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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The comment came from Mikey Shulman, CEO and co-founder of AI music platform Suno, during an appearance on the 20VC podcast. He said, “The majority of people don’t enjoy the majority of the time they spend making music.” The remark was widely read as dismissing instrumental practice and musicianship, although Shulman later said he had chosen his words poorly and was mainly referring to tedious production work.
The exact claim behind the headline
Coverage of the 20VC interview described Shulman discussing how music currently requires time, practice and skill with either an instrument or production software. He then offered the opinion that “the majority of people don’t enjoy the majority of the time they spend making music.” Reports and reactions often shortened that into “people don’t enjoy making music,” which sounds broader and more absolute than his wording. The original discussion is reported by Futurism, DJ Mag and TechRadar.
It was an opinion and product argument, not the result of a survey or study. No population, sample or measurement was provided to establish that most music-makers dislike most of their creative time.
Why musicians objected
Many musicians do not experience practice, performance and production as merely inconvenient steps before the “real” product. The process can be the point.
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- Next-Gen Music Production and Beat Maker Essential - USB-powered MIDI keyboard controller with 25 mini velocity-sensitive keys, optimized for studio or beat production, piano-style performance, synth leads, sample triggering
- Real-Time Control and Navigation - 8x assignable 360° knobs, a vibrant full-color screen and push/turn encoder for hands-on access to settings, presets, and DAW functions, without reaching for a computer
- Iconic MPC Pads with RGB Feedback - 8 velocity- and pressure-sensitive MPC pads deliver an iconic finger-drumming experience, plus dynamic visual feedback to match your performance in studio or on the go
- Studio Instrument Collection Included - A powerful VST/AU and standalone virtual suite packing 1000+ pro-grade drums, keys, synths, bass, FX from AIR, Akai Pro and Moog, plus MPK Mini IV integrated controls
- Pre-Mapped DAW Integration - Get producing in under 15 minutes with Ableton Live Lite 12, Logic Pro, FL Studio and more; comes with an expanded DAW-mapped transport section for uninterrupted workflow
Practice and physical skill
Learning an instrument develops muscle memory, timing and control. A player may find meaning in the gradual improvement itself, not just in the finished recording.
Discovery through limitations
Hands-on playing can produce ideas that were not planned in advance. The resistance of a guitar, piano or drum kit shapes the music and can make limitations creatively useful.
Collaboration and performance
Rehearsing with other people, responding to a live room and performing for an audience are social experiences that a text prompt does not reproduce.
Rank #2
- Music Production and Beat Maker Essential -USB powered MIDI controller with 25 mini MIDI keyboard velocity-sensitive keys for studio production, virtual synthesizer control and beat production
- Total Control of your Production - Innovative 4-way thumbstick for dynamic pitch and modulation control, plus a built-in arpeggiator with adjustable resolution, range and modes
- Native Kontrol Standard (NKS) Integration - Akai Professional and Native Instruments have partnered to bring NKS support to the MPK Controller series, get ready to Kontrol straight from your MPK
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- The MPC Experience - 8 backlit velocity-sensitive MPC-style MIDI beat pads with Note Repeat and Full Level for programming drums, triggering samples and controlling virtual synthesizer / DAW controls
That is why critics described the comment as tone-deaf: it appeared to treat a potentially rewarding creative practice as a technical bottleneck. Reports on the backlash include Mixmag and EDM.com.
What Shulman later clarified
In a later Billboard interview, Shulman said he wished he had used different wording. He said that he enjoys making music, plays instruments regularly and was talking primarily about tedious parts of production. He also said that developing skill and working through difficulty would remain important, even if the tasks involved changed. The available evidence is a Billboard interview excerpt posted on LinkedIn and a related video, rather than a directly accessible full Billboard transcript.
On that clarification, the fairest reading is narrower than the viral headline: Shulman was arguing that AI could remove unwanted production labor, not that instruments are pointless or that musicians should stop learning them. There is no verified basis for saying he told people to abandon instrumental study.
Rank #3
- Mini Keys, Major Performance - 25-key MIDI controller keyboard with responsive keys to play with feel and dynamics; Enjoy expressive songwriting, composing, jamming, playing melodies, bass lines, and more
- Full Range Experience - Play every note with ease; Use the dedicated octave up and down buttons to transpose the range of your software instruments plus a sustain button for expressive performances
- Feature Packed - Use the built-in arpeggiator and clock for creative control of any of your sound sources like software instruments, synthesizers, or USB-enabled modular gear, all by one USB cable
- Customized Production - With 8 programmable preset slots you can instantly recall your mappings for DAWs, virtual instruments, and more; Create, edit, and manage all your presets from the computer
- Versatile Performance - The USB Studio MIDI controller is perfect for your songwriting, beat-making, and DJ remixes whenever you're inspired; The sleek design fits alongside your studio equipment
Two different ideas of what music is
Music as an outcome
Suno’s model is to let a user describe a genre, mood, subject or lyrics in ordinary language and generate a complete track with vocals, lyrics and production. Its homepage presents the service to first-time creators as well as professional musicians: Suno.
From this perspective, recording, arranging and mixing can be friction to reduce. Faster generations let a user audition ideas, compare styles and obtain a usable draft without first learning a DAW or an instrument.
Music as a process
For an instrumentalist or producer, songwriting, recording, editing, mixing and mastering are different activities with different rewards. AI can reduce some of them, but that does not show that the work was unwanted for most musicians. It changes the balance between intention, skill, surprise and control.
Rank #4
- Compact Design with 25 Mini Velocity-Sensitive Keys: The portable N-25 midi keyboard controller, made up of 25 scaled-down velocity-sensitive keys, is a companion for you to create melodies and riffs full of emotion
- Simple Layout and User-Friendly Functions: Donner N-25 mini MIDI is beginner-friendly, featuring 4 user programmable banks and essential tools like arpeggiator, sustain, octave, and tap tempo for musicians with limited music theory background
- Mac, iOS, PC/iPhone/iPad Compatible: Just plug and play with Mac/PC via USB-MIDI, no extra drivers needed. Also, easily connect your MIDI controller to smartphone music apps with an OTG adapter
- Multifunctional Pitch-Bend Wheel & Cool Light-up Buttons: The pitch-bend function ensures a rich and expressive timbre. In addition, the light-up button will provide you a fun visual display of your playing
- 40 Entertaining Keyboard-Teaching Courses: Beginner to advanced keyboard courses designed for music arrangement novices. 40 engaging lessons cover all arrangement essentials to help unleash your creativity
What Suno changes—and what it does not
- Potentially reduced: instrumental performance, recording, first-pass arrangement, sound selection and some mixing work.
- Still required: choosing a direction, writing or supplying material, evaluating generations, editing structure and lyrics, quality control and rights clearance.
- Newly important: prompt writing, selection among many versions and maintaining a coherent artistic identity.
Prompting is a creative activity, but it is not automatically equivalent to songwriting, instrumental performance or producing every musical decision. A user may direct a result without controlling its notes, takes or vocal phrasing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Suno plans and commercial-use limits
Suno’s pricing page reviewed in August 2026 listed the following displayed monthly prices and features. Prices, taxes, billing options and availability can vary by country, account and later product updates.
| Plan | Displayed price | Key rights or features listed |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Daily credits and access to a v4.5-all model; no commercial use for songs made on the free plan. |
| Pro | $8/month | Paid models, more credits, audio uploads, editing, stems and commercial-use rights for new songs made while subscribed. |
| Premier | $24/month | Higher usage and advanced features including Suno Studio, with commercial-use rights for qualifying new songs made while subscribed. |
The current plan list is at suno.com/pricing. The page lists model access including v4, v4.5, v4.5+, v5 and v5.5 on paid tiers, alongside features such as voice tools, personas and custom models depending on the plan.
Best Value
- 32-note velocity sensitive mid-size key keyboard. Pitch Wheel. Modulation Wheel. Octave Buttons(Up & Down). Transpose Buttons(Up & Down).
- Sustain Switch interface (sustain pedal does not include). USB B type: USB connect to Computer
- Attachment Type: USB cable
- Country of origin : Taiwan
The upgrade trap
Suno says paid subscribers receive commercial-use rights for songs created while the subscription is active, and that those rights continue after cancellation. However, upgrading later does not automatically give a commercial licence to songs created on the free plan: Suno’s help guidance. Keep a record of the plan under which each track was generated.
Commercial use is not guaranteed copyright
Suno distinguishes permission to use a paid-plan song commercially from copyright protection. Its guidance says wholly AI-generated material may not qualify for copyright protection in the United States, while human-authored lyrics may receive separate protection: Suno’s copyright guidance. A distributor or client may apply additional rules, and Suno’s distribution guidance is at this help page.
Uploads, voices and similarity
Do not upload lyrics, samples, recordings or voices unless you have the necessary permissions. Suno’s terms require users to have the relevant rights, and warn that outputs may not be unique; another user can receive a similar result: Suno’s terms.
Who may benefit—and who may not
Potentially good uses
- Auditioning arrangements for a song idea.
- Creating temporary music for a video or podcast.
- Exploring genres without first buying instruments or learning a DAW.
- Expressing musical ideas despite limited time, confidence or motor ability.
- Generating rough material for a producer to reshape.
Poorer fits
- Learning an instrument is the main goal.
- The project depends on live performance, collaboration or note-by-note control.
- A label or client requires demonstrably human-created recordings.
- Guaranteed copyright ownership or exclusivity is essential.
- You plan to monetize free-plan generations or use uncleared source material.
Alternatives by workflow
These services are not identical substitutes. Udio is another AI generation and editing option. BandLab emphasizes browser and mobile recording, collaboration and learning. Apple’s GarageBand is suited to hands-on composition and recording on Apple devices. Ableton Live and FL Studio provide deeper control for production, arrangement and performance.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe choice is therefore not simply “old music” versus “AI music.” It is whether you want to remove particular kinds of labor, learn a craft through that labor, or combine generated material with human performance and editing.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
