This is way cool! Maybe we here can develop it to be a virutal session!
Play in a Top Orchestra, Virtually
Mon June 14, 2004 10:04 AM ET
By Sonali Paul
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Ever dreamed of playing in an orchestra? Well now you can and from the comfort of your own home or school.
Forget about years of practice and the gut-wrenching nerves at auditions.
Australia’s Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and a local software designer have created “In The Chair,” a cross between a karaoke machine and flight simulator, which allows you to play your favorite symphony via a computer, with a conductor on screen and tuition while you play.
“From day one, you can have the excitement of being a professional musician in an orchestra,” said Digital Monkey software producer and director David Evans.
But “In The Chair” is not just another computer game. The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra hopes it will also be used by orchestras struggling to build audiences and find funding.
The orchestra sees “In The Chair” as a tool to teach young musicians, build appreciation for orchestral music and help pay its bills. It hopes the product will eventually provide it with a steady $345,000 a year.
“Other big orchestras have an endowment fund. We see this in a similar way – a business opportunity,” said Chris Matters, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s commercial manager.
SYMPHONY SIMULATOR
“In the Chair” is different to other interactive music software because it does not rely on MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) input, but can handle sound from any acoustic instrument with a microphone plugged into a computer sound card.
Using artificial intelligence, the software converts the sound into data about pitch, volume, timing and quality and compares it with an ideal performance.
It then responds instantly, flagging you when you’re playing sharp or flat, not in time, too loudly or not blending with the rest of the ensemble.
“It really picks up things right on-the-money. It knows exactly what you’re playing,” said Neal Holmes, a clarinet teacher and member of the Adelaide Youth Orchestra who demonstrated the software at a recent launch.
As a short demonstration on www.inthechair.com shows, the feedback comes as text on the screen, arrows on the sheet music or recorded comments from members of the Adelaide Symphony.
And like a computer game, “In the Chair” has different levels, with an original and three simpler versions of each orchestra part available, so that beginners, as well as more seasoned musicians, can play with the virtual orchestra.
“This will appeal to games-oriented young kids. It will appeal to music students – anyone who wants to have an interactive experience with an orchestra beyond being in an audience,” said Matters.
WANTED: TOP ORCHESTRAS
Digital Monkey is now testing “In the Chair” with music students and schools, and is looking for partners in the United States and Europe to publish and distribute the software, confident of launching it commercially in January 2005.
The Adelaide Symphony and the software developer plan to test the system in a live rehearsal by broadband connection with the Penang Symphony Orchestra in Malaysia on July 7.
They have also approached BBC orchestras in Britain, the Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony in the United States to provide recordings for the software.
“So if the New York Philharmonic does ultimately provide us with content in this software, we can say, ‘Come and sit in the chair in the New York Philharmonic’,” said Matters.
Matters said they had not yet decided on a price tag for the software, but were looking at ideas such as licensing it to schools to make it accessible to students.
With dwindling funding for orchestras worldwide, getting a place in an orchestra will be increasingly tough for young musicians, so the software could give them a unique opportunity.
“It’ll be very useful as a tool for students to have an opportunity to play with an orchestra, without actually having an orchestra,” said Holmes.
“It’s a visualization of the real deal, which is good in some senses and not so good in others, because there’s never anything quite as good as the real thing.” ($1=A$1.45)
© Reuters 2004
In The Chair website: http://www.inthechair.com
MarkB
