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Microsoft Songsmith

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Curt:
- well, then you too will get the best of both worlds...  :P

Lashiec:
The father in the ad is actually one of the developers, Dan Morris. The guy in the coffee shop is another developer, but I don't know his name.
-zridling (January 13, 2009, 09:20 PM)
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That shows the ad is far from being an 'ad', it's probably another mock ad like the others done by Microsoft over the years, there was one a while ago about Vista SP1 with some of the Windows developers mimicking Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, it wasn't as funny though. Clearly, Microsoft employees don't know the meaning of the word 'embarrasment'

In any case, I don't see Microsoft Songsmith replacing musicians anytime soon. Replacing pop stars might be another matter...

Xenonym:
Isn't this sort of thing pretty prevalent already?

40hz:
Isn't this sort of thing pretty prevalent already?
-Xenonym (January 29, 2009, 06:11 AM)
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It dates back before the advent of the personal computer. Algorithmic composition and creativity was one of the earliest topics for research in the mainframe computer era.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmic_music

http://www.thinkartificial.org/artificial-creativity/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_music

And this is the link for much of what's going on in research today:

http://www.flexatone.net/algoNet/index.html

This site provides a comprehensive research resource for computer aided algorithmic music composition, including over one-thousand research listings, over one hundred system listings, cross referenced links to research, links to software downloads and documentation, and web-based tools for searching and filtering the complete lexicon.

Browse systems
Browse resources
Search algorithmic.net
Learn more about algorithmic.net
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40hz:
Remember "Band in a Box"? This seems similar to that, except this appears to fill in a harmony based on the melody of your voice.
-CWuestefeld (January 13, 2009, 08:32 PM)
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Band-in-a-Box goes way beyond what MS is doing. BIAB is a marvelously useful app for music composition education. It also has sufficient depth that it frequently finds a role in professional settings.

But BIAB's best feature (and biggest selling point) is that it's fun to play with. I think Microsoft realized the importance of that when they created Songsmith.

After looking at the advert video, I wouldn't be at all surprised that MS is licensing some of the technology used in Band-in-a-Box.

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P.S. I don't know who wrote that ad, but whoever did really needs to get out of marketing. I have seldom sat through something quite so painful as that. One minute into it and I was actually cringing with embarrassment for the actors. Hope they got paid well. :down:

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