So I was wondering....ideally, for a computer-using composer, there would be some maximum performance/efficiency he could reach; the sounds and playback would be so real that a live performer could essentially be cut out of the picture, and these sounds would integrate perfectly with the program, offering controls to change it simply, intuitively, and is, well, what a "holy grail" would be: perfect.
Basically: When I write in a piece and it's like I have live players, without actually having to get some live players. and these ones do exactly what you tell them to, every time
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I believe that this will be possible in our lifetime. It's difficult to say when, obviously, predicting the future is tricky business, but I'd guess around 15 years, with a good growth of technology and economy.
When it does come around (and believe me, all signs point to it coming
) it will raise interesting issues about the nature of computers versus people; the AI holy grail would be foreshadowed in that of music playback. The question of music's soul will be brought up the same way the question of peoples' souls will be when AI has our intelligence (or much more).
Fun stuff to think about, I think, but not much you can actually do about it but wait
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