Is it Audio? Is it Studio? Audio Studio?
No one is sure, but Udio is here – an AI-based text-to-music (TTM) tool that promises to revolutionize how we create and experience music. Tailored for various users, from budding songwriters to AI newbies, Udio allows you to craft elaborate melodies, expressive harmonies, and creative lyrics simply through text prompts.
Udio is in the free beta version, so there will most likely be bugs for the team to work through. Udio currently allows users to create 1,200 songs per month.
In this comprehensive review, we’ll explore Udio’s potential and take it for a test drive, crafting original songs from mere text prompts.
Pros and Cons
The Upside of Text-to-Music
Udio’s breakthrough promises a democratization of music creation. Those with little to no music production experience stand to benefit from its approachable framework that requires no formal training. The platform’s ability to quickly process and generate music will enable a new generation of creative music makers.
The Downside
However, there are concerns about how AI music tools like Udio might negatively impact traditional musicians. The primary worry is that such technologies could undermine the value of human creativity and skill, making it harder for traditional musicians and composers to compete. There’s also the fear that the unique character and emotional depth that human composers bring to their work could be diluted, as AI-generated music becomes more pervasive.
Creating Songs
Are you curious to see how Udio fares in the field? I test-drove the platform for the first time attempting to figure out the full process from text to tune.
First Prompt
The first prompt is easy. Type in what you want your song to be about, followed by a music style. Or you can pick a suggested ‘tag’ below the text box. Then select one of three options for lyrics – custom, instrumental, or auto-generated, and press create. Your prompt can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. The result is two 32-second audio clips that represent the middle or main portion of the song.
Next Steps
Once you pick the option you like, you’ll see four options – Publish, Extend, Remix, and Edit.
Publishing right away makes the 32-second clip publically visible.
Remixing allows you to keep or change the prompt, keep or change the lyrics, and re-create the 32-second clip to become more similar or different than the original using a ‘variance’ slider button.
Editing allows you to change the song title.
If you want to fully develop a song, then you need to extend. The extend option allows you to add an intro, sections before or after, and an outro. You have the same custom, instrumental, or auto-generated lyrical options for the new extensions.
A basic workflow would look like this:
- Create an initial 32-second audio clip, representing the middle portion of the song
- Add an intro extension
- Add a section after
- Add an outro extension
That would bring you to a song with a duration of about 2:13. You can add up to 10 extensions.
Limitations
The initial 32-second generations are amazing. They sound great and ring true to the musical style and base prompt.
However, there are problems with the extension functionality. The main problem I ran into was with the intro extension. Choosing an instrumental extension almost always added inaudible lyrics to the intro. Creating custom lyrics for the intro extension would produce garbled or inaccurate lyrics. And creating auto-generated lyrical extensions did the same.
Adding extensions after the base clip seemed to work well, although the instrumental option still occasionally produced strange sounds or garbled lyrics.
Original Songs
Each song began as a simple text prompt and blossomed into a unique audio, or Udio, experience. I followed the basic workflow from above and iterated until I got a product I liked. I decided to go with Dub Reggae because it’s one of my favorite genres. The lyrics are a combination of auto-generated and customized lyrics, written by myself. Each song consists of an intro, two main sections, and an outro section. I hope you enjoy them:
Rebel Heart Reverberation
Stand firm, no retreat, inna Babylon
Withstand the heat, carry on, carry strong
Di system corrupt, but wi music a di cure, yah
Di beat pounds deep, like di heart of di pure
Forward ever, inna struggle, we unite
Blazing through the darkness, with our inner light
Rise up, rebel voice, inna de dance hall
Yuh spirit wild, can’t be controlled, nah
I-man stand tall, nuh follow dem protocol
‘Cause a rebel soul, we break di mold, yeah
Rebel heart, learn di rebel talk
Man a lion inna di jungle, nah get caught
I and I stand tall
Praising Jah above all
With a rebel soul
We answer di call
Yah hum dee dee dum
Skip stop doo wee wop
Always from the start
Embrace di rebel heart
Fields of Fire
Oooh ya, feel the fire
Deep down, flames go higher
These burnt fields like a funeral pyre
Ooooh ya
They’re burnin’ fields, the flames reach higher
Babylon’s wrath, they fuel the fire
In this land we feel the pain – watch it blaze
We’ve got to chant down these chains, yeah
Let the herb’s spirit rise, rise through the smoke
Every blaze, every choke, hear the rasta folk
Why must they subjugate?
We just tryna cultivate
Our livelihood on the line
Since the herb makes us feel so fine
Oooh ya I feel fine
Inhale one more time
Exhale now
It’s so divine
Final Thoughts
Udio is an AI text-to-music creation tool that opens the doors to music production for a broad audience, including those without formal musical training. Despite experiencing some bugs, particularly with the extension functionality and lyrical accuracy, the platform demonstrates significant potential.
Its user-friendly interface and innovative approach to music creation make it an exciting development for aspiring musicians and songwriters. While concerns about its impact on traditional music creation are valid, Udio’s ability to democratize music production and inspire a new generation of artists is undeniable.
Cheers!
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