April 29, 2009
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April 2009 From www.SongwritingSoftware.com To help your songwriting with a focus on the benefits of innovative software, tools, resources and programs for your songwriting craft and career.
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Today we'll spotlight a brand new program from Microsoft that requires only that you sing your tune and it will fill in the rest - in any style you choose. Can't sing - you can play in an instrument track and the program will build an arrangement just the same. So whether you play an instrument or not or are musically adept or not there is a lot to be discovered by using this program if only for an inspirational muse. |
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Newsletter errors? See correct formatting here shortly after its mailing. Particularly for Yahoo. Also, in some mail programs links do not show up - so if you suspect
something might be linked simply run your mouse over it and it should
light up if it is a link. |
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Don't Write Music? - You're In Luck With SongSmithEarlier this year Microsoft released a cool new program called SongSmith that over time could become quite a great tool for songwriters but even in its current version offers a lot - especially to the musically challenged among us. How's It Work? In a nutshell SongSmith allows you to create a full band arrangement of your song - just from either you singing your song or playing your instrument like your guitar or keyboard - after which a full, chord appropriate version of your song is produced in the program. You pick the style of music you want, from hip hop to rock, and then record your vocal or instrument. The program will pick musically appropriate chords to match the notes of your singing or playing and presto you have a musical arrangement to accompany your song. From there you can do further editing such as making the chords "happier" sounding (generally more major chords) or more sad sounding (generally more minor chords) simply by moving a slider at the bottom of the work screen in the program. You can even make the chords more sophisticated by "jazzing" them up. Even if you're well versed musically you may still enjoy the ability to quickly create a full band arrangement if for nothing more than to get a feel of how your song might sound with a fuller production. Many Styles And More To Come The program has a link to PG Music that has more style packages available and as PG Music creates more style packages more will become available on SongSmith. PG Music, makers of the highly regarded Band-in-a-Box, Real Band and Power Tracks, even have a page dedicated to SongSmith here. Room For Future Improvements Concerning the quality of the sound I would say it depends a lot on the style of song you choose and other factors such as the type of audio card you have in or externally with your computer. Also, the program does allow you to change instruments so you do have some flexibility there. In general I wasn't too impressed with some of the song samples on the SongSmith site but I have to admit I was listening to them via my lap top speakers at the time. Although the song sample they offered up with a solo electric guitar and backing tracks sounded pretty good. The end result may not be something you would want to market but you would at least get a working version that you could build on or take to a studio for a starter track to embellish upon. And Regarding File Formats You can only save your files as an audio file (a .wav or WMA (Windows Media file - similar to an audio file)) - you can not export the recording or your vocal and or instrument recording, along with the accompanying instruments, separately into a sequencer to edit each instrument track individually - you have to send a mix of the instruments and vocals as one track. If you could save and send your vocal and each instrument separately then you'd have the opportunity to edit each individual instrument and vocal track such that you could add effects, like reverb to your vocal, or re-recording just a section of your vocal or instrument playing - instead of having to sing or play the whole song over again. One way to get some flexibility though is to record your vocal for example, create the accompanying tracks in SongSmith and then export the instrument track only to your sequencer and then in the sequencer re-record your vocal and then you'll at least be able to work with your vocal and the instrument track separately. Concerning Lead Sheets Also, it would be nice if you could print and or export a lead sheet from the chord screen that you see in the main screen of SongSmith. For now though if you want to get those chords in writing you could simply write them down or print them out using a print screen function on your computer. If you don't have or can't readily get your print screen function to work you can get a great free program - PrintKey2000 - I use it all the time. It lets you pick just part of the screen too with its Rectangle function. Overall On the whole SongSmith is at least a good tool and certainly a big leg up for the musically challenged. And I think it is going to improve a lot going forward. Download a free trial here. |
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For Inspiration And Thought On Your Path To More Songwriting Success:"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows." -- Sydney J. Harris
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