# Hilarious commercial for new Microsoft Songsmith **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318 "2009-01-14T20:45:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/21 "2009-01-15T02:25:50Z")
> [@Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](#): > > Does the program ever actually do anything, or does it just play that one midi under whatever you say? And why would anyone ever pay money for that program? Having experimented with the program, you pick a style of music and a BPM, and then sing over a drumbeat. The program comes up with a chord progression based on what you sing. When it works, it works well. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/22 "2009-01-15T05:39:34Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > I can’t wait for the inevitable all hands meetings with clever songs. I swear that one dude from the conference room scene was in the Ethics Training video. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/23 "2009-01-15T06:36:21Z")
That was comedy. The dad’s huge head bobbled all over his neck with every line he delivered. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/24 "2009-01-16T17:26:35Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > and yes, the “actors” were bad, Manos-level bad… I wonder what Songsmith could do with the Haunting Torgo Theme. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/25 "2009-01-16T17:27:30Z")
Doesn’t Microsoft make ridiculously cheesy ads for internal consumption as a joke? I see them on tech sites sometimes but I don’t think they are meant for the general public. I think this is one of those joke-ads. Incidentally the product looks pretty interesting and it could be a big hit. I would love to see something like Garage Band for Windows though this seems to have a different focus: i.e. songwriting. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/26 "2009-01-16T19:29:24Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > I wonder what Songsmith could do with the Haunting Torgo Theme. Heck, import the entire Manos movie into Songsmith, it’d probably crash it, but then again, it _is_ a microsoft app, they’re not particularly hard to crash anyway… Songsmithing Manos would probably end up creating Skynet and dooming Humanity anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/27 "2009-01-16T22:44:35Z")
Heh, I actually know the main actor in that video. He’s a super nice guy in real life. I’ll have to give him shit about the video when I next see him again :). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lovely_Margo_Lane)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/28 "2009-01-17T00:51:45Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > That was comedy. The dad’s huge head bobbled all over his neck with every line he delivered. I think he’s a dead ringer for Crispin Glover, maybe a bit less spazzy that George McFly, but only a bit… ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/29 "2009-01-17T18:55:28Z")
> [@rayh](#): > > The new Karaoke! I love karaoke. Do you realize how many free drinks I get on karaoke night just to not sing? With Songsmith I’ll be rich, rich I say! ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/30 "2009-01-18T01:29:09Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Heck, import the entire Manos movie into Songsmith, it’d probably crash it, but then again, it _is_ a microsoft app, they’re not particularly hard to crash anyway… Just do what the real director of _Manos_ did and import 30 seconds of dialogue at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/31 "2009-01-18T01:58:05Z")
> [@rayh](#): > > Now there’s a new game. Record a classic song on Songsmith see what it comes up with. They could sell millions with it. The new Karaoke! “Let’s Sing”? I have to admit, it’s really tempting to get my flute and play Pacehlbel’s Canon into it. > [@Lantern](#): > > Doesn’t Microsoft make ridiculously cheesy ads for internal consumption as a joke? I see them on tech sites sometimes but I don’t think they are meant for the general public. I think this is one of those joke-ads. Incidentally the product looks pretty interesting and it could be a big hit. I would love to see something like Garage Band for Windows though this seems to have a different focus: i.e. songwriting. Like [this](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/88657/share_the_pain/)? > [@MacTech](#): > > Hmm, a poorly implemented rip-off of GarargeBand… > > yep, that’s microsoft for you, taking a better concept originating somewhere else, crap-ifying it, claiming they “invented” it and calling it “innovative”, how predictable > > and yes, the “actors” were bad, Manos-level bad… I haven’t played with GarageBand much, but iirc isn’t it more of a loop program? What I was using seemed more along the lines of Adobe Audition with more prepackaged loops, song-smith is more of a generator, it could be useful for getting past composer’s block now and then, it’s not an amazing product, but I could see it being helpful in some ways. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/32 "2009-01-18T02:12:39Z")
I… I can’t stop watching the commercial, it gets better every time so far. Or maybe that’s the madness setting in. I think I need help. Time to watch it for the 5th time… ETA: Any bets on how long before a bunch of people start uploading Songsmithed Rickrolls onto youtube? ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/33 "2009-01-19T23:10:33Z")
[Songsmith in action.](http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/148560-wtf-radiohead-van-halen-the-police-the-cars-oasis-the-doobie-brothers-microsoft-songsmith-remixes-videos) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318/34 "2009-01-20T01:39:45Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > [Songsmith in action.](http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/148560-wtf-radiohead-van-halen-the-police-the-cars-oasis-the-doobie-brothers-microsoft-songsmith-remixes-videos) Truly hideous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hilarious-commercial-for-new-microsoft-songsmith/481318.md?page=1)