Episodi

  • AI Music, Creativity, and Human Agency: A Conversation with Sacha Krstulovic

    AI Music, Creativity, and Human Agency: A Conversation with Sacha Krstulovic
    Oct 22 2025
    Sacha Krstulovic breaks down the fundamental realities of AI in music that cut through the hype and fear dominating current discourse. As someone who’s spent decades building AI systems for audio—from speech recognition to environmental sound detection—he offers a grounded framework for understanding what AI actually does versus what we imagine it does.The conversation explores why pressing a button to generate a complete song misses the point of creative tools, how data ownership remains the unresolved ethical crisis of the AI era, and why human agency at both input and output stages determines whether we’re witnessing automation or artistry. Sacha shares insights from his work building AI research teams at Music Tribe, where they discovered the real use cases musicians want: evading the blank page, compensating for missing skills, and gaining time—not replacement.Particularly compelling is his framework for thinking about AI as automation, complexity, data-driven programming, and always a function with inputs and outputs. This perspective helps practitioners navigate the difference between assistive mixing tools that teach you about conventions while giving you power to break them, versus generative systems that claim to “make music” while obscuring the human curation required at every step.For anyone building tools for creative-tech professionals or working at the intersection of machine learning and music, this conversation offers rare perspective from someone who’s seen the evolution from unit selection speech synthesis to transformer-based generation—and maintains healthy skepticism about what actually serves human creativity.Episode Chapters[(2:25) Sacha’s Journey: From Speech Recognition to Audio AI Leadership(13:21) Demystifying AI: Four Core Principles(23:32) Beyond Generation: The Full Landscape of Audio AI(28:30) Real Use Cases: What Musicians Actually Want from AI(33:38) The “Press Button, Get Song” Problem(40:44) Breaking the Machine: Creative Exploration with AI(51:04) Data Ethics and the Copyright Crisis(57:49) Digital Hangover and the Return to Real Life Experience(1:03:30) Closing: Finding Sacha and Understanding AIPractical TakeawaysFramework for Understanding AI:* AI is automation with extreme complexity (billions of parameters)* It’s data-driven programming, not hand-coded rules* Always has inputs and outputs—it’s a function, not an entity* Mimics patterns without consciousness or independent agencyDesign Principles for Music AI Tools:* Present outputs as editable parameters, not black boxes* Let AI act as teacher showing conventions you can consciously break* Focus on use cases: blank page stimulation, missing skills, time efficiency* Preserve human agency at input (what to explore) and output (what’s good enough)Data Ethics Standards:* Traditional ML practice: own or license all training data* Current lawsuits challenge the “scrape everything” approach* Ed Newton-Rex’s Fairly Trained advocacy as alternative modelThe Live Music Economy:* Musicians increasingly earn through concerts, not recordings* Local, human interaction offers what algorithms can’t deliver* Fandom culture, tangible experiences, and vinyl collecting as counterweights to digitalResources & LinksConnect with Sacha:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sacha-krstulovic-3505544/* Personal website: sacha.today (includes essay on creativity and entrepreneurship)* Consultancy: understand-ai.todayMentioned:* AES International Conference on AI and Machine Learning for Audio* Ed Newton-Rex - Fairly Trained advocacy* Dadabots* Max Cooper - Electronic music artist* Audio Analytic - Environmental sound recognition (acquired by Meta)* Music Tribe - Audio equipment manufacturer (Behringer, Midas, TC Electronics)* Giada Pistilli - Should we be afraid of becoming attached to machines?* Documentary - Re-learning to listen to musicGuest BioSacha Krstulovic is an AI researcher who spent two decades at the intersection of machine learning and audio, from early speech recognition work accounting for vocal tract physics to building the first large-scale environmental sound recognition system. As Director of AI Research at Music Tribe, he led a team of 15 exploring applications for audio equipment manufacturers. His career spans academia (PhD in speech recognition), industry giants (Toshiba, Nuance), successful startups (Audio Analytic, acquired by Meta), and now independent consultancy helping companies structure practical AI applications. He brings rare perspective on the evolution from “machine learning” to “AI” terminology—and maintains focus on what actually serves human creativity versus what captures attention.Related Get full access to softmax at redito.substack.com/subscribe
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 7 min
  • Building AI Music Tools That Musicians Actually Want to Use - Jordan Davis (Tensorpunk)

    Building AI Music Tools That Musicians Actually Want to Use - Jordan Davis (Tensorpunk)
    Sep 30 2025

    Guest: Jordan Davis, solo founder of TensorPunk with 15 years of music industry experience spanning performance, recording, and sync licensing. Musician-technologist building AI tools from a producer's perspective.

    Topics: AI music tool development, Mace generative sampler, Anvil model training platform, DAW integration, dataset curation, performance-focused AI instruments, hacker ethos in music tech

    About

    Jordan Davis represents the emerging wave of musician-technologists who are building AI tools from the perspective of actual producers rather than data scientists. His company Tensor Punk has created Mace, a generative sampler that runs natively in DAWs, and Anvil, a tool for training custom models. This conversation reveals hard-won insights about product development, model training challenges, and the philosophical tensions shaping AI music tools.

    Key Insights

    Building for Real Workflows: Jordan emphasizes that most AI music tools fail because they live in web browsers, disconnected from producers' actual creative environments. Mace runs as a VST plugin directly in DAWs, allowing seamless integration into existing workflows. This seemingly simple decision reflects deeper understanding of how musicians actually work.

    The Art of Model Training: Jordan shares fascinating technical details about his journey from TensorFlow to PyTorch, discovering that high-frequency content like hi-hats trains faster and produces better quality than low-end samples. He deliberately chose "grittier, grainier" results over pristine fidelity to create genuinely experimental sounds rather than polished imitations.

    Accessibility Without Compromise: TensorPunk tools run on CPU when GPU isn't available, supporting everything from Windows 7 to modern systems. Jordan developed much of the initial code on an old Windows 7 machine, demonstrating commitment to democratizing access to AI music tools.

    The Performance Future: Rather than focusing on one-click generation, Jordan envisions AI tools as performance instruments. He describes frustration with traditional DJ equipment and imagines knobs controlling "live neural samplers" that morph genres in real-time, freeing performers to explore "radically different sonic territory."

    Notable Perspectives

    On AI Music's Identity Crisis: "There's going to be really cool and interesting instruments that haven't even been invented yet... I see the future of there being really, really cool and interesting instruments."

    On the Hacker Ethos: "The branding behind Tensor Punk is that maybe there can be a company that has that hacker ethos and spirit, and is there supporting the creative and the artists. It's creative first, hacker and punk mentality first."

    On Controllability: "A lot of producers that might be hesitant with AI tools... want more control of the outcome and less black box results. I think there's a lot right now that just needs to be re-engineered and can have amazing results."

    Practical Takeaways

    * Dataset Quality Over Quantity: Focus on curated, labeled datasets using producer vocabulary rather than generic metadata

    * Platform Integration: Build tools that live inside existing creative workflows rather than isolated web applications

    * Community-Driven Development: Engage with actual users to discover unexpected use cases and workflows

    * Performance-First Design: Consider AI tools as instruments for live manipulation rather than just generation engines

    Follow Jordan and Tensorpunk

    Tensorpunk Discord

    Tensorpunk IG

    Tensorpunk Website

    Music

    Memory States - ȶʀǟɨռɨռɢ ɖǟȶǟ [12] - mini_ep

    Related



    Get full access to softmax at redito.substack.com/subscribe
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    52 min
  • From 24/7 Streams to Live Prompt Jockeying - CJ and Zack (Dadabots)

    From 24/7 Streams to Live Prompt Jockeying - CJ and Zack (Dadabots)
    Sep 19 2025
    Guests: CJ Carr and Zack Zukowski, Dadabots founders, AI music researchers since 2012, known for intense neural metal streams and frontier AI music researchKey Topics: Live AI performance, prompt jockeying techniques, real-time music generation, cultural implications of AI training data, future of music interfacesMust-listen conversation with Dadabots founders CJ Carr and Zack Zukowski, who've evolved from their legendary 24/7 neural metal streams into live "prompt jockeying" - performing with tracks that don't exist until they're generated on stage. These creative technologists break down their journey from 2012 SoundCloud remix bots to performing at the UN, revealing the virtuosity behind real-time AI music generation that pushes far beyond typical button-pushing stereotypes.Key SegmentsThe Art of Live AI PerformanceCJ and Zack unpack "prompt jockeying" - their term for DJing with AI-generated tracks created in real-time. Using Jupyter notebooks as their interface, they generate tracks in seconds while performing, creating everything from "twinkle trap" (children's music fused with trap beats) to "ghost pepper salsa" (Afro-Cuban percussion meets New England hardcore). The process requires riding "the edge of chaos" - mixing tracks they've never heard while reading crowd energy and venue acoustics.Technical Innovation Beyond the HypeThe duo explains how diffusion models now generate full 3-4 minute tracks in seconds (versus the hour-per-minute of early sample RNN), enabling live performance. Their approach includes multi-step generation processes, where tracks are fed back through models for layered complexity, and context-aware prompt chaining that creates coherent musical narratives throughout sets.Research Meets PerformanceDadabots exemplifies the creative technologist archetype - building the very AI tools they perform with while maintaining roots in metal and punk virtuosity. Their 10+ page process documents for the AI Song Contest reveal the technical depth behind seemingly simple outputs, from custom RVC voice models to neural synthesis parameters that achieve timbres "halfway between guitars and synths."Cultural Implications of AI MusicFascinating exploration of how AI music reflects "the collective consciousness through a hall of mirrors" - training data becomes warped reflections of human culture. Their UN performance, taking genre requests from international diplomats, demonstrates how AI models enable unprecedented cultural fusion while raising questions about attribution and musical authenticity.Practical Takeaways* Live AI Performance Setup: Combine DJ software (DJ Pro with Neural Mix) with Jupyter notebooks running diffusion models locally* Prompt Engineering: Use BPM constraints for seamless mixing; develop signature techniques like multi-step generation* Venue Adaptation: AI generation enables real-time genre switching based on space, sound system, and audience energy* Technical Approach: Prioritize local models for performance reliability; build custom tools rather than relying on consumer appsNotable Insights"We're music hackers in a band slash hackathon team slash research lab... Code is this other frontier of music.""It's like DJing, but harder because the tracks don't exist. And so we're going back to back on beats, but we don't know where the beat goes.""The history of music is influences upon influences upon influences... it is a hall of mirrors."The Bigger PictureThis conversation captures a pivotal moment in creative technology - the shift from "using AI tools" to "performing with AI" as a creative partner. Dadabots represents the vanguard of human-AI collaboration, where technical skill becomes performative art and code itself becomes an instrument. Their approach signals what's coming for all creative fields: real-time, context-aware AI systems that enable entirely new forms of artistic expression.For creative technologists across disciplines, this offers a template for authentic AI integration - not replacing human creativity but amplifying it through deep technical understanding and performative mastery. The implications extend far beyond music: imagine live coding visual art, real-time AI-assisted writing, or dynamic design generation that responds to environmental context.Most significantly, Dadabots demonstrates how the next generation of creative professionals will need to be fluent in both artistic tradition and AI systems architecture - true creative technologists who can build their own tools rather than simply consume them.MentionedMusic and Artificial Intelligence: Artistic TrendsAlgoravehttps://tidalcycles.org/Reductive, Exclusionary, Normalising: The Limits of Generative AI MusicMusic for ComputersPrompt MeAI Song ContestLil Internet Mix (NTS)https://everynoise.com/Magenta RTPrompt Jockey DocumentaryFollow Dadabotshttps://dadabots.com/https://www.youtube.com/@dadabots_https://x.com/dadabotsPrompt Jockey DocumentaryMusicR. Tyler - raise ValueError()Related Get ...
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 21 min
  • AI Music's Creative Evolution: Beyond the Ethics Debate with Ezra Sandzer-Bell (AudioCipher)

    AI Music's Creative Evolution: Beyond the Ethics Debate with Ezra Sandzer-Bell (AudioCipher)
    Aug 25 2025
    Guest: Ezra, Founder of AudioCipher TechnologiesTopics: AI Music Workflows, Creative Tech Stacks, Film Scoring, Industry EthicsAboutMusicians wrestling with AI's place in their creative process will find practical frameworks here. Ezra breaks down how serious producers are building "tech stacks" with Suno, Udio, and ElevenLabs—moving beyond one-click generation toward intentional creative workflows. This isn't about replacing musicians; it's about understanding how AI tools fit into existing production pipelines.Key Insights & Practical TakeawaysThe Creative Tech Stack Approach* Suno excels at style transfer: Upload your rough ideas, transform them across genres with sophisticated prompt engineering* Udio dominates extension work: Superior at maintaining musical timbre and creating film score-style dynamic compositions* ElevenLabs offers licensed alternative: Text-to-music with commercial licensing, though less control than competitorsWorkflow Innovation in PracticeSophisticated production techniques: generating ambient loops in Udio, then conditioning Suno with unrelated prompts to create unexpected hybrid outputs. This "cross-pollination" approach demonstrates how creative professionals are developing personal AI methodologies beyond basic prompting.The Licensing Landscape Reality CheckThe ethical debate is evolving faster than anticipated. While UMG's lawsuits against Suno/Udio created initial friction, ElevenLabs' partnerships with Cobalt and Merlin are establishing new industry standards. The question shifts from "is this ethical?" to "how much are artists actually earning from these licensing deals?"Film Scoring: The Creative FrontierAI music's future lies in multimedia storytelling, not pop music generation. Film scoring offers creative freedom across multiple styles within single projects—exactly what AI tools enable. Ezra demonstrates how composers can leverage AI's stylistic range while maintaining the deep musical literacy that drives meaningful narrative scoring.Notable PerspectivesOn AI Music in Public Spaces: "I've been in dozens of cafes running 12-hour Suno playlists. It's functional music with no care given to sonic branding—this is where AI music risks poisoning public spaces."On Creative Authenticity: "There's a silent minority of serious producers actually experimenting with these tools, not just clicking 'generate' but investing time to understand where AI fits their artistic mission."On The Matrix Score Easter Egg: The film's composer embedded 12-tone serial music matrices within the soundtrack—the music literally reflects the movie's mathematical reality concepts, demonstrating the depth possible in multimedia storytelling.The Bigger PictureThis conversation cuts through typical AI music discourse by focusing on practical application rather than existential concerns. For creative technologists, the value lies in understanding these tools as part of broader production ecosystems—not replacement technologies, but specialized instruments requiring the same musical literacy and taste-making skills that have always defined great music production.Essential listening for anyone building creative workflows with AI tools, particularly those interested in multimedia storytelling and film scoring applications.Mentioned* Futureproof episode with Ezra* AI Song Contest * Music for Computers* Udio Prompt Guide* Tools: Stable Audio Open, Suno, Udio, Eleven Music, Veo3, Midjourney* the AI-Generated Ripoff Songs That Got Udio and Suno Sued* N. Korea’s AI Nukes* Twelve Tone Matrix* AudioCipher’s Ad* Feltzine Instagram* Music and Artificial Intelligence: Artistic Trends (Paper)Follow Ezra Sandzer-BellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezra-sandzer-bell/AudioCipher: https://www.audiocipher.com/MusicR. Tyler - raise ValueError() Get full access to softmax at redito.substack.com/subscribe
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    56 min
  • Homie Roundtable with Shamanic, Levi Downey and Alex Park

    Homie Roundtable with Shamanic, Levi Downey and Alex Park
    Aug 22 2024

    In this episode of softmax, I invited my good friends for a roundtable discussion. Joining me are Shamanic, a multidisciplinary creative technologist; Levi, a musician and founder of on-chain co-op Amerge; and Alex, a community organizer, spiritual explorer, and founder of Mothership, a creative accelerator. We dive into some fascinating topics that have been on our minds lately, starting with Shamanic's insights into the burgeoning world of VR raves and virtual music culture. It's amazing to see how these digital spaces are creating new opportunities for artists and fostering a sense of global community.

    We then explore the intersection of AI and creativity, sparked by Levi's mention of Brian Eno's generative documentary. This led us to discuss the potential and challenges of AI in music, including the ethical principles proposed by AI4music.info. Alex shared an intriguing concept for a new type of social network powered by personal AI models, which got us all thinking about data sovereignty and the future of online interactions.

    Throughout our conversation, we touched on themes of human creativity, technological advancement, and the importance of maintaining our humanity in this rapidly evolving digital landscape. As always, I'm grateful for these opportunities to chat with such insightful friends and explore these complex topics together. This episode is a great example of the kind of Discord conversations we have - deep, wide-ranging, and full of parallel tangents. I hope you enjoy listening to our discussion as much as we enjoyed having it!

    Links:

    VR Chat: https://hello.vrchat.com/

    VRC Party hub: https://twitter.com/vrchatpartyhub

    VRC Rave Schedules: https://vrc.tl/

    Brian Eno Generative Documentary: https://www.theverge.com/24197153/eno-documentary-generative-film-gary-hustwit-interview

    Principles for Music Creation in AI: https://aiformusic.info/

    Guests

    Shamanic:

    https://twitter.com/shamanic_arts

    https://objkt.com/@shamanicarts

    Levi Downey:

    https://www.instagram.com/levi.downey/

    https://x.com/levidowney?lang=en

    https://www.amerge.xyz/

    Alex Park:

    https://www.instagram.com/alex.park/?hl=en

    https://www.mothership.wtf/

    softmax:

    Join our discord! https://discord.gg/3zTywUX9BY

    Mark Redito:

    https://x.com/markredito

    https://www.instagram.com/markredito/

    Music

    R.Tyler - raise ValueError

    Purchase on Bandcamp:

    Podcast Artwork

    Shamanic: https://objkt.com/tokens/KT1MoBFWosexpEkoCuXimxzrcffGANr7Twi7/1



    Get full access to softmax at redito.substack.com/subscribe
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 46 min
  • Creating Music with Code feat. R. Tyler

    Creating Music with Code feat. R. Tyler
    Jul 29 2024

    In this episode of softmax, I had the pleasure of sitting down with R. Tyler, a fascinating artist who straddles the worlds of music production, live coding, and computational biology. Our conversation dove deep into the realm of algorithmic music-making and the vibrant Algorave scene. R. Tyler shared his unique approach to creating music with code, offering insights into how this method differs from traditional DAW-based production and how it opens up new avenues for musical exploration.

    We explored the concept of microtonality and its potential to push the boundaries of electronic music, a topic that R. Tyler is particularly passionate about. Our discussion also touched on the evolution of electronic music, debating whether it's still as forward-looking as it once was or if it's becoming more nostalgic. R. Tyler's experiences performing at international events, including in Shanghai, provided a global perspective on the growing Algorave movement.

    As we looked towards the future of electronic music, we pondered the impact of AI and machine learning on music production. R. Tyler shared his thoughts on how these technologies might influence creativity and the importance of human input in pushing musical boundaries. His insights into the democratization of music-making tools and the potential for new sounds and techniques left me inspired and excited about the future of electronic music.

    Timestamps

    00:00 Introduction

    11:37 The Algorave Movement

    15:14 Handling Bugs and Challenges

    20:41 Exploring Music Creation Through Code

    26:46 Joining the Algorave Community

    29:39 The Power of Community

    31:50 Exploring New Frontiers

    41:58 Pushing Boundaries with Microtonality

    48:47 The Freedom of Live Coding

    50:41 The Multidisciplinary Nature of Electronic Music

    56:36 The Nostalgia and Homogenization in Electronic Music

    63:17 The Potential of AI-Assisted Technologies in Music Production

    64:23 Exploration and Pushing Boundaries in Electronic Music

    65:04 The Democratization of Music-Making Tools

    66:16 The Future of Electronic Music

    Links:

    R Tyler

    https://linktr.ee/rtyl3r

    https://www.instagram.com/1000instamilligrams/

    https://avclubsf.com/

    softmax

    https://www.instagram.com/_softmax/

    https://www.instagram.com/markredito/

    https://twitter.com/markredito



    Get full access to softmax at redito.substack.com/subscribe
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 13 min
  • Decoding AI music with Moises Horta Valenzuela aka Hexorcismos

    Decoding AI music with Moises Horta Valenzuela aka Hexorcismos
    Jul 17 2024

    In this episode of softmax, I sit down with Moises Horta Valenzuela, aka Hexorcismos, an innovative artist and technologist based in Berlin. Moises has been pushing the boundaries of electronic music and AI since the 2010s. His journey from the experimental sound music scene in Tijuana to the forefront of generative AI in music is something I found very inspiring. We dive into his early work with ambient music and his band Los Macuanos, exploring how these experiences have shaped his current projects.

    Moises shares fascinating insights into his most recent works, including the album “Okachihuali”, the neural synthesizer “Semilla”, and the collaborative project “Mutualismx”. He explains how he uses generative AI to reinterpret traditional music forms, create new sonic textures, and expand the creative potential of musicians. We discuss the conceptual and philosophical frameworks behind these projects, emphasizing the importance of community and collective intelligence in leveraging AI's creative possibilities.

    We also dive into the technical aspects of Moises's work, such as latent space interpolation and the use of neural networks in music synthesis. His approach to blending traditional musical influences with cutting-edge AI technologies provides a unique perspective on the future of music creation. This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone interested in the intersection of music, technology, and AI. Enjoy this deep dive into the wonderfully stochastic world of Hexorcismos!

    https://semilla.ai/

    https://awal.ffm.to/mutualismx

    https://linktr.ee/hexorcismos

    https://twitter.com/hexorcismos

    https://www.instagram.com/hexorcismos/

    Music used:



    Get full access to softmax at redito.substack.com/subscribe
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 25 min
  • Surfing human creativity with AI feat. Nao Tokui (Neutone)

    Surfing human creativity with AI feat. Nao Tokui (Neutone)
    May 24 2024

    Welcome to the very first podcast episode of Softmax! I'm Mark Redito, and today I have the pleasure of speaking with Nao Tokui, an electronic music producer, DJ, surfer, and CEO of Neutone, a groundbreaking startup that is building next-generation AI tools for musicians. In our conversation, we delve deep into the intersection of creativity, art, and technology, exploring how AI is not just a tool, but a "mind mirror" that can reflect and enhance our creative processes. Nao's insights into redefining creativity in the age of AI are truly thought-provoking and offer a fresh perspective on how we can push the boundaries of our artistic endeavors.

    Nao and I discuss his fascinating AI DJ project, where he uses AI to mimic and reflect his DJing style, revealing new facets of his creative process. He shares how AI, with its unique logic, can sometimes choose the perfect song for a DJ set or push him out of his comfort zone, leading to unexpected and inspiring results. "Through the interaction with AI, you can notice your own bias and taste," Nao explains. This idea of AI as both a mirror and a tool is central to our conversation, as we explore how these technologies can introduce novel insights and expand the creative search space.

    We also address common misconceptions about AI, such as the fear that it will replace human musicians, and discuss the difference between consumer-oriented AI tools and those designed for music makers. Nao emphasizes the importance of making AI tools accessible and customizable, allowing artists to experiment and discover new sounds. "I don't want to be in a world where big companies govern what you can do with AI," Nao says. Our discussion highlights the potential of AI to not only automate but also augment and elevate our creative capabilities. Join us as we explore these fascinating topics and more in this compelling first podcast episode of Softmax!

    Note: to compensate for audio quality, AI tools were used to enhance the recordings. You may hear some audio imperfections in the episode. Thanks for understanding!

    Links:

    https://twitter.com/naotokui_en

    https://qosmo.jp/en/publication/naotokui-book

    https://neutone.ai/



    Get full access to softmax at redito.substack.com/subscribe
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    48 min