Blending Soul and Software: How We Make Music at Digital Thunder

In my last blog post, we shared how digital tools and AI are helping us explore new ways to create visual art. That creative spark didn’t stop there—it naturally carried over into another passion of ours: music. Now, we’re bringing that same blend of emotion, storytelling, and technology into the world of digital music creation.

At Digital Thunder, music is a journey of emotion, creativity, and storytelling—and yes, with a little help from AI.

Let’s be real: almost every song today involves some digital or AI tool. Whether it’s a grammar checker while writing lyrics, a vocal tuner in the studio, or remixing software, AI is already part of the modern music-making process. But it’s not about replacing the artist. It’s about opening new doors and expanding what’s possible.

At Digital Thunder, music is a journey of emotion, creativity, and storytelling

For me, it all starts the old-fashioned way—with a pen and paper. I write lyrics by hand, building the story and feeling we want to share. Then we bring AI into the mix—not to write for us, but to suggest ideas, help us refine the rhythm or tone, and explore creative directions we might not have considered. We stay in control the whole way. Every decision is ours.

When composing the music, AI becomes a kind of bandmate, offering sounds, harmonies, and textures we can mold. We guide the mood, the pacing, and the rise and fall of emotion, layering and adjusting until the song feels just right. Sometimes that happens in a day; sometimes it takes much longer.

We usually create a few versions of each track, remixing and reworking until one stands out. From there, it’s about fine-tuning—balancing instruments, polishing the mix, and making sure the final version truly reflects the emotion we imagined from the start.

And yes, you’ll often hear digital voices in our songs. These aren’t permanent—they’re placeholders until we find the perfect live performer. But even now, they help us bring the music to life and share it with the world.

AI is just one of the instruments we use. The soul of the music still comes from us—our hearts, our hands, and our ears. We hope the industry can embrace this blend of technology and creativity and celebrate the new sounds and stories that are emerging.

This is just the beginning. And we’re excited to be part of it.

My daughter and I are thrilled to be working on our first album, Colors of Emotions.

We’re aiming for a release before the end of June 2025. There’s still plenty to do—but the journey has been inspiring and full of heart.