I love my Uncle John, and I don’ t wish to disrespect his memory. But as we move deeper into a musical world shaped by AI, I can’ t see how closed-minded, absolute statements like“ It’ s not music!” help constructive discussion or shared learning.
music | ˈmjuːzɪk |( noun) Sound combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form and expression of thought, feeling, or emotion. share those that are better formed. I respect that others will land differently.
I dipped my toe into this topic last month with my article“ ED SHEERAN & THE MISUSE OF AI”. I received only positive feedback- though I freely admit I was aiming at fairly low-hanging fruit.
“ That was not worship!”
I’ ve read strikingly similar accusations levelled at AI music- and at those who use it- even recently.
I don’ t believe a sound, or a method of making music, can be inherently evil. God is the Creator. He made everything, including every sound. Any creativity a person possesses has ultimately been received from God- musicians, songwriters, and software engineers alike.
I’ ve listened to music made entirely by AI using only human text prompts. I’ ve also heard music created by singers, instrumentalists, and lyricists with AI assistance. Sometimes the AI was obvious; sometimes it wasn’ t. But in every case, it would be untrue to say,“ It’ s not music.”
AI is having a massive impact on our world. For those of us involved in making and using music, it has hit like an earthquake. Our creative landscape feels as though it’ s shifting faster and more forcefully than ever before.
We made it through drum machines, synthesizers, digital recording, quantizing, pitch correction, and sampling. But this feels different. AI has made it remarkably easy for almost anyone to produce high-quality recordings. You don’ t even need a microphone or a DAW anymore.
More than that, AI is encroaching on territory once considered sacrosanct- where melody and poetry are formed. Maybe we don’ t even need songwriters or producers. The machine can do that too!
One consequence has been the level of passionate disagreement surrounding AI in music. Too often, discussion slides into judgement and accusation. Battle lines are drawn. Sides are taken. Even on Christian and“ worship” forums, the ferocity can be deeply discouraging.
I don’ t want to add fuel to that fire. My hope is to be a calm, reasonable voice in the discussion. I have opinions- some still forming- and I’ ll
These were the words an elderly lady snarled at me after a 7:00pm youth service. She pointed a gnarly index finger toward the front of the auditorium where our youth band had just completed our first clumsy attempt at contemporary music- in an otherwise organand-choir Baptist church.
As a nineteen-year-old bass guitarist, I had no idea how to respond. I wasn’ t given the chance anyway. Statement delivered, she stormed out.
I hear similar declarations today about AI music: that the Holy Spirit cannot be involved; that AI cannot help people worship God. I don’ t believe such absolute claims about what God can and cannot use are helpful. They only hinder discernment and dialogue.
I’ m determined not to be like that elderly lady. My language reflects a conviction that only God ultimately decides what He finds worshipful. We do not have the final word on the worshipfulness- or otherwise- of any musical tool, including AI.
In 2012, I had the privilege of playing bass guitar for John Schlitt( vocalist with Petra) during a couple of solo visits to Norway. In the 1980s, Petra were among the first to combine overtly Christian lyrics with a hard-rock sound- and they received enormous backlash for it. I loved Petra. I saw them live in Melbourne in’ 86.
John spoke about the condemnation they received:“ That sound is evil!”“ Drums and electric guitars are of the devil!”
Let’ s not give the evil one undue credit. He is not a creator; he can only pervert what God has made. Distorted guitars and pounding drums have been misused, and AI can be too. But God’ s children, with hearts submitted to Him, can use anything for good.
Proverbs 12:18( ESV) There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Colossians 4:6( ESV) Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
This massive change that AI is forcing upon us can easily produce fear- and fear often leads to fighting. But as we navigate this new musical world, let’ s choose another way.
Let’ s speak carefully, humbly, and graciously- trusting that the God who has carried His Church through every musical upheaval before will still be faithful in this one.
Grant Norsworthy Grant is the founder of More Than Music Mentor- providing online & onsite training for the heart & the art of worshipping singers, instrumentalists & technicians. Grant’ a passion is to IMPROVE musicality, INCREASE participation, INSTILL unity & INSPIRE worship in The Church worldwide. An Aussie who also lived in Nashville, TN, USA for 17 years as a pro CCM muso, today Grant lives and works from his Nelson New Zealand home base.
MoreThanMusicMentor. com Facebook. com / GrantNorsworthy
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