Tech

Why Am I Disturbed/Frightened by This? The Growth of AI in Music-Making

It’s just a matter of time before Skynet achieves consciousness and we’ll be forced to our new robot overlords, but I was hoping that they’d at least leave us to our music. Maybe not, though. TechRepublic covered a conference called the Advanced Audio and Applications Exchange in Boston where they discussed the idea of artificial intelligence in music-making.

Software like iTunes, or audio editing tools likeProTools, are no longer new, which begs the question of what’s next as the music industry — like many others — is now “an industry where the voice of computer science is deeply embedded…” said DougDeAngelis,A3E conference chair.Artificial intelligence might just be that next shift.

What exactly that means at the moment, is still solidifying. On one end of the spectrum, for example, is Landr, a technology that uses basic AI to master audio tracks. On the other end, Stefan Oertl, founder and CEO of Re-Compose GmbH talked about AI creating loop-based music that could play a role in music psychology and be used in a wellness sense.

He said his company doesn’t looks at AI as automaton or assistants, but as something that could be a part of a new experiential platform in music for those making it and listening to it.

Whatever role AI ends up taking in music, the immediate challenge it faces is overcoming the perception that it will render useless human music makers.

Sorry, but I don’t buy it.  Auto Tune renders singing talent useless–or at least superfluous. Software like Hit Song Science “improves” on songwriting. There are some music industry folks would love nothing better than eliminating those pesky artistic types from the process of selling music to the masses.  And who’s to say that the Borg isn’t working on something even better right now?

Read the full article here.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 38031 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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