Computer voice for Trek XII - With Majel gone, now what?

[jefferiestubes8]

I thought I'd make a new thread now that Trek XII is underway in preproduction.

I wonder if there are enough recording samples of Majel Barret as the computer that they could use a computer to sample her voice.

For CBS Television to build a library of computer voice words is is major project. It is not impossible but it takes time. If they start on it now they will have a very usuable voice library of samples for Star Trek XII.
We're talking thousands of hours of computer voice session recordings.

If all of Majel Barret's recordings for TNG, VOY, ENT were done on digital audio tape (DAT) then surely they could sample them all and use a voice-to-text speech recognition program to create full transcripts from which to create the database from.

Even the Star Trek XI digital file recordings done (at her home) in the last year [2009] could be used in this library. I bring up the digital medium the voice would have been recorded on as there is no background tape hiss and with digital it sounds the same 5, 10, 15, 20 years later as the day it was recorded as long as the tape can play back.

I'm talking about loading in the entire recording session tapes including all outtakes and alternate reads not just for the TNG, VOY, ENT series but also the Trek feature films. Surely Paramount has access to those tapes although they would have a lot less material if they only stuck with the feature film Voiceover sessions.

older similar threads:
in the Future of Trek forum:
With Majel gone, now what? (Computer voice and simulations)

Who should voice the USS Enterprises computers?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Didn't the computer already have a different voice in the last movie?

In any event, everyone else has been recast. Let them recast the computer.

 

[ChristopherPike]

^ Majel's last work, I believe. R.I.P. She got a dedication in the end credits.

Anyone got the Star Trek Scene It? game. Whoever did the computer voice on that. I thought it was her until later.

 

[M'Sharak]

Didn't the computer already have a different voice in the last movie?

^ Majel's last work, I believe.

Some computer voice lines (mainly those for the Jellyfish ship's computer, says Memory Alpha) were done by Lynnanne Zager.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I loved Majel's voice cameo with Chekov in STXI, but I thought the other computer voices (Kirk's pod, Spock Prime's ship) were fine, too. I expect something like them for the next movie. I'd imagine you can pick a computer voice in Star Trek's world as easily as we pick a ringtone today.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Didn't the computer already have a different voice in the last movie?

^ Majel's last work, I believe.

Some computer voice lines (mainly those for the Jellyfish ship's computer, says Memory Alpha) were done by Lynnanne Zager.

I recall when the movie was released, some people asking if the Jellyfish's voice was Kirstie Alley. That would have been cool.

 

[M'Sharak]

Didn't the computer already have a different voice in the last movie?

^ Majel's last work, I believe.

Some computer voice lines (mainly those for the Jellyfish ship's computer, says Memory Alpha) were done by Lynnanne Zager.

I recall when the movie was released, some people asking if the Jellyfish's voice was Kirstie Alley. That would have been cool.

Yeah, although Kirstie Alley seems pretty set on her new career of being the butt of all kinds of jokes about her size.

I'd be perfectly happy if they'd just give the job to Zager, frankly. She's a voice pro with a long list of credits to her name, and Star Trek wasn't even the first time she'd voiced a computer. If they need a second voice, maybe they could call back Judi Durand?

 

[WRStone]

It's really simple: hire me. I do an awesome impression of the late Don LaFontaine.

And really, shouldn't the voice of the computer be the movie voice-over guy?

Dakota Smith

 

[CorporalClegg]

Carol Ann Susi or bust.

 

[M'Sharak]

June Foray.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I still think Judi Durand would be a great choice. She's got a proven Trek track record. Sure, mostly as Cardassian computers (plus the Spacedock computer voice in ST III), but at least we know she has a good voice.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Fran Drescher

 

[Frontier]

Outside of finding a way to use the recordings already existing...

One option would be for them to cast Nurse Chapel and then have her do the Computer Voice, IE history repeating...

Another would be to pick a Trek Alumni to take over. I'd pick someone from the 24th century era who'll like be around for a good 40+ years... Terry Farrell? Nicole de Boer? Roxann Dawson? Jeri Ryan?

Third is a total new person, which is the one I like least.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Farrell is a good choice. Her acting ability is on par with a computer's.

 

[Hythlodeus]

Marina Sirtis.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

whoa I saw this today!

Google Developing Star Trek-inspired Voice Assistant Code-named “Majel”
http://trekmovie.com/2011/12/14/goo...rek-inspired-voice-assistantcode-named-majel/

Google News has 365 results today for this:
Google Android Siri opponent codename Majel, aka Star Trek Computer
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&btnmeta_news_search=1&q=%22majel%22&oq=%22majel%22&aq=f&aqi=d1d-o1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1330l2641l0l3095l7l6l0l0l0l0l168l697l3.3l6l0

this is really great news.
Gee just wondering if Google footed the bill for trasferring DAT tapes, editing into words, cataloging them and creating a database and licensing it from Paramount/CBS for say 10 years would CBS allow it to happen?

There is also a thread over in the TrekBBS Science and Technology subforum:
"Majel"--Google's answer to Siri

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

One option would be for them to cast Nurse Chapel and then have her do the Computer Voice, IE history repeating...

Chapel was in ST XI, although we never actually saw her, only heard her voice (reacting to McCoy with a "Yes doctor").

Another would be to pick a Trek Alumni to take over. I'd pick someone from the 24th century era who'll like be around for a good 40+ years... Terry Farrell? Nicole de Boer? Roxann Dawson? Jeri Ryan?

I like Ryan for that. She does a good computer-ish voice (as Seven of Nine).

 

[Classic Fan]

Jim Parsons talking as Dr. Sheldon Cooper.

That way the computer is always right and is obsessive to the point of initiating self destruct just to prove a point.

=p

 

[JarodRussell]

There's only one choice: Morgan Freeman.

 

[Hythlodeus]

Jim Parsons talking as Dr. Sheldon Cooper.

That way the computer is always right and is obsessive to the point of initiating self destruct just to prove a point.

=p

I'd pay to see/hear that