The new music makers

Yang Jie, 28, an office worker from Beijing who particularly likes pop songs. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"It's karaoke combined with internet thinking," Chen says. "We're striving to provide a great experience for customers. The bright lights, good stereo and a small catwalk in the room make them feel like superstars."

Guests can do many things with the Changba app, including making a reservation, requesting a song to be played and paying the bill. They can also broadcast their singing live on the app.

Chen says the number of those frequenting karaoke bars is falling, but the demand for spending time with friends in such bars is still robust.

Apart from the popularity of mobile karaoke apps, there are other factors behind the decreasing popularity of karaoke bars, Ji says. Among them are the many ways entertainment can now be delivered, the economic slowdown and the fact that consumers are becoming increasingly picky.

"Going to a karaoke bar is an important social activity for Chinese. Demand is weaker now, but it won't disappear altogether. The best karaoke bars are not affected much and still attract regular customers, but it's different for the bars that are just run of the mill."

In the 1990s it was common for Chinese households to sing at home using various bits of equipment.

Ji reckons those days may be about to return. It is now possible to install a karaoke app on an Android TV box, and once you have done so, the whole family can instantly be in the music business.