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In January, Google announced a new AI tool that lets you create music using text descriptions. Called MusicLM, the tool is now available to the public through an open waitlist. You can sign up to try this text-to-music AI on the company’s AI Test Kitchen, which is available on the web as well as mobile apps for Android and iOS devices.
Once you sign up for the waitlist, you will receive an email when it is your turn to try MusicLM. The tool accepts simple prompts like “soulful jazz for a dinner party” as well as broader text descriptions like “a repetitive and easy-to-remember soundtrack for an arcade game that is fast-paced and upbeat, with a catchy electric guitar riff”. You can specify instruments as well as the vibe, emotion, and mood of the music you want.
For every text description, MusicLM will provide you with two different soundtracks or songs. You can listen to both before picking up the one you like better. You can make your selection by tapping or clicking on the trophy icon next to the track.
Google will use your feedback to improve the tool. “Whether you’re a professional musician or just starting out, MusicLM is an experimental tool that can help you express your creativity,” said Kristin Yim, Product Manager at Google Labs, in a blog post announcing the public waitlist for the tool.
Google opens public waitlist for MusicLM
When Google first announced MusicLM, it suggested that the tool won’t be available to the public anytime soon. The company had “no immediate plans” for a public release due to ethical concerns. It feared that the AI could use copyrighted material from training data in the music it generates. In fact, the tool was found to be doing so in a few instances. The tech giant decided it’d be better to keep MusicLM away from the public limelight.
However, with generative AI tools becoming all the rage in no time, Google has changed its mind. The company is now letting the public try MusicLM. Google says it has worked with various musicians to “see how this technology can empower the creative process”. As noted by Techcrunch, MusicLM doesn’t allow users to specify artists or vocals while generating music. This may help avoid using copyrighted materials. If you want to try out MusicLM, you can head over to Google’s AI Test Kitchen here or download the Android app.