New Music Created By AI

[arlum]

I've been seeing a lot of you tube videos and reading a lot online about AI created music. In some cases it's about AI created original songs. In more cases it's about recreating the voice or instrumental tonality / sound of known performers. Faking a performers voice doesn't concern me. Creating new music does. In any case ..... what's your take on this? While AI still doesn't have a handle on certain human traits and emotions like empathy, love, etc. it does come in with a full grasp of modal and tonal composition and all the historical examples of it's use to draw from. It knows from the popularity of older pieces what does or doesn't appeal to a human listener. I'm thinking AI could create new classical scores equal to the masters but would have trouble writing music specific to the emotional side of a human being. AI created music in the style of Bach, Mozart, Paganini, etc. might turn out to be astounding. AI capturing the creative work of Dylan, Lennon, etc. where it's more about experienced emotional moments rather than the math and science behind composition might be beyond it's current capabilities. Yet ..... AI is still in it's infancy. The more it learns the more it adapts.
Any thought's to share?

 

[Geoff738]

A friend is invested in this. And, as a sorta songwriter, it bugs me.

But, he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do.

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[Twang-ineer]

I think that there is little question that AI will "get there". It will in short order be able to mimic human behaviors, mannerisms and idiosyncrasies. It is just imitation with the intent of looking like it was generated by a human.

AI isn't the thing to worry about. Yes there will be a re shuffling of the workforce, yes some trades and skills will become less valuable in it's wake.

If you want to really worry.... it is artificial general intelligence that should be keeping you up at night.

 

[24 track]

I dreamed about A/I in the early 70's but there was no supportive technology , computer generated music was really in its infancy but with the advent of clocks, gates, binary, control voltage, and midi it was only a matter of time before the algorithm was built that could do the calculations for this. this is not mystical, its a series of mathematical switches and logic gates. that can describe and translate code. but at a higher level , wait 10 years this will be old hat

 

[NWinther]

New new new new new new new new new new...zzzzz

 

[StoneFaceGrin]

I am starting to use A.I. at work. I did an experiment and prompted ChatGPT to write a “musical elegy to Gordon Lightfoot Gmaj 4/4”

It came out with a verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/verse/chorus/outro, I-V-vi-IV song about as meh as you might expect any person to write. If you strummed or picked in that sorta common folky pattern, it worked. But it broke no new ground and made no clever turns of phrase.

I refined the prompt to add specific song references in the bridge and it rewrote the bridge, which turned it into a B- grade lyric, referencing 4 well-known Lightfoot songs and changing the metaphorical tone to match. I was impressed by the change.

I then asked it to change the key to Am, which was easy enough for it to do.

This is where my experiment ended as I had real work to do.

At the end of it, it’s a C- grade song… pretty hackneyed. Nothing exceptional. Perfect for the bar crowd. Probably a lot like most songs out there. Meh.

What did I learn?

If one is creative, but not educated about music, song structure, etc., A.I. could be a tool which allows one to use everyday skills to make songwriting happen. Not sure there is a good or bad there.

If one were to spend the time and effort, one may get A.I. to output something that is more personal, emotive, etc. But art is art and content is content and A.I. will struggle to create art from content without significant human intervention in terms of defining learning parameters.

At that point, it really is the human writing the song, using the A.I. as a processor.

Generative A.I. clearly has suffered no trauma, lost no loves, never wished for more, never been happy or sad, never pet a puppy or had a first kiss… or a last one. A.I. never had a grandparent and never watched them draw their last breath and meet their maker.

Which brings me to my point, (bury the lede much?). If you want all songs to be “We didn’t Start the Fire”, listing dates and facts in such a way they fit into a melodic trope in a cogent, but not beautiful way, you’ll love an A.I. generated song.

If you want “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” you’re gonna need to be a meat bag who has been through some stuff.

 

[TF from MN]

Will AI duplicate the styles and sounds of existing artists?

I would like to hear some new tunes by Van Halen featuring David Lee Roth, circa 1976 - 77. Thanks in advance to any TDPRI member who can make this happen.

 

[archtop_fjk]

The main problem I have with AI chatbots is that they don’t provide any sources when they regurgitate “facts” or, in the present case, create a “new” song based on an artist’s life work. I believe it borders on the unethical. No one in science would produce a technical paper without providing references. The AI systems have to get their information by “training” - which is a fancy way of saying they get information created by humans without providing any attribution.

In the case of AI music, just wait until the copyright infringement lawsuits begin…

 

[BlackASATClassic]

It'll be weird someday to tell AI to create a new album in the style of the Beatles circa '64 only recorded with current tech and in a few seconds you'd be listening... Add in EVH on lead guitar... Jaco on bass... Whatever. We're not far from all this.

 

[Lou Tencodpees]

I look forward to the day when I can task A.I. to write, arrange, produce and publish an album for me while I sit on the couch eating snacks and watching A.I. generated cable news.

 

[burntfrijoles]

Skynet is coming! Beware.

AI's influence on music composition is the least of our concerns.

 

[radiocaster]

It should be perfect for record company executives. I'm sure it can sound as bad and annoying as any current or past top 40 hits.

 

[Lynxtrap]

I am starting to use A.I. at work. I did an experiment and prompted ChatGPT to write a “musical elegy to Gordon Lightfoot Gmaj 4/4”

It came out with a verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/verse/chorus/outro, I-V-vi-IV song about as meh as you might expect any person to write. If you strummed or picked in that sorta common folky pattern, it worked. But it broke no new ground and made no clever turns of phrase.

I refined the prompt to add specific song references in the bridge and it rewrote the bridge, which turned it into a B- grade lyric, referencing 4 well-known Lightfoot songs and changing the metaphorical tone to match. I was impressed by the change.

I then asked it to change the key to Am, which was easy enough for it to do.

This is where my experiment ended as I had real work to do.

At the end of it, it’s a C- grade song… pretty hackneyed. Nothing exceptional. Perfect for the bar crowd. Probably a lot like most songs out there. Meh.

Did it write the melody in notation, or how does it present a song?

 

[StoneFaceGrin]

Came out a lot like looking up song chords on Ultimate Guitar, etc. Just lyric lines with chords over the corresponding words.

 

[drewg]

I look forward to the day when I can task A.I. to write, arrange, produce and publish an album for me while I sit on the couch eating snacks and watching A.I. generated cable news.

Emphasis on the tears

 

[Knows3Chords]

Let ChatGPT write a song that combines Chopin, mumble rap, drill music, and some non western music like, I don't know, Ravi Shankar?
Then tell it to include a banjo.

 

[chulaivet1966]

Any thought's to share?

Howdy arlum....

Hmmm....
Well, I've seen/listened to some AI songs over the last couple of months on streaming sites and YT uploads with the animated female singer.

Personally, I have no affinity for that tool in this context.
I would never use it to generate my lyrics, then upload and call it one of my originals.
That just doesn't work for me but I could be in the minority on that point.
Although, I'd guess the pedestrian listeners wouldn't know the difference whether lyrics were AI generated or still me/myself & I trying to flesh them out for days with my yellow legal pad & clipboard....which, could just make me a song writing masochist.
To each their own take on it being another tool that one can employ or ignore.

I do think the AI trend will keep growing & evolving, especially in other areas.

But....that's just me.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Carry on....

 

[BrazHog]

Any thought's to share?

In the near future, I imagine AI may be able to generate a Bach pastiche good enough to fool TDPRI John, and to imitate the deep profoundities of Dylan and Lennon good enough to fool somebody who is not as versed in the minutiae of the music of the Age of Aquarius.

In the long run... I defer to John Maynard Keynes.

 

[drewg]

I've been seeing a lot of you tube videos and reading a lot online about AI created music. In some cases it's about AI created original songs. In more cases it's about recreating the voice or instrumental tonality / sound of known performers. Faking a performers voice doesn't concern me. Creating new music does. In any case ..... what's your take on this? While AI still doesn't have a handle on certain human traits and emotions like empathy, love, etc. it does come in with a full grasp of modal and tonal composition and all the historical examples of it's use to draw from. It knows from the popularity of older pieces what does or doesn't appeal to a human listener. I'm thinking AI could create new classical scores equal to the masters but would have trouble writing music specific to the emotional side of a human being. AI created music in the style of Bach, Mozart, Paganini, etc. might turn out to be astounding. AI capturing the creative work of Dylan, Lennon, etc. where it's more about experienced emotional moments rather than the math and science behind composition might be beyond it's current capabilities. Yet ..... AI is still in it's infancy. The more it learns the more it adapts.
Any thought's to share?

“I'm thinking AI could create new classical scores equal to the masters but would have trouble writing music specific to the emotional side of a human being.”

Is “music” music without the emotional side of human beings? How could that be “equal” to the masters?

I am dumbfounded that we humans willingly hand over and relinquish all that makes our individual, unique voices and expression, talents and weaknesses, who we are.

(I hold out hope that machines will stumble and trip all over the naturalness of metaphors.)

I don’t want to watch a sporting event of robots. I want to see real humans strive to transcend with their talent and overcome weaknesses, their own and others’. Our false reverence of ‘perfection’ is not human and not perfect.

As a teacher, I don’t want to correct googletranslate or chatgpt. I want to help young people develop and find their own voices, not blindly follow some erroneous concept of perfection.

Perfection, efficiency and making life ‘easier’ are red herrings. They may be positive for humans to a point, but we have long ago crossed the line of beneficialness for humans. AI is beneficial only to corporations and repressive governments. Easier, yes, not beneficial.

Easiness leads to softness, laziness and passivity. Tele-tubby blobs for brains.

Give me active thinkers, weaknesses and imperfection mixed in with fleeting instances of human brilliance.

I feel like right now – like shortly before that-which-we-are-not-allowed-to-name – we’re at a quiet moment of ignorance before an upcoming pandemic of inhumanity washing over humanity.

This scares the crap out of me

 

[String Tree]

I've been seeing a lot of you tube videos and reading a lot online about AI created music. In some cases it's about AI created original songs. In more cases it's about recreating the voice or instrumental tonality / sound of known performers. Faking a performers voice doesn't concern me. Creating new music does. In any case ..... what's your take on this? While AI still doesn't have a handle on certain human traits and emotions like empathy, love, etc. it does come in with a full grasp of modal and tonal composition and all the historical examples of it's use to draw from. It knows from the popularity of older pieces what does or doesn't appeal to a human listener. I'm thinking AI could create new classical scores equal to the masters but would have trouble writing music specific to the emotional side of a human being. AI created music in the style of Bach, Mozart, Paganini, etc. might turn out to be astounding. AI capturing the creative work of Dylan, Lennon, etc. where it's more about experienced emotional moments rather than the math and science behind composition might be beyond it's current capabilities. Yet ..... AI is still in it's infancy. The more it learns the more it adapts.
Any thought's to share?

AI may end-up liking Tubes over Solid State.
Stay Tuned.