Karaoke Machines -- A Way to Train?

In the process of learning how to improve singing, one common issue is figuring out a good training regiment.  There is the conventional wisdom--do your assigned singing lessons 3 to 5 days a week, go through vocal warm-ups on other days, try some free singing--but this can become monotonous over time.  Fortunately, there's a less painful way to go about it.

Put some of that will to sing into karaoke night instead.  By going out with your friends and having fun, you're going to be looser automatically, and then you can see the benefits of your practice while hanging out.  If you've been training for a while, you're almost definitely going to surprise your friends--which is fun in its own right--and you just might get some great reinforcement from the surrounding crowds.  Give it a try next time you need a change in the grind of learning singing.