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My colleague made this programme (I did the logistics for it) . Worth a listen. As a composer in San Francisco, Tarik O'Regan is at the epicentre of the collision of classical music and AI. In San Francisco now, there's the same buzz as in the early 00s' tech boom. But 'old tech' is moving out and Silicon Valley has a new nickname: 'Cerebral Valley'. Around Tarik's studio, buildings are constantly bought up for AI start-ups and ‘Hacker Houses’ - where budding engineers live, eat, code together - proliferate. And one of AI's fastest areas of development? Music creation. But classical music is part of San Francisco’s life blood. Since the 19th century, it's had a reputation for concert halls and opera houses. British composer Tarik O’Regan takes a personal journey around the city he now calls home, riding a driverless taxi to talk to figures from both the tech and classical music worlds. Will AI ultimately turn his professional career into a hobby, or will it prove a useful tool to human composers? He talks to Tamara Rojo from San Francisco Ballet, composer Mason Bates, and composer and AI entrepreneur Ed Newton-Rex, and uses AI to compose a new work to be performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002k3th

Even more scary is that a close mate, whom I formed a covers band with back in 2013 and has written 5 albums, just commented: "TBH that song sounds as good if not better than many songs coming out of Nashville". Whether that's fair or not, the fact that was his reaction just shows how good AI already is at composition. Very glad that, like you, I'm focussed on live performance.

Yeah, I figure playing an instrument live is somewhat future-proofed. People have been able to listen to recorded music for over 100 years but still want to go out and hear people perform it. Making new music, I dunno - AI will get very good at it. There will probably be a lot of hybrid stuff where music is made more cheaply/easily with AI but there is still a real 'face' to the music e.g. ask AI to make a backing track after having been given prompts about the style etc. but then a real person sings over it.

A good sax player really adds to a band. A bad one makes every song sound like One Step Beyond.

I’ve had friends do stuff like that too, meaning well but missing the point. I just laugh and keep posting; the odd comments still help keep the gig in people’s heads.

Classy 👍🏼

As a retired pilot I'd never recommended playing on any aircraft runways 😳, but Yep there's something for everyone. Just a shame we have to kiss (or ought I say 'play') a few frogs along the way 😂

Yep, she's a bit of a legend isn't she. Mind you she's had her pick of smaller scale basses with quite a few manufacturers falling over themselves trying to get in on the scene. And despite the obvious parental and sponsorship grooming, the young lass certainly has the talent and charisma to charm. Wonder what she'll be up to 10 years from now. Still playing I hope....

I'll do me best. Failing that, for the right bass, I'll stick in some EMG or Aguilars or whatever else takes me fancy come the time.

It is adjustable via the standard MIDI CC for portamento though.

has anyone had any experience with these? I recently got a harley benton one https://www.thomann.co.uk/harley_benton_amp_iso_2.htm I'm really amazed at the thing! on a hollow wooden stage it made a huge difference in sound and tone

Scarily easy as I've just figured out! Another nail in the coffin for aspiring originals artists hoping to "make it", just as streaming has already proved to be? I suspect that where the industry is heading could well be similar to where classical music has ended up with performers, in our case covers and tribute bands, being custodians of a vast library of music that is already much loved; with occasional new material to sit alongside the great songwriters and composers of the past: read ABBA to Zeppelin for Bach to Verdi. The Times They Are A-Changin'...

Incidentally, I found this video: which says in the description "M-VAVE ANN BLACK BOX is same as the original BLACK BOX, they just emphasized the ANN Training capability of their device."

I had a problem with the Boss working in my acoustic and the workaround was to use a TRS-TS connector. So I got a right angled one and as that also ‘worked’ on my other instruments I could use it when I felt it was sticking out a bit too much… There were also some jacks it didn’t like and it wouldn’t operate the power so I kept an assortment of washers that went over the Boss jack and made sure the power was activated. All stored in an old glasses case…