Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2023 14:26
From: David Love
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
All technologies have the potential for abuse and AI does have some frightening aspects, including in the political arena. But it's here and handwringing won't help.
Crispr Technology has uncomfortable potential too but it also has the potential to solve some otherwise unsolveable health problems.
I try not to live my life in fear.
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David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
Original Message:
Sent: 05-13-2023 10:34
From: Bill Ballard
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
David went:
But for the layperson who wants to understand voicing or get a synopsis of some other type of research or topic it's both quick and useful.
In the meantime, there's a politician claiming an election was stolen from him, who now has proof: a 4k video of vote counters with three clearly labeled containers, one for yet-to-be-counted, then counted, and then a trash can with votes for the politician. At 4k, you can clearly read the checkmarks on the latter. And there's no providence, because AI is a black box.
Understood, there's no such thing as dis-inventing this technology, and understood, there are harmless uses for it that we'd all approve of. But even in Blaine's benign example, there's enough to be nervous about. Like the piano tuner who thinks that an AI report on altering the texture of hammer felt can tell him all he needs to know, even before he's ever put his first needle to felt.
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William Ballard RPT
WBPS
Saxtons River VT
802-869-9107
"Our lives contain a thousand springs
and dies if one be gone
Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
should keep in tune so long."
...........Dr. Watts, "The Continental Harmony,1774
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-12-2023 13:53
From: David Love
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
I think it's a marvelous technology and, like all technologies, subject to ab-use (my english professor wife is horrified as kids already use it to write their term papers). But for the layperson who wants to understand voicing or get a synopsis of some other type of research or topic it's both quick and useful.
I've long gotten over being afraid of technology. Recall what we thought (and many still think) about electronic tuning devices. Technology is a tool and we need to be mindful of how we use it. But there's no going back to the "good old days", if there ever was such a thing.
Cognitive bias is real, btw, thus the adage, "don't believe everything you think".
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David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
Original Message:
Sent: 05-11-2023 21:09
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
On the other hand:
This reminds me of the occasional inquirys by hotel managers for digital player pianos that can eliminate the messy expense of hiring musicians and tuning pianos. I have to point out that customers will give a self-playing piano about five seconds of interest, but they will sit down, order drinks and tip the musician for playing their requests.
"Play us a song you're the piano man"!
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Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
Original Message:
Sent: 05-11-2023 21:05
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
Geoff,
We are only a frighteningly short time away from a musical composition from a program, with lyrics composed by a chatbot and delivered by a synthesized voice with a CGI actor, and that can't be told from a real music video.
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Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
Original Message:
Sent: 05-11-2023 12:21
From: Geoff Sykes
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
I think the issue here is not what the chatbot said, it is the fact that it was able to pull this information together and represent it in a reasonably "intelligent" text. Given the question presented to it, it did provide a good layperson response. We, as knowledgeable techs, are not the target audience for it's response and so could read through it. I'm afraid because since it IS so well written, the target audience is going to start believing chatbot responses without question. With AI getting so powerful and sophisticated even the programmers are warning us that it is still very prone to inaccuracy. But most people don't care. They'll believe whatever they are fed because it is so well presented. Too many people will start believing it without question. Given a cleverly written question, it will even lie to us. And people will believe it.
We are already inundated with AI manipulation of words and pictures. Many of which are becoming so well crafted that it's getting harder and harder to separate truth from fiction. (I am somehow reminded of Carrie Fisher's appearance in the last Star Wars movie years after she had died.)
Like Blaine said: "Be afraid, be very afraid."
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Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
Original Message:
Sent: 05-11-2023 01:23
From: Loren Kelley
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
No one who actually does voicing on real hammers should be the slightest bit afraid of this. What this AI program gave you is entirely verbal and descriptive in a general way, and it describes mostly cognitive bias, as Blaine instructed it to. Perhaps someone can correct me, but I rarely hear about cognitive bias in demonstrations on how to voice. The computer has no clue how to hook up to a robot arm and actually stab the hammers, shape them or anything like that. If you could somehow play a piano and the computer could listen as you voice it, again it would have no clue what you are doing. AI programs are generating all sorts of discussion in the media, but folks seem to miss the fact that the intelligence is entirely verbal. The irony of all this is that people in professions that require a lot of education and abstract intelligence are the ones who seem to be most worried about it. People who work with their hands in skilled trades outside of a factory won't have anything to worry about for decades, maybe forever.
Original Message:
Sent: 5/10/2023 1:20:00 AM
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Be afraid, be very afraid.
I just gave a request to ChatGPT and it produced this response.
Actually fairly good, it gave me information about the subject I didn't realize:
Write an article about cognitive bias as it affects the perception of piano tonal changes during voicing of piano hammers.
The sound of a piano is one of the most recognizable and beloved musical timbres in the world. However, the way that we perceive the sound of a piano can be influenced by cognitive bias, particularly when it comes to the voicing of piano hammers.
Voicing is the process of shaping and adjusting the felt on the hammers of a piano to achieve a desired tone. This is a crucial step in the production of a high-quality piano sound, as it can greatly impact the clarity, projection, and character of each note. However, the subjective nature of tone perception means that voicing is a highly personal and subjective process, and it can be influenced by a range of cognitive biases.
One common cognitive bias that can impact the perception of piano tonal changes during voicing is the confirmation bias. This is the tendency to interpret information in a way that confirms pre-existing beliefs or expectations. In the context of piano voicing, this can mean that a voicer may unconsciously adjust the hammers in a way that confirms their preconceived notion of what a "good" piano tone should sound like. For example, if a voicer believes that a brighter, more resonant tone is superior, they may adjust the hammers in a way that emphasizes those qualities, even if it does not necessarily result in the most balanced or pleasing sound.
Another cognitive bias that can affect the perception of piano tonal changes is the framing effect. This is the tendency to make different decisions based on how information is presented or framed. In the context of piano voicing, this can mean that the way that a voicer approaches the process of hammer shaping can impact their perception of the resulting sound. For example, if a voicer is instructed to "brighten" the tone of a piano, they may focus on adjusting the hammer felt to emphasize high-frequency overtones, even if it results in a harsh or unbalanced sound.
A third cognitive bias that can impact the perception of piano tonal changes during voicing is the anchoring effect. This is the tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making subsequent decisions. In the context of piano voicing, this can mean that a voicer may be anchored to the initial sound of the piano, even after making significant changes to the hammer felt. For example, if a voicer begins with a piano that has a bright, ringing tone, they may continue to hear the piano as bright and ringing, even after making adjustments that would typically result in a warmer or more mellow sound.
It is important to recognize the impact of cognitive bias on the perception of piano tonal changes during voicing, as it can help to mitigate these effects and achieve a more objective and balanced sound. This can be achieved by seeking out multiple opinions and perspectives on the sound of the piano, as well as using objective measures such as tuning software or frequency analysis tools to assess the tonal balance of the instrument. By being mindful of cognitive bias, voicers can ensure that their adjustments to the hammer felt result in the best possible sound for each individual piano, rather than being influenced by preconceptions or biases.
-- Blaine Hébert