Intro to Music and AI
STEM skills and literacy mastery were the two areas that governors across the nation emphasized in their state-of-the-union addresses in 2025, according to the Education Commission of the States.
The National Literacy Institute last year ranked the United States 36th out of 190 countries in literacy. A significant portion of the United States adult population lacks necessary digital literacy skills--computational thinking and complex problem solving are lagging.
That's why it's important for me to continue to do these kinds of workshops, seminars and conference presentations for professional musicians.
Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform complex tasks normally done by human-reasoning, decision making, creating, etc.
We already use artificial intelligence:
*We use it in neurosurgery;
*We use it to detect possible fraud purchases with your credit card;
*We use it to analyze trends in purchases.
Sometimes, when folks say they are using artificial intelligence, what they actually mean is that they are using LLMs.
Large language models like ChatGPT or Perplexity are artificial intelligence systems capable of understanding and generating human language by processing vast amounts of text data.
LLM responses have a conversational style that adapts to the user. In addition, unlike search engines that match key words to queries, LLMs generate content based on data that is gathered from whatever source it has been given (training data).
This gives the impression of
authority and sensibility...
because it
sounds like you.
This may be why, as of November 2024, 52% of teens have made friends with AI--and many adults too.
In June 2024, Nieman’s labs reported that ChatGPT fabricated source links to publications. This means that the publications existed, but not the articles that were cited. (This is called hallucinations).
Those who have strong literacy skills are more likely to question and identify erroneous information the LLMs can sometimes produce.
As we see the use of artificial intelligence in music, it is important that we understand what it can and cannot do.
And we don't yet know what all it can and cannot do yet.
With a few prompts, you can create content in literal seconds. You can synthesize sounds and voices--anyone's voice. You can separate tracks from other sources and use the ones you like. And more.
All of this introduces ethical considerations--we have already seen misuse of images, particularly in the brown, LGBTQia2s+, and disabled communities. We have already witnessed theft of folks' ideas.
On the other hand, we have also already seen multi-million dollar music contracts for content created by AI.
Ok, but so many questions:
- Who owns the finished product?
- If you can use prompts to create the music, once the music exists, then how come I can't use certain prompts to recreate it?
- Is it the prompts that make the music?
- What about copyright considerations?
See?
It's a new world.
I'm giving this talk next month at Wayne State in Detroit, Michigan. Stay tuned--I'll send you the link.
My company, The Piano Instructor, helps professional musicians become effective educators. I write training curriculum and present at conferences. For example, I just finished designing this interactive training regarding artificial intelligence in music. Please subscribe.
If you would prefer to tip, do so here. All funds go right back into the company to help it grow, to help me go to conferences and to expand. Click here.
In addition, I perform as Sugar Calzone, in leather heels and faux furs and jewels.
I'm a woman in STEM--I teach the math that happens in the music, sometimes during a concert while playing Bach.
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