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Automating what shouldn't be: Songsmith
Microsoft Songsmith is a new software program that "intelligently" fills in accompaniment to any given vocal track. Here's "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor, all chewed up and nastified by Songsmith. Brilliant.
I mean, it's like Clippy (the widely loathed Microsoft Office paper clip) appeared and said, "It looks like you're trying to sing a song. Would you like a bass line?"
Let this be a warning about what happens when you automate what should rightfully remain in human hands. It reminds us what the "A" stands for in AI.
Ack--that is wrong is so many ways. What Songsmith did to "The Eye of the Tiger" was horrible--there should be laws against that type of thing. That also kind of reminds me why I skip karaoke nights.
Metafilter had a great discussion about Songsmith a couple of weeks ago when the software first came out. People there did the same thing with a bunch of other hits, with hilariously painful results: http://www.metafilter.com/78408/Classic-Rock-covered-by-Microsoft-Songsmith
I've yet to hear anything I didn't cringe at from Songsmith (neither this nor their intro video), but it's really no worse than the auto tunes on many of the keyboards out there. I don't think anyone's suggesting professional musicians use it, but it maybe (maybe) could be useful for amateurs looking for some baseline inspiration..
Wow.
Never heard of Songsmith (hereafter ominously abbreviated SS), and now I hope I never will again...
The thing about this, though, is: Who in the name of Bonaparte's balls came up with this idea - and who in the name of islamic Fonzie decided "yeah, let's turn the money hose on!"?
Exactly when would you ever need a machine to start humming randomly under your singing?
Which demand is this abomination supposed to meet?
What situation between a person and a computer is SS created for?
I haven't even the slightest of clues - and I understand Band-in-a-Box from the days of yore, and Garageband, I'm a musician but not a good one, I get all of that.
But SS - nope, drawing a complete blank.
Oh wait, unless Microsoft tried to go all musicy and hip'y, yet somehow, unbelievably, utterly and completely missed the point...
Did you see the original Songsmith online ad that Microsoft did to promote it? It's nothing short of horrifying:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oGFogwcx-E
Oy vey! - couldn't even watch the whole thing...
Another thing - I know I haven't actually tried it myself (not flamin' likely I will either) but it would appear SS can only make songs that sound like some awful I-just-bought-a-Casiotone-so-I-guess-I'll-go-play-at-parties dude from the early 80's.
Surely, even the most casual of "musicians" wouldn't particularly want to go for that sound?
Folks - Songsmith is *not* new. I read about it well over a year ago (possibly closer to two years ago). It is not meant to be a product. What it *is* meant to be, was a research project investigating rythym and harmony recognition. Take another listen to that video. Guess what? Songsmith put together a harmony that was more in tune and on beat than most college bands out there. Was it good music? Not in the sense of "entertaining". But if you listen to it, it really follows all of the "rules" of music composition, in terms of the notes, the interaction of the various tracks, and so on. Yes, it is horrible "music" and nearly unlistenable.
And, if you are wondering who the audience is for it, the research team nailed it a while ago: people who just wanted to do something "quick and dirty". The examples that they gave in the research paper (if I recall) were things along the lines of a boyfriend singing a singing to his girlfriend, and wanting a little bit of a tune to go along with it. Not meant to be a professional tool in anyway.
J.Ja
Not that this is "recommended"...but anyone who has the tolerance to listen to the Van Halen "Running With the Devil" Songsmith at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kxqMpGAL3I&feature=related
...will find a convincing rendition of what DLR was to become in his Post-VH career, and a replacement of a burning EVH solo with, get this, a slide whistle! Awesome! I can just imagine the band this would have been if in the middle of Running w/the Devil Eddie pulled out a slide whistle and started jammin. Phewweee!
I personally find these hilarious, yet, also a bit scary. I have absolutely nothing against electronic music but I feel it even more a necessity to practice my guitar and play atomic music now that I have allowed my ears to hear these mash-ups.
Cheers, Dennis
ps - "Bah bah dah, shoobie do wah"