This is so cool. Yes, Melodyne has been around for a while, saving vocalists from their own flatness. But what really makes this interesting is what it means for samples. It’s hard enough now to detect the use of a sample, as it is folded, spun, and mutilated. But at what point does it stop being a sample. Obviously, the phrasing of the original instrument remains important, but at some point, you’ve chopped the original up so much that it isn’t really a “sample” any more at all?
I mean, if you “sample” a paragraph from a book, and don’t cite it, you’ve clearly plagiarized, but when you take single words from someone, you clearly haven’t. Musical notes are not as discrete as words–the phrasing of a note by a violinist, or even by a pianist is fairly unique–but once you get down to the note-by-note level, it starts to feel a lot less like sampling.
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This is just incredible to watch. I wonder what other aspects of reality can be manipulated to such detail and authenticity. Why stop at text or sound when we could attenuate the fabric of vision, touch and smell to heighten particular sensations? ;)