As with artwork, artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of music creation, ushering in a new era where technology meets creativity. The journey of AI in music began with experimental systems in the mid-20th century, but it has now evolved into sophisticated tools capable of composing complex musical pieces, generating unique sounds, and even collaborating with human artists. As the ‘Text to music’, AI music technology becomes more accessible and integrated into the mainstream, it is not just reshaping how music is made, but also expanding the boundaries of what can be achieved in the realm of sound. This burgeoning field promises to influence not only the music industry but also the way we experience and interact with music, making it an exciting time for both creators and audiences alike.
The advent of AI-driven music services is democratising music production, in the sense that it’s making it possible for anyone with an internet connection to tap into their creative potential. These platforms are equipped with intuitive interfaces and advanced algorithms that can help users compose music simply by typing what thy want, regardless of their musical background or technical skills. From generating melodies and harmonies to producing full orchestral compositions, these services are opening up a world of possibilities. This not only lowers the barriers to entry for aspiring musicians but also provides a playground for seasoned artists to explore new creative landscapes. As a result, the music industry is becoming more inclusive and innovative, allowing a diverse array of voices to be heard and new genres and sounds to emerge.
Two standout platforms, Suno and Udio, are revolutionising the way we create and interact with music by offering free text to music versions that showcase their remarkable capabilities. Here are the Wikipedia entries for the platforms…
“Udio is a generative artificial intelligence model that produces music based on prompts. Its free beta version was released publicly on April 10, 2024. Founded in December 2023 by a team of former researchers for Google DeepMind headed by Udio’s CEO, David Ding, the program received financial backing from the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and musicians will.i.am and Common, among others. Critics praised its ability to create realistic-sounding vocals while others raised concerns over the possibility that its training data contained copyrighted music.”
“Suno AI, or simply Suno, is a generative artificial intelligence music creation program designed to generate realistic songs that combine vocals and instrumentation. It has been widely available since December 20, 2023, after the launch of a web application and a partnership with Microsoft, which included Suno as a plugin in Microsoft Copilot.
The program operates by matching songs to text prompts provided by users. Suno does not disclose the dataset used to train its artificial intelligence but claims it has been safeguarded against plagiarism and copyright concerns.
Suno was founded by four people: Michael Shulman, Georg Kucsko, Martin Camacho, and Keenan Freyberg. They all worked for Kensho, an AI startup, before starting their own company in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
In April 2023, Suno released their open-source text-to-speech and audio model called “Bark” on GitHub and Hugging Face, under the MIT License. On March 21, 2024, Suno released its v3 version for all users. The new version allows users to create 2-minute songs using a free account.”
Despite ongoing debates concerning the origins and ethics of the datasets used to train AI music systems, the future of AI-generated music appears exceptionally bright. As the technology advances and standards evolve, the potential for AI to enhance and expand the musical landscape continues to grow. This burgeoning field not only offers novel tools for artistic expression but also promises to foster greater accessibility within the music industry. With each technological stride, AI music is poised to enrich our culture, providing new ways for young and old artists to innovate and audiences to engage with music, heralding an exciting new chapter in the evolution of sound.