Media artist Daito Manabe and pianist Big Yuki discuss the future of technology and jazz

Jazz musicians have always embraced new technology, from Miles Davis's Bitches Brew (1970), which introduced electric instruments, to Herbie Hancock's Rockit (1983), which features impressive synthesizers and scratches.

To me, jazz is a physical music that smells of blood and sweat. At the same time, musicians are always thinking about expanding the scope of their expression. Even while maintaining their physicality, I'm still interested in new techniques.

The processing speed of AI technology is currently getting faster and faster, with 2014 being said to be the first year of real-time generation AI. AI processing, which previously took about a minute, was reduced to less than 0.1 seconds at the end of last year. What is likely to become more interesting in the future is real-time prediction.

For example, if I speak a little, the AI will continue speaking. Or if YUKI plays one phrase, the AI will read ahead and play the rest. However, whether that will result in interesting music is another matter for now.

In fact, in 2022, I performed with Neutone, an AI plug-in developed by engineer and musician Naoyuki Tokui. When I started performing on stage, the AI generated a track from the data in advance and then jammed with the live performance. The beat I was humming was transformed into an amazing rhythm (laughs). I simply thought, "I've never heard music like this before."

"Neutone" is interesting because it can convert drum rhythms into piano sounds.

As tools become more convenient, I think they also become less creative. If everyone is too focused on the same thing, I feel like the level of originality will decrease.

When it comes to computer plug-ins, I often say things like "the previous generation was better," just like with vintage instruments (laughs).

The image generation AI "Midjourney" is currently in its sixth generation, but the second generation is more interesting. The more technological instruments are in their early stages, the more new music they can create as a result of users using them in ways that the creators did not intend.

There have been similar incidents in the evolution of hip-hop, which is one of the things we have in common.

J Dilla, for example, uses a standard sampler, but without any rhythm correction functions, he taps the sampler like he's playing a percussion instrument, resulting in a tangled beat that gradually became a standard. When it first came out, I thought it was a strange groove. Naturally, it attracted DJ followers, but even jazz musicians are imitating that style of playing. It's an interesting phenomenon.

The tangled, fluctuating beats were perceived as a strange yet refreshing rhythm, and musicians around Dilla developed it further, creating a new vocabulary.

Scholars and critics were fascinated by it, so they analyzed it. It's fascinating how it can be systematized academically and become a theory before you know it.

I listened to YUKI's solo electric set. I think it would be interesting to bring in the context of hip-hop as a common background.

First, let's decide on some common rules. How to incorporate technology, the proportion of live performances, etc. Once we've decided on those, going with the flow is more likely to result in happy accidents.

And also sharing a feeling. When I was working with Nosaj Thing, for example, I think the time we spent together listening to records and talking was more important.

I know what you mean! When I went to Q-Tip's studio, we spent as much time watching movies and talking as we did producing (laughs).

This is a must-see for hip-hop fans (laughs).