SingStar PS3’s production detailed

SingStar might be one of the phenomena that first introduced the world to the idea that games might be for everyone – but now that it’s made its PS3 debut, how has the technology behind the karaoke wunderkind developed?

Develop took a look inside the production process at Sony’s London Studio. While the past may have seen many individual SingStar compilations released at retail, the PS3 version introduces the SingStore – and the scary prospect of having to continually add content to quench the community’s thirst.

While before the vocal tracks were removed from the original mix by using the production masters of the song, thus isolating out the vocal performance, SingStar PS3 uses a revolutionary new technology licensed from the Dublin Institute of Technology known as ADRes.

While London Studios’ Dan Bardino can’t give us the skinny on how the tech works – “Exactly how it works is confidential," he says – he can reveal how successful it is at removing the vocal track from the final, regular track.

“The ADRes settings vary from record to record, our aim being to push the original vocal back enough in the mix so that the user stands out more. Sometimes you’re left with the reverb of the original vocal; sometimes it appears to be gone altogether. So far, we’re hitting an 80 per cent success rate. It’s very, very good.”

For more about the technical wizardry lying deep inside SingStar PS3, including how it uses VST instruments in real-time and the tricks to make you think you’re a better crooner than you really are – check out the full article.