1-1-1, pacing, room energy) is in the Academy Hosting Guide.

Singer notifications: Signed-in singers can get a phone push when they are up next or on now, and when you close the request window. How-to: Request window and singer notifications.

Auto Host: Optional. For a smoke or a fully auto night, Auto Host opens the player, starts the ready Active singer on the playback computer, queues the Request Pool (Fair by default), and auto-advances when a song ends. Turn it on before Start Session and it starts the gig at the scheduled time. Hiding the player turns it off. How-to: Auto Host.

4. Venue TV and speakers

Keep the dashboard on your laptop. Send only the player (or queue display) to the venue screen.

See Connecting your laptop to venue audio and visuals for HDMI, extended display, pop-out player, and audio into the house system. Between songs, the stage can show Display Branding — your logo or a venue loop — instead of a blank screen.

5. Karaoke Player (The Rig)

Playback uses local files you mount in the browser (your MP3+CDG / ZIP library). There is nothing useful to “demo play” without those folders — mount them on the gig screen when prompted, then use the player controls as usual.

Background music between singers also uses a local MP3 folder (player BGM tab → Source Folder). The browser remembers that mount on this machine; there is no separate BGM catalogue upload.

How-to: Songbook and player folders (catalogue upload, naming, mount on the playback machine, Play from another host screen). Visuals and beat reaction: Understanding Beat Detection and visualizations. What Controller vs Rig includes, and why you have the player during beta: The Controller and The Rig.

Quick checklist before doors

1. Gig created and session started
2. QR printed or on-screen and scanned once with your own phone
3. Laptop → TV (extended display) and pop-out player on the venue screen
4. Audio into the mixer / house system smoke-tested
5. Karaoke folder mounted if you plan to play from The Rig

When you are ready for a public booking, turn off Private (if you used it), or duplicate / create a new gig from the dashboard and promote it as usual.

After a few nights, open Analytics on the dashboard for Host Insights — requests, wait time, and peak hours. How-to: Host Insights.

Need a hand?

If anything feels unclear or you hit a snag, please contact Support — we are happy to help you directly. No question is too small. If a device or browser on your account looks unfamiliar, open Sign-in & security in the account menu (/profile/security) to see where you're signed in and sign out everywhere.