AI piano player?

[fretman]

A friend of mine uses Logic Pro and he sent me a demo of a piece using Logic’s new AI piano player and (being a guitar player) I was pretty impressed. He could specify position and “busyness” of each hand, among many other options. It looks like EZKeys does this. Are there any other AI piano players?

Thanks!

Studio One, Windows, RME UFX, Yamaha MSP7

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[Brian]

I don’t / can’t use Logic (no fruity hardware here) but UJAM has four piano titles that are kinda similar to what EZ Keys does.  I think they are algorhythmic rather than AI based MIDI generators, but they all target a similar task in that you input chords, pick a style, and out comes keyboard performances.  I have not put much time into Scaler 3 yet, but from what I have seen in tutorials it is also capable of some similar functions.

[peter]

I don’t use AI piano VSTs, but I believe that  the Ujam Virtual Pianist line uses AI that does “smart accompaniment and performance.”

We could easily have a lively thread on AI instrument plugins; they’re clearly a topic with diverse opinions. I still record music the way I did when I was a little kid, using multi-track reel-to-reel and cassette recorders. I play in everything track by track and don’t use loops or and pre-made MIDI. To me, the joy of playing is that it’s actually something you create, not a recording or MIDI of someone else playing. But I realize that we’re all different, and from a business perspective, I think there’s a huge public appetite for AI in this space for people who aren’t focused on musicianship or even people who say, play guitar and don’t have the keyboard skills to pull off an acceptable performance and don’t have a collaborator who plays the keys.

One thing is certain: whether we love it or hate it, AI tools are here to stay, and they’re certainly only going to increase.

Now AI in production is another story for me. I use Izotope and Sonible AI tools regularly in the mixing and mastering process.

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[peter]

Ha! Brian and I answered with the same recommendation, UJAM’s Virtual Pianist line.

As always, take AI tools’ results with a grain of salt, but this was Google’s generative AI answer to my asking it whether UJAM’s Virtual Pianist line uses AI (I ran the prompt before making my above post):

“Yes, UJAM’s Virtual Pianist, like many of their virtual instrument plugins, incorporates elements of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its functionality and user experience.
Here’s a breakdown of how AI might be used in UJAM Virtual Pianist:
1. Smart Accompaniment and Performance:
UJAM instruments are known for their ability to create realistic and musical performances without requiring in-depth knowledge of music theory or complex programming.
AI algorithms likely power the “smart” features that allow the Virtual Pianist to generate chord progressions, rhythms, and voicings that fit the selected genre and style.
This could involve analyzing musical patterns, predicting appropriate note choices, and creating variations that sound natural. “

LinkedMusicians Founder. Your friend who keeps the beat.

Check out my music. 

[fretman]

Thanks. It looks like each of the 4 pianos has their own customized AI player. I’ll do research online, but has anyone here is used both UJAM’s and Toontrack’s AI player and are willing to give an informed opinion about how they compare?

Studio One, Windows, RME UFX, Yamaha MSP7

[LinkedMusicians]

On fretman said

Thanks. It looks like each of the 4 pianos has their own customized AI player. I’ll do research online, but has anyone here is used both UJAM’s and Toontrack’s AI player and are willing to give an informed opinion about how they compare?

I think — I’m not sure — that @bapu might own both. Hopefully, he does and can chime in.

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[Brian]

Speculation mode on – I don’t think there is AI involved in the MIDI output created by UJAM or EZ Keyboard stuff.  I think they are algorithmic (i.e. old fashioned computer code) because the output is precisely repeatable based on the input.  In both programs, if you mash the same keys and pick the same settings, you get the same generated part. Actual AI LLM or SLM MIDI engines that I have used will generate output a little different every time *.  UJAM sells four (so far) genre specific titles and the MIDI generated can be controlled by keyswitches and range settings applied to the canned programs.  One feature you mentioned that UJAM uses is ranging the output from “sparse” to “busy” over the keyswitch range, a bit like their other instruments if you have used any of those.  EZ Keys sells the host product and several separate style libraries, although there are a lot of limited basic styles included in the base program.  I have both EZ and UJAM.  If I am playing/creating something that I want to add piano to (beyond my fumbling poking), I reach for EZ Keys-  It has a “Bandmate” feature that will often come up with suitable accompaniment to a melody or chords that you are working with. I find UJAM keys as something fun to generate new ideas, but not really suitable  for finding a fit to an idea you are working on.  It is just too “hit and miss” for that.  Lot’s of good YT vids for EZ Keys out there.  Not so much for UJAM, whose stuff I like, but is more targeting one finger fun.  Just another tip in general for UJAM.  They effect the heck out of everything they do.  All their guitars, keyboards, beat machines, and drums are MIDI generating multi-sample players and most sound really great if you find the FX controls in the UI; shut them off and use your own, or at least cut them way back.

 

• Yes algorithmic code can generate random or probabilistic output, and there are a lot of MIDI tools that do, but I so far have not experienced that from UJAM VP or EZ Keys.

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[Author]

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