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Found Footage: Flight of the Bumblebee in concert on an iPad


Chinese pianist Lang Lang headlined a concert at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall on April 19th. For the first of three encores, he played The Flight of the Bumblebee on an iPad. To accomplish this, he used the Magic Piano iPad app. This is just one example of how amazing apps can allow people to do amazing things, and the party has just started.

[To clarify, the Magic Piano app does do a lot of the work in playing a piece like that; it drops down indicators for the correct notes, so the pianist has to get 'pretty close' and have the rhythm correct. Still impressive. –Ed.]

[via 9to5Mac]

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Found Footage

Chinese pianist Lang Lang headlined a concert at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall on April 19th. For the first of three encores, he...
 

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David J Guthrie

Ain't cheating fun?

April 24 2010 at 1:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cathyhri

Who the hell cares how it was done, who composed or what the name of the place where it was performed is. It was fun. That is the whole idea of the clip. Does anyone enjoy anything anymore? SHEESH

April 23 2010 at 11:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Larkinvos

Not bad for a panda. Oh, that's Ling Ling.
Never mind.

April 23 2010 at 7:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John

There's a setting in Smule's Magic Piano where no matter where you type it will register the correct note. So all you control is the rhythm of the song. Since this song doesn't include any chords he is free to bang on the keyboard as fast as he wants to play the song. Spend 3 minutes w/ the app and you too can play just as he did.

April 23 2010 at 11:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
pheh

Use the app, then you'll understand how it works and what he did and didn't do. Nitwits. What Lang Lang did was something of a mockery - but appeared to all be in good fun and was certainly entertaining to watch.

I've had the iPad since release, but only picked up this app a couple of days ago. I am already addicted.

April 23 2010 at 9:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andy Lee

oh, cool...i will get this Magic Piano app, and if you're also a music video lover, you can get the best apps from

http://www.ipadintouch.com/6-best-ipad-apps-for-video-lovers/

April 23 2010 at 6:09 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Wry Cooter

Actually I would say that it would be easier to play on a real piano, because it is when the score on the Smule app is actually Polyphonic (multiple notes at a time) that throws everyone off, including the video above. It is a bit frustrating to anyone with real musical talent.

April 23 2010 at 3:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Wry Cooter's comment
jakethepianist

I'm sure that it isn't as easy on the iPad, especially for a song like that, but I'm sure that Lang Lang could do it, even if he prerecorded it (if he did).

April 23 2010 at 7:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark

Sorry, Tim Bray, looks like all kinds of people are being creative on the device instead of just mindless consuming media. In the short while it's been out I've seen some really cool stuff made on the iPad.

April 23 2010 at 2:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Blake Washington

Srsly. You all are like the jerk kid at a birthday party who says the magician is cheating. I think it's real and I don't care what you guys say.

April 23 2010 at 2:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Clam

For all those ignorant doubters, do you know who Lang Lang is? Shit.

April 23 2010 at 1:00 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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