Resistance is Futile

What I was afraid of, and what I did about it

1. That people would doubt my organic music. Transparency. I record real instruments even when sampling would be easier, and I never use premade drum loops.
2. What other musicians and producers would think. I cannot be controlled by fear. This was an experiment in following the flow of inspiration, and it does not define me. I took great care with the violin parts, and only released what I sincerely enjoy.
3. Losing sight of my values. I value organic discovery. I also value experimentation, efficiency, fusion, and bringing old and new together.
4. Losing my motivation for time intensive production. Instead, I gained clarity on where to put my energy in the AI age.
5. That it would not feel artistically satisfying. I just had to try it to know.
6. That it would not be ethical. I donate all of the profits.
7. Becoming part of the problem. A chance to be part of the solution instead: learn hands on, clarify my thinking, advocate for royalties on derivative works, and make something deeply human despite also using AI.
8. Discovering that AI can replace musicians. The truth sets you free. Better to know.
9. Shifting legislation. It is an experiment. Get it out, and the profits are donated anyway.

Some of these fears I was able to resolve. Others are out of my control, and I just had to accept them. In the end, I felt the reasons to do it outweighed the reasons not to.

Why I did it anyway

• AI music is here, and it will affect me. Better to inform myself by working with it.
• I am well positioned for it. My biggest strength is organic violin beauty, and putting violin on electronica is familiar ground from my collaborations with electronic producers. I could make something finer than AI alone.
• Take back control from the anxiety. Turn it into power, through action.
• Ride the wave, instead of getting wrecked by it.
• There is no honor in letting non-musicians take over the music industry. I am the type of person you want making your music.
• Raise awareness of the risks, firsthand.
• Raise money for charity.
• Trust my intuition. The concept arrived fully formed.

Eight things I liked

1. A straightforward workflow. It kept me on track and made finishing easier. I was not so invested in all the possibilities.
2. A wide variety of electronic styles to curate.
3. Spontaneity. The electronic part came quickly, so I could be spontaneous recording mine.
4. My strongest point. I could focus on the violin.
5. Totally violin centered, without covering up anyone's intricate, time intensive sound design.
6. A time capsule of my current style on violin.
7. A different workflow. My own organic workflow leads me to interesting, unexpected places. This one led somewhere different.
8. Musical growth, in harmonies and scales.

Eight things I did not

1. Less exploration and surprise. Fewer unexpected developments.
2. Slow. Generating good electronic tracks took a long time, and the whole point of AI is to save time.
3. Hard to keep organized. Keeping track of the versions with the parts I wanted, to arrange later, was a challenge.
4. Less ownership. I curated, but I did not create.
5. All or nothing. You cannot work with the individual parts.
6. Production quality. Detail and punch are lacking, and the mix has limits. It will certainly improve. It already has.
7. The fears, constantly present. I could not ignore my ethical concerns.
8. Unresolved legal questions.