Getting Started

Introduction

kJams is designed to be user-friendly and easy to figure out. Those of you know use iTunes can probably jump right in and begin playing karaoke. This section is designed for those of you who might need a little more help getting started. In particular, the section on Building Your Library is critical to the karaoke newbie.

Starting kJams

Once you download and install kJams, the kJams icon will be in your Start Menu (Windows) or in your Dock (Mac).

1. Click the icon to start the program.
2. The Main Screen opens and displays your main music library (which is empty) and the kJams menu bar.
3. If there are any new music stores available, you will be asked if you want to download them. I suggest you always download the new stores as they become available.

Ways to Play

There are three ways you can play karaoke music through kJams.

1. You can play music directly off of a karaoke CD. (This assumes your drive can read karaoke CDs, which is not always the case.)
2. You can stream karaoke music from internet music sites.
3. You can play music that has been downloaded to your computer. This includes music that you purchase through kJams, but also music files that may already reside on your hard drive.

And of course, you can do any combination of the three.

A note about streaming music: To stream music, you purchase a subscription, kind of like Netflix, and then you can access any songs you like, as many times as you like. Keep in mind, however, that in order to stream, you have to have an internet connection. Also, there can be a considerable lag time as the songs buffer.

Regardless of how you intend to access your music, the next step is to build your library.

Introduction to Building Your Library

Just like with iTunes, all of your karaoke music is organized in a main library. From this library, you can search for music, build playlists, and of course play karaoke. The library allows you to organize music that is on your system—that is, music that is purchased through Kjams, as well as music that resides elsewhere on your hard drive—but it also allows you to include music that you don’t “own,” such as streaming music.

Because kJams has built-in music stores, it's easy to build your library simply by purchasing music. However,if you have karaoke CDs or music files on your hard drive, then there are certain steps you need to take to get that music in kJams. Also,there are a few set-up steps you need to take before you make your first purchase. Click Building the Library Temp to learn more.