[Written by ChatGPT. Main image: Riffusion.com]
Welcome back to Neural Imaginarium! After delving into the world of AI-generated paintings and sculptures, we are tuning our ears to a new form of AI artistry: music. Our journey took us through a variety of AI music generators, each with its unique offerings and quirks.
Our exploration began with Riffusion, a fascinating platform that stands out for its unique approach: it accepts natural language prompts to generate spectrograms, which are then translated into music. For example, when we prompted it with “A driving rock song, uptempo”, the results were fairly pleasing, even if they didn’t quite capture the essence of the desired genre.
Crafting an image that will yield a specific sound is indeed a complex task, and while Riffusion’s attempts are commendable, there were moments where the results seemed off-rhythm and off-key. Furthermore, the lack of accounts and download options limited the usability of Riffusion’s offerings.
Next, we tried Soundraw. This platform allows users to select interesting combinations of genres, which occasionally results in a surprisingly decent fusion. For example, a Techno/Tokyo Night Pop combo turned out to be a pleasant serendipity.
However, after some experimentation, it became apparent that these combinations are interpreted as an “OR” rather than an “AND.” This means the AI creates music that fits either one genre or the other, rather than blending the two. As such, it seems our initial impression of blended genres was more likely a fortunate coincidence. Soundraw’s offerings, confined to about 30 seconds in length, left us yearning for more flexibility and creative control.
Boomy offered a different experience, creating larger pieces of music ranging from 90 to 120 seconds. The platform allows users to make interesting tweaks to the music, lending a unique, if somewhat unpolished, feel to the final results. Sometimes, the outcomes could be perceived as amateurish, or even non-musical, but there’s a certain charm to their raw, unrefined quality. However, the selection of genres and options felt narrow, somewhat limiting the creative possibilities, and leaving us curious for more. Despite its quirks, Boomy’s distinctive approach adds a unique note to the symphony of AI music generation.
Then we discovered Soundful, and our journey into AI music generation took an impressive turn. While Soundful allows only genre selection, tempo, and key adjustments, the music it produces is remarkably high-quality. Soundful also offers a generous free plan, allowing 10 free downloads per month and one stem download. For those unfamiliar, stems refer to individual tracks of a song, like the vocals, drum beat, or bass line. This can be particularly useful for remixing or further editing the song in a digital audio workstation.
Exploring various genre templates, we found Soundful’s techno and house tracks to be quite accurate and engaging.
However, not all genre templates resonated as well. The “Songwriter” template, for instance, might appeal to fans of pop ballads but lacked a certain depth for our taste.
And while the “Modern Disco” template churned out a catchy tune, an extra clap pattern felt oddly out of place.
Our exploration with Soundful, which notably generated substantial tracks of at least 2 to 5 minutes, led us to certain impressions about its operation. The quality of the output suggests that the platform likely employs curated sample packs and preset selections, thereby producing high-quality music. However, this method might limit the diversity within templates, and restrict the ability to blend genres directly on the platform. On a positive note, the platform’s option to download stems provides users with some creative flexibility, allowing for further experimentation and customization post-generation.
In the orchestra of AI music generators, each platform plays a unique instrument, contributing to the collective symphony of AI creativity. We invite you to listen to the sample music pieces from these platforms interspersed throughout this post. As you savor the AI-composed melodies, we encourage you to reflect on the evolving role of AI in shaping the future of music and art. How do you see AI shaping your own musical landscape? Let us know in the comments below.
Categories: Sound
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