Looking At The Pros And Cons Of Using AI In Music Production

AI or no AI in music production? That is the question. Today, I want to dive into a topic that's been buzzing around the music industry for a while now which is the integration of AI in music production. As someone who has been a producer for over a decade now, I have watched the waves of technology change the industry overtime. I see some pros and cons in using AI in music production. So let's get into it whether using AI in your creations is a good thing, or a bad thing.

The Pros

There are a few upsides to using AI in your music production. Some AI tools have been around for a while that people have utilized in different ways that we may not have thought about. Look at AutoTune for example. That is an AI type of plugin that will analyze your voice and put it into a perfect pitch, although it's easily noticable.

There are other examples like Ozone's suite of mastering tools. It basically does the job for you. I love tools like this because it can take a very complicated process and make it easy for anyone. So let's get into some of the pros.

Amplified Innovation

AI brings a whole new dimension of innovation to music production. Its ability to analyze vast amounts of musical data in a split second can help bring some inspiration to creators. Think about it, AI tools can suggest melodies, harmonies, or even entirely new sounds that you might not have stumbled upon otherwise. It can really help you open up your possibilities beyond anything you would have though you could accomplish on your own.

For example, this is where something like ChatGPT can come into play. You can get it to help you come up with song ideas, topics, titles, lyrics, etc. Not every aspect of the music writing process comes naturally to everyone, so many people may need a bit of a push, and AI can act as that push to get things going!

Efficiency and Streamlining

One of the undeniable perks of AI in music production is its capacity to streamline workflows. From automating certain production tasks to assisting in mixing and mastering like I discussed with the Izotope's Ozone tools, different AI tools can significantly cut down the time spent on some very tedious processes. This newfound efficiency frees up creative minds to focus on the essence of music-making.

Another tool I can mention that helps me streamline my productions is the Drummer tool in Garageband/Logic Pro X on the Mac. Myself, I am not a drummer and can't hold a beat for longer than 4 bars, no matter how hard I try. This tool helps create amazing drum riffs and loops that sound like you have a human drummer in the studio that you can direct. It's an easy to use tool that can help you get the initial pulse of your song going.

Accessibility and Democratization

AI-powered tools have made music production more accessible than ever before. They break down barriers for aspiring musicians who may not have formal training or access to expensive equipment. With intuitive interfaces and user-friendly functionalities, these tools help creators across diverse backgrounds to bring their musical visions to life.

Some people can really sing, but have a hard time writing lyrics. Well, AI tools like ChatGPT can help get people started by helping them write lyrics, or at very least give some creative topics to maybe help break the writer's block.

Things like AI mixing and mastering tools can give non tech savvy people the ability to create music and the plugins will make it sound loud, full, and professional. There are several online tools that are offered by many distributors like DistroKid, who we use, but I can still do better with the human ear! But I am an engineer and mastering is my favorite part of the process and is an artform on it's own right!

The Cons

Now that I have touched on some of the positives about using AI in your music production process, I now want to flip the script and talk about the downsides of using these tools. We have seen many of the following topics not only in music, but in writing, video creation, image art, etc since the massive explosion of all the different GPT based tools came out. We talk allot about those cons more than the pros here on Hive, as there are some community memebers that are actively trying to flush out these posts, but I like to be open minded to both sides of things. But I don't want to open that Pandora's box with this post, lol...

Meanwhile back at the ranch...

Let's stick to the task at hand and get back to the cons of using AI in music production...

Lack Of Originality

One of the concerns surrounding AI in music production is the potential loss of authenticity and originality. While AI-generated suggestions can be inspiring, there's a risk of music sounding formulaic or lacking the human touch that makes each piece unique. The danger lies in relying too heavily on AI-generated content, potentially diluting the emotional depth of the music.

This is not a new thing though. Even before AI was around, we had the art of sampling. The problem with using sample, especially sample pools, is that too many people are using the same sounds in their productions. So nobody knows who came up with the original sound. AI tools are no different. I say this as someone who has used samples many times in productions. This has caused problems with platforms like YouTube that throws a copyright strike on you because you used the same sample as someone who previously released a song using the same sound.

Overreliance and Creative Stagnation

There's a fine line between utilizing AI as a creative aid and becoming overly reliant on its suggestions. Overdependence on AI tools might lead to creative stagnation, where musicians follow predetermined patterns rather than exploring new territories. It's crucial to balance the use of AI with personal experimentation and artistic exploration.

Using the same sounds and styles in all of your productions can make you sound really bland and people will see your lack of creativity. If this happens, you need to adjust your mindset and your toolset and get back to the creative flow that got you into producing music in the first place.

Ethical and Copyright Concerns

AI's ability to generate music raises complex ethical questions about intellectual property and copyright. Who owns the rights to AI-generated compositions? Can AI truly mimic a composer's style without infringing on their creative rights? These concerns highlight the need for clear regulations and ethical frameworks in the evolving landscape of AI-generated music.

There are AI models that can mimic rappers like Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube, and the artists are actively trying to fight this, because anyone can use these models and feed it randomly made lyrics from ChatGPT, then release the song that sounds just like the original artist. This is pretty scandlous if you ask me and is a practice that no respecting musician should partake in.

There are also models that create beats for you, but the platform owns all copyrights unless you pay a subscription fee of some sort. This can cause issues down the line if all of a sudden a musician forgets to pay a subscription for a track they used, now they are in violation of copyright infrigment. It's a hairy world we are in for sure.

Final Notes- Get it... Music Note... Final Note... Nevermind

Dad jokes aside, I'll close it out to say that as a music producer navigating these new times of AI being injected into the creative space, I've come to appreciate the blend of possibilities and challenges it brings. While AI undoubtedly offers some awesome and exciting possibilities, it's important that we find a balance so that it doesn't completely take over the human creative process. Using AI as a tool, not a crutch in your production, can help you enhance your productions like never before. But, using it as that production crutch can take away the human art aspect of what music really is!

What are your thoughts on AI in music production? Have you experimented with AI-powered tools in your musical journey? Share your experiences and let's keep the conversation going!

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