Michael W

Neon Void by Secret Level https://secretlevelmusic.bandcamp.com/album/neon-void I just saw this on LinkedIn of all places (I have nothing to do with this site.) Is this the future of commercial music? "Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Neon Void is a cinematic album created entirely by AI - through the guidance of humans at Secret Level. It’s the world’s first AI music album that also comes with a Creative Commons license that allows anyone to use the music, royalty-free, in films, TV commercials, social films, or anything else (besides reselling). With over 100 tracks, this soundtrack contains over 3.3 hours of original music with styles ranging from trip-hop to classical to Synthwave to 80s horror/thrillers. Each track (or level as we call it) is 2:00 minutes in length." The world continues to change.

Apartment living!

Yeah, those were the days. I moved to NYC in May of 1982 and landed a job selling keyboards and pro audio at a place called Alex Music on 48th St., between 6th and 7th. I remember Manny's being the big store at the time. I had a lot of fun working at that store - met a lot of celebs and top players. I left NYC in September of that year.

So the era of the Virus has seemingly ended. Very sad. I've had my Virus TI Polar for about 16 years, I guess. It is the one hardware synth I have been unable to part with. For me, the most wondrous feature of the TI is its ability to do 16 sounds simultaneously on 16 different MIDI channels, and each of the 16 parts has its own independent effects. EQ, reverb, delay, chorus, distortion, etc. And it sounds so good. Many years ago I made a bunch of YouTube demo videos of the TI Polar here.

Keyboards, synthesizers, and music software, where everything (including you) has access to one or more Large Language Models.

I would love to see those prog rock bands play there, but they're too old, or dead, and can't draw the crowds necessary. Who could do a residency after U2? I imagine: Coldplay Metallica Bon Jovi Springsteen The Eagles

I'm still looking for a piano software instrument that will allow me to get rid of my Montage 8 with the Bösendorfer samples. Perhaps this is it.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sings the blues.

I've always loved this band. It's so unusual for young musicians these days to be writing and playing material that could fit in quite well with the records I grew up listening to. I think the singer is amazing. The band is really good. Oh yeah, and it's really cool that three of the guys are brothers, right? I can imagine how some people could be bothered by the outfits in this video. Well, I happen to have been on TikTok for 3+ years and this look is totally Gen Z. Young people have always enjoyed doing things that old people like me don't like. Back in the 60s and 70s my father wouldn't watch the Beatles or any other men who "looked like girls". The more things change, the more they stay the same. Just my two cents.

That's a great idea. Thanks.

I wouldn't mind doing that, even myself, but I have physical issues that make such an adventure unwise. That doesn't come without cost, though, because of the gas costs and a couple of nights in hotels. We also have two 15-year old cats that we need to move, and doing that via car and hotels just isn't going to work. It looks like we're going to book a nonstop and bring the cats there via plane. Better to do 3.5 hours on a plane vs three days in a car with them. It's miserable either way.

Yes, I've thought about this as well, having done a couple of such corporate moves myself. Once they put our cars on the truck, another time they were shipped by carrier separately. When I get moving quotes I am going to ask about the car situation, as what you did is a great idea.

So you didn't use a box, really - just wrapped it in moving blankets? That's a pretty good idea.

So I have a Montage 8 that never leaves my home as I do not play out. I do not have a case, nor even a box, as it was a GC floor model and they gave me an additional discount. It now appears that my wife and I will be moving across the country (US) - about 1700 miles. It is likely that we will use a moving company to get our stuff (including our two Honda cars) out there. I am struggling with what to do about my Montage, which weighs about 65 pounds. It seems as though I am going to need to suck it up and get a hardshell case for it, which could be from $400 - $600. The Montage will have to go on the moving van unless I ship it separately somehow. I would likely never use the case again, as future moves will be relatively local, where I can drive my stuff in my car. So I am struggling with spending this kind of money for a single use. I suppose I could try and sell it once I get to our new place. We are older people who live in apartments, so storage space isn't exactly abundant. I've done a bit of searching around on the Internet looking for a box that could be used to ship the Montage, which is about 57x18x6". I haven't found one yet, and am not even sure I'd be comfortable putting the Montage on a moving van packed into a cardboard box with towels or something similar packed all around it. I don't think there's a miracle answer for this but I am open to any other suggestions. Like I said, I may just have to buy a road case for it.

Very true. And let's not forget the what.... 23,000 loops it comes with? I typically only use drums and percussion stuff, but it's all rather incredible.

Does anyone else remember when all of the stores were on 48th St.? There was a place called Alex Music and I worked there for a summer selling keyboards and pro audio. We had a massive keyboard selection - HUGE, as did Manny's, Sam Ash, and everyone else. Lots of celebrities would frequent the stores on 48th St. That was another world back then. Fun times.

Here's another very interesting music creation AI site: AI Music Generator - Soundraw No need to register or log in - you can just start playing with it immediately. This kind of AI could end up replacing countless commercial music composers and a chunk of musicians. Go ahead and try this - it's just the beginning.

IMHO, this is rather brilliant. I didn't change a word. Me, to ChatGPT (free version): Write lyrics for a song about going to the neighborhood carnival in the style of Jethro Tull. Chat GPT response: "Under the Big Top" (Verse 1) In the heart of the town, where the streets come alive, There's a carnival waiting, with wonders to derive. A carousel spinning, its music fills the air, A kaleidoscope of colors, a magical affair. (Chorus) Come join the parade, let the music ignite, At the neighborhood carnival, where day turns to night. Under the big top, the laughter rings true, In the arms of the circus, let your worries be few. (Verse 2) There's a fortune teller, with secrets to unfold, Reading ancient cards, her stories yet untold. Tightrope walkers dancing, defying gravity's might, With each daring step, they'll captivate your sight. (Chorus) Come join the parade, let the music ignite, At the neighborhood carnival, where day turns to night. Under the big top, the laughter rings true, In the arms of the circus, let your worries be few. (Bridge) Amidst the cotton candy haze, the scent of popcorn in the air, Children's laughter fills the night, as the moon begins to glare. And as the fire-eaters breathe their flames, the crowd holds its breath, In this circus of wonders, we escape from life's duress. (Verse 3) Stilt walkers towering, like giants in disguise, Acrobats twirling, painting dreams across the skies. Clowns with painted faces, spreading joy with every grin, In this whimsical carnival, the fun is about to begin. (Chorus) Come join the parade, let the music ignite, At the neighborhood carnival, where day turns to night. Under the big top, the laughter rings true, In the arms of the circus, let your worries be few. (Outro) As the moon bids farewell, and stars start to fade, We'll cherish these memories, the magic we've made. For in this neighborhood carnival, where dreams take flight, We find a moment's solace, in the midst of life's fight.

Not ChatGPT, but check out this AI-generated Frank Sinatra vocal: Frank Sinatra sings Lil Jon’s “Get Low” (AI Cover)

Google makes its text-to-music AI public "Google today released MusicLM, a new experimental AI tool that can turn text descriptions into music. Available in the AI Test Kitchen app on the web, Android or iOS, MusicLM lets users type in a prompt like “soulful jazz for a dinner party” or “create an industrial techno sound that is hypnotic” and have the tool create several versions of the song. Users can specify instruments like “electronic” or “classical,” as well as the “vibe, mood, or emotion” they’re aiming for, as they refine their MusicLM-generated creations." I am on the waitlist for the AI Test Kitchen so I haven't played with MusicLM yet. It's coming for us all.

Late to the conversation here, but I needed a new computer a couple of years ago and chose the Mac Mini M1. Bought a gorgeous LG QHD 27" monitor and a 1TB Samsung SSD for my sound libraries. No doubt the M2 machines are faster, but to be honest the M1 just screams compared to my old iMac. Can run a half-dozen software instruments simultaneously with ease (I don't typically use more than that at one time). Gobs of audio tracks with a video playing and the whole thing streaming online via OBS with no issues. No complaints.

LOL, this is just nuts.

Re: Moises AI - As a home-bound keyboardist who likes playing with other musicians, I love improvising my own keyboard parts while playing along with other artists' recordings and YouTube videos. I am the world's greatest session keyboardist in my own little studio. I just started playing with Moises AI, and it takes my hobby to a whole new level. I can separate the parts and load them as individual stereo tracks in Logic Pro X, which leads to remix heaven. Modify or mute any existing tracks and replace them with my own. Let's liven up those drums a bit. Add some congas. Hammond chords on the chorus. Replace the drab bass with my own. I can see myself spending a lot of time with this app. FYI - you have to buy the song in the iTunes store (.99-1.29) in order to load it into Moises AI. It's not perfect, but I can only imagine where this tech will be in a few years. Or months, for that matter.

I haven't used ChatGPT-4 yet, or done any music generation with AI. I have, however, spent altogether TOO MANY HOURS playing with ChatGPT-3 over the past several months. What it can produce - convincingly - is completely off the charts. I've had it write short stories, shooting scripts for television commercials, storylines for motion pictures, poems, performance reviews, marketing plans... it's insane. The toothpaste is out of the tube and this is about to change 'things' in a big way. And it is just getting started. It's very easy to use - you can easily sign up with a Google account: https://chat.openai.com/chat Here's a list of 'prompts' - things that can be copied and pasted into ChatGPT, although it is super easy to create your own. https://github.com/f/awesome-chatgpt-prompts I spent my entire career in sales/marketing/bizdev working with documents of all kinds, sales materials, RFP responses, presentations, contracts, software license agreements, etc., and having this technology will increase productivity 100x. And just wait a year or two or five. This stuff is going to provoke change at the level generated by the internet itself. Just wait.