AI Helps Parkinson's Musician Complete New Album

London-based singer-songwriter Samuel Smith recently released his second album, "The Art of Letting Go," with assistance from artificial intelligence after Parkinson’s disease diminished his ability to play guitar [1]. Diagnosed with the progressive neurological disorder in 2020, Smith utilized platforms like Suno and Udio to create demo arrangements that conveyed his musical vision to session players [1].

Key takeaways

• Samuel Smith used AI tools Suno and Udio to create demos for his album "The Art of Letting Go" after Parkinson's affected his guitar skills [1].
• Smith hummed melodies into his phone and used text prompts, requiring up to 150 attempts to generate suitable demos for musicians [1][3].
• Despite physical limitations, Smith managed to play a guitar duet with Julian Lage on the track "Horizon" during a brief 10-minute window in the studio [1][3].

Bridging the gap between vision and performance

Smith, who previously released his debut album "In the Springtime" in 2023, faced tremors, stiffness, and fatigue that compromised his guitar playing over more than a year of work on the new record [1]. To bridge the gap, he did not use AI for the final mix but to generate instrumental demos for the track "Horizon" [1]. He would hum rough melodies into his phone, upload them, and provide prompts describing instrumentation and mood [1]. Smith emphasized that the technology is not replacing his creativity but enabling it, allowing him to present his ideas to professional musicians [1][3].

A bittersweet studio collaboration

The album features notable contributions from Grammy-winning artists, including producer Matt Rollings and musicians like Jerry Douglas and Alison Brown [1]. A significant moment occurred during the recording of "Horizon" with Grammy-nominated guitarist Julian Lage [1]. Smith, who had been unable to play for months, experienced a temporary reprieve from his symptoms, allowing him to perform a duet for about 10 minutes [1]. He described this as capturing the "last breath" of his guitar playing [1].

Why it matters

Smith's experience highlights a potential application for AI music tools in assisting artists with disabilities, a perspective less prominent than the ongoing copyright disputes involving major labels and AI companies [1]. Ruaidhri Mannion, a composer and lecturer at Brunel University of London, noted that such tools could democratize music creation and help people collaborate, though he warned against overreliance that might stifle artistic development [1]. Smith has urged AI developers to engage with health professionals and music therapists to demonstrate the technology's societal benefits [1]. On May 21, he collaborated with the Berklee Music and Health Institute to discuss how music can support those with neurological conditions [1].