Cuckoo: AI is “a reminder of how important it is to take your artistry seriously”
“When AI comes along, it’s challenging me, I’m here for it, I’m ready, it’s asking me questions: ‘Human, you’re a slacker, I can do what you’re doing – can you take me on?’”
Cuckoo
Music gear reviewer and musician Cuckoo is embracing AI in music production. In an interview, the producer, whose YouTube handle is @truecuckoo, says he sees AI technology as a healthy “challenger” for music producers and a “reminder” to take music-making seriously.
The loveable Norwegian apparently welcomes the relatively sudden integration of AI within music. In a recent interview with MusicRadar, he says: “When AI comes along, it’s challenging me, I’m here for it, I’m ready, it’s asking me questions: ‘Human, you’re a slacker, I can do what you’re doing – can you take me on? Can you?’”
He goes on to say how the debates arising around the use of AI are healthy for producers: “It’s asking me questions,” he says, “What is it to be a human artist? What is so special about it?
“If AI is going to evolve, we’re going to have to live with it forever so it’s cool to have this challenger coming out of nowhere. It’s a reminder of how important it is to take yourself and your artistry seriously, too.”
The power is still in the hands of humans, however, as Cuckoo reminds readers: “In terms of making meaningful use of AI, that’s for every human to decide for themselves,” he says. “There still needs to be a human to put the seal of quality on a product.”
The interview also reveals the eccentric producer’s essential and “secret weapon” studio gear. According to Cuckoo, the Expressive E Osmose, is a “well put together, beautifully sounding and expressive synth” that’s taken him to “unchartered territory”. He also shouts out the Elektron Digitone – the central hub for his live setup – and the Universal Audio 610A virtual pre-amp plugin.
Cuckoo is not the only popular figure in music production to have defended AI in recent times. Nile Rodgers of Chic referred to the backlash against AI as “noise” in June, while Paul McCartney has revealed he’s using AI to help clean up old recordings of The Beatles. Grimes and DJ Fresh have even created their own AI voice-swap software.
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