Writers, performers, or composers throughout history and find footing to argue that this one or that created a new technique or applied something new to something old just the right way to bring about undisputed changes in music as an art and cultural institution, but for the sake of simplicity I want to discuss the evolution of music from a broader perspective.
Music 1.0, if I may, was essentially the apes that passed for humans thousands+ years ago sitting around smacking sticks and stones together while humming, grunting or verbalizing some other form of primitive artistic expression.
Introduced instruments. Primitive woodwind, percussion, and string instruments and likely the introduction of vocal techniques... I'd like to pause for a moment to insist I'm not an expert and that kind of meticulous detail isn't necessary to reach and present my point, so don't expect facts so much as educated musings.
Is where we currently reside. Music is a form of art and science, which flows throughout human culture in every civilization.
I think the answer is beyond humanity.
I'd like to present two examples of why I think someday the majority of the music we listen to, and the vast majority of all new music, will be written and performed by code.
The first is a song called "Great Balls" by AI/DC, not written or performed by AC/DC. It's the result of AC/DC's music being fed into a bot designed to write a song based on the input of other songs.
Let's give it a quick listen and I'll get on with it.
I like to describe the sound as AC/DC with a head injury.
I don't think anyone can argue that the bot straight up nails the music. Every note sounded like it was straight out of my childhood. In fact, if someone had stripped the lyrics from the song, and told me it was footage from a live show, I would have believed it, without even questioning it.
It's the lyrics that throw it off, even though even the vocals sound just like AC/DC. Before I move on check out this one, titled Smother, by the cleverly titled NirvanA.I.
You may notice that this one sounds a hell of a lot more like Nirvana than AI/DC sounded like AC/DC.
The reason for this is Kurt Cobain's style was so abstract, in that he often just wrote lyrics based on what he saw on the cereal box as he had breakfast, that the bot only has to match the rhyme without the need for reason.
We know that language recognition and reproduction are only going to get more advanced so it's only a matter of time before an app on your phone or Google Implant or whatever will be able to write a brand new song for you on demand, that sounds like any artist who ever lived, and eventually every artist that never did at all.
Does this mean humans will no longer make music? I don't think so. I imagine with the changes coming down the pike more people will take an interest in playing music in the future, but I do foresee a time when humans perform songs written by bots as we see cover bands performing The Beetles and Rush today.
Anyone else have any thoughts on it?
