{"id":4518,"date":"2023-03-24T13:19:10","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T13:19:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vpms1.humber.smartmanagedservers.com\/convergencemag\/?p=4518"},"modified":"2023-04-05T18:07:56","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T18:07:56","slug":"a-breath-of-fresh-tech-in-todays-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/convergencemag\/a-breath-of-fresh-tech-in-todays-music\/","title":{"rendered":"A Breath of Fresh Tech in Today\u2019s Music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Technology has brought musical creation to an all-time high using artificial intelligence for an artist\u2019s physical being and music itself. This year, AI has shaken identity and traditional business models. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Megan Rampersaud <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hit one button and BAM! A new artist can be instantly exposed world-wide and solely computerized. FN Meka is an AI artist who was recently removed from a major record label, Capitol Records, after two weeks of being signed in August. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rapper was removed because a non-profit organization called Industry Blackout released an Instagram statement addressing the racist stereotypes portrayed, derogatory slang used, and further FN Meka\u2019s company called, \u201cFactory New\u201d, not having any people of diversity on their team. The non-profit organization implied through their message that this is blatant disrespect to people and culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made this situation unique is FN Meka is in fact a virtual rapper, created by an artificial intelligence software. Dr. Mihai is a professor of Machine Learning at Humber college and is currently developing new courses for Humber\u2019s AI ready certificate starting in January 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mihai conceptualizes about how AI driven music is created. \u201cThe next time I give you a song you\u2019re going to tell me if its relaxing or active category, that\u2019s one case, the second case is I\u2019m giving you all this data, try to produce something new,\u201d Mihai says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe sound is a lot of ups and downs in the frequencies so what they can do is modify the signal frequencies at one moment and maybe make it higher than originally in the data, so they can make any type of combination in the end,\u201d he says. This would indicate that AI can innovate new frequencies and sounds from the established musical genres. For example, a new song on the radio that sounds odd, yet new, and familiar at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technological music is then paired with a virtual human called Digital Human Model (DHM), creating an AI artist ready for a record labels marketing requirements without negotiation. Dr. Mihai says that \u201cright now, I think people are just using computers for – I know the principle behind it but I don\u2019t care how to do it. There is no math reasoning why two plus two is four. They just know it. That will happen with the music.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although, removing humans more and more may have its cons the opportunities now available are rapidly advancing technological art in the music industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justin Gray is a Montreal born songwriter, producer, and founder of an AI licensing engine software company created in 2014 called Songistry. Songistry provides a platform for producers and songwriters to showcase their work for licensing opportunities according to Songistry\u2019s website, \u201cWe Are MDIIO.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This AI platform links to the music industry by helping shine a light on the up-and-coming talented artists, elevating their independent brand name, providing professional licensing, and professional exposure. \u201cJust this week I had found out that a song I had wrote and produced is the eighth most Shazamed song in the world because it\u2019s in a movie called Hocus Pocus 2,\u201d Gray says. \u201cI don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve watched it but it\u2019s a song called Skeleton Sam and it\u2019s a silly song that I have with a project that I do called Lovecraft,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I play music and just from seeing other people and seeing the crowd, they\u2019re not going to get that same theory.”
-Isaiah Gibbons <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This collaboration can be profitable for artists, contributing to analytical streams and exposure for an artist\u2019s songs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zach McMahon is the Chief Executive Officer and a Co-Founders of the company LUCID in Toronto. LUCID offers music derived from AI and neuroscience for therapeutic purposes, according to its website. There can be opportunities for therapeutic music to be linked with the music industry. For listeners this provides relatability and mental health support. For companies this provides streaming revenue with this specific genre and exposure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTechnology one decade or the next decade will be to bundle everything, that’s where you’ve got labels who are investors slash marketers slash branders,\u201d McMahon says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut over time these things get unbundled, so does AI allow the individual artists to do more things themselves and unbundle the need for a big label or a manager, I\u2019m not quite sure\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Montreal, <\/strong>Stephane Moraille was the former singer for the Canadian band called, Bran Van 3000. Moraille is the main vocals in the classic hit song called, \u201cDrinking in L.A.\u201d. Now a music and entertainment lawyer, she works with the industries contractual agreements and expresses her opinion about artificial intelligence. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo of Stephane Moraille, courtesy of AudioGram.com<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Moraille talks about the benefits of adapting to artificial technology used. \u201cIt\u2019s also a wonderful thing because someone who creates can use technology to investigate, research, what they want. It’s almost limitless. You can find your niche market and for an amazing storyteller AI can be your tool,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n