Author Topic: Microsoft Songsmith (Read 40,412 times)

Curt · « **Reply #25 on:** January 15, 2009, 11:37 AM »

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

Lashiec · « **Reply #26 on:** January 15, 2009, 02:45 PM »

Quote from: zridling on January 14, 2009, 03:20 AM

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.

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 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 29, 2009, 12:11 PM »

Isn't this sort of thing pretty prevalent already?

40hz · « **Reply #28 on:** January 29, 2009, 02:48 PM »

Quote from: Xenonym on January 29, 2009, 12:11 PM

Isn't this sort of thing pretty prevalent already?

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

Quote

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

40hz · « **Reply #29 on:** January 29, 2009, 02:58 PM »

Quote from: CWuestefeld on January 14, 2009, 02:32 AM

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.

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.

---

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.

Crush · « **Reply #30 on:** January 29, 2009, 03:12 PM »

Algorithmic compositions? I remember that I often listened to Algomusic on the Amiga.
The additional automatic song name generation was sometimes very funny.

Author Topic: Microsoft Songsmith (Read 40,412 times)

Curt

Re: Microsoft Songsmith

Lashiec

Re: Microsoft Songsmith

Xenonym

Re: Microsoft Songsmith

40hz

Re: Microsoft Songsmith

40hz

Re: Microsoft Songsmith

Crush

Re: Microsoft Songsmith