MFA PRESENTS: A Conversation with Andrew Grathwohl of Sonic Multiplicities

‌‌This interview is part of a series discussing mandates, restrictions and censorship on art and music — read more of these interviews here.

We talked to composer and audio engineer Andrew Grathwohl about his friendly AI project Sonic Multiplicities. He just released a new live recording called "Delegated Powers/ Crimes Committed", available now on all your favorite evil streaming platforms as well as on their website:

Sonic Multiplicities is empowering solo musicians by providing unique improvisational experiences using artificial intelligence software. SM is an effort to construct a unified, broadened musical consciousness out of today’s technologies of war, in order to help propel elite instrumentalists’ capabilities towards the outer-most reaches of their musical aptitude and expressivity.

Grathwohl believes computers should be utilized to innovate and challenge, rather than further simplify audio work flows for producers and musicians.

Listen / watch to our interview here!

00:00 - what is sonic multiplicities
15:30 - nerds ruined everything
25:00 - the bandcamp we deserve
26:56 - challenging music
28:49 - decentralization
32:00 - did kenny g destroy jazz
34:00 - State funding
40:47 - Sonic Multiplicities 2.0: "Delegated Powers / Crimes Committed (Live)"

You can also hear Andrew talk about this project and his thoughts about music and technology on the Blackbird podcast with James Jenneman