No Music Skill? You Can Compose Epic Film Soundtracks with AI!

Theoretically Media
14 Jun 202317:41

TLDRDiscover how AI can assist in composing epic film soundtracks without the need for traditional musical skills. The video guide will walk you through the process of creating emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for various media projects using AI, specifically through a platform like Avia.ai. By leveraging free resources such as Spitfire Labs and BBC Orchestra, and with the aid of a DAW like Ableton, viewers can generate and arrange unique orchestral pieces inspired by renowned composers like Hans Zimmer. The tutorial also touches on the importance of personal touch in the AI composition process, ensuring that the final product is a reflection of the creator's individual style.

Takeaways

  • 🎵 Anyone can create orchestral music with AI, even without musical knowledge or theory.
  • 🎹 You don't need a keyboard or extensive musical background to compose film soundtracks.
  • 🎬 AI music generators like Avia.ai can help produce emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for various media projects.
  • 💻 A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is necessary for arranging and editing AI-generated music, with free options like GarageBand for Mac users and Cakewalk for Windows users.
  • 🎻 Spitfire Labs and BBC Orchestra offer free orchestral instruments and sounds to enhance your compositions.
  • 🎼 Avia's AI analyzes reference tracks to create new, unique music based on provided influences.
  • 🔄 The AI-generated music isn't a direct copy but rather an inspired piece with its own character.
  • 🎹 Editing AI-generated music in a DAW allows for personalization and improvement of the composition.
  • 🎶 MIDI files can be manipulated in a DAW to change the instruments and dynamics of the music.
  • 🎵 With AI assistance, you can create a unique soundtrack that reflects your personal style and taste.
  • 😄 The process of creating AI-assisted music is fun, accessible, and doesn't require professional expertise.

Q & A

  • What are the two promises made at the start of the video?

    -The two promises are that viewers will not be taking jobs away from professional composers like Hans Zimmer, and that by the end of the video, they will have created a full orchestral piece and learned how to fake playing piano.

  • What is the purpose of using AI in filmmaking and scoring?

    -The purpose of using AI in filmmaking and scoring is to enable individuals to create touching, emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for their short films, animations, and videos, without the need for extensive musical knowledge or theory.

  • What is the AI music generator mentioned in the video and what is the author's opinion on it?

    -The AI music generator mentioned is 'music gen'. The author's opinion is that it is not very impressive, as the result it produces with a prompt like 'Hans Zimmer soundtrack' does not sound quite ready yet.

  • What are some of the tools and software recommended in the video for creating music?

    -The tools and software recommended include a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) like Ableton or GarageBand, Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra, and Avia.ai for creating and arranging music.

  • How does one obtain the free Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra and other instruments?

    -The Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra and other instruments can be obtained for free by downloading them from Spitfire Labs.

  • What is the process for creating an influence track using Avia.ai?

    -To create an influence track with Avia.ai, one needs to sign up for a free account, upload a reference audio file, and select the key signature of the song. Avia will then analyze the file and allow the user to create a composition based on the uploaded influence.

  • What is the role of the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) in this process?

    -The DAW is used to import the MIDI files generated by Avia.ai, assign instruments to the MIDI tracks, and edit the music to add dynamics and interest to the composition.

  • How can the viewer manipulate the notes in the composition using the DAW?

    -The viewer can manipulate the notes by double-clicking on the cells to bring up the piano roll, using the scale button to ensure the notes are in key, and adjusting the velocity and other audio effects to refine the sound.

  • What is the significance of the 'Drive' audio effect mentioned in the video?

    -The 'Drive' audio effect is used to add more power and impact to the sound, as it enhances the audio and gives it more presence and punch.

  • How does the author suggest improving the melody of the composition?

    -The author suggests improving the melody by removing busy notes, using the brush tool to experiment with note placement, and adjusting the notes based on what sounds good and fits the key.

  • What is the final outcome of using AI and the described process in creating a soundtrack?

    -The final outcome is a unique soundtrack that, while not as polished as a professional composition, offers a creative and personalized piece of music that can be used in various media projects.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Introduction to AI Film Scoring

The video begins by assuring viewers that they won't be replacing renowned composers but will learn to create a full orchestral piece. The host introduces the topic of AI in filmmaking and aims to teach viewers how to make emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for their projects without any prior musical knowledge. The host critiques existing AI music generators and proposes a more hands-on approach using a digital audio workstation (DAW) and free resources like Spitfire Labs and BBC Orchestra. The tutorial emphasizes the need for a reference track and the use of a Chrome plugin called 'Sample' to capture audio for analysis on a site called avia.ai.

05:00

🎹 Getting Started with DAW and Samples

The host transitions into the practical setup, listing the equipment and software needed for the tutorial, including a DAW like Ableton, free alternatives like GarageBand and Cakewalk, and Spitfire Labs for free orchestral instruments. The process of creating an influence track on avia.ai using a reference audio file is detailed, along with the importance of identifying the key signature for music generation. The host guides viewers on how to create a composition using the generated tracks, emphasizing that the output will be a unique interpretation rather than a direct copy of the reference track.

10:01

🎼 Editing and Arranging AI-Generated Music

The segment focuses on editing the AI-generated music within a DAW. The host demonstrates how to import MIDI files, assign instruments from BBC Labs, and adjust the performance controls for each track. The process of swapping out instruments for a more Hans Zimmer-style sound is explained, along with tips on using the piano roll editor to manipulate notes, add effects, and adjust the dynamics of the music. The host encourages experimentation and highlights the importance of personal touch in the final composition.

15:03

🎶 Enhancing the Composition with AI Assistance

The host continues to refine the AI-generated music by discussing the addition of more personal elements, such as adjusting the melody and removing busyness. The use of the scale feature in the piano roll editor to ensure in-key notes and the importance of playing around with the composition to achieve a desired sound are emphasized. The host also provides a humorous and simplified guide on how to fake playing the piano, injecting a light-hearted touch to the end of the tutorial. The video concludes with encouragement for viewers to experiment and create unique music, regardless of their starting point.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think, learn, and problem-solve like humans. In the context of the video, AI is used to assist in composing film soundtracks, even for those without musical knowledge or theory. The script mentions using AI to generate music and edit compositions, highlighting its role in creating unique and emotional scores for various media projects.

💡Film Soundtracks

Film Soundtracks are the musical scores that accompany movies, enhancing the emotional impact and storytelling of the visual content. They are an essential component of filmmaking, helping to convey the mood, theme, and narrative of a story. In the video, the focus is on creating epic film soundtracks using AI, aiming to provide a full orchestral piece for different types of media projects, such as short films, animations, and videos.

💡Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is a software application used for recording, editing, and producing audio files. It serves as a centralized environment for musicians, producers, and audio engineers to create, mix, and finalize their audio projects. In the video, the use of a DAW like Ableton is emphasized as a necessary tool for arranging and making music, even without prior musical knowledge.

💡Orchestration

Orchestration refers to the process of assigning musical instruments to specific parts of a composition, creating a full and rich sound. It involves understanding the characteristics and capabilities of various instruments and arranging them in a way that complements the melody, harmony, and overall structure of the piece. In the video, viewers are guided on how to use AI to create orchestral pieces, leveraging the capabilities of a DAW and free orchestral instruments from Spitfire Labs.

💡Music Theory

Music Theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music, encompassing elements such as melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and structure. It provides a framework for understanding and creating music, often involving concepts like scales, chords, and key signatures. The video emphasizes that even without formal music theory knowledge, one can still compose using AI and a DAW, simplifying the process for beginners.

💡Ableton

Ableton is a DAW used for music production, composition, recording, and live performances. It offers a range of features that cater to both beginners and professionals, allowing for the creation of complex musical projects. In the video, Ableton is used as the primary DAW for arranging and editing AI-generated music, with the presenter providing specific instructions for its use.

💡Spitfire Labs

Spitfire Labs is a company that provides high-quality sample libraries and virtual instruments for music production. Their products are designed to mimic the sound of real instruments, offering musicians and composers a diverse range of options for their compositions. In the video, Spitfire Labs's free BBC Orchestra and other instruments are used to give the AI-generated music a realistic and professional orchestral sound.

💡Avia.ai

Avia.ai is an AI music composition platform that allows users to create original music by analyzing reference tracks and generating new compositions based on the input. It uses machine learning algorithms to understand the structure, melody, and harmony of a given piece of music and produce something new while maintaining a similar emotional impact. In the video, Avia.ai is used to generate the initial compositions that are then arranged and edited in a DAW.

💡 MIDI

MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is a protocol for communicating musical information between devices. It allows for the control of software synthesizers and electronic musical instruments, as well as the recording and editing of musical data. In the video, MIDI files are used as the foundation for the AI-generated compositions, which are then imported into the DAW for further arrangement and editing.

💡Editing

Editing in the context of music production refers to the process of modifying and fine-tuning the various elements of a composition to achieve the desired sound. This can involve adjusting the pitch, tempo, volume, and other parameters of the music, as well as rearranging sections and adding effects. In the video, editing is crucial for transforming the AI-generated music into a polished and emotionally resonant soundtrack.

💡Emotions

Emotions in music refer to the feelings or moods that a piece of music evokes in the listener. Composers use various musical elements such as melody, harmony, rhythm, and dynamics to convey specific emotions and enhance the narrative of a film or story. In the video, the AI-generated music is tailored to match the emotional tone of the reference track, with the user selecting an emotion for the composition to ensure it aligns with the desired mood.

Highlights

AI allows anyone to compose epic film soundtracks, even without any musical background.

By the end of the video, viewers will have created a full orchestral piece and learned to fake playing the piano.

AI music generators like 'music gen' can produce results, but they may not be ready for professional use yet.

To get started, all you need is a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and some free tools like Spitfire Labs and BBC Orchestra.

Ableton and GarageBand are user-friendly DAWs available for those just starting out in music composition.

Avia.ai is a platform that can help create music by analyzing a reference track and generating a unique composition.

Avia's composition process involves selecting an emotion and the number of compositions to generate from the influence track.

The generated music is not a direct copy but takes elements from the reference and creates something new.

After downloading the generated music files, they can be imported into a DAW for further editing and arrangement.

Editing in Ableton involves adjusting notes, assigning instruments, and adding effects to enhance the composition.

The AI-generated music can be manipulated to avoid sounding like typical AI compositions by adding dynamics and interest.

The process of creating music with AI is not only about the technology but also about the user's personal touch and creativity.

The video provides a step-by-step guide on how to use AI and a DAW to create a unique film soundtrack.

The presenter shares a PDF guide for those who need a quick reference and also offers tips on getting Ableton Live Lite.

Even without being a professional composer, one can create a soundtrack that captures the essence of a scene with AI assistance.

The video concludes with a humorous take on how to fake playing the piano, emphasizing the accessibility of music creation for everyone.