I use an AI choir to perform demos of my a cappella music.
Well, sort of.
You may be familiar with virtual instruments—software plug-ins used to create music in digital audio workstations. They can produce remarkably realistic pianos, drums, strings, brass, woodwinds, and much more.
A composer can control the melody, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, and countless other details to create just the right sound. These virtual instruments have become increasingly common in professional music production.
Now, we also have virtual singers—and they’re sounding more realistic every year. Some are even convincing enough to sing background vocals on a professional release alongside a human soloist.
So, how do software companies make these singers sound so real?
Does AI create the voices out of thin air based on what it knows about human singing? Or does it use thousands of voices gathered from across the internet?
No, neither one—at least not in the case of the company I use, Dreamtonics.
Dreamtonics hires singers to record extensive material in different styles and languages. The singers are paid, and their performances are legally licensed for use in the software.
Recently, Dreamtonics released its Choir Voices, which I now use for my a cappella demos. They don’t sound quite as natural as a live choir, but they come remarkably close—certainly close enough to create effective demos.
I spent about twenty years as a church choral director, so I know how difficult it can be to find great music that suits a particular choir. Directors can spend countless hours searching, which makes good demos especially valuable.
As an independent composer who offers his music for free, however, I can’t afford to hire a choir to record every piece.
For my purposes, a virtual choir is an ideal solution. I can direct it much as I would a live ensemble:
“Sopranos, use less vibrato here.”
“Choir, emphasize these words.”
“Basses, give this phrase a stronger attack.”
The singers may be virtual, but the musical decisions are very real.
Watch this short video that contains a clip from one of my a cappella demos and let me know: How close does it sound to a live choir?
Note: I am not paid by or affiliated with Dreamtonics. My only relationship with the company is as a customer and user of its products.