Hands-On With Apple Music Sing in iOS 16.2

[MacRumors]

With the iOS 16.2 release candidate that came out today, Apple added the new Apple Music Sing feature that was announced earlier this week. We thought we'd check out the new karaoke feature to see how it works.

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Apple Music Sing is available on modern iPhones and iPads, as well as the newest Apple TV 4K. It's built in to the Apple Music app, and therefore limited to Apple Music subscribers. Note that you need to have a full Apple Music subscription, as it is not included with the more affordable voice-only plan.

If you've used Apple Music's built-in follow along lyrics feature, you know how to use Apple Music Sing. The feature basically uses the lyric functionality, while also adding a toggle to turn down the vocals of a song to replace them with your own.

Just pick a song, turn on the lyrics, and then use the little microphone icon to adjust the vocals. Apple Music Sing is not available for every song, and it's not entirely clear which songs Apple is limiting it to.

Apple is going to provide playlists for Apple Music Sing, which will be filled with popular songs to sing along to. Apple Music Sing will be available to all users with the launch of iOS 16.2, and as we already have a release candidate, iOS 16.2 could come out as soon as next week.

Apple Music Sing is available on the iPhone 11 and later, the third-generation 11-inch iPad Pro and later, the fifth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro and later, the fourth-generation iPad Air and later, the ninth-generation iPad and later, the sixth-generation iPad mini, and the new third-generation Apple TV 4K.

Article Link: Hands-On With Apple Music Sing in iOS 16.2

 

[Cole82]

I would have preferred they concentrate on improving Siri... but hey, this works too I guess?

 

[roland.g]

Biggest draw of this is to essentially turn off vocals and focus on the music behind them a bit more for some songs.

 

[Mansu944]

The amount of snark when apple does something fun amazes me. If you don't like it or think it is stupid don't use it. smh...

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Pretty impressive! Perfect for road trips. Who's going to try this out with their friends and family?

 

[athousandbands]

Would love to know if this works with AirPlay for older ATVs

 

[PsykX]

I just tried it and I'm simply AMAZED by this feature.
Maybe I should stop reading all these rumors, I just got reminded of what it's like to be surprised and it feels good

 

[fwmireault]

Was fully expecting Dan to sing, kind of disappointed… Maybe in the next MacRumors Show episode

 

[Ciamaichelo]

This will be HUGE in the Asian Market! I think it is long overdue.

 

[ElGrandisimo]

Dan, I see your music taste popping up in videos like these and I respect you even more.

 

[DMG35]

Why is this feature being made such a big deal? You would think with the coverage of this feature that it was some ground breaking iOS feature. It's a feature that you can literally get from an app at any time. I think we've heard all we need to hear about this one moving forward.

 

[subjonas]

Two things:
- How does one mic their voice when the song is playing on HomePods or AirPods?
- It looks like there’s no way to change the song key, sadly. Hopefully in a future update.

 

[DMG35]

The amount of snark when apple does something fun amazes me. If you don't like it or think it is stupid don't use it. smh...

Well you tend to get snark when Apple works on complete frivolous features like this while releasing a bug ridden mess like iOS16.

 

[PauloSera]

Too bad this is being done with AI instead of tracks, because you get that awful squelch effect which does not sound like karaoke at all. You'd think every song available as an Apple Music master has the potential to drop the vocal track, but yet they went this way. Shame.

 

[mikebenton]

I guess I'm still not clear on mic options. Maybe the feature only removes the real vocals and you will still need a separate mixer to bring in your own vocals. But then I remember reading about support for multiple singers...so who knows. If you're just doing this on an iPhone, a mic doesn't make much sense. Your own voice is not going to be amplified by the iPhone's speakers....and if you stream it to a bluetooth speaker, you're probably going to experience latency.

 

[entropys]

Pretty impressive! Perfect for road trips. Who's going to try this out with their friends and family?

Does it work on carplay though?

 

[now i see it]

This will be a big hit in Japan- but they’ve already got karaoke down to an art

 

[vegetassj4]

With Apples new Sing, you too can now do this and amaze your friends. Skip to 1:49.

 

[Charlie.V]

Is this only done with software or are they going to be allowing artists to upload an instrumental and isolated vocal to offer this in better quality?

 

[MozMan68]

Does it work on carplay though?

I would guess yes…trying right now!

 

[MozMan68]

I would guess yes…trying right now!

Yes! It does….and I mount my phone so I can control next to my screen, so perfect for pathetic singers like me!!

 

[PauloSera]

I would guess yes…trying right now!

And? Because I would guess not. Apple has been adamant about holding back features from CarPlay.

 

[timshundo]

What I would LOVE for the next version of this is to be able to change the key/pitch/tempo of the song, which I currently use an app for. Unfortunately that app requires you to purchase the song from itunes first since Apple Music tracks are drm protected and it can't modify them.

 

[T Coma]

So this is unavailable for use with Macs? That's disappointing. Karaoke bars / karaoke nights usually feature multiple screens. As I'm coincidentally shopping karaoke equipment now for our nearly completed home bar / stage, this announcement really got my hopes up. I can have the MBP on a podium or stand, with an HDMI cable running to the big screen at the back of the stage. Perfect! Unfortunately Apple, in their wisdom, decided to not allow this feature on Macs - even the new ones - which of course can run Apple music.

Bummer. I was already laying out the plans for the stage revision.

The amount of snark when apple does something fun amazes me. If you don't like it or think it is stupid don't use it. smh...

After one comment. Hardly a considerable "amount of snark."

Sheesh - that's some thin skin!

 

[cocky jeremy]

I give it a week before Spotify cries that they don't get free access to Apple's work on this.