Modern music making tools have made it easier than ever for new up and coming artists to make their emergence into the mainstream. Social media and search engine optimization have changed the way music is promoted and implemented into society. Artificial intelligence has been on the rise especially, but what does this mean for the musicians of the world? According to an interview conducted with Michael Gamble, Oregon State University professor and touring musician of 20 years, he has seen the ‘digital revolution’ work out for many but also work against people in a lot of ways. In his interview, Gamble noted “the shift from big record deals and a contract and sort of developing a musician has changed a lot to where you need to have your whole identity and your whole process before you can even approach record labels.” This shift that Gamble brings up is important when considering what lies in the future for artists looking to get started in this ever-changing industry.
Gimmick? Or A Step Towards A New Age?
The capabilities of modern technology are growing exponentially as engineers and developers continue to create tools for innovation and convenience, and with the emergence of artificial intelligence technology, there has been a large shift in the way the modern industries operate compared to prior decades. Using A.I. in a business setting seems like an obvious step for business owners looking to be an extra step ahead of the competition by increasing profits with less labor and effort. However, the use of A.I. in creative/talent-based industries has been questioned by many long-term artists, musicians, producers, and other industry workers. There is no doubt that A.I. technology would raise concerns among these communities due to skepticism surrounding the legitimacy of A.I. generated artwork and music, but is there any real danger in introducing this technology to these fields? Will it just be another gimmicky trend for producers and artists to mess around with? Or maybe it will be the tool that pushes music into a new age?
According to “On Creativity, Music’s AI Completeness, and Four Challenges for Artificial Musical Creativity” by Martin Rohrmeier, “style replication at audio or symbolic level, ranging from certain genres or personal styles” is a key central task for computer-generated musical creativity (Rohrmeier, 2022). There are many different ways AI technology could be applied for this task; an ideal system could potentially “analyze all the incoming signals and determine how they should be modified and combined” (Reiss, 2022). However, audio mixing and mastering is a skill that requires proficiency in “the all-too-human attributes of critical listening, a socio-cultural awareness of musical taste and fashion, and a combination of scientific knowledge and gut instinct” (Birtchnell & Elliott, 2018) stated by Thomas Birtchnell and Anthony Elliott in their article “Automating the black art: Creative places for artificial intelligence in audio mastering.” This ties in with the concept of embodied cognition, which according to Rohrmeier poses a challenge for artificial intelligence in music: “To be relevant for humans, general artificial musical creativity will need to involve a model of the relevant aspects of the human body, the instrument, the interaction and the performative context” (Rohrmeier, 2022).
As this technology continues to develop and expand, adapting and learning to work alongside it could be beneficial for artists, musicians, and engineers by helping to break creative ruts and “explore new musical territory” according to Ecaterina Gîrbu’s article “Experimental perspectives on artificial intelligence in music composition.” Gîrbu states that “computers can only recreate something that already exists by transforming it in an intriguing, more innovative form, which may seem like at first glance, but truly it is just a variation of something that humans have previously come up with” (Gîrbu, 2024). This does not render computers and artificial intelligence completely useless when it comes to musical creativity but may make them more suitable for assisting an artist with improving an idea or brainstorming new ones.
Can Humans Be Replaced?
Each generation has their industry shifting waves of technological development. Artificial intelligence will probably not be marking the downfall of the modern music industry. However, the music software that implements this technology will only be effective when used for true artistic purposes. A.I. may not be able to replace the genuine feeling of a human musician, but artists who are able to see the value in technological growth and think of ways it could be of use rather than a detriment will be those who thrive in the modern world. A.I. is still a human invention that can be controlled and manipulated like any other software tool, meaning it can be useful for artists who are able to figure out a way to bend its usefulness to their needs. According to Gamble, A.I. mixing and mastering is “great for references” as well as quick jobs, for example, “if you were someone working for a huge corporation and giving them some tracks for a commercial.” Gamble also mentioned that versions of A.I. can be useful for finding presets that he can then do his own reverse engineering to get what he wants for his projects, which is a great example of how you can still make art genuine and personal while implementing modern technology into the production process. Gamble also pointed out that artists should “try to use all the tools that you have and spend the time with all the issues and problems that you have to the point where you can actually maybe use something that’s quick and know the difference between actually doing it and what you hear being spun out to you from AI or a preset.” This is basically saying that artists who are able to spend the time listening, analyzing, and creating their own music will be able to identify fundamental characteristics that discern A.I. generated work and the work of a human being.
Another interesting point brought up in Gamble’s interview was the weight that Artificial Intelligence holds in relation to other forms of tech that exist in modern studio settings. Gamble believes that due to the algorithmic nature of A.I., things can get complicated in regard to money and politics. Algorithms have been known for focusing on certain demographics or being controlled or manipulated by outside factors, making it not exactly the most equal tool that can be employed. Gamble also mentioned in his interview that “the feeling of exploring and the essence of nuance and finding something out has been lost which I think is a bit sad because at the rate humans are going, and as far as the intellect, ie different emotions that are stemmed from that that are still around like narcissism, you can call it the seven deadly sins, I think there are new emotions that are more digital and still need a lot of time to be researched,” later saying “When you do actually experience something new the human cognizance is not really where it should be because you’re influenced by so many things that are given to you right away without even knowing, and the algorithm being based on how those feelings are worked is a bit invasive in my opinion.” Gamble’s opinion technology’s effectiveness on the human cognitive state and emotional responses can most likely be agreed upon by many fellow musicians who may feel overwhelmed by the rapid growth in technology causing massive changes in the industry. Large shifts are not exactly the most comfortable thing for newcomers and professionals alike, as it may lead to an unsteady creative process.
Where Is The Music Industry Heading?
In an interview with Oregon State professor of teaching Music Technology and Production, G. Blake Harrison-Lane, he explains his more optimistic view of A.I. being utilized in the studio. He mentions that because A.I. fundamentally draws from existing ideas, how much different would that make it from the tools we already use and consider normal. A.I. does not generate new song ideas magically; it uses algorithms to process and learn from the data it is given to work with. People can program it in whatever way benefits them, and give it prompts that can make it do just about anything that it is asked to do. Society is able to function just fine with and without this new type of technology, as we’ve seen with previous generations. Although there is a fear that many people have of technology replacing humans and replacing the human aspect of art and creativity and culture, that will likely not be the case for the foreseeable future.
According to Gamble, his generation saw “the last gasp of everything before the digital generation” which is proof of his experience in the music industry, witnessing many changes and shifts in culture, business, and technology over the years. Despite this, Gamble still believes that there is hope for the industry, and that “our generation is going to work wholeheartedly towards keeping recorded and live music alive to basically spread what is recorded music to people and keep artists and producers and engineers paid.”
There are other factors at play as well that could lead to problems and hurdles for the future of the music industry. Gamble brought up that the depletion of natural resources is a bigger concern for him due to the implications of that scenario. If the industry does not have the proper supplies and resources to keep itself sustained, such as material for making physical media as well as gasoline for fueling tour vans, busses, gear transportation. If the economy takes a hit, it is also important that artists and managers still have money to afford events, touring, and recording. If these factors are affected, then the music industry will likely take a much larger shift than the emergence of A.I tech will cause. In his interview, Gamble states that “hopefully we can all move towards a more green and sustainable environment as far as that’s concerned” which is likely the safest path for society to follow for a more sustainable future music industry.
Many artists, musicians, technologists, and thinkers in general have become aware of the hold technology has in our lives currently. We have implemented it into almost every aspect of our lives for the most part, engaging with technology from the moment we wake up, when we’re at work, when we are creative, to when we are going to sleep. Technology has always been there, but A.I. tends to garner more criticisms and concerns due to how it learns and changes according to the data it is given. A.I. technology will likely not mark the downfall of the modern music industry, but instead act as a tool for creative artists to utilize in their endeavors. Technology has already enveloped our daily lives, and push back against it will always be inevitable, but it is how you shape your perspective is what will really matter in terms of what you can get out of these new innovations.
Works Cited
Birtchnell, T., & Elliott, A. (2018). Automating the black art: Creative places for artificial intelligence in audio mastering. Geoforum, 96, 77–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2018.08.005
Deruty, E., Grachten, M., Lattner, S., Nistal, J., & Aouameur, C. (2022). On the Development and Practice of AI Technology for Contemporary Popular Music Production. Transactions of the International Society for Music Information Retrieval, 5(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.5334/tismir.100
Gîrbu, E. (2024). Experimental perspectives on artificial intelligence in music composition. Artes Journal of Musicology, 30(29–30), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.35218/ajm-2024-0006
Reiss, J. (2022). Artificial intelligence in music production: Controversy and opportunity. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 152(4_Supplement), A178. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0015954
Rohrmeier, M. (2022). On creativity, Music’s AI completeness, and four challenges for artificial musical creativity. Transactions of the International Society for Music Information Retrieval, 5(1), 50–66. https://doi.org/10.5334/tismir.104