· By Will Harken
I Made a Fantasy Soundtrack in One Day (And You Can Too)
With all the new AI tools popping up, crafting music has never been easier. I recently tested this out with Udio and pulled together a soundtrack in just one day. It might be only 16 minutes of audio, but think about it—achieving this quality would have taken countless hours just 20 years ago.
Is it as original as the bulk of time spent by a human? Maybe not. But hey, for most folks, it’s a solid tradeoff.
I kicked things off with Suno and Udio, but I have to say, Udio really stole the show. 🎧 So, I stuck with it for this project.
- The Creative Process
- Breaking Down the Workflow
- Editing in Ableton
- Artistic Concessions
- Tips for Creating Your Own Soundtrack
- Final Result & Conclusion
The "Creative" Process
Sure, I could've rushed my soundtrack, but I wanted to capture the vibe of each region in Might and Magic IX. I had a vision of how the music should unfold.
Here's the secret sauce: adding your twist to the mix. If you’re using AI to create just another pop song, you're missing the real fun.
Let AI help you express your unique style and pour a piece of your soul into your art.
Breaking Down the Workflow
My workflow involved breaking down the soundtrack into different tracks. I thought about the feelings and keywords tied to each game region.
With 8 regions in the game, that meant I needed 8 tracks. Simple math.
I also thought about which instruments fit each track best.
Getting the Starting Point
Simple enough—I plugged my keywords into Udio. It generated 2 variations, each lasting about 30 seconds.
Getting that first sound just right is crucial. Some songs needed only four variations, others... well, I went up to 16 to find my groove.
As I got outputs, I refined my prompts. Sometimes I’d cut keywords down until I finally nailed my vision.
Example Prompt: Orchestral, cinematic, simple, basilisk, imp, magic, exploration
Extending to Completion
Once I was happy with a 30-second clip, I’d stretch it to create a full piece.
I mostly used the instrumental-only option, aside from one lucky fluke that added some choir vocals.
👉 Crafting instrumental music is easier than creating something convincing with AI-generated vocals.
Manual mode usually gives better results since Udio’s prompter can sometimes stray off course. But hey, that’ll get better with time.
I went through this whole process for each song.
Editing in Ableton
I was surprised at how smoothly everything flowed together during the editing process.
After finishing the tracks, I brought them into Ableton to tweak the transitions and align the songs with the game's progression.
Fades work wonders! Cross-fading is great, but a sharp cut can sometimes be just the ticket.
👉 PRO TIP: Always apply a limiter or maximizer on your master track to prevent any clipping.
Editing is key for the future of AI music. Think of AI as your tool. We need to refine those AI-generated pieces. Udio is working on features like inpainting and remixing to help with this.
But for now, programs like Ableton are essential for polishing and finalizing these outputs to fit our vision.
Artistic Concessions
Being an artist is all about what trade-offs you're willing to accept.
Are you cool with using someone else’s paint? How about relying on sound samples instead of crafting everything from scratch?
Some artists prefer to ditch AI altogether, and that’s perfectly fine. Some want their process to remain authentically manual—like a sketch artist using just a pencil.
But remember, embracing chance is part of the process. Sometimes you have to roll the dice a few times to hit that sweet spot. And getting the starting point of each song is where it all begins.
Creating Your Own Soundtrack, The Easy Way
Good luck with your soundtrack journey! Check out my other content for more insights on these AI tools.
Who guides the AI plays a gigantic role in the final outcome.
If you want me to create a personalized song or audio piece just for you, visit this page.
Want to dive deeper into AI in music? Don’t miss The Top 8 AI Music Tools For 2024.
Final Result & Conclusion
Creating a fantasy soundtrack in one day with AI? Totally doable, and the quality can be impressive. Just remember: use AI to channel your unique voice. Edit and shape the output to make it your own. Happy soundtracking!