And We Thought AI Was A Threat To Library Music

[NY Composer]

HI Guys and Gals,

I have tried to not be negative in my years of composing library music, but I’m always cautiously optimistic about the future.

While everyone is chiming in about streaming and AI, I truly believe loops are more of a substantial threat. I know there has been plenty of talk about composers and loops but I’m talking about Post Production and Editing Bays using loops in lieu of composed music.

There are literally tens of thousands of sample packs available for free, on line or downloadable and most of them can be used in Production Music as long as they are not standing alone. So, why should Post spend thousands on Library music, if a small group of guys can just choose from thousands of genre specific loops and just drag them on to a DAW for new production?

Of course, many will say that great quality music, written by awesome composers, will always be needed. That is true, but the meat and potatoes of income, for many on this board, is Cable/Reality type programs who use chopped up cues as underscore music. I’m sure that a well “Composed” loop composition, can be used in Network and sports too.

Thoughts on this?

[Michael Nickolas]

Maybe, for simple cues. But I think there is some talent and knowledge to arranging loops. That is to get a good feel (audio groove quantizing), proper phrasing (cutting and combining loops), proper pitches, a decent mix and just over all musicality. It still might be too much.

[guscave]

I think the answer to that would be “time”. Most production editors only listen to the first 3 or 5 seconds of a cue to see if it fits the sceen because they don’t have time to go through tons of files. With an average show having at least 30 or 40 songs an episode, editors don’t have the time to put together loops. Mix and master them accordingly.
The amount they might save in getting these loops won’t offset the time spent to put them together.

[LAwriter]

I think AI will be using loops as well. Double threat? As someone puts together a database with metadata on the loops, AI will be able to use them more creatively and effectively. Then….. ???

[NY Composer]

Good points Guscave but I never said they have to do the loop composition to a specific scene. They could have some of their post team belt out hundreds of loop cues, all genre specific.

“I think the answer to that would be “time”. Most production editors only listen to the first 3 or 5 seconds of a cue to see if it fits the sceen because they don’t have time to go through tons of files. With an average show having at least 30 or 40 songs an episode, editors don’t have the time to put together loops. Mix and master them accordingly.
The amount they might save in getting these loops won’t offset the time spent to put them together.”

[guscave]

Hi NY Composer, Sorry for the confusion. I didn’t mean composing the loops. I meant getting them up to par for the scenes. Most of the loops that you hear in these AI systems are very cheap sounding. They require a lot of post production to get them up to broadcast quality (primarily mastering). That might change with time as the technology improves, but I think production companies that are more picky about quality will still rely on compaosers.

[Danny]

Guscave,

I’m not talking about AI systems. I was talking about the thousands of Prebaked loop packs for every instrument, in every genre, available in Wav format .

[kevinjohnston1]

In my experience, what may happen with AI music, loops, and subscription services is that they will become the hallmark of a “cheap” sound, the stuff of C movies. Just like fake rock in 60’s TV shows like the Mod Squad.

Honestly, people composing loops now are not doing much creative work. I see little reason why a computer guided by AI doesn’t just pump a bunch of loops out. Mass-produced music will sound mass-produced.

Now go listen to the soundtrack of “Out of Africa” and calm down.

[NY Composer]

I think there are probably younger guys submitted all loop based stuff to Libs right now and they wouldn’t know until they start hearing familiar phrases, beats, etc. I don’t use loops, except for a good shaker here and there, but the quality is actually pretty good.

[Mc_GTR]

I put zip faith into AI’s as creative. Any kid with zero musical skills would do a better job, pressing patches with one finger in Omnisphere.

[Author]

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