I won’t lie... AI music has problems – yup, more than one. You're probably curious, maybe even skeptical, about AI's role in music. Let's break down the 5 big issues I see.

One major curveball in AI music is time. Unlike visual art, where AI can whip up an image in seconds, music is a time-based art. Time in music isn't just a ticking clock; it's about rhythm and flow. AI struggles to capture the story and emotion that evolve in a song.

Sure, AI can create a beat or melody, but can it tell a story over three minutes?

Not quite there yet.

Human musicians aren’t going anywhere. Despite AI's advancements, it can't replace the soulful touch and deep understanding of real artists.

AI won't capture the heartache in a blues riff or the true joy in a pop chorus. That's human work.

While AI is great for experimenting and saving time, it's not the endgame in music - at least not yet. It's an assistant, not the artist. Musicians, keep doing your thing – your role is as vital as ever. AI's got nothing on the human touch. 🎶👩‍🎤👨‍🎤

PROBLEM 1: AI Isn’t That Good At Songwriting

2024 Update: I gotta say - AI is pretty good at songwriting now. Tools like Suno and Udio are pretty good at creating songs without much handholding.

Let's get real about AI and songwriting. The blunt truth? AI-generated music isn’t usually that great. It might do okay in rap, but it's not producing chart-toppers.

Suno.ai is the leader in this space now.

Impressive tech? Definitely. Radio hits? Not even close. Give it a genre and lyrics, and it produces something, but with little finesse or human touch.

For lyrics, many use ChatGPT. Sure, it can spit out lyrics. But stack those against most hit songs and you’ll see a clear gap in metaphorical richness and poetic quality. Great for writing blogs - like this one - lol.

The difference is staggering. The AI-only result? Not worth much. With a human touch, you've got something sellable. This disparity is what Midjourney is grappling with – AI can start the process, but only humans can polish and perfect it.

It’s cringy when AI news channels hype up fully AI-generated music as the next big thing, only for it to sound terrible. Sure, mumble rap might sound "good" because, well... mumble rap sounds messy.

Platforms like Suno spark ideas, showing how a song could sound. Turning those ideas into a quality track? Better off starting from scratch in a DAW. Need help? Hit me up.

PROBLEM 2: The Ongoing Battle with Sample Quality

Now, onto sample quality in AI music. I've used Stable Audio a lot, and it's a mixed bag. I use it mainly for individual parts like drums. But sometimes you get weird rattling noises in the stems you export – it's hit or miss. Many modern tracks add noise or reduce bitrate for effect, so it’s not always a deal-breaker.

Then there's Voicify or Kit.ai, which produce solid vocals but not yet studio quality – though that might change soon. Not that most people could tell the difference….

The input vocal audio's quality is key. With over a half hour of pristine vocals, you might be good. But if you have only 3 minutes of vocals from the 1960s, the quality may disappoint.

In short, AI in music has work to do in replicating the quality and consistency we expect from pros. So for now, if you’re after top-tier quality, you need a human at the helm, or at least in a supporting role. That's where true artistry shines – in collaborating between human creativity and AI's potential.

PROBLEM 3: Unpredictability and Time Efficiency

Now, let's talk about AI's unpredictable nature in music. You might think, "AI can write all my melodies, right?" Wrong. I've tried tools like Magenta, and trust me, it's not a time-saver. Setting it up, feeding MIDI files, and getting outputs – it's a hassle. AI's not your quick fix for music production.

But AI can help with concepts. Think Stable Audio. It's brilliant for generating ideas beyond mere melodies. It can give you the melody, chords, percussion, and overall vibe. Most tools let you guide the genre or style. But remember, they're built on randomness. This randomness can be a creative goldmine or a total bust.

Then there's the black box problem. AI doesn't show its work. It’s like, "Here’s your music, good luck." Researchers are trying to crack this issue, but even if they do, understanding the million variables behind a song or the laws of physics? Good luck.

PROBLEM 4: Misleading AI Claims

Now onto murky waters: AI claims. Take Soundraw.io for example. They say it's AI, but it often seems like pre-made instrument layers or stems pieced together. That's not AI. It's clever programming, not genius AI composing music.

AI is the hot buzzword, like how everyone slapped "blockchain" on everything a while back. Many products use the AI label for hype, not because they have real AI. A lot of these tools are just pattern-based algorithms, not true machine learning.

Then again, companies like Soundraw could be using machine learning to manage how their tracks are stitched together based on feedback. So, maybe it is AI.

This doesn't mean these “AI tools” are useless. But as consumers, we need to see through the hype. Real AI in music exists, but not in every product that claims it.

So, as you venture into AI music production, keep these points in mind. AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity. And always question those fancy AI claims – sometimes, they're just smoke and mirrors.

PROBLEM 5: Legality and Unemployment (Weren’t Music Artists Already Unemployed?😅)

The Legal and Ethical Maze

The world of AI music is tangled in a web of legal and ethical issues, especially concerning AI cover songs and vocal cloning. Imagine being able to mimic any artist's voice perfectly – should that be legal? Is it ethical to do so without consent?

If an artist's work is public, tech companies can scrape it for AI training without much legal consequence – for now. But this could change as laws catch up with technology.

Even if laws SHOULD be updated, we all know it will be 10 years before the government actually does anything about it.

Though AI will create other opportunities - like getting paid to make high-quality AI cover songs - I have no doubt there are employment casualties elsewhere.

The Rise of AI Artists and the Changing Industry

Looking ahead, the music industry is bracing for a seismic shift, thanks to AI. We're talking about a future where tech companies could churn out fully automated music, wielding an army of AI-assisted remixers and producers. It sounds like sci-fi, but it might be closer than we think. This change isn't just in music – think Netflix with AI-generated shows. Crazy, right?

We're moving towards a world where AI personas might dominate entertainment, unbeknownst to the public. The future may not be about musical talent anymore (lol - is it right now?). The future may be about who can craft the best media production algorithms.

This will have a huge impact on how music is monetized.

Conclusion & Philosophical Bullsh*t

AI in music isn't just a passing fad; it's reshaping the very fabric of music creation and consumption. We're talking about AI artists unknown to their fans, AI algorithms dictating entertainment – it's a whole new world.

Here's the thing: no matter how advanced AI gets, it can't replicate the full spectrum of human experience. Those nuances,