Karaoke on GitHub
UltraStar Deluxe karaoke source, issues, and releases live on GitHub at UltraStar-Deluxe/USDX under GPL-2.0. Use Releases for installers and the README for Flatpak notes.
By Reed Hollow editorial team Current release, published September 13, 2026
The upstream repository is UltraStar-Deluxe/USDX. Project site: usdx.eu. Docs: usdx.eu/docs.
What lives in the repo
Source, licence (GPL-2.0), compiling notes, and release automation live here. Binary installers for karaoke nights attach to GitHub Releases, not to random mirrors. Flatpak is published on Flathub as eu.usdx.UltraStarDeluxe per the README installation section.
Issues and security
Bug reports belong in the upstream issue tracker. Security contacts use the GitHub security tab for the same repository. Reed Hollow does not triage UltraStar Deluxe bugs on this guide site.
Stars and cadence
Star counts and the current release tag are refreshed from the GitHub API when this site builds. Treat them as snapshots, not marketing claims. Karaoke hosts should care more about matching asset names than about star totals.
How this guide uses GitHub
Install panels deep-link to release assets. Cluster pages explain which file to pick. We never host exe or dmg files ourselves; every download button points at GitHub or Flathub. Independence notes live on about and advertising disclosure.
Next: releases, download safe, Windows install.
Operational checklist
- Repo URL
- Releases URL
- Flathub id
Paste those three strings into your event runbook. When a volunteer asks where to get karaoke software, send the Releases URL rather than a search result. That habit cuts adware installs dramatically.
Compiling from source is documented in COMPILING.md for contributors. Most karaoke hosts never need it: the published installer, dmg, AppImage, and Flatpak cover Windows, macOS, and Linux desktops.
Why local karaoke still matters
A living-room PC with UltraStar Deluxe keeps pitch scoring on hardware you control. Subscription karaoke apps are convenient on phones, yet they need accounts, catalogs, and network continuity. When the room already has a TV, USB microphones, and a folder of songs you may use, the desktop path is simpler than juggling seats.
Reed Hollow documents the install door so searchers who typed karaoke find GitHub Releases or Flathub instead of Softonic-style wrappers. That is the editorial job: exact filenames, honest limits, and one update habit.
What UltraStar Deluxe is for
UltraStar Deluxe is a GPL-2.0 karaoke game. Up to six players can sing with microphones while the engine scores pitch and rhythm. Themes and party mode exist, but they are optional after a first successful night. The program does not ship a commercial catalog inside the installer, dmg, AppImage, or Flatpak. You bring song folders you may use.
Prep before guests arrive
Test one short track the day before. Confirm the microphone appears in the OS sound panel and inside UltraStar Deluxe Options. Confirm SongDir lists the titles you expect. Confirm the TV shows lyrics at a readable size. Keep a paper note with the Releases URL, Flatpak id if needed, and the song folder path.
Update and backup habits
Return to the same GitHub Releases page for the next Windows installer, portable zip, macOS dmg, or AppImage. Flatpak users run the normal update flow. Back up song folders and config before major OS upgrades. Skip third-party karaoke updaters from search ads.
Where to go next
Home install panel: home. First hour: installed. Guides hub: guides. Safety: is karaoke safe. Comparison: vs paid karaoke apps. About Reed Hollow: about.
Microphone and room notes
USB microphones are enough for most karaoke nights. Start with one reliable mic before buying a mixer. Place the TV at eye level for singers who need lyrics, and keep ambient noise low enough that pitch detection stays stable. Wireless mics work when the OS sees them as ordinary audio devices.
If scoring looks dead, check the OS input meter first. UltraStar Deluxe cannot score a device the operating system never enabled. Re-assign players in Options after you swap hardware mid-night.
Song format expectations
UltraStar-format songs typically pair audio or video with a text notes file. Broken timing usually means a bad notes file, not a broken UltraStar Deluxe build. Fix songs with community editors only after one known-good track scores correctly. Do not mass-import unmarked archives from chat threads.
Keep originals of every song folder you trust. Reimages and accidental deletes are common on shared karaoke laptops. Store licence notes beside the backup.
Teaching a new host
Walk a new host through the Releases URL, the exact Windows or macOS filename, or the Flatpak id. Then watch them add SongDir and sing one track. That ten-minute drill beats a long slide deck. Point them at download safe and first hour when they need a refresher.
Remind them that Reed Hollow is an independent guide publisher. Upstream UltraStar Deluxe remains at usdx.eu and GitHub. Bug reports for the game belong upstream.