It seems like everywhere you look right now, AI is being hyped up about changing our lives for better or worse. Today, I want to take a look at using AI, namely ChatGPT, for music production. Because I want to see if ChatGPT and AI, in general, are helpful assistants in the music process or if it’s just a bunch of hype.
I’m going to ask ChatGPT to give a chord progression, a BPM, and a general outline of how to structure the song. I’ll see where it goes with that, but I’ll also use my best discretion in terms of what works and what doesn’t, because I have a feeling AI will be helpful but will need the human element.
So, the first thing I did was type in a prompt on ChatGPT. I kept it really simple. I just asked it to make a retro wave track. It came back with a BPM, a key, the chord progression, and a pretty basic structure of how to start with the arpeggios and things like that.
Then, I moved over to the circuit and started building the track. I put in a kick as a click, built an arc using notes from the first key, and resampled it into the SP. I added a pad on the SP, an octave higher, to give it more grit. I tested out resampling the art with 404 vinyl Sim and liked it.
Next, I added some additional drums, including a snare and high hats. I also asked ChatGPT to design the drums, but I haven’t had much luck with good patterns. I added percussion and made them into ghost notes to create variation in the drums using probability on the circuit.
I felt like the track needed a melody, so I threw in a melody and made some octave swaps. After some effects, I ended up with two different versions, one on the SP and another on the circuit.
Finally, I built the patterns for the track on the SP to match the circuit. And there you have it, the game changer ChatGPT in action with music production.
Is it really a game changer? I don’t think so. I think it falls right in the middle between everything that’s being hyped up to be and being just a giant nothing. There are uses for AI in music production, but it’s not a standalone solution. The human element is still very important.
What I found with ChatGPT or AI in general is that it’s a great starting point, a Genesis device. It gets past the option paralysis of a blank canvas. I can throw an idea as text into ChatGPT, and it will create something that’s usually not exactly where I want it to be, but I can play around with it on the keyboard and see what works. It’s also fun to use apps like Tonaly, where it generates a chord progression and then you can go to each chord and change the intervals and keys.
I don’t think AI is a game-changing thing on its own. The human element and intuition are still key to making anything it generates work. AI is a tool that can assist in the creative process, but it’s up to the artist to craft it and create something they actually enjoy and are proud of.
Now, I’m curious to hear from you. Have you been using AI in your music production process? Let me know in the comments how you’re using it and what AI you’ve been using. It’s important to talk about and be open about AI in music production, as it’s not going anywhere. Making an informed decision about its uses and understanding its limitations can help us all learn and grow as artists.
Thank you for watching, and I’ll see you next time!
