FAQ
Beltr is a desktop karaoke app that turns any song you own into a karaoke track: vocals removed, lyrics on screen, phones as wireless remotes.
Drop any audio file into Beltr. The AI separates vocals from instruments in a minute or two, right on your computer. Synced lyrics appear on your TV or monitor. Guests connect their phones by scanning a QR code to queue songs and control playback.
Yes. When a song’s official music video is available, Beltr can play it on the TV behind the words, dimmed under the lyrics — so any track becomes a full production. It’s optional and runs automatically as you add songs. Fetching a video takes two free open-source tools we don’t bundle: yt-dlp and a JavaScript runtime — Deno, or Node.js if you already have it — which YouTube now requires. The easy way is to let Beltr fetch them for you: in Settings, under Music-video backgrounds, choose “Install it for me” and it downloads and verifies both, no terminal needed. If they’re already on your computer, video backgrounds turn on by themselves — nothing to configure. Installing by hand? Install both: yt-dlp on its own can no longer fetch from YouTube. And with neither, songs still play with their album art and artist photos behind the lyrics.
Yes. A fresh install lands on two ready-to-play demos of the Beltr anthem: an HD AI version (vocals separated, word-synced lyrics, music-video background, live pitch scoring) and a classic CD+G / MP3+G version (the karaoke-disc path, rendered just like a hardware machine). They’re there so you can try both the second you open the app — and they bow out automatically the moment you import your first song.
The most reliable way is an HDMI cable from the computer running Beltr to your TV: zero latency, best audio, and pitch scoring works automatically since the microphone is on that same computer. You can also use your smart TV's built-in browser, AirPlay (Mac → Apple TV), or Chromecast. Native TV apps are live on both stores: Apple TV on the App Store and Android TV & Google TV on Google Play. See all setup options for the trade-offs of each.
8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB recommended), modern multi-core CPU, ~2 GB disk space for the AI model. Runs on macOS 12+, Windows 10+, and Linux.
Yes. Beltr is on the Unraid Community Applications store: open the Apps tab, search for Beltr, and install. There are two templates — Beltr (CPU, runs anywhere) and Beltr-NVIDIA (CUDA build for servers with an NVIDIA GPU and the Nvidia-Driver plugin). Install one, not both. Point it at the share that holds your music, open the WebUI, and any TV and phone in the house connects the same way as the desktop app. For other servers, Docker images and a compose file are on GitHub. Same 5-song trial and one-time license as the desktop app.
Yes. The macOS build is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens normally with no Gatekeeper warning. Drag it to Applications and launch.
Yes. After the AI model downloads on first run, everything runs locally. No internet connection required.
MP3, FLAC, and WAV files.
Yes. Drop in an MP3+G or CDG zip and it plays instantly, sitting next to your AI-made tracks in the library. Each disc-based track is marked with an “MP3+G” badge so you can tell them apart at a glance.
Yes. Beltr exports any track to MP3+G — the standard karaoke-disc format. Burn it to disc, drop it on a USB stick, or load it directly onto a hardware karaoke machine. Works with every karaoke machine made in roughly the last 30 years.
Yes. Beltr records your performance as you sing and creates a shareable vertical video clip. After each song, scan the QR code on your screen with your phone to open the clip, then tap Share to send it to friends or save it. The clip stays on your machine — nothing uploads on its own.
MP3+G is the standard karaoke-disc format: an MP3 audio file paired with a CDG file that paints synced lyrics on screen. It’s what every commercial karaoke disc and karaoke machine uses. Beltr both imports and exports MP3+G.
A minute or two per song on most computers — quicker on a recent Apple Silicon Mac, longer on an older CPU-only PC. The vocal-separation model ships inside Beltr, so there is no wait for it to download; the first song whose lyrics need word-level timing does fetch a one-time alignment model.
Demucs v4 is an open-source neural network from Meta Research that separates audio into 4 stems: vocals, drums, bass, and melody. It's the engine behind Beltr's vocal separation.
Beltr works with audio files you own. It does not stream from or connect to any streaming service.
Studio recordings produce the best results. Live recordings, tracks with heavy effects, or low-bitrate files may produce lower-quality separation.
Guests scan a QR code displayed on the TV screen. It opens a web page on their phone. No app download, no account required.
No hard limit. All connected phones can queue songs, browse the library, and vote on what plays next.
No. The remote works in any modern mobile browser. Nothing to download or sign up for.
The remote needs no app — it runs in any browser. For singing, there’s Beltr Remote: Karaoke Mic, a free app that turns your phone into the wireless microphone for live pitch scoring. It’s on the App Store and Google Play now.
The Beltr Discord community earns 25% off a licence. Two ways to get there: turn up and chat on three separate days, or post something in #showcase that three other people react to — that unlocks it immediately. One code per person, valid for 14 days once claimed, and it works on Beltr and nothing else. Offer closes 12 September.
$19.99, one-time purchase. No subscription, ever — you own it. For the arithmetic against a monthly plan, see how much KaraFun costs per month compared with Beltr’s one-time price.
The full app with 5 song separations. No credit card required, no time limit.
The app still works. You can play any songs you've already processed. It won't process new songs until you buy a license.
Yes — a no-questions-asked 14-day money-back guarantee. If Beltr isn’t for you, email support@beltr.app within 14 days of buying and you get a full refund. (You can also try 5 songs free before you ever pay.) Details on the refund policy page.
Each license key works on up to 2 devices.