Ongoing History Daily: The first fight against machine-made music

One of the biggest topics of discussion in the music industry these days is the use of artificial intelligence. A lot of people are quite concerned about what AI could mean to the future of music and the livelihood of musicians. This, however, is not a new thing.

Back in the 1600s, a Dutch scientist named Christopher Huygens warned against what he called “scientific music.” This wasn’t about machines making music. Instead, Huygens was worried about the use of highly structured mathematical patterns and methods in compositions instead of letting emotion direct their creation. I quote: “[I wish that composers] “would not seek what is the most artificial or most difficult to invent, but what affects the ear most.”

So not quite modern AI, but the principles we use today are at least party incorporated into modern AI. Again, that was back in the 1600s.