In thrilling news for Beatles fans, legendary singer-songwriter Paul McCartney has revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) has been used to restore the vocals of his former bandmate, John Lennon, from an old recording.
This groundbreaking technology allowed Lennon's voice to be featured in an upcoming track, marking what McCartney calls "the final Beatles record."
Bringing Back the Voice of John Lennon
During an interview with BBC's "Today" program, McCartney expressed his fascination with AI and its applications in music.
CNBC reports that he credited director Peter Jackson, known for his "Lord of the Rings" work, for successfully "extricating" Lennon's voice from a low-quality cassette recording.
By utilizing AI, the vocals were isolated from instrumental and background interference, enabling the production of a cleaned-up version.
McCartney further explained that the restored Lennon vocals were incorporated into a demo the band had been working on, ultimately completing the song.
Although McCartney did not disclose the track's title, the BBC reports that it is widely believed to be a Lennon composition in 1978 titled "Now And Then."
This particular song has been on McCartney's radar for a while, as he received the original demo from Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, in 1995, along with several other unreleased tracks.
The Role of AI
The use of AI in music production has been an increasingly discussed topic in the industry.
We reported in November that an artist had previously trained AI to remember her own voice and make these recordings singing any song in any language or voice range.
This new technology offers opportunities to enhance and restore old recordings, enabling artists to collaborate with deceased musicians and recreate their work.
However, this raises ethical concerns surrounding the concept of "deep fakes" and the authenticity of posthumously generated content.
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McCartney acknowledged the dual nature of AI's impact on the music industry, stating, "There's a good side to it and then a scary side, and we'll just have to see where that leads."
While the utilization of AI allows for the preservation of an artist's legacy and the completion of unfinished works, it also raises questions about the potential for manipulation.
Paul McCartney's Concerns
This recent use of AI in restoring Lennon's vocals has rekindled McCartney's long-held desire to finish the song "Now And Then."
Despite the Beatles' attempt to record the track in 1995, technical difficulties and creative differences prevented its completion. McCartney cited George Harrison's dislike for the sound quality of Lennon's vocals as a significant factor contributing to the song's abandonment.
However, with the advancements in AI technology and the success of extracting Lennon's voice, McCartney now sees an opportunity to accomplish his goal finally.
The utilization of AI enables the completion of "Now And Then" and allows McCartney to perform alongside Lennon's vocals during his recent tour.
This remarkable application of technology has revitalized McCartney's artistic vision and offers fans a unique opportunity to witness a "duet" between the two iconic musicians.
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