Apart from the Doodle for the commemorations of famous dead musicians, Google also gives us musical games such as Savoy Google!
But there is one that makes me laugh and that I find interesting.
Hey Google, can you make the presentation?
Let me introduce you to Blob Opera, made by David Li in collaboration with Google Arts and Culture.
How does it work?
As far as I’m concerned, on Google Chrome. Follow this link.
Then we are dealing with an algorithm called convolutional neural network.
4 opera singers like tenor Christian Joel, bass Frederick Tong, mezzo-soprano Joanna Gamble and soprano Olivia Doutney recorded 16 hours of singing to perfect the training of this algorithm.
Incredible but true!
You don’t actually hear their voices, but the machine learning model’s understanding of what opera singing is, based on what it has learned from them. Using through the interpretation of the algorithm their voice as an expressive musical instrument is a great idea. Because no singing skills are required for the user! Just knowing how to manipulate the mouse! Fun, isn’t it?
Blobs are fun!
With your mouse, drag the Blobs :
Up and down to change the height.
Or forward and backward for different vowel sounds.
Depending on the choice of the Blob, from low to high pitch, the song is 1 voice, 2 voices, 3 voices or all 4 voices
To stop a blob from singing, click on the speaker icon above them
Know that the machine learning model allows the blobs to react and harmonize with your data in real time.
Go on tour
It all starts with training in their house called “Blobpera House”. Once trained, you can take them on tour.
At the bottom right you will find a planet icon. By clicking on it, discover the blobs in cities around the world and find inspiration in capitals such as London, New York, Mexico City, Seoul, Cape Town and Paris.
Inspiration
At each destination a musical note icon appears next to the planet icon.
These are interpretations of opera by the algorithm according to the cities. I recommend you to listen to it because it is very funny and inspiring.
Record your concerts
The blobs are practicing or going on tour, why not record them?
On the left a record button is available to record your performance.
However, it is a video recording. It does not require you to be in opera performance mode. If you are, you will have to click on the back button next to it to return to the recording mode.
A final word for this article Google and music?
This initiative is fun and entertaining, and I even think that some people, me first, will have ideas of sampling with Quick Sampler for example…
Know that when you make a recording, you can share it by clicking on the icon provided for that on your social networks and by email.
For me, the only two regrets are that our recording is not downloadable in mpeg4 video format and that there is no possibility to share it on YouTube.
But I salute this beautiful initiative, hours of fun in family or for the children…
Musically Francis