Stability AI has just launched Stable Audio 2.0, taking a big step in AI music creation. This new version builds on the first Stable Audio, which was a big hit for making short music clips from text prompts. Stable Audio 2.0 can now make full songs up to three minutes long, including all parts of a song like the intro, middle, and end.
Stable Audio started in 2023 and quickly got noticed for being able to turn text into music. It used music from AudioSparx, allowing artists to choose if they wanted their music used or not. The new version, 2.0, adds the ability to turn one piece of music into another. This means users can upload a tune and the AI will create a new one based on it.
The upgrade will allow making full songs, changing the style of music, and adding sound effects in a few prompts and clicks. The technology behind it has improved too, so the music actually now sounds like music.
Handling Copyrights with AI music
There’s been some debate over using copyrighted music to train AI. Stability AI argues that their method is fair use, but not everyone agrees. They’ve taken steps to make sure uploaded music doesn’t break copyright laws, like checking uploads with Audible Magic’s technology.
AI Music – how does it sound?
Check out the AI generated music yourself. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s pretty impressive what it can do with a simple prompt
Sample prompts used to create this music are:
Synthpop:
Synthpop, Big Reverbed Synthesizer Pad Chords, Driving Gated Drum Machine, Atmospheric, Moody, Nostalgic, Cool, Club, Striped-back, Pop Instrumental, 100 BPM
Ambient:
Ambient Techno, meditation, Scandinavian Forest, 808 drum machine, 808 kick, claps, shaker, synthesizer, synth bass, Synth Drones, beautiful, peaceful, Ethereal, Natural, 122 BPM, Instrumental
Trance:
Trance, Ibiza, Beach, Sun, 4 AM, Progressive, Synthesizer, 909, Dramatic Chords, Choir, Euphoric, Nostalgic, Dynamic, Flowing
These simple prompts + account at Stable Audio are all you need to start creating AI music.
It can even do audio-to-audio. Just hum the tune, add prompts and get the track ready in seconds:
There are several subscription options from $10 to $90, but you can also try the basic plan for free, generating first 10 tunes without subscription.
Are (human) music composers done?
Yes. The Stable Audio 2.0 and similar AI music generation tools carries significant implications for the entire industry. As it becomes easier to generate music, the market will be flooded with content, making it harder for individual artists to stand out and monetize their work. Reliance on AI could devalue the skills and craftsmanship of musicians and composers, potentially undermining their value.
The AI will displace jobs in this industry and that’s inevitable, reducing the demand for human composers and songwriters. Music creation is already saturated niche and it will be more difficult to make it a stable career. For creating background music in settings like elevators, shopping malls, or video games, AI can efficiently produce large volumes of music, impacting musicians who specialize in these areas.
What do if I’m a musician wanting to change careers due to AI resurgence?
If you’re a musician, embrace the possibility that you may need to start at an entry-level position in your new field. Switching careers likely means a hit to your finances. You might need to save up or cut back on expenses to afford retraining or to manage during a potentially lengthy job search.
Adjust your expectations. The goal is to find a job that’s in demand and less likely to be replaced by AI, not necessarily one that you’re passionate about. Sometimes, stability is the priority.
Pivotin to a new career path might be necessary. It’s not going to be easy or guaranteed to lead to job satisfaction. It’s a step taken out of necessity, driven by the realities of our changing job. Switching careers in response to the emergence of AI and automation is the right move, especially if you can learn how to use artificial intelligence tools itself in any field you want to pursue outside music. Stay positive, keep learning, and persist in your efforts!
