AI-2: Extended Physicality
TRACK DATA
Composition tool: MuseScore 4, Studio One 7.1 Pro
Recording tool (DAW): Studio One 7.1 Pro
Number of tracks: 87, Master File 19
Sound sources: Presence XT, Sample One (All built-in sound sources of Studio One), MuseScore built-in sound sources
Composition and recording period: Jun 9 2024 - Sep 26, Apr 23 2025
Main tonality: Ambiguous (with brief C# major-centred sections)
Main scale: C# Ionian, altered E♭ Phrygian (by section)
Main tempo: 86 - 91 beats per minute
(TM writes:)
Concept: Music Symbolism with Daft Punk and FMT
Following "AI-1: Intelligence Emergent," this is a second track in our "AI Symbolism" series. The concept behind this whole series is to experiment Symbolism in music -- an approach that has rarely existed in the music history because of its inherent nature, ie, lack of concreteness.
One might think, "What about Music Concrète?" but Symbolism is to signify something abstract with something concrete. I can't say Music Concrète in general does that. Symbolism is extremely difficult for music, and that's why I try to explore it. FMT has the heart to create unheard auditory art (rather than music).
In this work, we're trying to make the abstract notion of the extended physicality into somewhat a concrete artwork. For this objective we use the sampled beep sound, and furthermore, much more importantly, I integrated the motifs from two other works: one is Daft Punk's "Derezzed" whereas the other is our past work "Ondo Of Fortified Id" in the "Unphysical" album. These are treated as "concrete symbols" to represent unphysicality, like Pink Floyd's phrase was in AI-1. I don't write my further intention and do leave it open to the listener.
Since the emergence of sampling or samplers in the 1970s, music absorbing other music has increased in effect, but music in general is still reluctant to put other music into its own by re-arrangement. There are works like that, of course, but those are very limited in terms of the number as well as the extent of their transformations.
In AI-2: Extended Physicality, borrowing the terminology introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure in linguistics, the signified -- that is, the subject of expression -- is artificial intelligence, while the signifier is Symbolism and a method akin to Kintsugi. I always place great emphasis on the concept of a piece, but "concept" primarily refers to the signifier, rather than the signified. Unfortunately, most music in this world is merely a reproduction, substituting one signified for another. FMT focuses on conceptual integrity because, in order to create "music that has never been heard before" -- or more precisely, "a structure of music that has never been heard before" -- it is essential to invent a new signifier. Or rather, it is precisely this aspect that excites me.
The signified, as indicated in the title, is extended physicality -- the idea that AI alters human physical potential in the real world. For instance, if AI plays a crucial role in analysing medical images and extends human lifespan, this would mean that the digital realm is enhancing physical possibilities for humans in the real world. The same applies to the widespread adoption of AI-driven autonomous driving.
In AI-1: Intelligence Emergent, the work signified both the emergence of AI and the (to me, excessive) societal anxieties surrounding it. Following that, this piece signifies the stage of its widespread adoption. When I think of a series of works, the first thing that comes to mind is The Course of Empire by the 19th-century American artist Thomas Cole. However, in music, I am hardly aware of works that capture broad spans of time by dividing them into distinct stages.
Incidentally, the only use of AI in the production of this piece was to generate candidate motifs for Symbolist representation. Out of those, I chose to incorporate Daft Punk. In AI-1 and AI-3, nevertheless, AI was involved in a much deeper collaborative process.
Composition: Manipulating Signifier and Signified
During the composition process, I wrote this piece using MuseScore, a notation software. The instrumentation I designed was quite distant from the released version as well as typical electronic music. TI refined it into an "Unplugged" version, and I hope to release that as well in the near future. Despite being called "Unplugged," it not only relies on electricity but also features tangible instruments exclusively through sampling. In a way, this is precisely what defines digital music.
Section 1: Diagnosis
Since the piece follows a narrative structure, I did not compose the first section as a mere introduction. To me, the opening piano chord encapsulates the entire story. It consists of D-flat, E-flat, B-flat, and F, played simultaneously. While it cannot be easily labeled with a chord name, as is often the case in FMT’s approach, this was not constructed as a chord in the conventional sense. Starting from the second constituent of E-flat, I layered tones a perfect fifth apart, creating a combination of fifths and major ninths, while shifting the bass away from this structure (which clearly deviates from the traditional role of the bass). The piece develops based on this sound, resembling the quiet continuity of life itself.
Section 2: Biotech
The piano from Section 1 continues, but marimba and sine wave staccato notes intertwine with it. While they do intertwine, they are harmonically unrelated to the piano in terms of scale. This could be seen as an external force intervening in the continuity of life from another dimension, or as a way to observe the piano phrase from a more distant, objective perspective.
Section 3: AI-enabled Physicality (Daft Punk "Derezzed")
Daft Punk’s Derezzed is used in a Symbolist manner. While both the timbre and arrangement are entirely different, the marimba phrase is a slightly modified version of Derezzed.
On a side note, Daft Punk can be considered a form of modern electronic music -- both TI and I love their work -- but this also highlights the fact that electronic music and the digital music FMT pursues are entirely different. In electronic music, synthetic timbres, mechanical phrasing, and rhythm carry inherent meaning, whereas in digital music, this is not necessarily the case. By having Derezzed performed using sampled sounds of traditional instruments, I aimed to signify this distinction. In other words, this can also be seen as an objective perspective on electronic music.
Section 4: Cloning (FMT "Ondo of Fortified Id")
As another Symbolist motif, I incorporated FMT’s past work, Ondo of Fortified Id. This piece is characterized by its lack of distinct motifs, making it interesting in that the only way to use it as a motif is to bring over its arrangement as it is. It is almost like relocating an entire house.
Because of this, it integrates naturally with the Derezzed motif. Although Ondo is a form of traditional Japanese dance music, I deliberately removed the taiko drum beats, which are typically considered an inseparable element in Japan.
Another aspect I find intriguing is that while Derezzed is used Symbolically through its signified, Ondo is used through its signifier. This is likely the first instance of such an approach in music history. Incidentally, the Derezzed motif is used in C-sharp Ionian scale, whereas the Ondo arrangement, roughly speaking, is based on something akin to an altered Phrygian mode from E-flat. In other words, the two do not naturally fit together, yet for me, this was the best way to combine them. Additionally, both motifs are placed over a consistent rhythmic foundation—not quite a traditional four-on-the-floor, but rather a five-on-the-floor, as the piece is primarily written in 5/4 time.
Section 5: Borderless
The opening piano phrase returns, merging with Derezzed and Ondo. In essence, three unrelated pieces are fused together like Kintsugi, transforming life into something different from what it once was.
I did not mention this earlier, but I consider Ondo to be one of the more electronic-leaning pieces within FMT’s works. Although it originally incorporated traditional Japanese instruments and atmospheric elements, I removed its signified, bringing it even closer to electronic music.
(TI writes:)
The Concept: A Cybernetic Approach to Musical Expression
Inspired by the title, we consciously explored the idea of cybernetics in musical expression. This approach resonates strongly with FMT’s core philosophy: creating expression that transcends physical embodiment.
Specifically, we aimed to electronically control and expand the timbral possibilities of acoustic instruments, crafting a sound that feels like a fusion of human and machine. This concept deeply influenced the entire sound design of the piece.
Just as in AI-1: Intelligence Emergent, this work features heavily altered—or entirely different—timbres from those originally used by TM during the MuseScore production process. As a result, most of the original tones were replaced, leading to a dramatic shift in the overall sonic texture.
On Timbre
Rather than using acoustic instrument sounds as they are, we subjected them to extensive processing. Through morphing with electronic elements and dynamically altering various effects, we created sounds that feel both mechanical and fluid. This resulted in a unique sonic space where organic and synthetic elements are seamlessly intertwined.
Arrangement and Mixing
The first half of the track unfolds quietly, incorporating environmental sound effects reminiscent of a hospital—an idea proposed by TM. These sounds are continuously modulated using filters and resonance, adding motion and depth to the spatial atmosphere.
In the second half, metallic electronic tones and modulated acoustic elements interact in complex ways. Additionally, we deconstructed and restructured synthesized human voice effects from iconic 1980s video games, creating a texture reminiscent of a film soundtrack.
While following TM’s original score, we deconstructed individual parts and reassembled them using different timbres and octaves. This added depth and spaciousness to the sound, contributing to a more three-dimensional structure.
To prevent muddiness in the low-frequency range, we organized the bass register with precision. For phrases that occupy the sub-200 Hz range, we preserved the low-end content while trimming excessive high frequencies. Conversely, other parts were low-cut to maintain clarity and focus in the bass region.
The bass itself consists of four distinct layers, which initially made it difficult to achieve consistent low-end pressure. To resolve this, we separated each layer by frequency band and applied collective bus compression, ultimately producing a cohesive and balanced low end.
Dance Music That Can't Be Danced To
Although the track borrows elements of dance music in its structure, we deliberately designed it to resist danceability. This paradox—dance music in form, but not in function—emphasizes the track’s conceptual uniqueness.
Master File Editing
While only EQ processing and editing were applied during mastering, the sonic results were significant. We notably boosted the high frequencies (above 5 kHz) by 10 dB and expanded the stereo field in that range using a stereo imager. This brought greater brightness and a sense of openness to the overall sound.
Re-evaluation of the MuseScore Version and Future Plans
Revisiting the original MuseScore version revealed a distinctive appeal, akin to a live studio performance. Without the added sound effects, the atmosphere takes on a different character, and certain timbral adjustments made for the current version feel slightly out of place in this context.
As such, we are now considering the creation of a new version that preserves the original MuseScore timbres and aesthetics, allowing its unique qualities to be experienced more fully.
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