Everyone Is Feeling Confused With The New “AI KeyBoard” From Amazon

This week, Amazon Web Service introduced its new keyboard named DeepComposer, stating that it is the first generative-AI-powered musical keyboard in the world. With 32 keys, the keyboard is sold at $99 or Rs 7,059.

DeepComposer is connected to software interface using machine learning as well as cloud computing for music generating depending on what the user plays.

The target of this keyboard remains unclear and some have expressed that its music sounds horrible. The keyboard seems to be a consumer product and to hype it, a top-notch presentation was used.

However, Amazon’s intention for the keyboard is to be used as a beginning tool by developers to enjoy the combination of music and machine learning. This is the newest offering of AWS for developers to get started with machine learning, flowing AWS camera DeepLens and RC car DeepRacer.

While the keyboard is said to be for developers, many of them don’t even know what to do. Amazon also said that since there’s no need for musical knowledge to use the keyboard. But then, it still uses music theory terms as well as a keyboard, which you still need to have the basic musical knowledge to know how to use.

And then it isn’t necessary to buy the physical keyboard since the software for DeepComposer already includes a virtual keyboard. The keyboard wasn’t developed or designed by AWS. It is a MIDI controller from Midiplus, a Taiwanese company. And they are basically the same. The costlier version of Amazon doesn’t use AI. The MIDI is sent from the keyboard to software connected to the cloud. So basically, you can use any MIDI keyboard.

This is not for everyday use, obviously, nor it is supposed to make the next hit. But then it’s also difficult to figure out what it’s meant for its target audience.

It’s exciting to see a giant like Amazon to venture into the field of music even when this first move seems to be a miss.

However, since DeepComposer is simple to use, maybe developers could learn the basics of music and machine learning through some interfaces such as Google Magenta.