Output released Pack Generator, a free AI-based sound generator that lets users create royalty-free sample packs using text prompts.
It’s no secret that AI tools for music production aren’t as advanced as their counterparts for generating images, videos, and text.
However, AI music generators and similar audio tools are catching up, and the latest one comes from Output, one of the industry-leading music software developers.
Pack Generator by Output
Pack Generator is a free sample pack generator based on Output’s newly announced Co-Producer generative AI platform.
It’s important to note that Output’s new AI platform isn’t trained on copyrighted material. Co-Producer differentiates itself from other AI music tools by combining generative AI with genuine audio samples from real musicians.
We discussed potential AI copyright issues in an article earlier this year and asked our readers about their concerns in our massive AI survey for music producers.
One of the things we pointed out in those articles is that it’s only a matter of time before an AI music tool is trained on a custom set of audio samples – in that case, there won’t be any copyright issues, as long as the developer owns the sound material that was used to train the AI.
Output pioneered this concept with Co-Producer and its first tool, Pack Generator.
Output Pack Generator review – are AI-based sample packs any good?
I tested Pack Generator before writing this article, and here’s what I found out.
First of all, the tool is straightforward to use.
To create a sample pack, simply visit the Pack Generator page (you’ll need to be logged in to your Output user account) and describe the desired sample pack in a few words.
After that, click the yellow “Generate 4 New Packs” button, and the software will analyze your prompt.
A few seconds later, it will provide four audio demos, which are basically previews of four different AI-generated sample packs.
Once you’re happy with one of the demos, click the blue Download button to get a ZIP archive containing the AI-generated samples. The download begins instantly, and the downloaded sample packs are around 90 MB in size (compressed).
Each sample pack contains 25 audio loops, sorted into five categories based on the instrument (bass, lead, percussion, etc.).
The critical question is whether the generated samples sound good or not.
Based on several different prompts and after downloading three different sample packs, I can safely say that the generated sounds are quite good and much better than I expected. From moody guitar chords to groovy basslines and drum loops, I wouldn’t suspect these sounds were AI-generated.
In fact, some of the downloaded loops were quite awesome. I loved the generated basslines and some of the synth leads that the AI came up with.
However, I noticed that it helps to make several iterations of the same prompt until you’re completely happy with the results. Also, the AI generator doesn’t exactly follow your guidance as closely as possible.
My prompt to generate an old-school hip-hop sample pack with heavy vinyl vibes didn’t really sound like it was sampled from vinyl and used some quite modern electronic drums. That said, the other instruments were definitely similar to what you’d hear in an old-school rap beat, so the overall result was still usable.
What blew me away, though, was the level of organization in the downloaded sample pack.
Everything is organized into folders; you also get descriptive filenames tagged with tempo and key information. It really felt like I downloaded a proper human-made sample pack from a professional label.
My thoughts on Output Pack Generator and similar AI Music tools
As a sound designer who works on creating cinematic sound effects as a source of income (check out my sound design label, Flame Sound), getting direct competition in the form of an AI tool is, well, interesting.
Honestly, I don’t have a problem with it, as I believe that artificial intelligence won’t ever replace the creative output of a human.
On the other hand, I absolutely see it as a useful tool for inspiration and handling tasks that can be automated (such as sample editing, audio repair, mastering, etc.).
As for Pack Generator, it’s exciting that we’re getting another tool for generating new sounds that can be used creatively.
It’s not the first AI tool for generating samples (we already covered TextToSample, Emergent Drums, and DrumNet), but it’s the first to create an entire sample pack from scratch based on a single text prompt.
I believe that AI technology will lead to incredible new sounds and music styles in the hands of talented musicians and music producers, just like synthesizers lead to electronic music and electric guitars lead to rock and roll.
In that sense, a tool like Pack Generator is a welcome step forward and into the unknown. Instead of sampling crates of vinyl, we can now sample AI-generated sounds, and I find that amazing.
Imagine if someone told you ten years ago that you’d be able to describe a sample pack in a few words and have an AI create it for you in a matter of seconds. It’s such a wild concept, and yet… now it’s reality.
You can use Pack Generator for free on the Output website. More similar tools are expected from Output in 2024.
More info: Pack Generator (FREE AI-powered sample pack generator)
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