Introduction
The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the music industry marks a transformative period in how music is composed, produced, and experienced. AI music makers, a cutting-edge technology, utilize machine learning algorithms and neural networks to create original compositions, assist in music production, and offer new tools for musicians and producers. This article explores the history, workings, applications, and future of AI music makers, providing insights into how they are revolutionizing the music industry.
To speed up and simplify music production, many artists now employ artificial intelligence to create AI-generated music.
In the past few years, AI has matured as a compositional tool, allowing musicians to discover new sounds derived from AI algorithms and software. As a result, AI-generated music has become mainstream and is adding another dimension to the music industry.
History of AI in Music
AI’s journey in the music industry began with early experiments in the mid-20th century, when researchers started exploring the potential of computers to generate music. One of the pioneering projects was the Illiac Suite, composed by Lejaren Hiller and Leonard Isaacson in 1957, which used algorithms to produce a string quartet. This laid the groundwork for subsequent advancements. Over the decades, milestones such as David Cope’s Experiments in Musical Intelligence (EMI) in the 1980s and the development of AI tools like Google’s Magenta project have significantly advanced the capabilities of AI in music.
How AI Music Makers Work
AI music makers primarily rely on machine learning and neural networks to analyze vast amounts of musical data, learning patterns and structures inherent in various genres and styles. By training these models on large datasets of existing music, AI can generate new compositions that mimic the styles it has learned. Key algorithms include recurrent neural networks (RNNs), which excel in sequential data processing, and generative adversarial networks (GANs), which create music by pitting two neural networks against each other to improve the quality of the output.
AI-generated music works when you feed large amounts of data to AI algorithms that study chords, tracks and other data to determine patterns for creating music similar to the information the algorithms have processed.
Artists have started to embrace this technology and its capabilities, leading to an increasing demand for AI music generators.
AI Music Generators and Tools
While advanced compositional AI remains the most interesting AI-in-music endgame for many, artificial intelligence has already been impacting the music industry for years. AI-generated mindfulness ambient music, rights-free music generation for content creators and automation-assisted mixing and mastering have all matured into major industries in the last few years.
Here’s a closer look at some notable players.
AI Music Generators and Tools to Know
- Meta’s AudioCraft
- OpenAI’s MuseNet
- iZotope’s AI assistants
- Brain.fm
- Aiva Technologies
- Amper Music’s Score tool
- Soundful
- LANDR
- Muzeek
Meta’s AudioCraft
Notable features: Trained on licensed music and public sound effects, text-to-audio abilities
Cost: Free
With the release of its text-to-audio tool AudioCraft, Meta is taking generative AI in music to another level. AudioCraft is trained on licensed music and public sound effects, so users can quickly add tunes or sounds to a video with text prompts. Leveraging a neural network model called EnCodec, AudioCraft delivers high-quality sounds on a consistent basis and compresses files for faster sharing.
OpenAI’s Musenet
Notable features: Capable of generating 4-minute musical compositions with 10 different instruments, MuseNet can blend styles ranging from classical to contemporary. Ability to pivot between music styles and analyze musical elements
Cost: Free
Among its AI research projects, OpenAI has developed a tool called MuseNet for composing AI-generated musical pieces. With its ability to decipher patterns among style, rhythm and harmony, MuseNet can pivot between music genres while including up to 10 instruments in tracks. Both professional musicians and casual music-lovers can experiment with OpenAI’s AI music generator, mixing and matching musical elements to craft distinctive tracks.
iZotope’s AI Assistants
Notable features: Collection of AI music assistants
Cost: Products range from $29 to $1,999
iZotope emerged as a pioneer in AI-assisted music production back in 2016, with the release of Track Assistant. The mixing feature uses AI to generate custom effects settings based on the sonic palette of a given track. Today, it hosts a full suite of assistants that tailor starting-point suggestions for vocal mixes, reverb application and mastering. Because of its software and AI-centric products like Spire Studio, iZotope software has been used to mix and master records by artists such as Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and Foo Fighters.
Brain.fm
Notable features: Music that caters to certain mental states, product backed by neuroscience and psychology research
Cost: $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year
Brain.fm is a web and mobile application that provides atmospheric music to encourage rest, relaxation and focus. Created by a team of engineers, entrepreneurs, musicians and scientists, the company’s music engine uses AI to arrange musical compositions and add acoustic features that enable listeners to enter certain mental states. In a pilot study led by a Brain.fm academic collaborator, the application showed higher rates of sustained attention and less mind-wandering, which led to a boost in productivity.
Aiva Technologies
Notable features: Ability to quickly produce variations of a musical work, full usage rights
Cost: Free plan with additional plan options
AIVA (Artificial Intelligence Virtual Artist), Recognized for its ability to compose classical music, AIVA has been used to create soundtracks for video games and films. Aiva Technologies is the creator of a soundtrack-producing artificial intelligence music engine. The platform enables composers and creators to make originals or upload their work to create new variations. Depending on the plan chosen, creators can also forgo the worry of licensing because the platform offers full usage rights. Rather than replacing musicians, Aiva wants to enhance the collaboration between artificial and organic creativity.
Amper Music’s Score Tool
Notable features: Web app tool that helps customize music pieces, unlimited music plan
Cost: Plans start at $19, with more advanced options
A cloud-based platform that allows users to create custom music tracks by selecting genres, instruments, and moods. It’s widely used in media production. Upon acquiring Amper Music in 2020, Shutterstock adapted the company’s Score program as a browser-based tool and an API. The web application enables creators to choose composition style, mood and length, crafting it to fit their content with no additional musical knowledge or skills. Shutterstock has built on this development to offer an unlimited music plan for customers to access a variety of beats.
Soundful
Notable features: Royalty-free music, broad selection of moods and templates, licensing and monetization plans available
Cost: Free plan, with option to upgrade to content creator, music creator plus or enterprise plan
Soundful is an AI music generator that produces background music for social media, video games, digital ads and other formats. Users choose from a broad range of music templates and moods, adapting tracks to their specific needs. Larger organizations can select Soundful’s enterprise plan to establish licensing terms and ways for monetizing templates, ensuring their creative endeavors remain profitable.
LANDR
Notable features: Library of music samples, independent music distribution
Cost: All-in-one subscription for $19.99 per month, with additional plans
LANDR is a creative platform that enables musicians to create, master and sell their music. The company’s mastering software uses AI and machine learning to analyze track styles and enhance parameters based on its reference library of genres and styles. Beyond AI-enhanced mastering, LANDR enables musicians to create quality music and distribute it on major streaming platforms while avoiding the costs associated with a professional studio.
Muzeek
Notable features: Range of automated features for music operations, fast analytics
Cost: Free plan with options to upgrade
Muzeek is a music-generating AI-powered platform that automates and simplifies aspects of music operations. Teams can automate paperwork tasks, calendar updates, booking settlements, ticket data and payment invoices. Muzeek’s platform can also track variables like web page engagement, event revenue and expenses. With instant analytics, musicians and companies can make adjustments on the fly and improve their processes for future bookings.
Case studies highlight the success of AI-generated music. For instance, Taryn Southern’s album “I AM AI” was one of the first to be entirely composed with the help of AI, showcasing the potential of these technologies in creating commercially viable music.
Applications of AI in Music Creation
AI music makers have diverse applications in the music industry:
- AI in Composing and Songwriting: AI tools like Amper Music and AIVA assist composers by generating melodies, harmonies, and even complete pieces based on user inputs. These tools are especially useful for creating background scores for videos, games, and advertisements.
- AI-Assisted Music Production: AI can enhance the production process by suggesting chord progressions, generating drum patterns, and refining melodies. Tools like IBM Watson Beat enable producers to explore new creative avenues.
- AI in Music Mixing and Mastering: AI-powered platforms like LANDR provide automated mastering services, offering high-quality audio processing that traditionally required skilled engineers.
Impact of AI on Musicians and the Music Industry
AI music makers offer numerous benefits to musicians and producers, including increased efficiency, access to new creative tools, and the ability to quickly produce high-quality music. However, the rise of AI in music also raises ethical and creative concerns. There is a debate over the originality and authenticity of AI-generated music, as well as concerns about job displacement for human musicians. The balance between leveraging AI’s capabilities and preserving human creativity remains a critical consideration.
Future of AI in Music
The future of AI in music looks promising, with several emerging trends and technologies poised to shape the industry:
- Enhanced Human-AI Collaboration: Future AI tools will likely focus on augmenting human creativity rather than replacing it, providing musicians with more sophisticated tools for composition and production.
- Personalized Music Experiences: AI’s ability to analyze user preferences and listening habits could lead to highly personalized music recommendations and compositions.
- Integration with Other Technologies: AI music makers will increasingly integrate with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create immersive music experiences.
Predictions for the future landscape of AI in music include the development of AI capable of real-time improvisation and performance, further blurring the lines between human and machine creativity.
FAQs
Q: Can AI music makers replace human musicians?
A: While AI music makers can assist in composition and production, they are unlikely to replace human musicians entirely. AI lacks the emotional depth and creativity that humans bring to music.
Q: How do AI music makers learn to create music?
A: AI music makers learn by analyzing large datasets of existing music, identifying patterns and structures, and using algorithms to generate new compositions based on this learned information.
Q: Are there any famous songs composed by AI?
A: Yes, there are several notable examples, such as Taryn Southern’s album “I AM AI” and Daddy’s Car, a song created by Sony’s Flow Machines AI.
Q: What are the ethical concerns related to AI music makers?
A: Ethical concerns include questions about the originality and authenticity of AI-generated music, potential job displacement for musicians, and the ownership of AI-created compositions.
Q: How can musicians benefit from using AI music makers?
A: Musicians can benefit from increased efficiency, access to new creative tools, and the ability to quickly produce high-quality music tailored to specific needs.
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Key Takeaways
- AI music makers represent a significant advancement in music technology, offering new tools for composition, production, and mastering.
- Early experiments and milestones have paved the way for sophisticated AI music tools available today.
- AI music makers use machine learning and neural networks to analyze musical data and generate new compositions.
- Applications of AI in music include composing, production, and automated mixing and mastering.
- Notable AI music tools like Amper Music, AIVA, and MuseNet have demonstrated the potential of AI in creating commercially viable music.
- The impact of AI on the music industry includes both benefits and ethical concerns, particularly regarding creativity and job displacement.
- The future of AI in music will likely see enhanced human-AI collaboration, personalized music experiences, and integration with other technologies like VR and AR.
- AI music makers are set to play an increasingly important role in the music industry, transforming how music is created and experienced while continuing to raise important questions about the relationship between technology and creativity.
