I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember. Some of the earliest pieces go back to being twelve in Mr. Weber’s social studies class. Since then, there have been plenty of bands, projects, and stretches where life left less time for music.
Playing in cover bands let me keep making music with friends, but I missed working on originals. When we talked about why it had become so much easier to join a cover band than get an original band going, a big difference was having a recording everyone could learn from. My bandmates’ suggestion was simple: “Give us a version we can hear.”
Acoustic demos got me partway there, but they didn’t capture the full sound I was trying to share. Using AI tools helped me make fuller demos that communicated more of what I’d been hearing in my head. They started as something to bring to bandmates. Then friends enjoyed listening, and I started sharing them more.
I don’t like seeing AI used to take away people’s livelihoods. I’d rather see technology make life easier and give us more time for the things we choose to do—not just the things we have to do. Using it in my own process doesn’t mean embracing everything being done with it.
For me, music’s value isn’t measured by how much money it makes. It’s in having something to say, hearing what someone else hears in it, and bringing people together. These songs are here because I love making music—and having someone to share it with.