A VideoKe karaoke night checklist
Use this as an hour-before list. It assumes you already know VideoKe is a private room, not a stream. If you do not, read why rooms stay private and how to host once, then come back.
T-minus 60 minutes — device and sound
- Host device chosen (laptop unless the group is tiny). Charger in. Auto-lock off. Phone vs laptop.
- One audio path: TV/soundbar or Bluetooth on the host only. Speakers and mics.
- Play one known karaoke track at party volume. Sing a chorus. Adjust track vs voice.
- Same-room extra laptops: plan to mute or hide-my-video.
T-minus 40 minutes — songs that actually embed
- Sign in if you want lists next week.
- Open Library. Create or open `Warmup (tested)`.
- Confirm at least five tracks play in VideoKe, not only on youtube.com. Swap versions now. When a video won’t play.
- Optional themed list, kept short. Playlists for a full night.
- Birthday / guest of honor: one guaranteed working version saved.
T-minus 20 minutes — social rules in the chat
Paste something like:
*I’ll send a VideoKe code. I approve each person — you’re not in until I tap yes. Add songs with plus. Don’t skip other people. If a video is black we’ll pick another upload. Guest controls stay off unless we’re a tiny group.*
Link joining as a guest for anyone anxious. Office nights: team karaoke. Family: birthday and family.
T-minus 5 minutes — open the room
- Start a room from Home or Create room & sing on a warmup track.
- Play all warmup or + two songs so the stage is never empty.
- Guest controls off unless you already decided otherwise. Host vs guest.
- Copy the code. Send it. Watch the join-requests panel like a door.
During
- Approve people before you mix drinks in another room.
- Dead embed: skip, another version, do not debug in front of the singer.
- Queue getting political: guest controls off, restore order. Etiquette.
- Host laptop stays in the room. Leave as host = night over.
Shutdown
- Announce last song.
- Bookmark keepers into a named playlist.
- Leave room as host.
- Recents and playlists remain; the code does not. After the party.
Backup plans
- Host laptop dies: new room, new code, re-approve, rebuild from Recents. Warn the chat.
- TV input is wrong: audio on laptop speakers is better than a silent HDMI fight for fifteen minutes.
- Guest of honor’s song blocked: you already saved a second upload this afternoon. If you did not, Search again immediately; do not argue with the first result.
Print is optional. Having the warmup list and a charger is not.