In case you’ve performed round with ChatGPT in any respect, you know the way spectacular (and terrifying) AI could be. ChatGPT can generate absolutely anything you ask it to, with prompts as easy or as advanced as you may consider. Properly, Google has found out how you can do the identical. However slightly than spit out poems or pc applications, Google’s AI writes music, and you may preview its creations proper now.
Google’s AI, dubbed MusicLM, is designed to supply a number of minutes of high-quality music primarily based on textual content prompts. Whereas AI music isn’t essentially new, the corporate claims its program produces tracks which might be extra correct to the preliminary textual content immediate and are higher high quality than earlier fashions. Massive claims, after all. However, primarily based on these previews, they may simply dwell as much as them.
The primary batch demonstrates how MusicLM can generate music from wealthy captions, just like how OpenAI’s ChatGPT generates its well-known responses from consumer requests. Google can feed MusicLM a caption, akin to, “The primary soundtrack of an arcade recreation. It’s fast-paced and upbeat, with a catchy electrical guitar riff. The music is repetitive and simple to recollect, however with sudden sounds, like cymbal crashes or drum rolls,” and the AI will course of a monitor that meets these standards.
My private favourite from this part is the track generated from “Funky piece with a powerful, danceable beat and a distinguished bassline. A catchy melody from a keyboard provides a layer of richness and complexity to the track” on the second web page, which seems like one thing out of Stardew Valley.
The place uncanny valley actually units in, although, is every time Google asks MusicLM to supply vocals. Lots of Google’s examples right here have AI vocals, and whereas a few of them sound “computerish” for lack of a greater phrase, others sound a bit too near dwelling. Once you hear with the total information that the voice is 100% synthetic, it’s a bit unsettling. Google even requested MusicLM to generate a rap monitor, and, to be sincere, the “rapping” is eerily real looking, even when not one of the phrases they’re rapping are actual.
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If you really want to be creeped out, scroll down to the “Text and Melody Conditioning.” Here, you can hear a series of voices and instruments doing their best with different melodies, and the results are wild. The very first option sees MusicLM humming “Bella Ciao,” and it sounds way too good. Side note: The “Tribal drums and flute” version is giving White Lotus.
We also have “Long Generation,” which produces five-minute long tracks from short descriptions, like “melodic techno” or “relaxing jazz.” But things get really interesting with “Story Mode.” Google feeds MusicML multiple captions, and the AI adjusts the song based on the given caption. It starts with 15 seconds based on “time to meditate,” before the caption switches to “time to wake up.” The music smoothly changes in tune, as if it was starting up a new verse, with some creepy vocals to boot.
Creepy vocals aside, it’s fascinating to see the AI alter the song without having to change the song. For the most part, it incorporates the new caption into the song, without feeling like you’re jumping into a new tune altogether. It’s particularly impressive with the third example, which sees the AI jump from “pop song” to “rock song” to “death metal song.” While “rock song” doesn’t particularly sound like rock, “death metal song” is simply fantastic. I imagine AI Death will be a big hit with metal heads.
Another interesting experiment Google did was feed MusicLM descriptions of famous paintings to see what music it would produce. If you ever wanted to know what Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” would sound like as a song, well, now’s your chance. It’s also fascinating to click through how MusicLM generates specific instrument and genre sounds. The electric guitar is on point, as is “British Indie Rock,” complete with a dramatic turn at the end of the preview.
There’s more to explore from this limited preview of MusicLM, too, from “Accordion Solos” to comparing different results from the same prompt. Google also published a 15-page analysis piece on MusicLM, should you’re involved in studying the technical particulars of the system. Whereas I hope the corporate releases a beta for the general public to strive, searching by way of these samples is the following smartest thing.