I recently watched some YouTube videos of a friend's travel photos set to background music, something that I know he enjoyed putting together for friends & family & those who happened across the YT channel. After a few moments it was clear that he had used some sort of AI song generator, because the music sounded exactly like what I'd expect if I typed in the parameters: [genre: folk guitar], [insert family members' names], [insert pet names], [insert restaurant we ate at], etc.
My reaction oscillated between dumbfounded, irritated, amused, fascinated, & horrified, all in equal measure. On one hand it was somewhat kitchy & clever & perfectly suited the bland, blase' self-inflicted torment you usually experience when viewing someone else's vacation photos. But it also unleashed a torrent of "WTF is happening here?!" throughout my internal headspace that still echoes weeks later. (Not the actual songs echoing, I'm blocking them out, just the WTF part.)
The songs were what I'd describe as "pleasantly sucky." Sort of a muzak version of John Denver's android-form who retained a basic ability to play guitar, but had never experienced the infamous Rocky Mountain high, nor campfire, & "never saw an eagle fly."
Were the AI songs the worst I'd ever heard? Not really. As a child I was subjected to plenty of ear-cringing stanzas of church hymns where many in the congregation had no sense of rhythm, key-signature, melody, or pitch-matching & never kept track of which verse we were on, despite dutifully staring at their hymnals, which made me repeatedly wonder if this is what it would feel like to be trapped in a bag of scalded cats (and also whether everyone's musical abilities will improve "when we all get to heaven.") But at least most were singing with gusto (UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE!) & I'm assuming what were their heartfelt attempts at making "a joyful noise unto the Lord." Given the option, even with my "sensitive ear" & fondness for intricate harmonies, I'll take the caterwauling over mind-numbing regurgitated word-salad songs set to instrumental & beat presets.
Ok, one of the voices in my head is reprimanding me: "My God, will she ever Shut Up?!"
So. Art, Music, Literature, yes please & thank you for saving my life in countless ways.
I see a huge change in your writing! It’s not to shock but it certainly awes!! Hurray for you
Great 1st of the new year, Kemo Sabe.
Two quotes come to mind:
1st...regarding the arts in particular:
"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.: -- Frank Zappa
2nd...regarding that part of our miserable species that doesn't suck:
"He tried to do his best but he could not." -- Neil Young
Have a good week, Bud!
I recently watched some YouTube videos of a friend's travel photos set to background music, something that I know he enjoyed putting together for friends & family & those who happened across the YT channel. After a few moments it was clear that he had used some sort of AI song generator, because the music sounded exactly like what I'd expect if I typed in the parameters: [genre: folk guitar], [insert family members' names], [insert pet names], [insert restaurant we ate at], etc.
My reaction oscillated between dumbfounded, irritated, amused, fascinated, & horrified, all in equal measure. On one hand it was somewhat kitchy & clever & perfectly suited the bland, blase' self-inflicted torment you usually experience when viewing someone else's vacation photos. But it also unleashed a torrent of "WTF is happening here?!" throughout my internal headspace that still echoes weeks later. (Not the actual songs echoing, I'm blocking them out, just the WTF part.)
The songs were what I'd describe as "pleasantly sucky." Sort of a muzak version of John Denver's android-form who retained a basic ability to play guitar, but had never experienced the infamous Rocky Mountain high, nor campfire, & "never saw an eagle fly."
Were the AI songs the worst I'd ever heard? Not really. As a child I was subjected to plenty of ear-cringing stanzas of church hymns where many in the congregation had no sense of rhythm, key-signature, melody, or pitch-matching & never kept track of which verse we were on, despite dutifully staring at their hymnals, which made me repeatedly wonder if this is what it would feel like to be trapped in a bag of scalded cats (and also whether everyone's musical abilities will improve "when we all get to heaven.") But at least most were singing with gusto (UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE!) & I'm assuming what were their heartfelt attempts at making "a joyful noise unto the Lord." Given the option, even with my "sensitive ear" & fondness for intricate harmonies, I'll take the caterwauling over mind-numbing regurgitated word-salad songs set to instrumental & beat presets.
Ok, one of the voices in my head is reprimanding me: "My God, will she ever Shut Up?!"
So. Art, Music, Literature, yes please & thank you for saving my life in countless ways.