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Many musicians I know are talking about AI.
Not just musicians, of course. But recently AI music generators have become widely accessible, in the way text and image generators did a year or two back.
It’s a bit of a worry, I was told. So I had a play around, as you do, and I can confirm – it’s a bit of a worry.
Song generators create songs – I hesitate to use the word “write” – based on ... well, based on anything really. The one I used was Mureka, but there are many options.
You can suggest a song name and it will generate lyrics; it will create a melody, rhythm, musical backing; and male or female vocals, from smooth soul voices to shouty rock. It will sound to all the world like a real song: the backing is immaculate, the best session band you could find; the singing is convincing; the tunes don’t seem particularly interesting but they’re perfectly serviceable and often catchy. It takes two minutes – it’s a bit of a worry.
What’s possibly more of a worry is what it can do with greater guidance. You can input some lyrics and it will “finish” them. You can input your voice and it will generate a song with “your” voice singing. There are almost endless possibilities to be “helped”. What singer or songwriter isn’t curious? Who isn’t going to try it, if only for a free trial?
Models
On the generator I used there were actual songs they had licensed that you could use as models.
I read the BBC reporting that last week in the UK more than 1000 musicians – including Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn and Kate Bush – released a “silent” album in protest at the UK government’s planned changes to copyright law, under which AI developers will be able to use any creators’ content on the internet to help develop their models, unless the rights holders elect to “opt out”.
The album features sound recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, demonstrating what the artists fear is the potential impact of the proposed law change. It’s a bit of a worry.
But enough about AI. How about some gigs?
Under the bridge
Japan’s gods of maximally overdriven jet rock ‘n’ roll, the legendary Guitar Wolf, will be playing under the harbour bridge on the afternoon of March 15.
The legendary Guitar Wolf. Photo / Supplied
After a series of extraordinary alternative international visitors already this year – The Schizophonics! C.O.F.F.I.N.! King Brothers! – this looks like another one for the ages. Somacaine play support.
Somacaine. Photo / Supplied
Meanwhile, Dunedin’s Nick Hyde – proud participant in the write-a-song-a-week-for-a-year challenge – presents a solo set and his second album, New Horizons, at the Waipuna Park Pavilion in Welcome Bay on March 18; Dave Alley is back at the Jam Factory on March 20 playing acoustic guitars, lap steel, fretless bass, harmonicas and percussion; and WAI.TAI, a groundbreaking Māori-World Fusion Collective under the musical direction of Robyn Kamira is at The Arts Junction in Katikati on March 21, another folk club event.
Hear Winston’s latest Playlist:
