The Beatles Use AI for 'Final Song', Sparking Discussions on Music Authenticity
Summary:
The Beatles launched their "final song," "Now and Then," using AI to include vocals by the late John Lennon. The song, released by Universal Music Group, was created using a specially designed software allowing Lennon's vocals to be separated from the background instrumental. The track features all original Beatles members, and while it has received a generally positive response, some audience members have speculated about the song's authenticity due to the use of AI.
On November 2, the Beatles unveiled what they termed their "final song," which includes vocal tracks from the late John Lennon, created with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI). The track "Now and Then" was launched by Universal Music Group (UMG), one of the top music corporations globally, and is accompanied by a brief documentary explaining the use of cutting-edge technology in its creation. This footage breaks down how during his extensive Beatles documentary "Get Back," director Peter Jackson invented a piece of software allowing the group to separate Lennon's voice from the piano sounds in the original "Now and Then" recording from the late 70s, initially conceived as a demo tape.
The team developed a tool that, through machine learning, is capable of breaking down any soundtrack into its individual elements. Giles Martin, the song's co-producer, further elaborated in another interview that AI can be trained to identify distinctive voices. He explained that if two people were having a conversation in a crowded place with a playing piano, the AI could distinguish each person's voice and separate them.
Following the news of Jackson's innovative technology, Beatles member Paul McCartney said they thought they "should send John’s voice, from the original cassette, to them." The creation of the new song was, therefore, given life with the support of AI. Lennon's son, Sean Ono Lennon, noted in the video that his father "would’ve relished such an experiment with recording technology."
McCartney expressed his thoughts, emphasising, “To be engaging with Beatles music in 2023 using groundbreaking technology is simply astounding. The Beatles would’ve shown immense interest in something like this." The song features John Lennon alongside surviving Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and the late George Harrison. Fans on social media hailed the track as "beautiful" and a "masterpiece, enjoying the perfect ending to the discography.”
A fan even expressed hope the AI could enable a "Beatles holographic concert on stage" for those who couldn't see them live. However, certain murmurs about the AI aid have sparked debate about the track's authenticity. A recent Pirate music studios survey revealed that 53% of musician respondents expressed worries about audience reception of music created with AI support. The respondents cited "loss of authenticity" (58%) as the primary reason for their reluctance to use AI in music creation.
Published At
11/3/2023 1:01:27 PM
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