The device consists of a set of earphones connected to a microphone-input device which has a built-in harmonizer/pitch transposer sort of effect. This device will take every incoming sound and quantize it to the nearest whole tone. The effect would be similar to the currently overused technique of synthesizing vocals on popular recordings, such as that really annoying Cher "Believe" song.

It could be the size of an mp3 player and you could carry it in your pocket.

Every sound would be a note on a scale. Someone talking to you would sound like they were singing a lilting melody. A car driving by would play a series of descending notes.

It could be calibrated/pre-set to "round" to scales to reduce dissonant note combinations.

Inspired by Ray's tone-deaf hearing aids.
-- waugsqueke, Jun 03 2002

Crow Music Crow_20Music
[bungston, Nov 30 2005]

"Sounds" nice. Could that Ray guy be FarmerRay?
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 03 2002


Sorry, I wasn't clear. That would be Mr. Steele.
-- waugsqueke, Jun 05 2002


Or you could bang random keys on a piano for a similar effect. Which I recall from my little brother's musical efforts wasn't too pleasing to the ear.
-- pottedstu, Jun 05 2002


/Someone talking to you would sound like they were singing a lilting melody./

I happened into this fine and underdiscussed idea while pondering the nature of music. I suspect that certain muscial passages inspire emotional states because they echo the right-brain component of language: relative volume, inflection, tempo etc. Certain speakers clearly have a music in what they say, even though they are not speaking. Something like this could remove the confusing element of words, and make the music behind them clearer.
-- bungston, Nov 30 2005


It was a very annoying song, wasn't it?
-- moomintroll, Nov 30 2005


Big random music generating croissant for you!
-- DesertFox, Nov 30 2005



random, halfbakery