songsmith

Several months back I wrote about Microsoft's Songsmith video that hit all the wrong notes. It was a weird (to say the least) attempt to humanize software that failed so terribly I still find it hard to believe it was real.

Enter the latest Windows 7 launch video, which looks like the Food Network threw a cooking party only to have it geek out and go completely sideways.

Maybe all the pressure to make Windows 7 successful has removed all sensibility to marketing efforts that seem like good ideas until they are actually created.

REDMOND, Wash.--When Dan Morris and Sumit Basu helped create Songsmith, they had no idea that the project would generate the kind of feedback it did.

The program, which automatically generates musical accompaniment for a vocal track, got some immediate and vocal response. Some loved the product, but others criticized Microsoft for trying to be Apple while still others said that the program was devaluing musicians.

"The Internet is a wild beast," Basu said.

But, while they couldn't predict the exact impact, Morris said he expected it would get a lot of attention. "We knew it … Read more

This is for those of you still recovering from the viral video promoting Songsmith, Microsoft's new reverse-karaoke program that lets you sing into a computer microphone, then creates a simple backing track comprised of synthesized piano and drums.

David Lee Roth. "Running With the Devil." Backed up by Songsmith. Listen here, and you'll never be the same.

In spite of all the scorn Songsmith has gotten in the last few days, mainly because of that painful advertisement, I think it's a pretty cool piece of software. I don't know if it's worth $30--a … Read more

Microsoft Research on Thursday is releasing software that gives musicians, both casual and professional, a new way to speed up song development. Called Songsmith, the $29.99 application creates musical accompaniment based on whatever is sung into the computer's microphone.

In order to do this, the software processes the pitch and tone of what's recorded and lets users hear how it might sound if they had a little backup in the form of a virtual piano, drums, and keyboard. Microsoft is expecting them to use the new track either as inspiration for further song development or as a … Read more