THE ALLIGATORS' ALLEY
EVERY SONGWRITER'S DREAM
Scroll down to learn more and listen to other original songs of mine.
AI is changing what is possible for independent songwriters.
Like most songwriters, I often wondered what my original songs might sound like if they were produced in a professional recording studio rather than through the simple MIDI recordings I was creating with my computer, Casio keyboard, and Radio Shack mic in my makeshift garage/office.
That wasn't just my dream. For generations, songwriters have faced the same divide between writing a song and hearing it fully realized. Today, for the first time, songwriters like me can hear their original melodies and lyrics produced with voices, instruments, arrangements, and production quality that once required a professional studio—and a budget far beyond our reach.
I initially hoped these AI platforms might simply help me present better demos of my songs to a prospective audience. But if you listen to either of my two tracks below, I think you might agree: I seriously underestimated the quality of the demos they were capable of producing. These are a far cry from the songwriter demos I once recorded.
How Do I Make It Alone - AI Demo
Melody & Lyrics by Gary O'Connor
I Wonder - AI Demo
Melody & Lyrics by Gary O'Connor
For songwriters who bring their own original melodies and lyrics to the process, a fully produced demo can now begin—and end—with the author.
AI didn't write my melody or lyrics. It gave me new tools that allowed me to present my songs with a level of polish I simply could not afford or possess the skills to achieve on my own. That's why I present these recordings simply as AI Demos. Unlike my old MIDI recordings, an AI Demo allows a listener to hear the voice, arrangement, instrumentation, and production all working together.
Is that my voice? Absolutely not. Even in my prime, I rarely came close to those vocals. Incredibly though, the AI-produced vocals carry the emotion and inflection I put into my original recording. But it is still my song—my melody and my lyrics.
Like every transformative technology, AI brings both opportunities and challenges. It raises legitimate questions about authorship, compensation, and the rights of creators and performers. Those questions deserve serious answers, and I wholeheartedly support protecting the rights of all creators and performers.
But it also makes me wonder:
How many more songwriters like me are out there?
And what might they bring to the table?
If you hear something in one of my songs—something you might want to sing, produce, license, use, or simply talk about—let's talk.