Kara Fun Software

http://www.karafun.com/

http://www.karafun.com/down/karafun_118.exe (direct link to the download)

 

·         Gather instrumental music file and lyrics.  The lyrics must be saved in text format (.txtFileSave As and select Plain Text (.txt) in the Save As Type dropdown)

·         Open Kara Fun Editor

·         On the top task bar go to Project

·         Select Music Source(s)

·         Click browse icon (the three dots, not the browse button)

·         Click Add

·         Click the Browse icon (the …, not the Browse button)

·         Click Add

·         Browse to find the music file (.mp3 .mid .wma .aud .kcr .cdg) and a background picture (if desired).  You can select a plain color background later if you wish.

·         Click on the file

·         Click Open

·         Repeat for all files

·         Click Close

·         Click Source in the Library radio button

·         Click OK

·         If you want a plain color background rather than an image, click on the top bar to the right of Background Vertical Text in the bottom window so that the top bar is highlighted yellow

·         Click the browse icon () beside Color and select a color

·         Click on the center bar to the right of Background Vertical Text in the bottom window so that the center bar is highlighted yellow

·         Go to Project on the top task bar

·         Modify the Text

·         File

·         You can type the lyrics in here or you can import the text file Import a text file.  Browse to find the lyrics in .txt format.  Click on the file.  Open

·         You can put a slash mark / between syllables of a word

·         When finished, click OK

·         You can adjust how the text will appear on the Properties of Vertical text

·         At this point, save the project, calling the song title and master (e.g. Old_MacDonald_master)

·         File

·         Save

 

·         Click the red Record icon

·         Click Yes

·         Use the space bar to insert the words where you would like and at the speed you want.  You will be setting the lyrics in time to the music so that the words are highlighted at the correct time in the song.

·         If you hit the drop down arrow beside the red record button, you can slow down the speed of the song by 25% or 50%. It is much easier if you slow the tempo down by 50%

·         When finished, click the blue Stop button

·         You can make corrections by clicking on a word and then dragging the dotted line in front of the word forward or backward.  If you click on a word and hit the delete button, it will move the word to the break after its current location.

 

·         File - Save As and save it with a new name (e.g. Old_MacDonald_words)  By saving it with a new name, you can go back and open your master if this version does not work well

 

 

There are two different files with the program – KaraFun (the player) and KaraFun Editor (the program to create new files). 

 

You can play any purchase karaoke files in KFN, KAR, CDG, LRC, KOK, AVI, MPEG formats

·         To see how the file will look, FileRender in Player

 

If you want to export a file to .avi format that will play in Windows Media Player or on any other player, you have to purchase the Pro version. The cost is 49 Euros or about $60.  You can export with the free version, but the words are very blurry.

 

You can install the free version on any machine that you want and then create and play any files that you want.  Then if you want to export them as an avi file, purchase one copy of the Pro license to convert files.

 

With an .avi file, you could send the file home with a student to practice.  To export, to File and then Export as avi

 

You can also create a karaoke file with no background music and use a list of multisyllabic words as the lyrics so that struggle readers can practice reading.  Below is a link to a blank music file.

 

Another option would be to use Audacity or some other recorder program to record a text you want students to practice.  After recording someone modeling the text, leave a long empty section for the student to repeat.  If you put the same text in the lyrics section twice, you can time it the first time to the model reader and then time it the second time for the student to repeat.

 

Sources for instrumental music files

·         http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/index.html

·         http://www.theteachersguide.com/ChildrensSongs.htm

 

 

Sources for lyrics

·         http://www.lyrics.com/

 

Blank Sound Clip