For 40 years, the feel of Technics 1200s has been unmatched. I still use mine, and I still buy vinyl. Spinning records has a real connection, like playing a synth, but it is different. It’s about nuance, intention, and the physical link between your hands and the music.
Despite my love for the analogue, I’m genuinely excited about where technology is headed. It’s not about replacing the core of music but adding new ways to enhance it. Music tech right now is full of potential.
Vinyl Meets Digital
At Bakroom, my music label and media technology company of over a decade, we’re developing an AI system for producers. It’s not about automating creativity but about supporting it.
Imagine an assistant who understands your sound, suggests harmonies, remembers your compressor settings, or helps turn an idea into a synth patch. It’s about giving producers more time to focus on the feeling of their music and less on repetitive tasks. But, if we rely too heavily on these tools and let them dictate every decision, we risk losing the essence of what makes music human. AI is a studio partner, not a replacement. It’s a tool to amplify our creativity, not to replace it. Magic happens when we guide technology with intuition and our own ‘feel’. When we let it take over, we lose the grit, the imperfection, the soul that makes music resonate.
To me, mentorship means significantly more than just teaching software applications. It’s fundamentally about developing critical listening skills, actively encouraging experimentation, and thoughtfully connecting students to the rich tapestry of music history. For instance, it could involve demonstrating how the art of sampling has evolved from the humble beginnings of tape loops to the more advanced techniques of AI manipulation. It’s also about equipping students with essential real-world skills that will enable them to navigate the complexities of the music industry successfully. We must emphasize the importance of experimenting with various tools while never losing sight of the human element—the beautiful imperfections and the happy accidents in the studio, all of which give the music its unique character and depth.
Passing On Knowledge
My work mentoring young artists at Berklee Online and, more recently, at Soundhaus Studio alongside our new writer Jon Ojeda, who is also known by his creative moniker – alias_j, has truly illustrated to me that the most impactful and meaningful art often emerges from the unique combination of shared experiences and the intentional cultivation of fresh, innovative ideas.
Today’s producers have endless tools but often lack practical wisdom from years in the scene. Tech doesn’t teach you how to build tension in a set or when a track is finished. That’s where mentorship comes in.
A Changing Culture
AI-generated vocals are increasingly charting in popular music, and algorithms have significantly shaped what most people hear for quite some time now. It is easy to perceive this trend as a move away from genuine human creativity, but for the most part, I do not share that perspective. Technology and music are only as empty as their intent might be perceived. With thoughtful design and a dedicated focus on nurturing artists, technology can transform into a valuable tool for creation rather than a limitation that stifles innovation. It empowers more individuals to make music, collaborate with others, and explore the exciting possibilities of fusing both new and old genres. Ultimately, technology is one of many factors that can enhance and improve the music we create together.
Having worked behind turntables, booked and played at festivals, programmed audio-visual shows, and run a label, I envision a new era where tradition and innovation work together.
We’ll always have vinyl collectors and music producers, as there is little that feels the same as the tactile touch of vinyl, turning knobs, chopping faders, and programming 808s & 909s. But we also have AI that can observe our habits and patterns, use better tools that respond to our moods, and find new ways to consume and distribute music.
The more relevant question we should be contemplating is not simply what advancements technology will bring next, but rather how we, as individuals and societies, will shape and influence its development and implementation.
Because, in the end, it’s about the soul of the music.
Here are some features we’re thinking about for our AI system at my company, Bakroom:
-
Creative Tools: AI that suggests chords, synth patches, or grooves based on mood or artwork.
-
AI that applies the sound of artists like Aphex Twin to your tracks.
-
AI that suggests unusual song structures.
-
Sound Enhancement: AI that helps with mixing and mastering while keeping the human feel.
-
AI that tailors effects for specific genres like dub techno or electronica.
-
Samples and Collaboration: AI finds samples in your collection and matches tempo and key.
-
AI that allows collaborators to share ideas directly in your music software.
-
Changing Genres and Collaboration:
Genres are becoming increasingly fluid and dynamic. Sounds once emblematic of specific eras—like the, some would say, iconic trance leads of the 90s—reappear in unexpected places, including contemporary techno. While not always welcomed, this recycling of motifs reflects the cyclical nature of electronic music culture.
Advancements in AI now enable the seamless blending of diverse rhythmic and stylistic elements across genres, often in real-time, pushing creative boundaries in novel ways. Tools like Muse allow artists to collaborate globally, transcending linguistic and geographic barriers. Meanwhile, algorithmic platforms are helping niche genres—such as glitch dub polyrhythm trance—reach broader audiences through enhanced discoverability and intelligent curation. These technologies are helping reshape how music is created, shared, and experienced, particularly in live performance settings where real-time collaboration is becoming increasingly viable.
A Challenge:
Explore these new tools. Collaborate, experiment with genres, and explore the boundaries. Let’s make sure technology helps us create meaningful music. What will you make?
These tools are only as creative as the people who use them. We can let tech dictate the sound or use it to express something more honest, weird, and accurate than ever before.
Words and artwork By [Christian Boshell – Phraktal] Award-winning Promoter, DJ, Label Founder, Berklee Mentor & Author.