of new, original thought. It’s not a far stretch to think that the same malpractice could present a Dead Mu- sic Theory. Which in turn would further drive a course-correction as the pendulum of demand shifts back to best expressions of human compositions. Undoubtedly, there will be a shift in purchasing trends as the AI tools being introduced begin to negate the need for fine-tuned specialities. But we aren’t there just yet, and we still have a responsibility
to create for the sake of channeling cre- ativity. I plan to stay on the cusp of these advances to better understand the role our store Astro AVL will play in the unfolding of this MI evolution, and I advise you to do the same. MI Cyph Shah is the manager of Astro Audio Video and Light- ing in Glendale, California. He is also the lead instructor of the DJ School (Astro Mix Lab) and designs/commissions AVL systems for nightlife, art exhibits, corporate showrooms, sports facilities and live performance venues as Astro’s installation foreman. He has performed across the country for more than 20 years as a club DJ and releases electronic music productions amongst international record labels.
ment. While this won’t play a factor in commercial nightlife at its current state, there’s no doubt this will influence the decision making of those consumers hir- ing entertainment for small gatherings, as well as set the groundwork for more developments to come in the pro world. FROM SCARCITY TO SATURATION A lifetime has passed since the days of a 13-track album hitting stores on CD. Then, in 2001, the iPod broke the mold by offer- ing the ability to store up to 1,000 songs on a single device. Today, with stream- ing services, the cap on previous storage limitations is a nonfactor. When creating music becomes completely untethered to any existing barriers to entry, the unending supply of songs will inevitably become a disruptor for both music platforms and listeners. Currently more than 100,000 songs are added to Spotify each day. We could reasonably expect that number to increase 10-fold, which possesses its own problems in terms of content outpacing infrastructure. Beyond that, we must assess if listeners will become overwhelmed by the array of options available. Consumption is the underbelly of creation, and without a dual harmony in place, it’s likely the modality will require a rearrangement, the nature of which is still unknown. DISRUPTION IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF SOUND Instinctively, human beings place an in- trinsic value in commodities. We also crave connection in an experience. Those mo- ments offer qualitative, memorable impacts in our personal lives. In a future society of clustered AI audio, natural instruments and live performances may see an increase in consumer attention. And while it sad- dens me to think it, software-based music creation may be outpaced by what can AI output at a fraction of the effort. In the near future we may witness a major shift take place. ECHO CHAMBERS IN AUDIO CREATION There is one more wrench to throw into the AI gears, though. Maybe you’ve heard of the Dead Internet Theory. If not, let me explain. AI generated content is pull- ing information from blogs, forums and articles all over the internet. Content cre- ators are using AI, so as the next slew of blogs are written with AI, eventually we’re witnessing the snake eating its own tail — regurgitating the same echo chamber of information in an endless cycle, void
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