D’Addario has acknowledged that AI music was used in its promotional video for NYXL HD electric guitar strings, reversing earlier denials after a review of the production. The string maker said Suno Studio had been used to “regenerate the original track” heard in the demo.
The admission is narrower than a claim that every sound in the video was generated by software. D’Addario’s statement, reported by Guitar.com and The Verge, identifies Suno’s role as regeneration of an original track. The supplied reports do not detail what material went into Suno, what the regeneration altered, or how the resulting audio was incorporated into the finished promo.
The video promoted NYXL HD strings, a line aimed at extended-range guitars and lower tunings. Listeners questioned the demo music soon after it appeared, and online criticism grew as D’Addario rejected allegations of generative-AI use.
Did D’Addario use AI music in its NYXL demo video?
Yes, according to D’Addario’s later statement. The company said it had completed a review and confirmed that Suno Studio was used to regenerate the track. It apologized for its earlier account, saying it had shared inaccurate information.
Before that reversal, D’Addario attributed the unusual sound to conventional production decisions and processing. Its earlier explanation said the guitars had been recorded by a person, while drums and synthesizers were programmed and the material received extensive plug-in treatment. The company also pointed to such factors as export quality and mastering tools in responses reported by The Verge.
Those explanations did not settle the issue. The Verge reported that D’Addario released material it described as Logic recording sessions, but listeners noted melodic and rhythmic differences between that material and the released demo. Guitarist and YouTuber Rhett Shull later examined Logic files provided by D’Addario and concluded that Suno had probably been used somewhere in the process, according to The Verge.
What will D’Addario change after its AI admission?
D’Addario said it would require employees and creative partners to disclose generative-AI use and would review published content more closely. It also said it does not support AI-generated music and that its process would change accordingly.
The company also conceded that its handling of comments was wrong. Reports by Digital Music News and Guitar.com say D’Addario had removed critical comments and blocked some users during the dispute. In its updated statement, the company said it would change moderation practices so criticism could remain while it continued to address threats, harassment and exposure of private information.
Rather than publishing a separate new announcement, D’Addario edited an earlier Instagram post containing its denial, The Verge reported. That leaves the concrete correction clear: Suno Studio was involved in regenerating the NYXL demo’s original track. Questions about the precise production workflow are not answered by the company statement quoted in the reports.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
