Now the musical/vocal environment has changed yet again, with the Ai component quickly entrenching itself into every part of our existence, much the same as computers back in the 80s.
A whole new world where anyone with a computer can make music like geniuses. The difference is that the real, original geniuses, have already been there and done all the work. Beethoven, Mozart, the Beatles, the blues, jazz, rock, all the genres of music, every song ever sung, every singer who brought their tone, soul and talent to a recording, every note ever played, is now accessible and usable by everyone.
Indeed, an interesting tool that allows any person with no talent, no skill, no experience, no soul, no anything to use this tool to create music of any type with ridiculously good result.
Truly amazing results.
It seems perhaps, the skill of producing a product using Ai, is the skill of “prompting”. A skill in its own right, I suppose!?
It doesn’t take a lifetime of building knowledge, or doing anything really, but here we are. The ability to plagiarise a century of amazing musicality, and play Leggo with it (no disrespect to Leggo ….. but ya know what I mean), and this is now the norm, and,
it can’t be stopped.
The copyright issues will be with us for a while till “something” gets sorted out. but that is another minefield for another discussion.
New bedroom pop stars have emerged, and away we go. I listen to interviews constantly. One story talks of, one such “star”, who plays Mp3s and sings over them, and then streams them to loyal….. million or so followers. My goodness.
Another interview, sharing how the “star” walked on stage and blew an ear out, deaf, because they didn’t know you aren’t supposed to walk in front of a “front of house” speaker, with a live stage mike. Feedback?? Perhaps so, goodness me.
Another who was amazed at her manager suggesting they might work with a “real live breathing musician” in a “studio”
What a head spin to the bedroom MP3 “star”!
Another producer who was pretty happy, crafting a 3 minute song, from the 87 vocal tracks the singer had put down.
I remember the amazing talent of Australian singer,
Anthony Warlow,
who walked into the studio with a 24 piece orchestra, sang every song for the album once, and walked out. Finished! Done! Perfect! That is related to the 10,000 songs he had sung and the 1000 hours of practice. He will also be sampled, and receive no royalties for the random chunks of his brilliance used by anyone who falls over it in an Ai program or app.
Boy, I must be sounding old, or am I right? After 50 years of my life and soul in this industry, it is a tornado going off in my head.
But now to the reality of the situation.
If I am going to discuss the problem, then I am duty bound to also be part of the solution.
READ PART 2