Have you ever imagined creating captivating symphonies or vibrant melodies just by typing a few words? If that sounds like a wild dream, pinch yourself, because the future of music is here!
Imagine being a part of a musical revolution. You’re no longer a passive listener but an active composer, creating beautiful tunes with a few keystrokes. The power of AI, thanks to Music Gen AKA Audio Craft by meta, makes this possible.
But let’s hit pause for a moment. The world of AI is vast, intricate, and evolving rapidly. It’s a maze where many of us can feel lost. That’s why I’m here to walk you through this incredible journey of AI music creation.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the mechanics of Music Gen, a phenomenal tool that can produce an unlimited array of AI-generated tracks. But don’t worry if you’re a novice or even a skeptic, because by the end of this read, I bet you’ll be humming along to your own AI-composed music.
The Wonders of AI Music
Now, let’s get something straight. AI music is not yet ready to win a Grammy. It’s not flawless, but boy, is it mind-boggling to see how far we’ve come with just a line of code! Who could have thought, say a decade ago, that we’d be orchestrating our own soundscapes via Artificial Intelligence?
This software is a gem for creating background music. Whether you’re a YouTuber looking for non-copyright tunes or just someone in need of some ambient noise while you work, Music Gen is your go-to. But don’t let me put you in a box – the possibilities with AI music are as endless as your creativity!
Setting Up Music Gen
Getting started with Music Gen is a breeze. Here’s how you can install it on your local PC:
- Install Python 3.10.6: Visit the Python website and download the latest version. Be sure to click “Add to Path” during installation.
- Install Git: Download and run the Git installer, accepting all default settings.
- Install PyTorch: Visit the PyTorch website and follow the instructions to install the required version. You may need to run some commands in the command prompt.
- Clone the Music Gen repository: Visit the Music Gen GitHub page, click on the green “Code” button, and copy the repository URL. Open the command prompt in the desired installation directory, paste the URL, and press enter.
- Install dependencies: Navigate to the newly created “audiocraft” folder in your installation directory, open the command prompt, and run the command
pip install dash e .
- Modify the loaders.py file: Make a backup of the loaders.py file located in the “models” folder. Open the original loaders.py file with a text editor (e.g., Notepad) and replace the
HF_MODEL_CHECKPOINTS_MAP
section with the provided code snippet.
HF_MODEL_CHECKPOINTS_MAP = {
"small": "GrandaddyShmax/musicgen-small",
"medium": "GrandaddyShmax/musicgen-medium",
"large": "GrandaddyShmax/musicgen-large",
"melody": "GrandaddyShmax/musicgen-melody",
}
And there you have it! Music Gen is now installed and ready to go.
Generating Music with Music Gen
To launch Music Gen, double-click on the app.py file in the “audiocraft” folder. This will open a command window. Copy the provided http address from the command window and paste it into your preferred web browser.
Once Music Gen is loaded, you can start generating music. Here are some basic concepts to keep in mind:
- Input text: This is where you’ll write your music prompt.
- Condition on melody: Upload a melody file or use your microphone to select a melody for Music Gen to follow.
- Model: Choose the type of model you want to use (e.g., melody, medium, small, large).
- Duration: Set the desired duration of the generated music track (10-30 seconds by default).
Fine-Tuning Your Music
Music Gen offers various settings to fine-tune your generated music. Here’s a breakdown of some key terms:
- Top-k: Controls the number of likely options for the next note in the music. A smaller value provides less variation, while a larger value introduces more diversity.
- Top-p: Determines the level of randomness in the generated music. It ensures a certain probability threshold for each note to maintain coherence while offering some unpredictability.
- Temperature: Adjusts the level of randomness or predictability in the music. A higher temperature produces more diverse and unexpected notes, while a lower temperature creates more focused and repetitive patterns.
- Classifier-Free Guidance: Allows you to guide the AI model’s composition towards your preferred music style. A separate ‘DJ’ network is trained to recognize specific styles and influences the generated music accordingly.
By experimenting with these settings, you can achieve the perfect balance between creativity, diversity, and control in your AI-generated music.
Leveraging the Melody Model
One standout feature of Music Gen is its Melody Model. By uploading a melody track or using your microphone to select a melody, Music Gen can incorporate that melody into the generated music. This adds a unique touch and ensures the generated music aligns with your desired style.
Extending the Duration of Music Gen Tracks
Music Gen currently delivers short tracks of 10-30 seconds. However, there are ways to extend them to longer durations. Here are two methods:
- Using Adobe Audition: Open Adobe Audition, import your Music Gen track, and select the desired duration using the remix feature, then export the extended track.
- Online Tools: Visit online tools like media.io/app/remix-song, upload your 30-second Music Gen track, specify the desired duration, and download the extended track.
With these methods, you can easily customize the length of your AI-generated tracks.
Embrace the Musical Revolution
You are now equipped with the knowledge and tools to unlock the exciting world of AI music creation. Let your creativity soar, experiment with different prompts, melodies, and settings to compose unique melodies that amaze and inspire.
Remember, AI music is not about replacing human musicians but about expanding our creative possibilities. Enjoy the journey, and who knows? Maybe one day, your AI-composed music will leave a lasting impact on the world.
Are you ready to embark on this musical revolution? Let’s dive in and compose our AI-mastered symphonies!