Week in Review: January 2-8, 2024
Each week, I summarize my adventures in making music. Lately, I have been composing tracks for the Disquiet Junto, the Naviar Records Haiku Music Challenge and, this year for the first time, Weekly Beats. I also bring together the perspective I shared in posts on social media (currently Mastodon) about the music industry. These thoughts are intended to come from me as a consumer of, and participant in, the entertainment business. However, I cannot completely separate the thoughts I generate from the part of my brain I use for my day job as a lawyer experienced in technology contracts and intellectual property who is currently dealing with the challenges presented by artificial intelligence.My Music
This is my first ever submission to Weekly Beats. It is a similar format to the Disquiet Junto and Naviar Haiku, but there are no prompts. The submission just has to be over a minute long and be done. I spent much more time on this track than I think I will have to spend on future projects in the coming weeks, but I am happy with how it turned out.
Music and AI
I like and agree with the hopeful note this interview with Bee Gees producer Albhy Galuten ends on: that #AI technology may eliminate some music-making tasks, but it may also strengthen the desire to see real humans play real instruments, leading to more live music in more places more often. I also enjoy stories like the one about splicing tape to make a drum loop. I often think about what methods I use when I make music today that will one day be considered obsolete due to advancements in music technology.
Betteridge's Law of Headlines states that any headline that is framed as a question can be answered, “no.” It surprises me that people continue to post audio and visual remixes and other works with the disclaimer that, “I don’t own the rights to X.” As if that makes a difference. So, it is even more surprising that an article like this one asking that question in its headline would surface in this day and age.
Regarding Suno, the company mentioned in this update that is providing a plug-in for Microsoft Copilot that reportedly writes songs for you, I tried to use it, but gave up. I added the plugin to Copilot and it automatically generated a prompt to write a song about a seahorse. When the song was complete, it provided me a broken link. Even though I didn’t want a song about a seahorse, I fixed the link and followed it to Suno’s website where I encountered the terms of use which basically prohibit any meaningful use of the song Suno created other than reposting it unless a user buys a subscription.
Hopefully people can see through the hyperbole and not buy into Andreessen Horowitz’ sensational argumen (as covered here) that suggests the basic rights of creators are mutually exclusive with national security interests and cures for terminal illnesses.
Some high-profile artists have recently announced permanent retirements from the music industry. I wonder if they have taken steps to ensure they will never return to the stage even if they are no longer living. Who knows what Elvis would have thought about this.
In any successful compromise, both sides should be a little disappointed. I think the expressions of ambivalence from organizations representing rightsholders described in this article are a public relations tactic. Behind closed doors, I believe the creative industries are satisfied to see some level of protection for intellectual property rights and requirements for transparency, even though there is still a long way to go before this an other #AI regulations take effect.
Miscellaneous on Music
I went to a jazz show at Motor City Wine and this box caught my attention. Unfortunately, it was not filled with tapes of birdsong and street noise.