An interesting article on some of the things mentioned here in the past.

Eventually, Arrangers Keyboards will be called Performer Keyboards. And instrument voices and musical styles will be trivial.

Rather than which brand sounds closer to a Tenor Sax, we will be discussing "which brand comes up closer to Elvis's voice?". It's true, we will hear 'Elvis' sing songs he never sang.

And in which key shall one sing it? No sweat, just speak into the mike and the Performer Machine will determine that.

Read more here:
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=technologynews&StoryID=764437

mbl

This is terrifyingly amazing! Or is it just me getting old?

Regards, Michael

It only stands to reason that vocal modeling and manipulation is bound to happen once processing power is able to provide realtime response. Like all technology it will have warts and problems in its early phases but will improve over time.

"Japan Firm Unveils Tech for Perfect-Pitch Karaoke"

This makes me even sadder than you can imagine ........

There is nothing in the Karaoke article that should give musicians cause for undue alarm. The karaoke phenomenon is arguably nothing more than group Nintendo playing and if that's what makes the club owner money so be it. To me - of greater cause for concern is the movement away from melody and harmony in pop music - and the way that intensive studio production removes much of that music from the ability of the entertainer to reproduce it the way musicians are accustomed to learning and playing it for audiences such as music of the 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s and much of the 80s did. Country may be an exception. Much of Karaoke is centered in the past and its patrons often resemble old sing along get togethers - but often with a very weird disconnect. If pop music continues its divergent tracks with heavy bass and drum garbage on one end and over produced studio stuff on the other - what music will entertainers have to choose from?

So much for rambling on a wednesday morning

MH

This makes me even sadder than you can imagine ........
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Friends, U.D.,

Felt the same way when Viagra took off: a false perception of decrease in the value of one's natural talent. But there's nothing like the real thing, or even the real thing improved.

Microphones were late for Caruso but not for Pavaroti. So, with improved technology good singers will shine even brighter.

If a thing is good, i's good for all. Let's all cheer up, the earth is not getting flat.

mbl

(...thank God, or else it would take a giant fence to prevent us from falling down...)

I'm just trying to imagine....
Emo Philips...and his tribute to Frank Sinatra...
aaaauuuuuggggg!!!!