Let's face the elephant in the room

We've been here before ... lots of times

You’re not the first generation of musician to get sweaty palms about new tech.

Every time a new bit of technology has turned up in music, someone has looked at it and thought: “Well, that's probably the end of us.”

Recorded music changed the relationship between musicians and audiences. Radio changed it again. Tape changed how we recorded and shared music.

And then came the bit where you could record your mate's album onto a cassette (you know, that album we didn't want recorded a few decades back and didn't want on the radio) (just saying). Youy could record your own copy for the cost of a C-90 (look it up) and you don't need to buy your own!

We're doomed!

We weren't doomed.

Then there were all the innovations when it came to making the music!

Roger Linn's electronic drum kit made every drummer fear for their future. The first workable sampler, the Fairlight (well, it didn't always work) (and it did cost as much as a house) meant you could get a convincing orchestra without hiring ... a convincing orchestra!

And here's the important bit.

The technology didn't make musicians disappear. It changed what musicians could do.

When Sampling Was Witchcraft

The Fairlight CMI (Computer Musical Instrument), created by Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie, was an absolute game-changer.

It was one of the first commercially available samplers and sequencers, which meant you could literally record a sound — like a cash register or a piano — and play it back across different pitches. (Wikipedia)

This wasn’t gear just for geeks — big-name artists like Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, and Trevor Horn used it to build iconic, futuristic soundscapes. Those breaking glass effects at the end of Kate Bush's Babooshka: Fairlight. Those orchestral stabs, drum fills and much much more on Owner Of A Lonely Heart by Yes (produced by Trevor Horn): Fairlight.

The Fairlight helped shape modern music production. If you want to really nerd out: the National Science and Media Museum has a really cool playlist and breakdown of how the Fairlight shaped so many genres. National Science and Media Museum blog

Drum Machines: Robots on drums!

Let’s talk Linn for a second. The LM-1 drum machine, made by Roger Linn, was one of the first to use actual drum samples, not synthesized ones.  reverb.com

Musicians were understandably nervous, drummers were crapping themselves.  What if real drummers are obsolete? — but in reality, it became another tool. A powerful one, but not a replacement for real talent.

But for a time in the early 80's that Linn Drum sound was everywhere. Human League's massive Dare album - all Linn Drum. Even early goth shoe gazers Cocteau Twins were using it!

That Linn sound went on to influence chart-topping music. It wasn’t a cheap gimmick — it shaped pop, electronic, and hip-hop in ways people are still copying today.

But, crucially, drummers are still doing okay. After a while (in fact it was only a few years) we started longing for real drummers again. Hell, one of the biggest musicians in the 80's was Phil Collins, a drummer (and he used a Linn Drum on In The Air Tonight).

AI = Just the Next Tool

 Here's where I think we need to separate the scary stuff from the useful stuff.

AI is massive, and yes, a little scary.

We're past the shiny new toy stage now. AI is becoming part of the way music gets made, marketed and consumed.

That's why every idiot with less musical talent than my cat is dropping prompts and drowning streaming services in sub-standard muzak. Because they can.

Eventually? It’s going to be just another tool, another way for you — the musician — to make stuff that sounds good, looks good, and reaches people. Think: more creative freedom, not less.

At the end of the day, the quality of the output is always dependent on the quality of the input.

• Want AI to help generate melodies? Cool.
• Want it to clean up vocal takes? Go for it.
• Want it to write a “fake” piano line so you can spend more time on the hook? That’s valid.

None of that invalidates your skill. If anything, it amplifies the kinds of things you can do.

Embrace and Use It — Or Get Left Behind

Here’s the blunt truth: AI isn’t going anywhere. It’s not a fad — it’s part of the ecosystem now, like tape, samplers, drum machines. So you’ve got two choices:

1. Hunker down and resist.
   — You’ll spend a lot of time worrying, but you’ll also risk being outpaced.
2. Embrace it, learn it, and use it.
   — Use it as a creative partner. Use it to make better demos, better marketing content, better songs.

I’m firmly in camp #2. Because I want you to be empowered, not anxious.

And honestly? I think the musicians who understand the technology and decide how they want to use it will be in a much better position to take advantage of what it can do.

Note I said musicians there and not any idiot who can type.

Bottom line: Yes, AI is big. Yes, it’s going to change stuff. But it’s not your enemy — unless you refuse to learn how to use it. And if you’re ready to lean in, I’ve got your back.

Hell I'm using it. AI helps me to edit my videos, add captions. I even used it to help me write this blog!

And that's probably the most important point. I'm not telling you to use AI while standing on the sidelines waving a little flag. I'm using the bloody thing myself.

If you liked this, drop me a comment or share it with a musician mate who’s freaking out about AI.