Slightly Off-Key: One of the virtues of...

Slightly Off-Key: One of the virtues of computer-generated music is that the notes are always right on key because that’s how they’re recorded and stored in a computer’s memory.

Researchers at Stanford University and Yamaha Corp. think they have improved on that perfection by creating a more realistic-sounding music technology that allows for off-key notes and other imperfections. The technology, called Sondius-XG, also makes it possible to play virtual instruments such as a 10-foot-long clarinet.

Sondius-XG works by creating a model of the shape of an instrument and using that shape to determine how its music should sound, said Katherine Ku, director of Stanford’s office of technology licensing. The result is a more realistic simulation of sounds in the real world in addition to the ability to play make-believe instruments.

Products made with Sondius-XG technology--including PCs, video games, karaoke machines and even Web sites--are expected to hit the market later this year.