Funny and Scary at the same time: Vocaloid edition

First the scary.
Vocaloid is one of the best sounding singing replacement software packages I've ever heard. It's the closest I've heard yet to replacing the human voice. It's light years ahead of Stephen Hawking, and gives AT&T synthesis engine a run for it's money, all at consumer prices.
Coupling the engine with plugins for different voice types will also make it infinitely flexible, and ting this to sampling, auto-tuning, and synthesis, we're getting closer and closer to the point where we might not need people anymore to perform.
This was our last great hold out for video games and animation. They could replace the actor physically, but not his performance or voice.



OK, now the funny.
With all the advancement, with all the tech, with all the computing horse power out there, right now the only singing voice that Vocaloid is actually qualified to replace would be Marlee Matlin's.
(Ironically, the picture to the right is of Marlee "singing" the National Anthem at the 2007 SuperBowl.)

The Vocaloid folks have setup a MySpace page where you can hear their software ruin Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly.

I wonder if the software sang it with it's eyes closed...

Here's the writeup @ Wired's Listening Post

Here's the Awful MySpace Page




Marlee's kinda just a little bit REALLY hot...