AI and music theory

[DaPhotoGuy66]

AI is a handy tool for many things. Of course it's really bad at doing certain things and you always have to double check anything it says because it can screw up quite a lot. But I have found one thing that it's actually pretty solid at. Assisting you with music theory.

Last night I was working on a song in the key of G# minor. At a certain point in the progression I just couldn't seem to find the right chord to fit. Everything I tried just sounded a little off. So I pulled up my AI and described to it what I was doing and where I was hitting a wall. It immediately told me why it thought I was hitting a wall at that cord and why the cords that I tried probably didn't sound right. It then provided a variety of chords it thought might fit the mood. Some were just too hard for me to switch to at that point in the song. Some where just gymnastics on the fretboard. But it's suggestions did finally resolve in what I wanted to play. It helped me get to what I wanted. This definitely isn't AI writing music it's using AI as a tool to help you right music.

Has anyone else used it for this sort of purpose and what are your thoughts on it?

 

[paisleywookiee]

Who's Al?

 

[mbenigni]

I wish AI would get back to the one and only thing it was ever meant for: spellchecking.

 

[James Freeman]

@DaPhotoGuy66
Quick, answer this question:
If I put a coin on a piece of paper on a table, then put a cup over the paper (with the open side towards the paper) and THEN slowly slide the cup off the edge of the table, what will happen to the piece of paper if my mildly corroded strings don't like lemon juice?

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[FuzzyAce]

it's using AI as a tool to help you right music.

What if I want to wrong music?

 

[mbenigni]

What if I want to wrong music?

Play a cord that doesn't fit.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Play a cord that doesn't fit.

Jazz

 

[mbenigni]

Jazz

"Cord" that doesn't fit.

(In case you overlooked my pedantry. Which would be something of a feat, after all these years. )

 

[FuzzyAce]

"Cord" that doesn't fit.

View attachment 61060

(In case you overlooked my pedantry. Which would be something of a feat, after all these years. )

I got it the first go around.

 

[DaPhotoGuy66]

Hey I just want to say thanks to all of you for your delightful responses. Your insights have been enlightening and oh so useful. I knew there was a reason I came to such a great forum. I knew I could get information and learn from the wellspring of wisdom here.

 

[Gothi]

Cannot see any crime in letting the AI suggest a chord. Hardly the same thing as prompting a whole piece you can call your own for a subscription price. Though I do wonder why you got stucked. If a melody is the basis for choice of chords, there should be several options in a progression that work and apply different moods. Reading a little about modal interchangement could inspire you too.

 

[DaPhotoGuy66]

Cannot see any crime in letting the AI suggest a chord. Hardly the same thing as prompting a whole piece you can call your own for a subscription price. Though I do wonder why you got stucked. If a melody is the basis for choice of chords, there should be several options in a progression that work and apply different moods. Reading a little about modal interchangement could inspire you too.

I've focused so much of my time through my life memorizing and figuring out how to use the modal scale patterns for soloing that I've spent almost no time learning chords and how to use them. Definitely a weakness of mine. I have seriously been thinking of taking lessons. I'm almost 60 years old but it would be enlightening.

 

[Fishbulb]

I've focused so much of my time through my life memorizing and figuring out how to use the modal scale patterns for soloing that I've spent almost no time learning chords and how to use them. Definitely a weakness of mine. I have seriously been thinking of taking lessons. I'm almost 60 years old but it would be enlightening.

Do you know how to harmonize the major scale? If you're pretty well-versed in the modes, you'll probably be able to pick it up really quickly if not. Definitely helps with songwriting, figuring out songs, etc

 

[FuzzyAce]

I've focused so much of my time through my life memorizing and figuring out how to use the modal scale patterns for soloing that I've spent almost no time learning chords and how to use them. Definitely a weakness of mine. I have seriously been thinking of taking lessons. I'm almost 60 years old but it would be enlightening.

@DaPhotoGuy66


Modes are helpful, but there should be a melody of some kind to guide through the changes. Get the melody the way you hear it then work the chords, modes and key changes around that instead. I find it easier to work that way and it opens up a world of chord variations or substitutions you may not have initially compiled together.

edit: basically, use your ears and be creative. You don't need AI for that.

 

[sleewell]

Honestly I just hope that ai flops, it goes away, and everyone who put money into it loses big. I know that's not going to happen but I just view it, especially in the creative and art related spaces, to be so lame and sad.


We don't even have or value the intelligence part of that phrase in our existence anymore but we have more than enough artificial crap everywhere.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Honestly I just hope that ai flops, it goes away, and everyone who put money into it loses big. I know that's not going to happen but I just view it, especially in the creative and art related spaces, to be so lame and sad.


We don't even have or value the intelligence part of that phrase in our existence anymore but we have more than enough artificial crap everywhere.

It will cause a huge backlash when it becomes dominate in every facet of life, because that appears to be the direction its going. Time will tell.

 

[DaPhotoGuy66]

@DaPhotoGuy66


Modes are helpful, but there should be a melody of some kind to guide through the changes. Get the melody the way you hear it then work the chords, modes and key changes around that instead. I find it easier to work that way and it opens up a world of chord variations or substitutions you may not have initially compiled together.

edit: basically, use your ears and be creative. You don't need AI for that.

See that's the weirdest thing for me. I can come up with a cool sounding rhythm pattern and chord progression that sounds good. And then I can come up with a melody to sing to that progression. I'm pretty quick with doing it that way. But I came up with this great song that I have the lyrics for and the melody and I can sing it for you all day long. I finally figured out that I think I'm singing in 2/4 time signature. I'm singing in a syncopated, off beat way during the verse and precourse. Then I switched to singing directly on the downbeat for the chorus. But it's annoying the hell out of me because I just can't seem to figure out what instrumental part to play with the melody. It's just such a unique song that I am lost in what the instrumental parts should be. I've worked on this particular song for a while. I'm just about giving up on the melody and time signature for this song and thinking of approaching it from the instrumental first and then forcing the lyrics into whatever melody fits the instrumental. But every melody I've come with up with so far doing it THAT way doesn't sound as cool as the original melody I came up with.

 

[DaPhotoGuy66]

Honestly I just hope that ai flops, it goes away, and everyone who put money into it loses big. I know that's not going to happen but I just view it, especially in the creative and art related spaces, to be so lame and sad.


We don't even have or value the intelligence part of that phrase in our existence anymore but we have more than enough artificial crap everywhere.

My oldest son would 100% agree with you. If you want to see what I think the eventual conclusion of all the AI, robotics, and automation of business is going to be, just Google these three words "Isaac Asimov Solaria". Or, if you have the time, read all of Isaac Asimov's robot series and foundation series. (Hint, it's quicker to Google it).

 

[ChordInversion]

Honestly I just hope that ai flops, it goes away, and everyone who put money into it loses big. I know that's not going to happen but I just view it, especially in the creative and art related spaces, to be so lame and sad.


We don't even have or value the intelligence part of that phrase in our existence anymore but we have more than enough artificial crap everywhere.

Don't be so sure it won't happen. It's a bubble.