Weird coincidence - I've spent most of my day today listening to different pianists playing Chopin (the best ones, I'm talking Rachmaninoff-level geniuses), and here's what I have to say a few hours later. At some point I've found this and stopped my search after hearing this
I've had this on repeat for a good couple of hours, and had tears in my eyes for the most part of this time. Somehow it was this particular rendition that really touched me
We are light years from AI being able to pull off anything like that, regarding both composition and performance aspects at the same time. Yes, with the set of ideal motors and artificial hands it can repeat what Chopin composed and how Lugansky played it, but compose something like this? Or play it differently each night but still being spot on? Come on. Nobody knows how musicians do it - who will program algorithm to teach AI to do it?
The reason is simple - to play music you need to listen to it. Even more if you want to write music.
You need to understand the idea behind the music, you need to really understand what you or composer - or both - have to say
You need to hear the instrument, be in touch with your thoughts and emotions. That's the hardest part right there.
Not just putting a few notes together - let's be honest, that's how we improvise most of the time anyway, noodling over some simple backing track.
But listening comes first - you hear and you react, adjust, lead. AI cannot do it. Probably never will be able to do it in a proper manner.
I also don't agree that musicians are not getting better. I mean young guys have all bits of info they need to become awesome, no more tens of years trying to decode what Holdsworth played.
Then let's not forget people simply LOVE to play, so this will also not go away even if everything on the radio is AI-generated.
And last but not least, not everything on the radio is a good music TBH, but people listen to what other people have to "say", not looking for a perfect chord or whatever. What AI has to say? Charisma is a word nobody can properly explain but it is a hard fact it exists. Nobody just knows how it works. You need to put people insecurities into AI so it starts resonating with people.
So I've changed my mind about AI being a threat to live musicians. Not any time soon, not even close.
People go to bars not to listen to perfect rendition - that's why we have radio or DJs. This is covered, and people still prefer live bands when drunk. They could have listened to original songs but they are not doing that.
Yes, some talented people will reduce their composing/recording costs with the help of those tools once they are really developed.
But we see to make big eyes when slight eyebrow raise is warranted. AI it not really a threat, there is no actual "I" in "AI".
But I think if a person, a band or group who have genuine talent come along they will have a future. Real talent will always have a place in music. Real talent will always shine.
