

Google Beatbox - shomyo
http://translate.google.com/#de|de|pv%20zk%20bschk%20pv%20zk%20pv%20bschk%20zk%20pv%20zk%20bschk%20pv%20zk%20pv%20bschk%20zk%20bschk%20pv%20bschk%20bschk%20pv%20kkkkkkkkkk%20bschk%0A%0A
just listen
======
s1w
yo i gotta hear that one more time man:
[http://translate.google.com/#de|de|zwkkzwkkzwkkzwkk.%20pv%20...](http://translate.google.com/#de|de|zwkkzwkkzwkkzwkk.%20pv%20zk%20bschk%20pv%20zk%20pv%20bschk%20zk%20pv%20zk%20bschk%20pv%20zk%20pv%20bschk%20zk%20bschk%20pv%20bschk%0A%0A)

~~~
jjcm
Alright. I'm impressed with the rewind.

------
alanh
I don’t get it, I don’t hear anything. Am I supposed to hear something?

 _Edit_ Okay, there are Flash “Listen” buttons you can’t see if you don’t have
Flash installed.

And yet, even in a browser with Flash, I hear nothing. All I see is a button
that turns light blue and dark blue. Which is “play”? This is why I always
rant about piss-poor UX from Google.

I still don’t hear anything. Anyone have an MP3?

~~~
ggchappell
It isn't just you. I don't hear anything, either. [EDIT: Fixed; see below.]

Also, I agree on the poor UI design.

But in any case, assuming this works, which it apparently does, for some, it's
a cute idea.

EDIT: Got it working. Are you running Flashblock? I am, and after I put
translate.google.com into FB's whitelist, I get audio. When the button is
light blue, press it. The button turns dark blue, and the sound plays. When
the sound is finished, the button goes back to light blue.

------
blr_hack
Here's one in Hindi :)
[http://translate.google.com/#hi|hi|%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%...](http://translate.google.com/#hi|hi|%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95.%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95.%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95.%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95.%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95.%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95.%20%0A)

~~~
phoenix24
wonderful!

------
julian37
On a related note, try running this on a Mac:

    
    
      say -v cello d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d

~~~
kylec
Or this:

    
    
        say -v cello droid

~~~
kristaps
Just went through the OS X speech synth voices and I recognized some being
used in quite a few electronic music productions, for example:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK2NG28vKNw>

~~~
ssharp
Radiohead used the Mac voice a bit on their 'OK Computer' album. Obviously on
'Fitter Happier' and in the background on 'Paranoid Android'.

~~~
nollidge
Also, I believe Pixar used the Mac voice for the ship's navigation computer in
_WALL-E_

~~~
Perceval
Marilyn Manson used the voice on certain tracks on _Antichrist Superstar_.

According to Wikipedia:

The song "Man That You Fear" by Marilyn Manson ends with the MacInTalk voices
repeating, "When all of your wishes are granted, many of your dreams will be
destroyed". Also, during live performances of "Antichrist Superstar", the
MacInTalk voices repeat "You might as well kill yourself - you're already
dead" at the end of the song.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlainTalk>

------
keyle
I made my own ...
[http://translate.google.com/#cs|cs|babab%20tzik%20babab%20ba...](http://translate.google.com/#cs|cs|babab%20tzik%20babab%20babab%20tzik%20%20ik%3B%20babab%20tzik%20babab%20babab%20tzik%20%20ik%3B%20babab%20tzik%20babab%20babab%20tzik%20ik%20tu%20ha)

~~~
jazzgroove
Ok... that is awesome!... sounds like a techno/house mix

------
iamdave
Here's your rudiment/instrument notation

zk = suspended cymbal

bschk = snare

pv = brush

bk = bass

tk = flam1

vk = roll tap

kt = flam2

kttp = flam tap

krp = hi hat tap

pv = short roll

th = better hi hat

thp, ds = instant rimshot.

~~~
tlrobinson
So, I went ahead and made a drum machine out of your notes using a bit of
JavaScript...

<https://gist.github.com/721253>

Load it as a bookmarklet using this:

javascript:(function(){document.body.appendChild(document.createElement("script")).src
=
"[https://gist.github.com/raw/721253/f70c2bdeaed54d9907a448504...](https://gist.github.com/raw/721253/f70c2bdeaed54d9907a448504ca7488287ab6d12/google-
translate-drums.js}\)\(\))

EDIT: the bookmarklet is getting cut off by HN, see the first comment on the
gist linked above.

Unfortunately there's a little bit of delay due to loading the sounds but it
sort of works.

~~~
potomak
I've created a new version of your great script, now it uses the javascript
Audio() class.

<https://gist.github.com/721554>

This is the bookmarklet:
javascript:(function(){document.body.appendChild(document.createElement("script")).src="<http://bit.ly/googlebeat})()>

~~~
machofabulous
So desperate to get this to work...but no avail!

I made the bookmarklet in my firefox toolbar with the javascript code.

I open google translate, click the bookmarklet...nothing happens.

My roomate thinks it's an error with the bit.ly redirect

Any suggestions? I want it SO BAD

~~~
jmatt
This is what you need to do to get it to work:

0\. Use fix close quote on bit.ly redirect if you are using the parent
comment...

    
    
      javascript:(function(){document.body.appendChild(document.createElement("script")).src="http://bit.ly/googlebeat"})()
    

1\. Load Google Translate: <http://translate.google.com>

2\. Load the bookmarklet.

3\. Click the new buttons at the bottom of the page.

See the howto from the gist: <https://gist.github.com/721554#file_how_to.txt>

~~~
machofabulous
Thanks for the response. I got it! But the play button doesn't seem to
work...not a big deal.

A tip for composers, use commas and periods for rests

~~~
potomak
It doesn't work because Firefox doesn't support mp3 format through <audio>
html tag.

This script supports only Safari and Chrome by now.

------
iwr
German is the mother tongue of beat.

~~~
funthree
Try translating to spanish or french, they are a little bit interesting.

------
pygy_
Drum and Bass anyone?

[http://translate.google.com/#de|de|bvf%20tkçshsht%20bvf%20tk...](http://translate.google.com/#de|de|bvf%20tkçshsht%20bvf%20tktkçshtktkçsh%20bvf%20tkçshsht%20bvf%20tktkçshtktkçsh%20bvf%20tkçshsht%20bvf%20tktkçshtktkçsh%20pv)

edit: correction fr|fr => de|de

------
reason
If any of you want to hear some ridiculously awesome beatboxing, check out
Roxorloops - <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P7sdo_Aj0o>

~~~
curiousepic
I prefer Beardyman <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7NIxKseRus>

~~~
zephyrfalcon
And then there's this session by Beardyman and Nathan "Flutebox" Lee at
Google... <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3kyNGVK-hI> ^_^

------
RyanMcGreal
It also passes first year German with flying colours:

[http://translate.google.com/#de|en|Der%20himmel%20ist%20blau...](http://translate.google.com/#de|en|Der%20himmel%20ist%20blau%20und%20die%20sonne%20scheint%20und%20das%20thermometer%20zeigt%20dreizig%20Grad).

~~~
w1ntermute
Because they train it with EU documents, which are required by law to be
translated into all the languages of the member countries. Since the documents
are made available for public use, machine translation between European
languages has become significantly better in recent years because the EU
documents are being used to train the software.

------
MatthewRayfield
Can anybody explain why this works in German?

It seems like in other languages it just reads out the letters.

~~~
ramidarigaz
I'm guessing it's because those letter combinations are actually sounds in
German, but not in any other languages (that I know of).

~~~
eru
Not really. At least not on a naive level. None of "pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk
zk pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk zk bschk pv bschk bschk pv kkkkkkkkkk bschk"
occurs in any German word.

~~~
ckuehne
Fat _zk_ e, Blit _zk_ rieg, Hu _pv_ erbot.

~~~
eru
Apart from Fatzke, you are cheating. And even in Fatzke, it's not in one
syllable.

~~~
ckuehne
Okay, compound nouns are probably not what you had in mind when you made your
statement. But then again, your statement was pretty general. Regarding
Fatzke: "zk" is not in one syllable either. At least not when I (or google)
pronounce it. :)

~~~
eru
> Regarding Fatzke: "zk" is not in one syllable either.

Yes, that's what I was trying to say. But since it's not compound, it's not as
bad.

By the way, if you want a genuine example of strange sounds in German look at
Herbst or Pfründe.

Fun fact: If you can pronounce Streichholzschächtelchen, you automatically
gain German citizenship.

~~~
ramidarigaz
My first _long_ German word was Schwarzwälderkirschtorte. Nowhere near as
difficult as yours.

~~~
eru
The standard example is supreme court vs Bundesverfassungsgericht. The chief
difference is in spelling.

I had a phase, where my German looked much more English---I put spaced inside
compound words and did not capitalize all nouns. I should try capitalizing all
Nouns in English one Day.

------
Kurtz79
Now waiting for Radiohead to pull out something based on this.

------
Andrenid
Someone build a little web app that lets you press symbols that represent each
instrument, and build beats that you can loop.The google site stops letting
you use the "Listen" button after a certain number of characters.

------
InfinityX0
OK, on the serious side, is the most upvoted story ever? If not, what _is_ the
most upvoted story ever? How about a list of the Top 25 All Time?

Can I pay to see it?

~~~
metabrew
<http://news.ycombinator.net/lists>

~~~
InfinityX0
That's recent, that's not _ever_. I'm talking _all-time_ Hacker News stories.

~~~
shrikant
<http://top.searchyc.com/>

------
hboon
Listen doesn't work in Safari 5.0.3?

~~~
bbatsell
Uses an invisible Flash object, so if you're using ClickToFlash or other
Flash-blocking plugin you'll have to manually load the object.

~~~
hboon
That worked! Thanks. Strange that autoloading of invisible Flash objects was
enabled.

~~~
RossM
I don't think it is, I think it's JavaScript interacting with the Flash
object.

------
cturner
Would it be practical to make remote calls to the listen function? Usage: if I
want to have a webpage read speech automatically to the user after a
javascript event, without showing the google page. I expect the first step
would be loading the page in a hidden iframe.

~~~
tjarratt
That actually is fairly similar to a webapp I built in 30 minutes a few months
ago. I had the idea to build a webform that lets you type in some text, and
the computer reads it back.

If you are using OS X, you should be able to use the `say` command to create a
recording of a voice speaking a sentence. You could likely take that, pipe it
into a file and serve it up in an <audio> tag and play it from javascript that
way.

I might try hacking my project to do exactly that. However, I think a sane
solution for you would be to make use of system accessibility options or
screen readers. The downside there is that you can't call into those from a
user's browser.

------
nervechannel
In case anyone from Google Translate reads this: your URLs are highly
resistant to shortening services.

Both is.gd and safe.mn mangled it, I think it's the pipe characters.
Thankfully bit.ly works...

~~~
siculars
I don't think there is a chance in hell that google would ever consider
augmenting its url structure on behalf of or to play nice with a shortening
service.

------
anonymous
Using cyrillic alphabet:
[http://translate.google.com/#ru|ru|%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%81%20%D1%...](http://translate.google.com/#ru|ru|%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%81%20%D1%8B%D1%86%20%D1%8B%D1%86%20%D1%91%D1%86%D1%89%D1%89%20%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%81%20%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%81%20%D1%8B%D1%86%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%86%20%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%81%20%D1%86%D1%8B%20%D1%86%D1%8B%20%D0%BA%D1%8E%20%D1%91%D1%86%D1%89%D1%89%20%D0%B1%D1%83%D0%BC%20%D0%B1%D0%B0%D1%86%20%D1%85%D1%85%D1%85%D1%85%D1%8A%0A)

------
arturadib
absolutely brilliant!!

------
nagnatron
Here's a basic hiphop beat. You can use punctuation for timing:

German: bk, th, bsch, th, pv, th, bschk, ds, bk, th, bsch, th, pv, th, bschk,
ds

Thanks to iamdave for the instrument list x)

------
micalith
zk zk zk vk flam2 flam2

------
thorkill
th

------
kjf
...and so continues the long slow decline of hacker news...

~~~
lacerus
Using a text-to-speech engine as a musical instrument is so on-topic in my
book!

"On-Topic: Anything that good hackers would find interesting. That includes
more than hacking and startups. If you had to reduce it to a sentence, the
answer might be: anything that gratifies one's intellectual curiosity."

------
currant
I think that this submission does not belong to the HN. It carries little
educational value and I wouldn't call it deeply interesting (as described in
ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html ). There isn't any effort to explain the
beatbox effect. Also there are many voice synthesizers, google's is just the
easiest accessible one. This is why the link seems to me just like a funny
picture of a cat and I am deeply alarmed. (sorry for bad english, non-native
here)

~~~
martinkallstrom
The defining characteristic of hacker culture is the awe of beautiful code.
When the unforeseen side effects from feeding a program with edge case input
are as deeply gratifying as these, it instills a sense of beauty and awe of
the underlying code.

As is shown by the number of upvotes, people don't come to HN to educate
themselves. They come here to be awed. Education is a side effect.

~~~
jamesbritt
"The defining characteristic of hacker culture is the awe of beautiful code."

Not for me. I find the defining characteristic of hacker culture to be the
inventive re-purposing of things.

Google Beatbox is exemplary of this.

