Generative Music

It's crucial for me to be transparent about my process. I am not a musician or a singer, and I have no intention of presenting myself as such. My role is that of a curator and storyteller, using generative music as my medium.

Tools Used

First, I just want to list out the tools I use to produce my music:

• Udio - Generative Music
• Suno - Generative Music
• Ableton Live 12 Suite - Digital Audio Workstation
• THY333 Theoryboard - MIDI Controller
• Audacity - Digital Audio Editor
• Demucs - Music Separation Model
• MP3Tag - Metadata Tag Editor

Crafting Stories Through Generative Soundscapes

As a passionate music lover and storyteller, I've always been drawn to the idea of creating concept albums—cohesive musical journeys that tell a story from beginning to end. However, my path to realizing this dream has been unconventional, leading me to embrace generative music as my primary creative tool.

Like many, I've harbored a deep love for music throughout my life. The power of a well-crafted album to transport listeners to another world has always fascinated me. Yet, despite this passion, I've never been able to dedicate the time and energy required to master musical instruments. This presented a significant obstacle to my aspirations of creating albums.

Finding a Creative Solution

My inability to produce original music left me at a crossroads. I had stories to tell and album concepts bursting in my mind, but no means to bring them to life through traditional musicianship. It was then that I discovered the potential of generated music.

Using generated music has allowed me to bridge the gap between my storytelling ambitions and my musical limitations. Here's how it works:

1. Conceptualization: I start by developing a story or theme for the album.
2. Lyrics: I write lyrics that reflect the narrative arc of the album.
3. Music Selection: I then use generative tools to generate music that fits the mood and progression of my narrative.
4. Arrangement: Like a DJ creating a mix, I carefully arrange these generativegenerated tracks to support and enhance my story.

Addressing Misconceptions

It's crucial for me to be transparent about my process. Think of it as creating a modern, technologically-enabled version of a mix tape. Just as DJs and producers have long used sampling and remixing to create new works, I'm using generated music to craft my narratives.

One significant benefit of using generated music is that it sidesteps the complex issue of copyright. Traditional music sampling often involves navigating a labyrinth of legal permissions. By using generated tracks, I can freely arrange and manipulate the music to fit my vision without worrying about copyright infringement.

The Future of Storytelling

In embracing generated music, I believe I'm part of a new wave of digital storytellers. We're exploring the intersection of technology and creativity, finding novel ways to express ourselves and share our stories with the world.

While my approach may be unconventional, it allows me to fulfill my creative vision in a way that respects both legal boundaries and my own limitations. It's a testament to how technology can open new avenues for artistic expression, enabling those of us who may lack traditional musical skills to still contribute to the rich tapestry of audio storytelling.

In the end, my goal is simple: to tell stories through music. Generated soundscapes have become my instrument, and the album format my canvas. I invite listeners to approach my work not as traditional music albums, but as audio narratives—stories told through carefully curated, generative melodies.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope you find as much joy in listening to these albums as I do in creating them.

September 2024 Update

This section was pulled directly from my blog post "Thoughts on Musically Untalented Fool". I wanted to include it here to provide context for my approach to creating music and storytelling through generative soundscapes.

A week ago I finalized my album "Musically Untalented Fool" and sent it off to be distributed. The first four songs on the album are really the emotional core for me. But, the other songs I wrote come from a place far deeper than I really have ever allowed myself to go. Finding generative music models have allowed me to understand my own emotions in a way that I never thought possible. I have never understood what people meant by using art as a form of therapy. Art had never clicked like that for me. I have written all sorts of small things, always tossing them out eventually. Stories, poems, silly rhymes, ideas after ideas... after ideas. I've always felt my inability to play an instrument was holding something back. Now that I can put my words into song, I know this to be true. I have found a way to express things I didn't know I could. Ways of speaking I could never have dreamed of. I have touched parts of my psyche I was oblivious to.

But I also know that it's going to piss a few people off. I paid no dues to put forth a sound like this. I didn't spend years learning how to play an instrument or learning how to sing. I didn't spend years learning how to produce or mix music. I didn't spend years learning how to master the skill of musicianship. I wrote the lyrics to the title track of the album, "Musically Untalented Fool", to address this:

How dare I, untalented, claim this art?
Yet here I am, baring my heart
Through algorithms and artificial aid
My inner symphonies finally played

It may not be authentic, but it's true
To the songs that lived inside of me and you
Decades of emotion, finally taking wing
Through this cheater's tool, my soul can sing

A musically untalented fool, they might say
But my heart has found its way
To express what was locked inside
Through this digital divide

It's a bit of a manifesto for me. I know I'm not a musician. I know I'm not a singer. I know I'm not a producer. But I am a storyteller, and I have stories to tell. And, I want to tell them. It is not conventional. I only want to create these bits of my soul and allow me to relive them over and over. I don't have to live my life musically to the sound of other's emotions any more. As I'm making these songs, they've become the only thing I listen to. I've suddenly discovered how to use music as a therapeutic device to help process emotions. Things I never found ways to look deeper at.

Or I've lost my mind, and I'm just in a psych ward enjoying the most mediocre chocolate pudding in our known reality.