C. Create Your Own AI Music

AI Song Creation 🎶🤖

Your Mission: To explore how Artificial Intelligence can be a partner in making music and to create your own AI-generated song.

Why? This is a chance to explore a cool intersection of technology (AI, computer science) and art (music). You’ll see how tools like these are changing creative industries and think about future possibilities. Careers like AI Music Composer, Sound Designer, Music Producer, or AI Researcher use similar concepts!

Materials You’ll Need:

• A computer or tablet with internet access
• Headphones (recommended!)
• Access to these websites:
  
  • Google MusicFX: https://labs.google/fx/tools/music-fx
  • Google MusicFX DJ: https://labs.google/fx/tools/music-fx-dj

Part 1: Prompt Your Way to a Beat with MusicFX 🎧

Goal: Learn how to guide AI to create music using text prompts.

1. Open MusicFX: Go to https://labs.google/fx/tools/music-fx.
2. Start Simple: In the prompt box, type a basic description of the music you want to hear.
   
   • Examples: “upbeat electronic dance track,” “sad piano melody,” “acoustic guitar for studying,” “8-bit video game music.”
3. Generate & Listen: Click “Generate” and listen to what the AI creates.
4. Experiment! This is where your creativity shines. Try:
   
   • Adding details: What happens if you add moods (e.g., “energetic,” “mysterious,” “peaceful”), instruments (e.g., “with saxophone solo,” “heavy drums”), tempo (e.g., “fast,” “slow”), or even places/times (e.g., “sounds like a rainforest at night,” “futuristic city vibe”)?
   • Changing one word: How does tweaking a single word in your prompt change the outcome?
   • Saving your favorites: If you like a track, see if you can download it or save the prompt you used.
5. Try at least 5 different prompts. What worked well? What was surprising?

Part 2: DJ Your AI Tracks with MusicFX DJ 🎛️

Goal: Mix and modify music tracks like a DJ, using AI-generated sounds.

1. Open MusicFX DJ: Go to https://labs.google/fx/tools/music-fx-dj.
2. Explore the Interface: This tool lets you mix different layers of music (like drums, bass, melodies). You can type prompts for each layer or let the AI suggest combinations.
3. Generate & Mix:
   
   • Try prompting different sounds for different layers. For example, “funky bassline” in one layer and “dreamy synth pads” in another.
   • Experiment with changing the tempo (BPM) or key.
   • Play with the different mixing options the tool provides. How can you make two different AI-generated loops sound good together?
4. Challenge: Try to create a short song (30-60 seconds) that tells a simple story or creates a specific mood (e.g., “getting ready for an adventure,” “relaxing by the beach,” “a chase scene”).
   
   • You can use tracks you liked from MusicFX (if you can import or re-prompt them) or generate new ones directly in MusicFX DJ.

Part 3: Showcase and Share 🎤

• Present Your Piece: Share one of your favorite creations with the group.
• Talk About It:
  
  • What was your creative process? How did you come up with your prompts?
  • What did you find easy or challenging about using these AI tools?
  • How is creating music with AI different from traditional ways?
  • Can AI be truly creative? What’s the role of the human in this process?

Dive Deeper (Optional Challenges):

• Theme Song: Try to create a short theme song for your favorite book, movie, or even for yourself!
• Genre Blender: Use prompts to try and blend two very different musical genres. What happens?
• Soundscape Story: Instead of a song with a beat, try to create a soundscape that tells a story using only ambient sounds and moods generated by AI.
• Remix It: If the tool allows, try to get variations of a track you like and see how different they are.

This activity is all about exploration and discovery. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers, just your unique creations and insights. Have fun experimenting with the future of music!

Prompt Suggestions for Google MusicFX:

Here are a few options for prompts you can use with MusicFX, designed to explore its capabilities. Remember that MusicFX allows for iteration, so you can start with these and then use the “expressive chips” or modify the text to refine the results.

Option 1 (Focus on Mood and Genre):

Chill lofi hip hop beat, melancholic and dreamy, with a Rhodes piano and a subtle vinyl crackle. Perfect for late-night study sessions.

Why it works:

• Clear Genre: “Chill lofi hip hop beat”
• Mood/Atmosphere: “melancholic and dreamy,” “late-night study sessions”
• Key Instruments/Textures: “Rhodes piano,” “subtle vinyl crackle”

Option 2 (More Energetic and Specific):

Upbeat 80s synthwave, driving bassline, gated reverb drums, and soaring synthesizer melody. Fast tempo, around 140 BPM. Evokes a feeling of a retro futuristic car chase.

Why it works:

• Specific Subgenre: “80s synthwave”
• Key Instrumental Characteristics: “driving bassline,” “gated reverb drums,” “soaring synthesizer melody”
• Tempo Indication: “Fast tempo, around 140 BPM” (Note: MusicFX might interpret BPM more loosely)
• Imagery/Theme: “retro futuristic car chase”

Option 3 (Abstract and Experimental – Good for DJ Mode):

Ethereal soundscape, blending organic textures with glitchy electronic elements. Mysterious and evolving, with moments of tension and release. No discernible beat.

Why it works:

• Abstract Concepts: “Ethereal soundscape,” “organic textures,” “glitchy electronic elements”
• Dynamic Description: “Mysterious and evolving,” “moments of tension and release”
• Rhythmic Instruction: “No discernible beat” (tests its ability to create ambient music)

Option 4 (Simple and Direct for a Specific Instrument/Vibe):

Acoustic folk guitar, warm and reflective, gentle fingerpicking. Campfire feel.

Tips for Using These Prompts with MusicFX:

• Start with one and see what MusicFX generates.
• Look for the “expressive chips” (highlighted words you can click) that MusicFX might offer to change aspects of the prompt (e.g., it might let you swap “Rhodes piano” for “electric guitar”).
• Iterate: Modify the prompt with different adjectives, instruments, or genre combinations.
• DJ Mode: If using DJ mode, try breaking down elements of these prompts and combining them on the fly (e.g., start with “80s synthwave,” then add “driving bassline,” then “gated reverb drums”).
• Length and Loops: Don’t forget to adjust settings for track length and looping if desired.

Download your .mp3 or add your shareable link to the Padlet below.