THE WEDNESDAY REPORT: November 9, 2022

Dear Partners in Ministry,

Thanks to everyone who responded to my demo of Cantamus, the AI-based web app for singing ensembles. Overall, your responses were very positive! I've decided to take the plunge, so St. Noel now has an annual subscription to this new and exciting service.

WHAT IT IS

Cantamus is a web-based service that takes digital versions of choral music and converts it into a not-perfect but quite amazing AI (artificial intelligence)-based rendition for rehearsal, lyrics included.

Because it's web-based, you don't need to download an app or have a smartphone to use it. Access it like you would any website, using your favorite browser.

Each of you will be invited to create a free-to-you account which will be added as a "singer" in one or more "ensembles" I've set up (Parish Choir, Cantors, Resurrection Choir).

Then I will upload scores of new pieces to our ensemble's "rehearsal" page. You'll be able to:

open them and listen to them as often as you like
download practice tracks as MP3 files to play anywhere you want
choose to hear only your part or adjust the volume of parts to hear it the way it works best for you
record yourself singing along with the score if you'd like, and receive feedback from the app afterward about accuracy
send that recording to me if you'd like, which allows me to give you feedback personally
view a score either as standard notation or in a "piano roll" format for those of you who don't read music
get better at reading music by singing along with the piece and making correlations between what you see and what you hear
Work at your own pace to gain confidence in the "nuts and bolts" (notes, rhythms, and words) of new pieces

WHAT IT ISN'T

As powerful a tool as this is, it's by no means perfect. In fact, it's in its "alpha" stage of development, meaning that it will gain features and smooth out rough spots as the year goes by.

While one could definitely use this as an audition tool, It's not a way for me or anyone else to audition or judge you as a singer. I'll never require you to record yourself, but I'll always be willing to offer feedback if you choose to share. Your recordings are private to you and me.

It's definitely not a perfect model for being a better choral singer. While the notes and rhythms will be accurately reproduced, it can't re-create the nuance and humanity you bring to our singing through good phrasing and diction. It's a way to learn the "ink," so that we can rehearse the "art."

It's not a diction coach. Cantamus has a fair way to go in terms of pronunciation. While it's pretty amazing already, there are some syllables that, um, don't compute. The developers are well aware and are working hard to improve this.

It's not a substitute for rehearsals. Sorry, but I am still your director, and I will not surrender my responsibilities to the robots.

WHAT'S NEXT

At this point, I'm not going to try this for our Gaudete rep. You all are doing very well with this material already. However, there will be some Christmas items I'd like to upload for you. I will definitely get our money's worth out of this for Lent and Triduum. Finally, I plan on using this for any new psalms on the docket.

Watch for an invitation to Cantamus in your emails from me next week. If you know you don't want to use this service, just let me know and I won't send you an invite.

Finally, as we try this service out over the coming year, let me know how it's going. The most important thing for me is that it helps you!