Roberto del Rosario | |
|---|---|
| Born | Roberto Legaspi del Rosario 1919 or 1920 |
| Died | 2003 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Known for | Patentholder for the Sing Along karaoke system. |
| Notable work | Inventor Of Sing Along Karaoke Voice Color Tape |
Roberto Legaspi del Rosario (1919/1920 – 2003[1] ) was a Filipino entrepreneur; best known as the patentholder of the Sing-Along System, a type of karaoke appliance he developed in 1975. From his entrepreneurial initiative to patent a karaoke system first, he frequently, albeit arguably, became referred to as "the inventor of Karaoke".
Patent rights to karaoke
[edit]Del Rosario held the patent to the Sing-along System, a type of karaoke he developed in 1975, and was consequently recognized as the sole patent holder of the karaoke system worldwide.[2] The prototype was initially dubbed as the "one-man combo". He developed the system as a teaching aid for his students in his singing school.[3] He became widely credited in the Philippines as the "inventor of the karaoke".[4] Elsewhere the credit goes to the Japanese.[4][1]
Other people credited to have invented the karaoke are:
- Shigeichi Negishi created the Sparko Box singalong system in 1967, although he never patented it.[4]
- Daisuke Inoue, a Japanese man, who built the Juke-8 karaoke machine in 1971.[2][5][6][4]
Del Rosario in 1999 filed a infrigement lawsuit against San Juan-based firm Juanito Corp. of Chinese-Filipino businessman Juanito Eng Cua for its Miyata Karaoke system. Juanito in its defence said that karaoke was invented by the Japanese citing a 1999 Time magazine article crediting Inoue. A court ruled in Del Rosario's favor and with Juanito disputing the decision with the Court of Appeals as of 2002.[3][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Baker, Mark. "Festival celebrates the creativity of Asia". Eugene Register-Guard Ticket. p. 3. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ a b Sood, Suemedha (August 12, 2011). "Karaoke in the Philippines". BBC Travel. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
- ^ a b Adina, Armin (August 14, 2002). "Filipino inventors as prolific as artists". Philippine Daily Inquirer. PDI Research Department. p. D4. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Standard, Manila (March 17, 2024). "Karaoke inventor Negishi dies, 100, family reports". Manila Standard. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ Brown, Kevin (September 12, 2015). Karaoke Idols: Popular Music and the Performance of Identity (illustrated ed.). Intellect Books. p. 69. ISBN 9781783204441. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
- ^ Swaminathan, Anuradha (February 25, 2009). "The Father of Karaoke". WIPO Magazine. World Intellectual Property Organization. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ Nazareno, Rocky (August 28, 2000). "Pinoy's karaoke claim challenged". Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. 1, 18. Retrieved June 30, 2025.