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Ekoarak is the opposite of karaoke as we know it, because it’s literally karaoke spelled backwards. With Ekoarak you don’t sing. The singing is already recorded. You play instruments to back up the singer. This is karaoke for all the musicians out there who can play but not sing. Ekoarak provides you with prerecorded vocal tracks of popular songs. Many of these songs are sung by the original artists with accompanying videos. Ozzie, Adele, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, and Robert Plant are just a few of the megastars that have already lent their vocal talents to Ekoarak. So get your musician friends together and let some of the best singers in the business front your band. “We totally see Ekoarak as becoming a new phenomenon,” says creator Mort Ermer. “At least that’s what I keep telling my investors. There are more musicians out there than singers—all kinds of guitarists, keyboardists, drummers, and horn players that don’t have singers. Without a singer, you can’t perform. We’re giving bands the chance to get out there and show what they’ve got without having to resort to a second-rate front man. Imagine showing up at your local bar with Steven Tyler or Taylor Swift on lead vocals.” The Ekoarak videos will feature a headshot of each performer with a neutral black background. In this way they will fit in with most live bands when their image is presented on various TV screens throughout the venue. Ekoarak is only available on PC, although a music-only version will soon be available for handheld systems. The lead vocals will be separated from the accompaniment. The recorded music can be removed when the band is ready to perform live. Ekoarak will also be implemented in nightclubs as an alternative to karaoke. Bars will supply drums, guitars, and amps for musicians to play along with prerecorded singers. This opens up a new audience for karaoke bars that may be feeling the pinch of the economic downturn. Karaoke systems are only designed to accommodate two singers at a time, whereas Ekoarak can accommodate an orchestra. “The best part of Ekoarak is that musicians won’t have to deal with the lead singers’ personalities,” Ermer ribs. “They get the benefit of a professional, on-key performance without the attitude. It’s a win win situation for everyone. Except for the audience that now has to put up with crappy, out-of-tune guitar players.” By Cole Smith |