By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone
Artificial intelligence is no longer the future: it's the out-of-tune instrument playing in the rehearsal room. And yes, it can be scary. It may seem like a cold monster that has come to replace us. But it can also be an unexpected toolbox. A spark. A strange mirror. Another way to say what we have to say. We're not here to celebrate it without question or to fall into alarmism. We're here to get our hands dirty, to experiment, to twist it until it sounds like something of our own.
This is not a revolution. It's just another distortion.
We're not going to sugarcoat anything: AI can be used to homogenize, reduce costs, and automate without a soul. But it can also be manipulated, sabotaged, remixed. It can be an ally of intuition, if the reins aren't handed over.
Four basic ideas to avoid losing your soul:
1. The tool doesn't think for you.
Use AI like you would a synthesizer, a distortion pedal, or a drum machine: as an extension of your decisions. Not as a replacement.
2. Not everything that is "faster" is better.
Sometimes, what takes the longest to develop is what truly represents you. Don't let AI impose the anxiety of immediate results on you.
3. It shouldn't sound like stock.
Generic results abound. If you use a synthesized voice, a suggested beat, or generated lyrics, tweak them, break down their edges. Put your own stamp on them.
4. Do it intentionally.
Don't use AI just because "everyone else is doing it." Use it if it enhances your vision. If not, close the tab and go back to your notebook.
This isn't for the faint of heart. It's for those who aren't afraid to experiment.
Some musicians do everything they can to sound perfect. Others of us prefer to sound authentic. If AI helps you get there, great. If not, let it stay in the background of your browser.
Bonus track: Tools for experimenting without selling your soul
If you're curious, here are some tools you can try without losing your bearings:
- AIVAIt generates compositions by genre and emotion. Ideal for unlocking ideas.
- Orb Producer SuiteAI-assisted composition plugins.
- iZotope Ozone / Neutron / Nectar: mixing and mastering with intelligent (and editable) assistance.
- Adobe Enhance Speech: cleans up home voice recordings without losing naturalness.
- Runway ML / Midjourney: for clips, covers, AI-powered visuals.
Use them like you're strumming a new guitar. Explore, mess it up, play it out of tune if you need to. Don't make it sound like a machine. Make it sound like you.
This is not a tutorial. It's a provocation.
To champion self-expression in the age of algorithms is an act of creative resistance. It doesn't matter if you make digital cumbia, spoken word, trap, noise, or folk music with kitchen sounds. If you have something to say, find every possible way to say it.
And if AI can be one of those ways, use it. But never forget this:
Emotion cannot be automated. Honesty is not generated by prompt.
This is what Latin America sounds like when it's not afraid to mix the analog with the impossible.
🛠️ Addendum: A minimal guide to guilt-free browsing
Want to experiment with artificial intelligence without surrendering your soul? Here are five options you can play with without spending a fortune or losing control:
- Soundraw: to create musical backing tracks according to moods. Ideal for getting started.
- BoomyIt generates entire songs, but they're customizable. Just don't settle for the first result.
- LANDRAutomatic mastering that you can adjust to your liking.
- VoicemodIt turns text into songs with artificial voices. Playful and intriguing.
- Runway MLIf you want your music to have weird visuals, this is your ally.
These tools don't replace your sensitivity. They just open new doors. Experiment, fail, remix. And if something sounds too perfect, maybe it's time to add some noise. Your own.
