Synthesized Singers

ctwxman writes "Over the past few decades, advances in computer hardware and software have eliminated many jobs... some technical, some menial, but none artistic. As an on-camera performer in television, I've always was believed that I was 'bulletproof' as far as replacement through technology was concerned. Not so fast. Recently, The Sinclair television stations began using 'central casting' to bring news and weather anchors from a central location (near Baltimore) to the local outlets. Still, real people are needed, just not as many. But now, even real performers may be replaced. The New York Times (inhalation of airplane glue required) reports on a new technology which allows synthesized singers to sing. Imagine having a singer with a world-class voice at your disposal, any hour of any day. She's just standing at the ready, game to perform whatever silly song you might make up for her: a ballad about her love for you, a tribute to your best friend's golf game, a stirring rendition of the evening's dinner menu. Scary."

Comments

So combine....

[panxerox]

this with the story "Decoding the Algorithm for Pop Music" and a synthetic DJ and who needs the radio anymore? Throw in a few digital actors and you can have your very own 24 hour copyright free mtv! A whole new meaning to "homebrew music" And what better way to bring down the RIAA than to replace them with software its not like its going to be any more original.

Re:So combine....

[Junta]

And while you are at it, put in some AIs to listen and watch the crap...

Re:So combine....

[lurker412]

The only thing lacking would be some autonomous agents to post critical comments about all of the above to /.

Re:So combine....

[Walt Dismal]

This completely explains the album "Cowboy Neal Does Sinatra".

Re:Google Link

[Anonymous Coward]

I wanted to inhale the glue though :(

This must be a dupe...

[Motherfucking Shit]

The New York Times (inhalation of airplane glue required) reports on a new technology which allows synthesized singers to sing.

C'mon Slashdot, enough with the old stories already. Britney Spears has been "singing" for years now!

This is not new technology...

[lewko]

"a new technology which allows synthesized singers to sing"

I suspect Milli Vanilli, BROS, Christina, Brittney and N*sync may be suing for prior art.

Macintosh speech synthesis

[Amiga Lover]

The new voice with Panther (Mac OSX 10.3) is scary. Vicki can send shivers up my spine anytime. I KNOW it's only a manufactured voice, a speech synthezizer, but dammit it's a sultry one.

I'm almost considering getting a mac just to listen to her.

Re:Macintosh speech synthesis

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't know what kind of 'glue' your 'sniffing' but the voice (Victoria actually) sounds like a school librarian but I guess if you think that's sexy that's you'r problem

Re:Macintosh speech synthesis

[Anonymous Coward]

Hey dude, maybe he finds librarians sexy. You know, the one you just know would look hot if she unrolled her hair from its bun, took the plastic-rimmed glasses off, and unbuttoned the top button or two of her blouse?

Hrmm

[acehole]

I can see the live concerts now... packed with people in the crowd, latest pryrotechnics ready to go, all the latest visual and audio gear deployed.

And in the middle of the stage, a beige computer tower with a monitor, keyboard and mouse and a technician on hand to wiggle the mouse every 10 minutes so the flying windows screensaver doesnt come on.

Re:Hrmm

[quonsar]

yeah, and it would be about two minutes later that some "indie" or minimalist "punk" puts on a show featuring nothing but the flying windows screen saver. hordes will flock to throw money at this breakthrough expression of genius, and among the original flying windows fans there will be bitter talk of how it "sold out to the man".

Ah

[Cuthalion]

Imagine having a singer with a world-class voice at your disposal, any hour of any day. She's just standing at the ready,

Is her name Sharon Apple?

Ehhhh...

[Faust7]

But now, even real performers may be replaced.

They already have been. Who would call Spears, Aguilera, or Milli Vanilli "real"?

a stirring rendition of the evening's dinner menu.

Sorry, but "Pasta Roni" sung is going to be underwhelming, no matter how good the voice is.

I find it interesting...

[TheLoneDanger]

I find it interesting that the first voices they've decided to use are "SOULful" voices.

nytimes registration not bad, but..

[theycallmeB]

Having been in a research enviroment where exposure/inhalation of airplane glue fumes (we were gluing up parts that were installed and flown on a real airplane (OK, it was tilt-rotor, and those are not real airplanes, but-still) so it counts as airplane glue), I can attest that attempting to sign into the NyTimes website can be greatly hampered by inhalation of airplane glue. Further, when some of those glue-tubes say 'use in a well ventilated area' they mean outdoors in a hurricane.

Now excuse me while I go try find where my brain cells went.

Q: What do you call someone...

[wardomon]

who hangs out with musicians?

A: A drummer.

ba dum dum chsst

Electric Monk

[Kris_J]

The Electric Monk was a labour-saving device, like a dishwasher or a video recorder. Dishwashers washed tedious dishes for you, thus saving you the bother of washing them yourself, video recorders watched tedious television for you, thus saving you the bother of looking at it yourself; Electric Monks believed things for you, thus saving you what was becoming an increasingly onerous task, that of believing all the things the world expected you to believe.

Finally!

[Anonymous Coward]

We can replace Britney Spears musical endeavors with a small shell script. Then she'll be able to fully devote herself to just looking hot.

Re:Endless Listening

[brahmsnotbombs]

Isn't this just Britney Spears?

Actually, I just found my PHD Project!

[theGreater]

A little genetic algorithm, a dash of Vocaloid, that hit-o-meter thing they were talking about earlier, and some random seeding. Then, when I get The Perfect Pop Album, I compare the results to Mozart's (alleged) Musical Dice. I'm pretty sure that after 3 years of listening to my own tandomly crappy music, I'd be crazy enough for a tenured position.

-theGreater Ponderer.

phone sex industry

[wattersa]

the implications for the phone sex industry are staggering. Imagine the provider being able to use YOUR NAME in the call with a unique new script each time you call. If only I were a pornographer...

Re:phone sex industry

[SuiteSisterMary]

Nah, you could just do a quick and dirty 'search and replace' on an Eliza script, and go from there.

Sexual Eliza: Hello, my name is Candi. What would you like me to do?
Customer: Strip for me, baby.
Sexual Eliza: I think you want me to strip for you. Why is that?
Customer: Oh, baby, cuz it's so hot.
Sexual Eliza: What is hot about strip for you?

And so on....

Macross Plus

[Lord_Dweomer]

Anybody read this and immediately think "Macross Plus"? Sharon Apple is the computer character in that anime who is a music sensation. She even has holographics project her image during concerts. However, in reality, she's just some big computer box with lots of stuff inside. Unfortunately, she goes crazy and takes over a building, directing all its defense systems against the hero, but.......there is a price to pay for good music I guess.

Yeah, but will these computational singers...

[Anonymous Coward]

Perform illegal operations with child processes?

Pah, old tech

[peterpi]

Theee coh. maydor ahhmiigahh... ws dooweng theez. Ten yeez ah. go.

Re:Here is the demo MP3

[vigilology]

The pervert in the background going "uuhhhh... uuhhhh..." is too distracting.

Re:Here is the demo MP3

[EvilTwinSkippy]

Wow, that's got a great career as a backup singer... for a delivery truck.

Oh hay watch out,
I'm back-ing up
please get ... out of ... the way

Oh please get lost
or you'll be crushed

Scoot and live an-other dat.

Actually, it will be "Sharon Apple."

[Glytch]

Only test pilots need fear the result, fear not.

Synthesized Idol

[QuackQuack]

Can "Synthesized Idol" be far behind? Oh wait, isn't that redundant?