"Examining the possibility: Can deceased artists still create new work through advanced technology"
In THE FUTURE OF MUSIC PRODUCTION 2025, the landscape is shifting rapidly, thanks to innovations in technology.While we're still cranking out tunes with our computers and plugins, the magic is happening inside the tech itself, transforming at breakneck speeds.
Don't be fooled by the behind-the-scenes evolution – it's here and it's game-changing. Here are five technologies shaping the future of music production.
AI IN THE DRIVE-THRU
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days, from your car to your washing machine, and it's no exception in music production. It's a controversial topic, with some fearing a future where human creativity is sidelined and AI churns out the audio equivalent of fast-food slop. But let's hope for something in between – a golden age of music production with incredible tools and endless possibilities.
Helmuts Bems, CEO of Sonarworks, said in a recent study on the AI impact, "AI growth is unstoppable." Whether we end up working together with AI, creating AI-generated music, or both remains to be seen. One thing's for sure: AI will disrupt the industry in some way, shape, or form.
VIRTUAL VOCALISATION
Dreamtonics' Synthesizer V is the poster child for AI-driven vocal production software, allowing you to write and record realistic vocals entirely virtually. With AI synthesizers on the horizon, it won't be long before we have AI imitating the human voice and perhaps even human synthesis itself.
EVERY INSTRUMENT VIRTUALLY RENDERED
Physical modelling, first introduced by the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) at Stanford University, has finally caught up with modern computing power. It offers a powerful alternative to sampling, allowing us to emulate the physical properties of acoustic instruments in real-time, without the need for extensive sample libraries.
Arturia's Piano V uses physical modelling to provide an accurate representation of a piano. Audio Modelling's SWAM technology enables composers to create orchestrations with realistic interactions between instruments. Expect more realistic and expressive virtual instruments in the future.
MPE: THE NEW MIDI LANGUAGE
Traditional piano keyboards fall short when it comes to expressing the nuances of different instruments like the violin or trumpet. Enter MPE, short for MIDI Polyphonic Expression. It provides a more extensive palette for articulation, enabling aftertouch and per-note dynamics.
Expressive E's Osmose is a compelling MPE controller, boasting an intuitive keyboard shape and exceptional sound engine that incorporates several synthesis methods, including physical modelling. The future of MPE-enabled controllers looks bright, with more nuance, realism, and new articulation and interaction possibilities on the horizon.
SUPER-PROCESSORS
Modern graphics processing units (GPUs) are fast enough to handle not only graphics rendering and video but also the computations required for technologies like AI. While most DAWs and plugins can't access GPUs directly, GPU Audio's SDK is now available for free, enabling developers to offload audio calculations to the GPU and reduce CPU spikes.
GPU Audio's technology is already being used in partner products like Vienna Power House and Audio Modelling's Accelerated SWAM product line. With more developers taking advantage of GPU processing, expect faster and more efficient music production workflows in the future.
ARTIFICIAL LIFE AFTER DEATH
At the Art Gallery of Western Australia, experimental composer Alvin Lucier's brain organoids are composing and creating music even after he passed away. While this isn't a consumer product, it raises intriguing questions about the role of AI in music creation and the potential forcontinuing to create music even after death.
- The rapid advancements in technology, as exhibited in the music production industry, are not limited to AI but extend to the use of superior processors, such as modern graphics processing units (GPUs), which are capable of handling complex calculations for technologies like AI.
- In the realm of music production, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are leading to groundbreaking innovations, like AI imitating the human voice through software such as Dreamtonics' Synthesizer V, and the possibility of AI synthesizing human voices in the near future.
