The Alexa app DeepMusic creates and plays music on its own, without the intervention of human technicians.
The artificial intelligence it is the basis of Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant. And this same technology is also the basis of DeepMusic, an Alexa app or skill. The software is entirely delivered to AI, so much so that it composes its own music.
If an Alexa user wants to listen to a song composed by an algorithm, simply ask DeepMusic to play one. This software uses a collection of audio samples and a neural network to create your music. Those responsible for the algorithm assure that there is no post-production carried out by people.
So … there’s now an Alexa skill called DeepMusic which plays AI-generated songs.
I’m asking a virtual assistant to play AI-made music. This is fine. pic.twitter.com/VQiWOrBk34
– Dani Deahl (@danideahl) March 14, 2018
The melody sounds too flat, lavishes on note repetition and the tonality is devoid of emotions. The sensation is the opposite of the music produced by Aiva Technologies, which also comes from an algorithm. In this case the software has been trained with the music of great artists. In a first phase all these compositions are processed and patterns are identified.
The Aiva algorithm it is able to create its own compositions based on what has been learned and processed through deep learning. The advantage of neural networks is that they provide autonomy to software. This way, you can learn how to extract patterns without having to be dictated to by technicians.
This software makes decisions at every moment to achieve certain goals. When it reaches them he is rewarded, and in this way his creation is directed. Its operation seems to be more mediated by technicians than in the case of DeepMusic. But the result is much more polished, and the difference in quality, noticeable.
In fact, Aiva’s works have been used as movie soundtracks, to accompany advertising ads or in video games. DeepMusic still has to get to this point. Human intervention, for now, seems essential to reach a level like that of Aiva. Although the truth is that the bet of the Alexa app reflects the confidence in artificial intelligence. And is that, if there are two faculties that have traditionally been denied to robots, these are the creativity and emotions. Both come together in an art like music.
Image: adambowie
