Beatles Legend: The Unforgettable Swan Song of the Fab Four
The Beatles, one of the most iconic bands in music history, are set to release a "final" song titled "Now and Then". This release serves as a symbol of The Beatles' enduring influence and their pursuit of artistic vision.
The voice of John Lennon for the song was recreated using AI-based audio restoration technology. This technology, commissioned by filmmaker Peter Jackson for The Beatles: Get Back documentary, uses machine learning to separate vocals from other sounds on a track without creating or synthesizing any new vocal content. Essentially, Lennon's voice was cleaned up and isolated from an old demo tape so it could be prominently featured and used as the foundation of the new recording. The surviving Beatles then completed the song by adding new instrumentals and vocals around this restored vocal track.
Paul McCartney clarified that AI was used only to remove other sounds and clean up existing recordings — no artificial or synthetic vocal creation was involved. This method allowed John Lennon's real voice to appear as if he were performing alongside McCartney and Starr, giving the song its authentic Beatles feel. It is considered a tasteful use of AI technology, enhancing rather than fabricating Lennon’s presence on the track.
The collaboration between human expertise and AI technology played a crucial role in refining Lennon's voice. The AI-generated vocals were refined through collaboration between musicians, engineers, and AI experts, with a team of musicians and sound engineers carefully editing the vocals to match Lennon's distinct style.
"Now and Then" features vocals from Lennon's 1978 demo enhanced by AI, performed by McCartney and Starr. The song was initially conceived by John Lennon in the late 1970s but remained unfinished due to the group's disbandment.
The release of "Now and Then" marks a significant milestone at the intersection of AI and music. The audio restoration of "Now and Then" was led by Peter Jackson's AI-driven team. The vocals of John Lennon in "Now and Then" were generated using AI technology, trained using modern neural network architectures such as Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs).
The song was paired with "Love Me Do" as a double A-side single. "Now and Then" is the only Beatles song featuring all four members' vocals, released decades after the band's breakup. The completion of "Now and Then" was made possible through the use of artificial intelligence and Peter Jackson's audio restoration technology.
The final Beatles song, titled "Now and Then", is set to be released at the end of the year, serving as a testament to The Beatles' enduring influence and their commitment to artistic vision, even in the face of adversity.
The AI-based audio restoration technology, used to recreate John Lennon's voice, demonstrates the intersection of artificial intelligence and music, furthering The Beatles' pursuit of artistic vision.
The new single, "Now and Then," showcases the use of contemporary AI techniques like Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), merging technology with the style of The Beatles, extending their impact across entertainment and music.
