A survey published last week suggested 97% of respondents could not spot an AI-generated song. But there are some telltale signs - if you know where to look.

Here’s a quick guide …

  • No live performances or social media presence

  • ‘A mashup of rock hits in a blender’

A song with a formulaic feel - sweet but without much substance or emotional weight - can be a sign of AI, says the musician and technology speaker, as well as vocals that feel breathless.

  • ‘AI hasn’t felt heartbreak yet’

“AI hasn’t felt heartbreak yet… It knows patterns,” he explains. “What makes music human is not just sound but the stories behind it.”

  • Steps toward transparency

In January, the streaming platform Deezer launched an AI detection tool, followed this summer by a system which tags AI-generated music.

  • tomiant@piefed.socialEnglish
    1·
    15 days ago

    Do you create your own samples from scratch too? Kudos if you do, I haven’t done that since the 90’s, and I consider my music original. Ever used an arpeggiator? Or randomized patterns? Used a synth lead that came with the synth?

    The distinction between automation and AI breaks down somewhere.

    • tornavish@lemmy.cafeBanned from communityEnglish
      1·
      15 days ago

      I like to take real life sounds and put layers of effects on them to make them indistinguishable from the original. My drum is me playing my cat’s butt (meow, slap). I love to take quick sounds and slow them down ~100k% and get really weird atmospheric drones, etc.

      When it comes to involving AI, which I haven’t done yet, I’d love to use it to quickly iterate over ideas. I spend a lot of time chasing an idea and having it fall apart. I like the process, sure, but I’d prefer to have more wins.

      • tomiant@piefed.socialEnglish
        1·
        15 days ago

        My drum is me playing my cat’s butt (meow, slap).

        Hey, man, I feel that.

        But yeah I heard a friend of mine also slows down slices and makes new sounds out of them. I have not been able to get to a studio in years, unfortunately, but I hear it can be done!

        And that’s how I “use” Suno, too. Song ideas. I would never be able to live with myself if I just published an AI song, but I think using it to explore ideas is fair game. But then, you can download the stems in WAV, so you can basically use that instead of buying pre-made tracks from musicians on like Apple Store or whatever.

        Which only comes back to the problem that it will likely hurt musicians and make life harder for everyone. I don’t know man, I’m just as nonplussed about the whole fucking thing as anyone.