Song Practice for Singers: Karaoke Tracks, Lyrics and Your Key
Most karaoke apps give you a fixed catalogue in a fixed key. Song Practice works as a karaoke app for practice with the songs you actually want to sing: it strips the vocal from your own tracks, moves the song into your range, shows the words as they are sung, and slows down the runs you can't quite catch.
Import a song, tap the Karaoke quick mix to mute the lead vocal, shift the key up to 12 semitones either way to suit your voice, and open Lyrics to follow the words line by line. When a phrase is tricky, switch to Vocals only, slow it down and loop it.
Make a karaoke track from any song
Import a song from Files, your iTunes file sharing library, Photos, cloud storage or a link. Song Practice separates it on your iPhone or iPad into four stems: vocals, drums, bass and other. Open the Mix sheet and tap Karaoke. The lead vocal drops out and the band keeps playing.
Keep a quiet guide vocal
Going straight from the full song to a silent vocal is a big jump. A better way to practice: leave the vocal stem on, but lower its fader a long way so the original singer is a faint guide under you. Each fader is marked in dB, so you can note a level and drop it a few more dB each session. When you can sing the song with the guide nearly gone, switch to full Karaoke. Tap Reset any time to get the original mix back.
For a deeper walkthrough, including how to clean up a track for performance, see how to remove vocals from a song.
Change the song key for singing in your range
A song that is perfect for the original artist can sit a few notes too high or low for you. Singing it anyway teaches strain, not the song. Shift the key from −12 to +12 semitones and the tempo stays the same, so the groove doesn't change while the melody moves to where your voice is comfortable.
| What you notice | Try |
|---|---|
| The chorus peak feels tight or you flip into falsetto when you don't want to | Go down 1–3 semitones |
| The low verse notes go breathy, quiet or disappear | Go up 1–3 semitones |
| Both the highs and the lows are a struggle | The range is wider than yours right now; pick the side that matters most, usually the chorus |
| A song written for a much higher or lower voice type | Try 4–7 semitones, then fine-tune a step at a time |
| You want to sing it an octave away from the original | Use ±12, or sing the original key an octave down or up |
Song Practice also detects the song's key, so you can tell a pianist or guitarist the new key when you rehearse together. The full method is in how to change the key of a song.
Learn the words with synced lyrics
Open Lyrics and Song Practice transcribes the words with AI, in many languages (the list depends on your device and iOS version). The current line is highlighted as the track plays, so it works like a practice lyric screen for any song you import, including live versions, demos and songs in other languages.
Transcription can trip over heavy effects or stacked harmonies, so check lines that don't look right by listening to the isolated vocal. Our guide on how to get lyrics from a song covers the tricks for unclear words. Lyrics you transcribe are for your own practice.
Learn runs and riffs slowly
Fast melismas and riffs are where most singers fake it. Slow them down and you can hear every note:
- Isolate the voice. Tap the Vocals only quick mix so nothing covers the run.
- Loop the phrase. Set A and B markers around it. Nudge each marker by a beat to include the breath before the run. See how to loop part of a song.
- Slow it down. Drop the speed to 60–75%. The pitch stays the same, so every note of the run is in the key you'll sing it in.
- Sing it on a vowel. Learn the notes on "ah" or "oo" first, then add the words back.
- Climb back up. Raise the speed in 5% steps each time you nail it three times in a row, then switch back to Karaoke to sing it over the band.
If you are working a vocal line out without sheet music, how to learn songs by ear goes further.
Rehearse with a take-home backing track
When the song is ready, take the track with you. Export your mix as a lossless WAV or an M4A file for rehearsals, lessons or open mic nights. You can export the whole song or only the loop you have been practicing. If you shifted the key or lowered the vocal, set up the mix you want first; our guide to making a backing track from any song walks through the export options.
Common questions
Can I keep a quiet guide vocal instead of removing it completely?
Yes. Instead of muting the vocal stem, lower its fader in the Mix sheet so the original singer is faint in the background. Pull it down further as you get more confident.
How far can I change the key of a song?
Up to 12 semitones up or down, which is a full octave either way. The tempo does not change when you shift the key.
Can I take the karaoke track to a rehearsal or gig?
Yes. Export the mix as a lossless WAV or an M4A file. You can export the full song or just a looped section.
Sing your next song in your key
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