DJ Cat + AI Music Generation

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Dr. Ryan Ries here, back in your inbox with another edition of Mission Matrix.

This week, I want to talk about how AI is changing the music industry. There’s been a ton of buzz about AI threatening creativity and IP in the news over the last year.

But I think if we focus only on the negatives here, we’re missing the major opportunities AI is creating for producers, composers, musicians, creatives, and the average Joe (or average Ryan).

So today, we’ll dive into how music creation with AI works, use cases, and some services I’ve seen pop up.

(Also, scroll to the bottom for a BONUS this week).

How do AI music services work?

At the heart of AI music generation are techniques like deep learning and neural networks. Here's a simplified breakdown:

Data Input: The AI is fed a large dataset of existing music. Usually broken up into stems for each of the different components.
Pattern Recognition: It analyzes this data to identify patterns and structures — basically, what stems go together.
Parameter Setting: Users can set specific parameters like tempo, key, and genre.
Generation: The AI creates new compositions based on the learned patterns and set parameters.
Output: The result is a unique piece of music, ready for further refinement or use.

The use cases for music services go beyond generating songs about cats with your friends in your free time.

The applications of AI in music creation are as diverse as music itself. Here are a few use-case examples that I’ve been reading about:

Production Assistance: AI music services are democratizing music production. They can generate instrumentals or provide creative sparks to combat writer's block.
Personalized Soundtracks: Companies are using AI to create dynamic, responsive music for video games, VR experiences, and even personalized workout soundtracks.
Stem Separation: AI is helping to isolate individual instruments or vocals from existing recordings, opening up new possibilities for remixes and samples. (Any DJs in the room?)
Pitch Records: Some songwriters are using AI voice synthesis to create demo versions of songs, helping them pitch to artists more effectively.
Music Generation at Scale: AI can produce vast amounts of music quickly, which has implications for streaming platforms, video games, and royalty models.

The Human Touch in the Machine

Now, I know what you might be thinking: "Ryan, are we replacing human musicians with robots?" Not at all! In fact, I see AI as a powerful tool to augment human creativity, not replace it, and I think a lot of these use cases show that.

Here's how I envision the future of AI in music to augment human creativity:

Inspiration Generator: Stuck on a melody? Let AI suggest some options to get your creative juices flowing.
Time-Saver: Need a quick backing track for a video? AI can whip one up in seconds.
Collaboration Tool: Use AI-generated elements as a starting point, then add your human touch to create something truly unique.
Learning Aid: Aspiring composers can study AI-generated pieces to understand musical structures and patterns.

The Ethical Crescendo

As with any powerful technology, AI in music raises some important ethical questions:

Copyright: Who owns an AI-generated composition?
Authenticity: How do we value AI-generated music compared to human-composed pieces?
Artist Impact: How will this technology affect professional musicians and composers?

These are some of the complex issues that are bubbling up. At Mission Cloud, we're committed to using AI responsibly and ethically, always keeping the human element at the forefront.

Have you experimented with AI music generation? Reply to this email and let me know. If not, take a look at the track I created below with Suno.

Until next time,

Ryan

P.S. You’re getting a two-fer this week. Here is my AI-generated song, AND of course, I can’t leave you without this week's AI-generated image prompt:

Mission Matrix

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