The 'Blob Opera' Premieres Online

Google has outdone themselves this time.

Google Arts and Culture brings its users virtual art galleries, augmented reality, and interactive activities.

Technology and art have come together once again to bring forth the Blob Opera.

Google Arts and Culture describes Blob Opera as an experiment to explore the human voice by allowing users to play with four operatic voices.

The experiment was created by David Li. Li is an Artist in Residence at Google Arts and Culture. Li is also behind artwork seen on Adult Swim and an immensely satisfying fluid art activity.

The voices of the blob chorus are supplied by tenor Christian Joel, bass Frederick Tong, mezzo-soprano Joanna Gamble, and soprano Olivia Doutney. Additional singing was provided by Ingunn Gyda Hrafnkelsdottir and John Holland-Avery.

These talented vocalists recorded sixteen hours of singing for this project. The Blob Opera team created a machine learning model using these vocal recordings. This then created an algorithm. The algorithm then creates a sound based on what it learned.  The blob chorus doesn’t sing actual lyrics, but creates the effect with vowel sounds.

If creating an original piece isn’t for you, there are also Christmas carols that can be accessed by clicking the Christmas tree button at the bottom of the screen.

It can be accessed on mobile devices; however, it seems to work better on a newer desktop browser. The user drags each of the blobs up and down and back and forth to change the pitch and the vowel of the sound being created. The other blobs can harmonize with the music as it is being made. The work can even be recorded and shared.

It is amazing fun to play, relieves stress, and honestly sounds beautiful.

Do yourself a huge favor and forget about this awful year by spending some time on Blob Opera.