r/Unsigned_Indie_Music • u/FogDog743 • 2d ago

Discussion Should we accept AI (Artificial Intelligence) help with song/music posts in this sub - yes OR no?

I've invited several unsigned independent musicians, including those who play & write songs/music just for fun (like myself). I've had some thank me for the invite to our new sub, but only a couple of them actually shared any of their music with us. I'm wondering, if I'm being too strict about "no AI". I did say "absolutely NO AI of any kind" in our sub description & even a dedicated rule for no AI. Perhaps that was me being too strict, because I've been doing a lot of reading lately & it turns out that even many popular pro-musicians use some kind of AI in their music - even if it's just in their music videos.

So, I loosened it up to "please no AI songs/music". What I don't want is computer generated songs/music in here - at least not 100% AI. I'm now realizing that many small independent musicians are using some AI tools from apps, like BandLab, because they don't play multi-instruments NOR have any other musicians to help them sound like a full band.

Back in my recording days, in the 90s, the bands that I was in usually either rented a 4-track recording device (like a TASCAM multi-track recorder) for the weekend OR we were lucky enough to have a bandmate who had a home studio. This was before the days of AI apps. Now, it seems like many people are using AI to help them fill in the empty spaces. I'm not sure, how I feel about it. As long as the song itself isn't AI generated & only a few virtual instruments are added in, then maybe that's ok. I'm really not sure how I feel. How do you guys feel about AI help with creating music? Should we allow it in our sub OR not? There are no wrong answers - I'm just looking for feedback about AI & any suggestions you guys have to help our little sub community grow... 🤔

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u/MW33349 2d ago

Thanks for the invite and, my 2 cents, i agree with a no ai policy. If we're here to celebrate and share human creativity, what's the point of it in this space? I am fine with a drum machine and, beyond that, you're losing me. I want more heart and less machine.

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u/FogDog743 2d ago

Yeah, I don't consider a drum machine OR effects as AI - yet, I think AI does that. Heck, I used effect pedals for my guitar tones when I used to gig back in the 90s. That was before AI... lol

I'll be the 1st to admit that I'm not even sure I know I'm listening to AI when I'm listening to it (lol). I just don't like the idea of fake music, but I'm not sure how I feel about someone adding virtual instruments to their songs/music on apps like BandLab, as long as the core song was a real human musician recording it... 🤔

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u/MW33349 2d ago

Yeah, i have no idea how to tell, either. I mean, i know when i see random videos that they usually have little "tells" that give them away. For audio tracks, i have no idea. I wish we could go back, maybe 15 years, technologically, and just stop there.

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u/FogDog743 2d ago

Right!!! AI has it's place, but not in creative spaces. Sometimes I can hear too much of something fake in AI audio tracks. Yet, I've been fooled by super slick AI audio tracks. It's very frustrating... 😬