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

Theoretically Media
14 Jun 202317:41

TLDRDiscover how AI can help you compose epic film soundtracks without any musical background. The video guide will teach you to create emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for your projects using AI, and how to arrange them in a digital audio workstation like Ableton. Learn to utilize free resources such as Spitfire Labs and Avia.ai to produce unique music inspired by renowned composers like Hans Zimmer.

Takeaways

  • 🎵 You can compose an orchestral piece without prior musical knowledge by the end of the video.
  • 🎹 This tutorial will also teach you how to fake playing the piano.
  • 🎬 AI in filmmaking can create emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for short films, animations, and videos.
  • 🚫 You're not going to replace professional composers like Hans Zimmer, but you can create your own unique music.
  • 🎹 You don't need a keyboard or extensive musical theory to get started.
  • 💻 'Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)' software like Ableton or GarageBand is needed for arranging and making music.
  • 🎷 Spitfire Labs and BBC Orchestra offer free instruments and orchestral sounds.
  • 🎶 Use Avia.ai to create an influence track and generate compositions based on reference audio.
  • 🔄 Edit the AI-generated music in your DAW to add dynamics, feel, and make it sound more musical.
  • 🎼 'Ableton Live Lite' is available for free or at a low cost with certain hardware or software purchases.
  • 😄 The process allows for personal creativity and results in a soundtrack that is unique to the user.

Q & A

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

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

  • What is the purpose of the tutorial and video?

    -The purpose is to show viewers how to create emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for their short films, animations, and videos using AI, without needing any prior musical knowledge or theory.

  • What is the AI music generator mentioned in the video that the author was not impressed with?

    -The AI music generator mentioned is 'music gen', which the author found to produce results that were not quite ready yet.

  • What are some of the tools and software recommended for this tutorial?

    -Recommended tools include a DAW (like Ableton or GarageBand), Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra (which is free), and Avia.ai for creating the music.

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

    -They can be downloaded for free from Spitfire Labs.

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

    -You go to the 'influences' tab, create a new influence, and upload your reference audio. Avia will analyze the file and allow you to adjust settings like key signature before uploading.

  • What is the role of the MIDI files in the process?

    -The MIDI files are used to bring the AI-generated music into your DAW, where you can manipulate them and assign instruments to create your final soundtrack.

  • How does one edit the AI-generated music to improve its quality and dynamics?

    -You can edit the notes in the piano roll, adjust the scale to ensure correct notes are played, add effects, and rearrange sections of the music to create a more dynamic and interesting composition.

  • What is the significance of the 'soft piano' and 'Foghorn' instruments from Spitfire Labs?

    -These are unique instruments that can be used to give the soundtrack a distinct sound, similar to the style of Hans Zimmer. They add character and depth to the music.

  • How does the video end with a humorous note?

    -The video ends with a joke about how to fake playing piano, suggesting a classy approach that includes pouring a drink, finding the C note, and pretending to play while the music plays in the background.

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 by the end. The host intends to teach how to make emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for various media without needing musical knowledge or theory. The host critiques current AI music generators and proposes a more hands-on approach using a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and Spitfire Labs' free BBC Orchestra instruments.

05:00

🎹 Getting Started with DAW and Spitfire Labs

The host transitions into the practical setup, listing the tools needed, including a DAW (with Ableton and GarageBand as options) and Spitfire Labs for free orchestral sounds. The process of using Avia.ai for creating an influence track with a reference audio, like a Hans Zimmer piece, is explained. The host guides through the steps of uploading the reference track, identifying its key signature, and generating a composition based on the provided influence.

10:01

🎼 Importing and Assigning Sounds in Ableton

The segment focuses on importing the generated music into Ableton and assigning instruments using the BBC Symphony Orchestra from Spitfire Labs. The host provides a brief tutorial on navigating Ableton's interface, emphasizing the use of Arrangement View for linear composition. The process of adding and swapping instruments, such as the Foghorn and a soft piano, is detailed, along with tips on adjusting the performance of each instrument group.

15:03

🎵 Editing and Enhancing the AI-Generated Score

This part delves into editing the AI-generated music to add dynamics and interest. The host explains how to use Ableton's piano roll for note manipulation, applying scales to ensure in-key notes and using effects for added depth. The segment covers cutting, moving, and adjusting sections of the music to create a more engaging score. The host also mentions a PDF guide for reference and discusses options for obtaining Ableton Live Lite.

🎹 Final Touches and Faking Piano Playing

The host concludes by refining the melody and sharing tips on improving the overall sound of the score. The process of cleaning up the notes, using the brush tool, and adjusting the velocity for a more musical output is discussed. The host emphasizes the uniqueness of the AI-assisted creation process, encouraging viewers to experiment and make personal choices. The video ends with a humorous guide on how to fake playing the piano, complete with a brief piano performance.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI music composition

AI music composition refers to the process of creating music using artificial intelligence. In the context of the video, it involves using AI to generate emotional, dramatic, or suspenseful scores for various types of visual media without requiring traditional musical knowledge or theory. The video demonstrates how AI can assist in creating a full orchestral piece, similar to those composed by renowned film composers like Hans Zimmer, by leveraging AI platforms like Avia.ai and digital instruments from Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra.

💡Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is a software application used for recording, editing, and producing audio files. In the video, the DAW is essential for arranging and editing the AI-generated music. The script specifically mentions Ableton as the DAW used for the tutorial, highlighting its features such as the arrangement view and the ability to import MIDI files and apply various audio effects to shape the final sound.

💡Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra

Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra is a collection of free virtual instruments that emulate the sounds of a full orchestra. These instruments can be used within a DAW to add an orchestral sound to music compositions. In the video, the creator uses these instruments to bring the AI-generated MIDI files to life, providing a realistic orchestral sound to the composition.

💡Avia.ai

Avia.ai is an AI music composition platform that allows users to create music by analyzing a reference track and generating a new piece based on the provided influence. The video demonstrates how to use Avia.ai to create an influence track with a reference audio file, such as Hans Zimmer's 'Time' from the movie Inception, and then generate a new composition based on that influence.

💡Key signature

A key signature is a musical concept that determines the tonal center of a piece, indicating the key in which a song is written. In the video, the creator asks Avia.ai about the key signature of the reference track to ensure that the AI-generated music is in the correct key, which is essential for creating a harmonious and coherent composition.

💡MIDI

MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is a protocol for communicating musical information between devices. In the video, the AI-generated music is provided as a MIDI file, which contains information about the notes and their timing but not the specific sounds. The creator then uses a DAW to import the MIDI file and assign virtual instruments from Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra to bring the composition to life with an orchestral sound.

💡Orchestration

Orchestration refers to the process of assigning specific instruments within an orchestra to play particular parts of a composition. In the context of the video, the creator uses the DAW to orchestrate the AI-generated MIDI by assigning different virtual instruments from Spitfire Labs BBC Orchestra to various parts of the music, such as melody, bass, extra chords, and percussion, to create a full and rich orchestral sound.

💡Music editing

Music editing involves the process of manipulating and adjusting various elements of a musical composition to improve its overall quality and achieve the desired sound. In the video, the creator demonstrates music editing techniques such as trimming the reference audio, adjusting the tempo, and fine-tuning the arrangement of the AI-generated music in the DAW to add dynamics, emotion, and interest to the final composition.

💡Emulation

Emulation in the context of music refers to the act of replicating or imitating the sound or style of another instrument or composer's work. The video script mentions using AI to emulate the style of renowned film composers like Hans Zimmer, and it also discusses using virtual instruments like the Foghorn and the Brahm from Spitfire Labs to achieve a sound reminiscent of Zimmer's compositions.

💡Piano

The piano is a keyboard instrument that plays music by striking strings with hammers. In the video, the creator discusses using a virtual 'soft piano' instrument from Spitfire Labs to replace the default melody instrument in the AI-generated composition, adding a haunting and emotional quality to the soundtrack. Additionally, the video humorously concludes with a section on how to 'fake' playing the piano, emphasizing the accessibility of music creation even without traditional instrumental skills.

💡Dynamics

Dynamics in music refer to the variations in volume levels and the expression of intensity in a piece. The video emphasizes the importance of adding dynamics to the AI-generated music to make it more engaging and emotionally impactful. The creator uses techniques such as extending note lengths and adjusting the velocity of notes to add excitement and interest to the composition.

Highlights

AI enables individuals to compose epic film soundtracks without any prior musical knowledge or theory.

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

The tutorial does not require a keyboard or any musical theory, only the ability to count to four and know the alphabet up to G.

A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) like Ableton or free alternatives like GarageBand and Cakewalk are recommended for music composition.

Spitfire Labs and BBC Orchestra offer free instruments and orchestral sounds for music creation.

Avia.ai is a platform that can generate music based on provided references and desired emotional outcomes.

Avia analyzes reference audio to suggest key signatures and create influence tracks for music composition.

The generated music by Avia is not a direct copy but rather a new creation inspired by the reference track.

After downloading compositions from Avia, they can be imported into a DAW for further editing and arrangement.

Ableton is used for demonstration, but any DAW can be used for the tutorial, with specific instructions for Ableton provided.

Editing in Ableton involves adjusting notes, adding effects, and manipulating the composition to add dynamics and interest.

The video provides a PDF guide for reference and tips on obtaining Ableton Live Lite for free or at a low cost.

The process of creating music with AI is emphasized as a unique and personal experience, even for beginners.

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

AI music generation is presented as a tool for creativity and personal expression, rather than a replacement for professional composers.

The video demonstrates the potential of AI in making film scoring accessible to a wider audience, breaking down traditional barriers to music composition.