I Spent $2 On a Drum Loop and Have Mixed Feelings About It

In this video, I explore BeatGen, a new AI-enhanced beat-making software from Novo Notes that takes a unique approach to integrating artificial intelligence into music production. Unlike typical AI music generators that create entire tracks from text prompts, BeatGen acts as a collaborative assistant that helps you develop beats through a chat interface powered by large language models like Claude. While the software is still in its early stages with notable quirks, bugs, and limitations—including Mac-only availability, expensive API costs (around $2 per beat), and lack of MIDI export functionality—I believe it represents an interesting glimpse into how user interfaces will evolve in the era of AI-enhanced music software.

I walk through the entire installation process, including setting up OpenRouter for LLM integration, creating your first beat, adding custom samples, and testing alternative free models like Moonshot AI's Kimi K2. Despite BeatGen's current limitations—particularly the annoying response delays, inconsistent AI behavior, and inability to analyze actual audio content—I commend Novo Notes for taking risks with emerging technologies that aren't yet commercially viable. While BeatGen isn't ready for practical music production use, it demonstrates a promising collaborative approach to AI in creative workflows that deserves attention from anyone interested in the future of music technology.