We are used to getting Spotify´s music selection and classification based on what we have listened to and our music taste. Thus, the Swedish company must upload over 20000 new songs or podcasts each day and thanks to artificial intelligence´s help. It provides the music we have listened to the most for some time and its function: “your summer memories” and it creates different music groups depending on what we have listened to lately.
With this help, music gender classification has become obsolete as music lists generation by artificial intelligence do not depend on music gender but on “the good music”. It´s obvious not everybody likes the same music gender, however, specific mathematical patterns which are transversal to music gender do work. Consequently, there are people who like Pop music and still enjoy a song classified as Rock music.
There are different fields in which artificial intelligence can improve music processes. In the 50s, Alan Turing was the first to record computer-generated music. This was the start of an interesting area in which AI-created music through reinforced learning. The algorithm learned what characteristics and patterns created a specific music gender and finally composed.
Thanks to this application, artificial intelligence helps companies to create new music or assist composers in their creations.
Another field in which artificial intelligence has great acceptance is editing. The experience of listening to music with a clear and clean sound is, without any doubt, one of the main features music lovers appreciate the most. Although the creative component is still necessary, AI can train to edit their audios properly to those not having that creative skill
When we talk about applied mathematics to music, we must understand what is involved in diverse areas such as tuning, musical notes, chords, harmonies, rhythm, beat, and nomenclature.
The beginning
In 2002, Polyphonic HMI was founded on the premises of using artificial intelligence and apply it to the music industry. Based on the study of the mathematical components of music, the probabilities of success of a song could be determined. Although an artist´s success depends on many factors, this system helped to simplify the task of finding which song could serve as a launch single of a new album and even of a new artist. Thanks to this, record companies, producers and representatives could allocate resources in a more favorable context. Music commercialization has always been an expensive business and a big challenge to finding promising artists and successful songs.
Fifteen years later, the leading technology companies are investing in this technology focusing on different processes of the music industry. Thanks to mathematics, we can see the impact of artificial intelligence on the music we listen to which enrich our musical experience.
