Harnessing Generative AI Tools for Creative Music Production

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been consuming much of our conversations lately as the technology continues to advance. From enhancing our creative processes to providing innovative tools for production and mixing, AI's influence is undeniable. However, with this transformative power comes a wave of uncertainties and challenges. In this blog, we'll explore how we're currently leveraging AI in our music production processes, share insights from our hands-on experiences with generative AI tools, and discuss the implications of AI on our workflow and creative outputs.

How are we currently using AI?

We are diving in and dedicating time to learn as much as we can about the latest tools available, but in terms of implementation, we are treading very lightly with any generative AI technology. There is so much uncertainty with who owns the copyright when generative AI is used for music creation that we need to be mindful of exactly how and when we implement it into our process.

JBMG vs. AI

To illustrate the current capabilities and limitations of AI, we took a real client brief and provided an AI interpretation as well as our client deliverable. This AI example was the closest result after multiple outtakes and about one hour's time split between Suno and Udio. The client deliverable was the result of a custom write with our artist partner — Amber Woodhouse.

Music Brief:

Looking for modern pop music that incorporates both traditional/real sounding instrumentation with digital elements and delivers a powerful anthemic vocal that is uplifting and inspirational. Stylistically we would like something that could speak to an older and younger audience. Lyrically, we want the music to speak to these themes: follow your dreams, dream big, and going after your dreams. It should evoke a sense of relentless power in pursuing your dreams, with a catchy and memorable hook.

[LISTEN HERE] 🔉🔉🔉

Results:

"Dawn of Dreams," the AI-generated track, delivers a brief and somewhat uplifting modern pop experience with digital elements but lacks traditional/real instrumentation and memorable lyrics. Stylistically the vocal sounds more catered to a younger audience, the song structure is incomplete, and the audio quality is low.

In comparison, "Unstoppable," a human-generated track, showcases precise control over all musical aspects, blending live and digital instrumentation, resulting in a fully structured, high-quality song with a strong, memorable hook that would likely appeal to a wider age range.

What have we learned?

Generative AI Music Creation Programs

While tools like Suno and Udio have come a long way in terms of getting AI-generated music to sound real, there are many technical challenges with functionality, quality, as well as legal and ethical considerations that stand between their effective use in creating music for media or any type of mass distribution. There are also aspects of the human generated art, such as artistic sensibility, unique perspectives, and intuition that are very difficult for AI to mimic.

Key takeaways:

• Broadcast Quality Requirements: Music for media typically demands high-quality audio for broadcast, whether on TV, radio, or digital platforms. If the final recordings produced by AI tools are not up to broadcast quality, they won't meet industry standards. This quality gap can lead to poor audience reception and negatively affect the brand's image.
• Limited Functionality and Flexibility: The ability to edit and fine-tune music is crucial in advertising, where precise timing, key changes, song structure and specific instrumentation adjustments are often required to match the visual elements of the ad and convey the intended message. AI tools currently lack the flexibility to make these detailed edits, making them less practical for professional use.
• Prompt Comprehension Issues: AI-generated music relies on broad genre and mood descriptors, which can fall short of the nuanced needs of ad campaigns or TV/film scenes. Agencies often require precise music specifications, like exact tempo, key changes, and instrumentation, which AI tools struggle to meet.
• Consistency and Reliability: Professional music production demands consistency and reliability. Given the hit-or-miss nature of AI-generated music with instrumentation and other detailed instructions, agencies might find it too unpredictable to depend on for high-stakes projects.
• Creative Control: Human composers and musicians offer a level of creative control and artistic nuance that AI tools currently cannot replicate. The human touch in music creation allows for bespoke compositions that can be tailored to fit the brand's identity and the specific emotional tone of an advertisement.
• Legal and Ethical Considerations: Using AI-generated music may involve navigating complex legal and ethical issues, such as copyright concerns and the originality of AI-created content. Agencies might prefer the clear-cut legal pathways associated with using music from human composers or licensed tracks.

Although there are still many hurdles from being able to incorporate this technology into our process, we do find it interesting to explore early in brief development, to see how AI interprets direction. Although not all prompts hit the mark, there is occasionally a result that could spark a new idea to inform the brief.

Conclusion

It is exciting to see how far the technology has come, and we will undoubtedly see great strides in a lot of these areas over the next few years. As we navigate the evolving landscape of AI in music production, it's clear that while the potential is vast, so are the challenges. The tools at our disposal today offer exciting possibilities, yet they also require careful consideration and responsible implementation. By staying informed we can harness the benefits of AI without compromising the integrity and originality of our work. As the technology continues to mature, we look forward to the possibilities it holds for enhancing our creative processes, by making us more efficient in brining our artistic sensibilities to life.