A Musicians' response to the AI Hype
As a musician, one of the most fulfilling things in life is creation. Musicians, artists, and writers all have one thing in common: creativity. The ability to create something from seemingly nothing. What starts as an idea popping into an artist's mind becomes reality.
But what happens when you take away the creative process? Sure, you can still start with an idea, but taking away the work that goes into turning that idea into a reality is where the real magic is. Artificial Intelligence takes that magic away. It recycles the creations of creative, passionate human beings and regurgitates them into the slop we see creep onto the music charts, in Hollywood movies, and even in the news.
What value does the art have if all you did was give it a prompt and click a button?
Using AI as a Shortcut
I have heard the argument that it allows people who don't yet have the skills or knowledge to create something to access it. They use it as a "tool" to help get them started. Should we see this as a positive thing?
Growing up, I spent countless hours learning to play the piano. Every time I played, my skill was getting just a little bit better. With patience and time, anyone can gain skill in whatever they set their mind to. If all you did was fill in a blank space and click a button, what did you learn? What skill did you improve?
Artificial Intelligence IS Piracy
Artificial Intelligence is trained on existing content. Our music, our photography, and art. All of human creativity and all that hard work are being exploited to feed the egos of people who do not want to put in the work it took to create the very things they are stealing.
When you press a button and get that instant gratification, musicians and artists put months, if not years, into feeling; it isn't created out of thin air. It is built on the backs of the people who created it first.
If the ethics of that don't convince you to think about it this way, using copyrighted work without permission to train AI models is enabling widespread streaming fraud that siphons off legitimate royalty payments. The artists whose AI uses to train its algorithms don't get credit or paid.
How Beginners Can Get Started Without AI
I'm glad you asked that. There are a few resources where beginner musicians can get started without AI. This may come as a shock, but it is the original way people used to learn instruments before AI: taking music lessons & reading books.
Taking Music Lessons
Taking personal music lessons with educated instructors is a great way to cut through the fat and go straight to learning a new instrument. If you're not able to teach yourself, working with a professional music teacher can help walk you through at a pace you are comfortable with while guiding you on your new musical journey!
Reading Music Books
Long and McQuade is a fantastic resource for learning chords and basic music theory. You can teach yourself with hundreds of valuable books from our print-music department. We have great instructional method books that can help you get started on any instrument.
For example, Hal Leonard has a fantastic, very popular guitar method book that can help you get started learning to play the guitar.
Learning to Record
Don't know anything about recording? You don't need AI to mix for you. Long and McQuade has affordable entry-level recording equipment available to get you started. Our staff is knowledgeable in many fields and happy to help you set up your home recording system.
For example, here is a kit by Scarlett that includes not only an audio interface but a microphone and headphones.
What used to cost thousands of dollars and was accessible only to very high-level pros in the business is now available to anyone who wants to create! So don't let a computer have all the fun!!
Engage In Community Events
Even if you are a beginner, attending local shows to show your support for your city and its artists is a fun way to spend a Friday or Saturday night.
If you don't have any experience playing, go to an open mic event. Many bars and coffee shops host free open mics, full of other musicians looking to network and support each other. Maybe you will meet your future band members there.
What Future Do You Want?
I leave you with this question: Would you like to live in a world that values the creatives and pays them properly for their work, or do you want to live in a world that sees art as "unnecessary" where everything is one big generated blob of content?
If we continue with the AI hype, what can we creatively innovate? There will be no originality or changes if everything comes from what already exists.
Take risks as an artist. Keep creating the bad music and badly mixed art in your basement or garage, and play with it! Have fun with it! The creative process is about making mistakes, and with every messy tune you record, the more knowledge you earn and the better you harness your skills as a musician. Take pride in your "garbage". It's what makes us human.
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."
-Scott Adams
