Microsoft Research's MySong automatically chooses chords to play with vocals

Microsoft Research presented a paper at CHI 2008 about MySong, an application that chooses chords to accompany melodies that a user sings into a microphone. You can change the chords by adjusting the "happy factor" and "jazz factor" sliders.

MySong, introduced in our CHI 2008 paper, automatically chooses chords to accompany a vocal melody, allowing a user with no musical training to rapidly create accompanied music. MySong is a creative tool for folks who like to sing but would never get a chance to experiment with creating real original music. Come on, you know who you are... you sing in the car, or in the shower, or you go to karaoke clubs, or you just once in a while find yourself singing along with catchy commercial jingles. MySong is also a great tool for songwriters who want to quickly experiment with melodies and accompaniments.

Link (Thanks, Techeblog!)

[#1 posted by noen , March 3, 2008 10:36 AM]

I can see this as a very useful tool for composers. Not so sure I am looking forward to My Song / Karaoke contests at bars though.

[#2 posted by caesar female , March 3, 2008 10:52 AM]

I can't imagine that any skilled composer would want to use this application. Predictable chord progressions built upon happy/sad variables is a recipe for mediocrity. This program gives non musicians the ability to write a song of sorts but to what end? It's lowest common denominator music. I will grant though, that it is a clever device.

[#3 posted by ttcfcl , March 3, 2008 11:04 AM]

That's cool. I swear I heard a similar feature as part of Yamaha's digital keyboards and that did it live, but can't find it right now though. BUT I'm scared. This makes people with no musical skill appear that they have some. The next 10 years will be full of Kevin Federlines. Kill this project now!!! (j/k XD)

[#4 posted by Kid , March 3, 2008 11:31 AM]

Now they should make a program that gives those folks lyrics. Then they should make a program that gives those folks a better voice. And after that a program that gives those folks better vocal techniques. And after that a program that gives those folks better looks. And better taste. And finally, replace those folks' brains. BRAINSZ!!!!

[#5 posted by ill lich , March 3, 2008 11:41 AM]

This could spell the end of "song sharking."

[#6 posted by jphilby , March 3, 2008 12:11 PM]

Not to put down MySong (got nice scores against hand-written harmony), but:

The algorithms to do this have been around a looooooong time. There were BASIC algorithms in the mid-1960s, floating around college campuses, that could do a *very* nice job of harmonizing user-entered melodies using Bach's rules. {There were no VDT's; the scores were printed.)

So, while it's no doubt spiffy, technically this isn't quite the "research coup" it's presented as. Better than "Band-in-a-Box" is no coup either. OK, enough poo-pooing.

[#7 posted by Reduceri , March 3, 2008 12:58 PM]

Enjoyed the Comic Sans ;)
Loved the copyright message at the end of each MP3, not WMA audio file:

This audio file is prepared to support our submission ?? 2008. This file contains a melody performed by a study participant. This participant consentend to the release of his / her audio samples.

[#8 posted by slideguy , March 3, 2008 2:09 PM]

It'll be interesting to see how this thing flies. There have been a number of voice-MIDI converters that have been tried and failed because most people have no idea how badly they sing. They thought the converter wasn't working when all that was wrong was that they were sharp, flat, or had too much vibrato.

[#9 posted by jordan314 , March 3, 2008 2:40 PM]

The algorithm doesn't seem to have any understanding of functional harmony in chordal movement except in the 5-1 cadences in the end. Interesting concept but this sounds about as useful as auto-accompaniment on cheap keyboards.

[#10 posted by CammoBlammo , March 3, 2008 2:50 PM]

I'm all for technology being available to the masses, but I really get a bit irked when it promises to turn your average Jo(e) into an artist.

I remember when Powerpoint was the Big New Thing. Get a little bit of content, click every button on every dialogue box you could find, and wait for the kudos to start rolling in! It took a fair bit of that before audiences started to realise that there was nothing clever going on.

I wouldn't be surprised, though, if this were to become a core feature of music curricula in a school near you. If it's on a computer it must be educational!

[#11 posted by Takuan , March 3, 2008 2:52 PM]

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Frank-Zappa-Picador-Books/dp/0330316257

[#12 posted by arkizzle , March 3, 2008 3:02 PM]

i.want.to.shoot.emily.in.the.face

with.a.gun

[#13 posted by drinkumbrella , March 3, 2008 3:11 PM]

hey, the CHI 2008 conference isn't until April! Still time to go see the paper presented in person. You wanted to go to Florence anyway.

[#14 posted by Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator , March 4, 2008 4:45 PM]

What's with the Amazon link? Why does Arkizzle want to shoot Emily? I feel like I'm watching the wrong soap opera.

[#15 posted by Takuan , March 4, 2008 5:03 PM]

Read the book, Frank explains popular music and three chords. Bless Frank.