Choir autotuner
Following the demise of the Halfbakery (link should not work), I have resurrected one of my inventions that was hosted there…
Many amateur choirs have difficulty keeping their tuning when singing unaccompanied. I propose to solve this with the following setup:
Each choir member stands on a separate hydraulic pedestal, capable of raising or lowering the singer. Each pedestal has a microphone connected to a DSP that determines if the singer is in tune or not.
If the singer is flat, the pedestal raises the singer; if sharp, it lowers the singer.
Here’s the clever bit: the device also pumps helium and xenon into the room, and uses fans to maintain a gradient of xenon/air/helium with altitude.
Then, as a singer is raised or lowered, the helium or xenon mix changes the pitch of their voice.
Of course, the disadvantage of the system is that long-term mistuning results in death through asphyxiation: unnatural selection, if you like.
Also, the audience might find the sight of 100 singers all moving up and down individually, and some collapsing from brain anoxia a little offputting.
In my experience, most choirs wouldn't need much xenon…