AI’s growing presence in the music industry has raised alarm bells among those seeking to preserve musical diversity.
In his research, Fadi Al-Ghawanmeh has worked to prevent maqam, the traditional Arab musical practice that is tied to improvisation, from disappearing.
“Over time, we have seen Arab music come under threat from technology. Western-centric solutions have inadvertently contributed to a production bias and, consequently, a skewed musical taste within the Arab community,” he said.
More Than Ebony and Ivory
Photo: Melissa J. Scott.
As a young musician in his native country Jordan, he was introduced to MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), an industry standard established in 1983. MIDI records notes in a digital format, allowing synthesizers, drum machines, and other electronic instruments to communicate.
However, it includes only Western notes, the ones we know as the black and white keys on a piano – “ebony and ivory,” as Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder famously sang.
Maqām includes so-called microtones, tones that fall between these notes.
“Since MIDI does not readily support the microtones in maqām, people – including musicians – have started to lose them,” Al-Ghawanmeh explained.
Created a Dataset of Arab Music
Since AI entered the world of music production, the threat has grown