Can the artist’s solution pave a friendly future for musicians? Let’s dive in…

Deets:

• Ghostwriter rose to fame with his viral AI-generated song ‘Heart on My Sleeve’, which used cloned voices of Drake and The Weeknd. (Listen here.)

• He suggests a clearing house approach where artists/labels set terms to license their voices to AI projects.

• Terms could include payment splits, usage restrictions (no politics, hate speech, etc.), and more control.

• Ghostwriter compares it to early hip-hop's unauthorized sampling, which faced legal issues before gradual acceptance.

Ghostwriter’s anonymous manager states that the songs were a way to ‘‘prep us so that we can start moving towards building an environment where this can exist in an ethical and equitable way.’’

Now to fully understand this, let’s look at all the various ways in which artists and producers get compensated.

Currently, there are 3 methods: sampling, covering, and interpolation, which have been around for years.

However, with the rise of AI, voice cloning has been added to the mix.

Let's break down these types.

Sampling

What it is: Sampling involves taking a portion of an existing recording—be it a melody, a drum loop, or even a vocal phrase—and using it in a new composition.

Who Gets Paid: The original artist or the owner of the sampled recording must be paid royalties.

Cover

What it is: A cover is a re-recording of an existing song, performed by a different artist but retaining the original composition and lyrics.

Who Gets Paid: Royalties go to the original composer or the owner of the song's composition rights.

Interpolation

What it is: Interpolation is the act of re-recording a specific line, melody, or section from an existing song and incorporating it into a new composition.

Who Gets Paid: The original composer must be paid royalties, but not for the original recording since it's re-recorded.

Voice Cloning (The New Addition)

What it is: Voice cloning uses AI to create a synthetic voice that mimics the tonal qualities of a specific artist's voice, which can then be used to produce entirely new compositions.

Who Gets Paid: The legality is still a grey area, raising questions about consent and the ownership of an artist's vocal likeness.

Now, let’s look at GRIMES (Elon Musk’s ex-girlfriend), an artist leading the AI music revolution.

Grimes (Claire Boucher), is a Canadian musician, singer, and visual artist known for her eclectic blend of music genres and her avant-garde approach to art and technology.

Her Approach/Philosophy

Grimes views technology as an extension of human creativity. She believes in pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music. Rather than a threat, she views AI as a tool for artistic expression.

Grimes' Voice Cloning App: Elf Tech

What it is: Grimes has released an app called Elf Tech that allows users to clone her voice. Users can input their own singing or speaking, and the app transforms it to sound like Grimes.

Compensation Model for Artists

How it Works: Artists who use Grimes' voice cloning technology to create new compositions agree to pay her royalties. This is a form of collaboration where both the original artist (Grimes) and the new artist benefit financially.

So what's her strategy for releasing music?

Grimes plans to release two albums simultaneously. One will be a traditional album featuring her own compositions and performances. The other will be entirely AI-generated, featuring tracks created by other artists using her voice cloning technology.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• AI as Financial Catalyst: Grimes embraces AI both as an artistic collaborator and a financial game-changer, tweeting that she'll split 50% of royalties on successful AI-generated songs using her voice.

• Brand Extension: It allows Grimes to extend her brand into new creative territories with minimal cost and effort.

• Artistic Experimentation: AI provides a platform for artists to experiment with new forms of musical expression.

Cons

• Legal Ambiguity: The use of voice cloning raises unresolved questions about intellectual property rights.

• Ethical Concerns: The technology could be misused to create deepfake audio or to exploit an artist's vocal likeness without consent.

• Potential for Oversaturation: If many artists adopt this model, it could dilute the uniqueness of using voice cloning as an artistic tool.

Now, let’s know what the CEO of one of the world’s largest music-streaming platforms has to say!

Daniel Ek
Spotify’s CEO shed light on AI-generated music, saying:

- Output Of Music Is Crucial: The CEO of Spotify states that output matters, not the process. ‘‘We want to be a really new IP, not that’s drafting off someone else’s anime and likeness,’’ he adds.

- Ambiguity Regarding AI: Ek addresses the pressing issue of how to determine whether the music creator is AI or the person using AI.

How to Be a Glitch

💡 Don't Trust Everything At Face Value: In an era where AI can mimic voices, create music, and even generate photographs, skepticism is your ally.

💡 Seize the Moment: The barrier to entry in the music industry has never been lower, thanks to AI. If you've ever had an idea for a song, remix, or any musical project, now is the time to bring it to life. No more excuses—your creative potential is limitless.

💡 Safeguard Your Craft: While AI offers incredible opportunities, it also poses risks. Protect your work by keeping sensitive data and original compositions offline to prevent AI scraping tools from copying them.

Resources

• Watch: Everything New in The World of AI!

• Listen: AI Will Not Be a Job Killer, Emanuel Says

• Look: Google is investing more in AI but doing it 'judiciously'

• Read: AI chatbots for social media apps, and other digital technology stories you need to know

• Explore: YouTube Launches ‘Spotlight Moments’ AI-Based Ad Offering

• Discover: 50 AI Prompts for Better Social Posts

• Learn: Can AI Grasp Related Concepts After Learning Only One?

• In case you missed it: AI News Roundup October 2023

🛠️ AI Toolbox Of Music

💿 Orb Producer Suite: It creates music patterns, loops, and melodies.

💿 MuseNet: The tool generates musical compositions with 10 instruments and combines styles.

💿 Ecrett Music: It generates music clips by training on existing songs and comes with a royalty-free music generator.

💿 Amadeus Code: The tool uses chord progressions of songs to create new compression structures.

💿 Google Tone Transfer: It deconstructs musical sounds and helps remodel sounds.

💿 Audiomodern Playbeat: The tool creates infinite groove variations, creative flows, and momentums.

💿 Brain.fm: It creates music to improve brain focus.

💿 Loudly: The royalty-free tool helps users select music genres, instruments, and durations to generate music.

Lastly, I encourage you to check out what Post Malone and Joe Rogan think:

Is the music industry doomed after AI, or will it get better?

Comment below.

Your friend,

Ash