Welcome
Welcome to Machining Sonic Identities, an expanding record of enquiry into Sonic Identity in age of Artificial Intelligence.
The site hosts a series of reflections and ideas by Dr Martin Parker and other contributors structured broadly into three themes:
Identity— social and cultural contexts where sonic identities are found and lostMorphing— concepts of flow and movement in relation to sound making and identity inflectionAlchemy— processes and approaches to crafting and shaping sound and musical identity with AI tools
What is Sonic Identity and why it is so important to get a handle on this may already be clear to many sonic artists and musicians in the post-Spotify era of SUNO. Yet, this project seeks to reveal more
As a Fellow on the AHRC-funded Bridging Responsible AI Divides, Machining Sonic Identities has had me working with a contemporary music ensemble, a museum of musical instruments and a youth group during 2025 and partnering closely with ethical AI startup Datamind Audio to explore new tools, create new work and invent new approaches to
Useful to ask Questions (UAQ)
Have I formed a sonic identity?
Perhaps, but it lasts only as long as you need it to. If you worked to form a sonic identity, then you’ll almost certainly want it to change the minute you have identified itUpdated on 16 May, 2025