AI Music Generators

AI has gradually permeated the art industry, sparking debates regarding the definition of creativity and copyright. Beyond the realms of painting and literature, music has also become an area of discussion for these controversial issues. In the field of music, there have already been numerous applications of AI. AI's capabilities in pattern analysis and learning have been utilized in various ways, such as pitch correction with Autotune or using Siri to identify songs. However, AI has now taken a step further by becoming not just a tool for assistance but an integral part of the creative process and a source of inspiration.

We can not deny that AI has gradually permeated the art industry and has sparked significant debates regarding the definition of creativity and issues related to copyright. In addition to painting and literature, music has also become a domain for discussing these controversial topics. The field of music has already witnessed various applications of AI, leveraging its capabilities in pattern analysis and learning. AI has been utilized in tasks such as pitch correction with Autotune and using Siri to identify songs, providing assistance in different aspects of music production and consumption. However, AI has now taken a further step forward, evolving from being a mere tool for assistance to becoming an integral part of the creative process and a source of inspiration.

1.MusicLM

MusicLM’s display of Text-to-Music Functionality
(Image Source)
MusicLM Website
Pricing：unopened

Google's experimental AI tool, MusicLM, was made available for registration and testing in January 2023. Serving as the audio generator under Google, following AudioLM, this model has been trained on a larger music dataset and offers diverse production processes. Users can simply input text prompts to generate music segments lasting several minutes. For example: "The main soundtrack of an arcade game. It is fast-paced and cheerful, with catchy electric guitar improvisations. The music is repetitive, easy to remember, but with unexpected sounds like cymbals or drums." Additionally, MusicLM can build upon existing melodies, allowing users to input humming, whistling, or instrumental performances, and MusicLM will continue creating music. It even includes a "Story Mode" for more intricate musical descriptions. However, due to concerns regarding copyright protection, Google currently provides MusicLM through a registration-based service.

2.Soundraw

Soundraw’s display of Text-to-Music Functionality
(Image Source)
Soundraw Website
Pricing：Free–$20 per month.


Soundraw is a music generator platform developed by a Japanese company, specifically designed to serve music creators. Its unique approach involves a selection and adjustment process. Firstly, it provides users with various AI-generated short music pieces in real-time. Users can further edit the selected short music piece based on their preferences, adjusting parameters such as BPM, key, progression, section participation and intensity of each instrument, transitions, and more. Compared to other platforms that offer simple tweaks or regenerations, Soundraw offers intricate adjustments to create highly customized songs with diverse styles and moods. As an AI music generation tool, Soundraw proves to be highly versatile. It offers both a free version and a paid version priced at $20 per month, granting users the ability to download tracks for personal and commercial use.

3.Soundful

Soundful’s display of Text-to-Music Functionality
Soundful’s display of Text-to-Music Functionality (Image Source)
Soundful Website
Pricing：Free—$10 per month ~ $60 per year

Soundful is a more concise AI music generator tool, although lacking the extensive editing features as Soundraw, still offers three customizable options. Firstly, users have the option to choose whether the music piece should be in standalone form or seamlessly loopable. Second, there is a wide selection of musical genres available to choose from., each with its own subcategories. Users can even select the "Social Media" genre to create background music for short videos. Thirdly, users have the ability to choose the desired BPM and key for their music. Additionally, Soundful stands out with its elegant and user-friendly interface, reminiscent of Spotify. Soundful offers both a free version and a paid version starting at a minimum of $10 per month. The free version allows for ten free downloads, while the paid version enables users to download more audio files and obtains separate track files for easier subsequent editing.

Breif Summary

Artificial intelligence is making significant strides into the field of music, bringing endless innovation and new dimensions of experimentation for creators. It has also opened up new listening experiences and the opportunity to break free from traditional human compositional thinking. However, as AI becomes increasingly integrated into the music industry, concerns arise about the potential risk of musicians being replaced. Reflecting on Beethoven's famous quote, "Where poetry ends there music begins." It is important to consider how music, as another artistic domain, may be affected by the emergence of AI-generated content, especially when literature has already been heavily influenced by text generators on the internet. How can music navigate the path forward in the face of AIGC?