SingStar: Behind the Tech Curtain
Though rightfully labeled as a karaoke game, few people actually know how sophisticated [shal]Singstar[/shal] really is, particularly the PS3 iteration. And even fewer know that SingStar relies on confidential audio filter technology, courtesy of one of Dublin’s brightest minds.
The team at [shal]London Studio[/shal] works in conjunction with [shal]Sony[/shal] Creative Software, who develops custom VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plug-ins for SCS’s audio editing program, Sound Forge. These plug-ins are also used by the SingStar team, and specially optimized to run on the [shal]Cell processor[/shal]‘s [shal]SPU[/shal]s.
The voice channel is also carefully monitored and adjusted, ensuring that the players’ voices are well balanced against the background music. All live vocals are processed with a high pass filter, wave hammer compressor, and Sound Forge reverb set.
Dr. Dan Barry of the Dublin Institute of Technology even has a helping hand (albeit, unknowingly) as his ADRes technology is used within the game to isolate individual instruments from songs. Most of the information on ADRes is confidential, but at least it serves a fun purpose.
[Source]
7 Responses to “SingStar: Behind the Tech Curtain”
a lot of tech goes into it for sure but singing games are not my thing at all lol.
Thats very true.. singstar is better than rock band in a vocal sense. you don’t have to strain yourself saying the lyrics which rock band and rock band 2 suffer from. its very accurate that it picks up every word on the dot even if your blasting your sound system, it only detects words and rarely instruments before the words ie rock band 2 mic picks up any sound vibration and it conflicts with the karaoki session. i noticed that blasting your sound system and being close to the speakers like 9 feet it still is accurate rarely picking up extra sound unlike rock band. Playing the rock band series i noticed you could say any word as long as its on cue it registers… you cant do that on singstar which makes it more competitive and harder to play.
you can also set it to phase out the vocal as you sing so that you only hear yourself with the music or have a combo of you and the artist with the artist slightly lower. The songs are $1.49 which is 50 cents cheaper than rock band and guitar hero but you do get the video included and its eyetoy compatible with a setting to have you on the TV screen or just the video. you can upload songs sung by you without the video portion and edit it after its on your hard drive.. after completing the song you have the option to save, edit, upload or tweek ie the volume was to low. be creative and upload yourself with friends or just upload pictures.
you can grade songs in the community, join completions called the crystal mic’s by uploading your videos and entertaining others. Theres also a mini singstar profile for you in there (in game) online community. it also has wallpaper settings with miniature animations as your background and each includes its own theme music, style or character ie SACK BOY lol. each disk contains 8-9 wallpaper settings or you can buy them online.
its not a game you can play on your own unless your having a few drinks or hung over (lol) but it IS A PARTY/FRIEND game with up to 8 player, VS, Duet, Harmony, pass the mic VS with 5-7 different variations and challenges, practice mode. difficulty easy, medium and hard and it has TROPHIES. Over 600 down loadable songs from old school, to new school and every 2 week they add new songs or song packs. you will find yourself playing songs you hate and find them fun. If people try this game with friends there bound to get hooked, everyone that i have introduced it to have never complained, if anything they ask to play it.
warning.. if your into rock band series singstar vocals are more of a challenge because there accurate. rock band series was developed specifically for instruments.. singstar was pure vocals. Singstar Microphones are not compatible with rock band games. there is no online (yet) for singstar.
@ Sneeches
play them with friends NEVER by yourself.. lol
LOL “NEVER by yourself” priceless.
very interesting
Cool tech there.
I’ve never really been a good singer.