We arrive on a very contested topic today, so pull up your socks. AI and art. We don’t want to restrict this to music, though this is our realm. The conversation around AI in art came about 3 years ago–when ChatGPT was launched for the world to see. Since then, a lot has changed in a tectonic shift that is irreversible. Let me make the opinion short and say I am against AI in art. There are caveats, however, that help break some boundaries. Those are more interesting to discuss.
If GPT was the beginning, AI based companies have marked their footprint far and wide. It is one of the most used words in the world–news, podcasts, articles and otherwise. If GPT was made to make mundane tasks easy, there was a glimpse into the mind of the layman. Making music is also a task. Can this be automated in ways to?
Now comes the conversation about “programming”. This is happening in electronic music since the 70s. A pattern of beats, lead and harmonies is repeated in a pattern, with changes that keep the monotony out of it. In a way, is this artificial too? The creativity lay mostly on the shoulders of the DJ/composer. If they chose to change the pattern, they could, and add elements in. Computerised material, humanised output. In a way. Now, the humanised input is generated as computerised material. Do we treat it as such?
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Let’s work in reverse. 2 artists who have released music-Ayushi-without the use of AI, and Taran, the other. The song is released on platforms all over, and now it comes to licensing. The creative output from Ayushi is licensed under here, for it is her own creative output. The song released by Taran however, was made completely by artificial intelligence, based on a prompt that was given. Does it belong to Taran at all in any way?
George Harrisson of The Beatles had a legal battle over his song, “My Sweet Lord”. According to the Bright Tunes Music Corporation (who filed the suit), the song had too much of a resemblance to He’s So Fine by The Chiffons. To poke fun at this, Harrison released This Song, completely revolving around the frugality and comic nature of this case. Like Ed Sheeran’s case in 2023, the argument was that many songs used the same chord structure–are they hence all copied and if so, who made the original?
In this case, the prompt for Harrisson’s song would be the case. This Song would not exist until the suit had come. What differs here is that the prompt was to a human, who made a song with similar structure as irony. No computers involved. Human-human quarrel. The moment AI is involved, who does it belong to?
We go the second step in reverse. The song has been recorded, now it has to be produced. Taran is sitting, for he hasn’t had to worry about this step at all. An all-inclusive pass into the creative realm, courtesy AI. Ayushi wrote the song, composed it, recorded and produced it with the help of a friend. As the friend USED a computer tool and produced it-it’s still human produced. If the AI is involved here, is the song in effect belonging to Ayushi and the AI?
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You must understand what kind of boon this particular part is, for an independent musician. Equipment is expensive, and having a good mic can set you back quite a bit. Paying a sound engineer or mixer is almost unaffordable for some. A free AI mixing and mastering service or nominal fee can change lives for people. Whether it belongs to the AI in some degree, it is something that musicians must be thankful for–saving them hundreds of dollars for a few single releases.
Now we’re at the step of recording. Sure, with a cheap mic and some good AI sound improvement, you can remove noise as well as make it studio quality sound nowadays. It really is great, this is as satisfying to see as a process as any. The fact that you don’t even have to leave the jam room after the final take will show you how unbelievable this is.
Foreshadowing reaches climax stage. Sure, you have a good recording, but did you compose it? Here is where the creative element comes in as a whole. You either listened to another song, got inspired, noodled on your instrument, and got the result you did. There was a process. If you’re a solo artist, the process is with yourself and a trusty friend. You need to make the final decision as to whether you love the composition enough. You decide to record a fully baked song–decorations and all.
Here is where the song belongs to you, or it belongs to AI. You portraying a reference and asking AI to compose something similar–not your song. Taking out your notebook/laptop, getting down some lyrics and jamming out possibilities–your song. You have to be an integral part of the process. AI can be a tool, not the solution.
This is what I have been getting to. AI is really a boon for musicians, for any musician to realise their dream. Compose, record and watch the magic happen. Whether you find an audience or not, is a whole other discussion. The post-processing world can belong to AI, forever. Leave the parts that gives us goosebumps to us. God knows only we can feel them.
I am one of those who is lucky enough to feel frisson. Fancy term for goosebumps on listening to music. I have felt it across genres, across languages. It is all for music that is intrinsically human made. To know that there is a story behind the song. There is passion, there is ecstasy, heartbreak and fallacy. The human elements of the song are what make it interesting.
Yes, there are times I can listen to songs, feel this, check the song details and realise its been made with AI. It feels like a complete betrayal, for all it did is emulate a journey. A journey of a musician, and the tale they would have told. Knowing for an absolute FACT, that it didn’t go through these things.
Art comes from many places–truth, perspective, bias, skill, imitation… the list goes on. Art however, comes from some human experience that is worth capturing in some form. Music becomes one of those forms, and there are several others. The question is, if we want to translate that uniquely human experience, or have something artificial do it.
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