[SanderNL]

Instead of turning to pre-made corporate software, you could just hire me or one of my developer friends? We’ll crank out something fine for you in no time flat. All you have to do is just:

- Find me, which is easy, just become an amateur developer yourself and scour the various places I frequent

- Think of and propose in great detail what you want. We will go back and forth over this, over the course of several days/weeks. Bonus points if we don’t speak the same language.

- Sign some form of agreement, really easy, just read this 5 page document and maybe hire a lawyer if you are unsure. All very easy.

- Fork over the cash

- Get deliverables in a few weeks, hopefully.

Now when you compare that with just firing up some website/app and getting on with your work, is that really better? I’m not seeing why you would just go to gmail.com if I could have just made you a very nice, very special email reader.

I have perfected my craft over thousands of hours you know. You should pay us the respect we deserve.

—

Seriously: cranking out tunes through some prompting vs hiring people through shady channels like reddit? Are you serious?

[AxEy]

Yes, I'm quite serious.

You give an analogy of software. I suppose I feel that art differs from this in some ways. E.g. originality, creativeness.

Reading many of these responses I'm gathering that perhaps I have too strong a notion of what kind of quality of music might be in demand. While the loops on the original article are impressive given their generative nature, I suppose I felt that there may be a demand for something more (Better sound design, more long term structure), but maybe I'm naive.

But thanks for giving me your perspective.

[SanderNL]

I came off like an annoying neckbeard. I guess that’s expected of me and my type, but sorry for that.

You hit a nerve because software development is also art and highly creative. I have given a significant part of my life - basically my youth - to it and I feel “creatives” think they are somehow special and that their work is fundamentally different and I don’t think it is.

It’s just that we have been cornered earlier than you guys. My skills are now only profitable as boring building blocks in corporate settings because nobody else will pay for proper work. Everybody expects easy access for free instantly to whatever digital service they can get their grubby hands on. If I talk about “craftsmanship” I get laughed out the room. Nobody gives a shit.

Now I’m like, yeah guys, that’s how it feels to have your skills commoditized. Deal with it. That’s kind of childish though.