Musings on AI and Karnatik music

     I do wonder how Artificial Intelligence can be integrated into the learning, performance, and practice of Karnatik music. There are those who do believe that a traditional artform such as Karnatik music much rather be left as it is even as the world gallops on with AI touching almost every aspect of human life as we know it. However, I do believe that there could be advantages in deploying AI in our music - particularly music education and training for performance. For instance, using AI and Machine Learning to predict the prayogas that follow one another in any given raga could become a useful tool for training students of Karnatik music in manodharma sangeetam. When I was a student of music in Chennai, we would spend hours with the guru, generating prayoga after prayoga in a call and response format. In today's world wherein online guru-sishya dyads and groups abound, a tool such as this could save time and optimise learning resources while also affording a playful, low stakes and low pressure music practice environment for the student or even performer. 

    Generative creativity is one of the central tenets of our improvisatory system of Classical Music and AI could be just the companion we need at this time to keep the creative flow ongoing with relentlessness and precision. This is of course assuming that these machines would learn and acquire "intelligence" in Karnatik ragas and talas using manodharma and compositional data from stalwarts in the field? Again, there might be bani related disagreements, favouring of certain bani-s over others and privileging of artists whose music is widely available as opposed to those who are primarily educators rather than recording/performing artists. Anyway - I'd love to hear thoughts on all of this from you all out there. Please also feel free to share any research that you might be aware of that is already looking into this sort of thing. I am aware of research on modeling of gamakas etc. but am curious to know more about where all this can lead with AI and what this might mean for Karnatik music and music across genres. 

    Interdisciplinarity has emerged as key to solving some of the biggest problems in this world and music has been successfully used across various inter/transdisciplinary contexts. I am myself, for instance, involved in music, health, and wellbeing research. The scope for disciplinary diversity is staggering and pathways are aplenty. It would be very interesting to see where all this goes in the future and how we can collectively also ensure that the integrity of the artform is preserved even as we persevere to create change that is meaningful. Here is to "futuring" as we trod along on our Isai Payanam. 

Musically yours, 

Charulatha Mani