Coordinating and mixing audiovisual content captured from geographically distributed performers

Abstract

Audiovisual performances, including vocal music, are captured and coordinated with those of other users in ways that create compelling user experiences. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured (together with performance synchronized video) on mobile devices, television-type display and/or set-top box equipment in the context of karaoke-style presentations of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Contributions of multiple vocalists are coordinated and mixed in a manner that selects for visually prominent presentation performance synchronized video of one or more of the contributors. Prominence of particular performance synchronized video may be based, at least in part, on computationally-defined audio features extracted from (or computed over) captured vocal audio. Over the course of a coordinated audiovisual performance timeline, these computationally-defined audio features are selective for performance synchronized video of one or more of the contributing vocalists.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of preparing a combined audiovisual performance, the method comprising:
 obtaining a selection of a first backing track by a first performer;   receiving, during playback of the first backing track by a first remote device of the first performer, first performer video captured by a camera of the first remote device;   receiving, during playback of the first backing track by the first remote device of the first performer, first performer audio captured by a microphone of the first remote device;   mixing the first performer audio, the first performer video, and the first backing track, wherein the mixing results in a first mixed audiovisual performance;   supplying, to a content server via a communication network, the first mixed audiovisual performance;   receiving via the communication network a selection of the first mixed audiovisual performance by a second performer at a second remote device of the second performer;   supplying to the second remote device the first mixed audiovisual performance and causing playback of at least a portion of the first mixed audiovisual performance by the second remote device;   receiving second performer video captured by a camera of the second remote device;   receiving second performer audio captured by a microphone of the second remote device; and   generating a combined audiovisual performance mix of the first mixed audiovisual performance, the second performer video, and the second performer audio.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of both first and second performer video. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of both first and second performer video with differing visual prominence. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of both first and second performer video with equal visual prominence. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of first performer video or second performer video, but not both, for at least a portion of the combined audiovisual performance mix. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first performer and the second performer are geographically distributed. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising supplying the combined visual performance mix to a content server via a communication network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising pre-processing one or more of the first performer audio and the second performer audio. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising applying an audio effect to at least a portion of one or more of the first performer audio and the second performer audio. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first remote device and second device are selected from the group of: a mobile phone; a personal digital assistant; a laptop computer, notebook computer, a pad-type computer or netbook. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first backing track is rendered from a media store accessible from the first remote device of the first performer. 
     
     
         13 . A service platform, comprising:
 one or more computing devices; and   machine readable code embodied in a non-transitory medium and executable on at least one of the one or more computing devices to obtain a selection of a first backing track by a first performer;   the machine readable code further executable to receive, during playback of the first backing track by a first remote device of the first performer, first performer video captured by a camera of the first remote device and first performer audio captured by a microphone of the first remote device;   the machine readable code further executable to mix the first performer audio, the first performer video, and the first backing track, wherein the mixing results in a first mixed audiovisual performance;   the machine readable code further executable to supply, to a content server via a communication network, the first mixed audiovisual performance;   the machine readable code further executable to receive, via the communication network, a selection of the first mixed audiovisual performance by a second performer at a second remote device of the second performer;   the machine readable code further executable to supply, to the second remote device the first mixed audiovisual performance and causing playback of at least a portion of the first mixed audiovisual performance by the second remote device;   the machine readable code further executable to receive second performer video captured by a camera of the second remote device and second performer audio captured by a microphone of the second remote device; and   the machine readable code further executable to generate a combined audiovisual performance mix of the first mixed audiovisual performance, the second performer video, and the second performer audio.   
     
     
         14 . The service platform of  claim 13 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of both first and second performer video. 
     
     
         15 . The service platform of  claim 14 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of both first and second performer video with differing visual prominence. 
     
     
         16 . The service platform of  claim 14 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of both first and second performer video with equal visual prominence. 
     
     
         17 . The service platform of  claim 16 , wherein the combined audiovisual performance mix includes visual presentation of first performer video or second performer video, but not both, for at least a portion of the combined audiovisual performance mix. 
     
     
         18 . The service platform of  claim 13 , wherein the first performer and the second performer are geographically distributed. 
     
     
         19 . The service platform of  claim 13 , wherein the machine readable code is further executable to supply the combined visual performance mix to a content server via a communication network. 
     
     
         20 . The service platform of  claim 13 , wherein the machine readable code is further executable to pre-process one or more of the first performer audio and the second performer audio. 
     
     
         21 . The service platform of  claim 13 , wherein the machine readable code is further executable to apply an audio effect to at least a portion of one or more of the first performer audio and the second performer audio.