We recently posted 7 Reasons To Hate Microsoft Songsmith, because we, along with many others, found the results of Microsoft’s new music creation app to be pretty spectacularly awful. Songsmith songs are so bad that they have become almost revered for their badness.

This video, via SonicState, though, shows you another side of the story.

It lets you meet some of the people behind Microsoft’s Songsmith music creation software, Dan and Sumit, and learn about the ideas behind the software. The video is fascinating, because it makes you realize that, there’s an amazing amount of science, statistics and music theory behind Songsmith.

Do you think it’s time to reconsider Songsmith? Could version 2 actually be something pretty amazing?

Linus Torvalds, the father of the Linux operating system, is now a Microsoft fan – thanks to Microsoft Songsmith:

This may be a shock to everybody, but I have to admit that I’m not generally a huge fan of most Microsoft software (”No, really, Linus? Tell us more!”).

But I may have to admit that I was wrong.

No, I’m not talking about Windows 7. I’m talking about Songsmith, which is clearly a true work of genius. Yes, yes, the commercials are painfully cheesy, but when used right the end result is undeniably art.

The thing that convinced me was hearing Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” as re-interpreted through Songsmith. Nobody will ever convince me that that isn’t just impossibly brilliant. Sheer genius on just an incredible scale. I’m getting carpal tunnel syndrome from just clicking “Replay” over and over again.

Torvalds may be writing with tongue planted firmly in cheek – but it’s amazing to see how Songsmith has taken on a life of its own, in a way its creators never intended!

I know that you all are enjoying the great music people are making with Microsoft Songsmith, so I though you’d enjoy the Microsoft Songsmith lite jazz version of Van Halen’s Running With Devil.

Microsoft’s Songsmith is an app that is designed to let you makes songs by singing into your Windows computer:

Songsmith generates musical accompaniment to match a singer’s voice. Just choose a musical style, sing into your PC’s microphone, and Songsmith will create backing music for you. Then share your songs with your friends and family, post your songs online, or create your own music videos.

For people that do know how to write music, Microsoft says:

Songsmith is for you too. Songwriters can use Songsmith as an “intelligent scratchpad” to work with new melodies, quickly turning your scratch recordings of new ideas into richer, deeper explorations. Musicians can also play instruments right into Songsmith, instead of singing.

This might be an interesting product, but their promotional video tries your patience, and the app’s graphic design is pretty horrible. That may be enough to keep people away. 

Let me know what you think!