Google's annual I/O developer conference went down Tuesday in Mountain View, California. Naturally, this year's iteration was focused a lot on AI, including its presence in a new music production tool called Lyria RealTime. Ahead of the speakers' presentations, Toro Y Moi put that AI model to the test, making beats onstage while wearing a customized tech bro vest.
Lyria RealTime, available to purchase as an add-on to Google's AI Studio, "can mix musical genres, change instruments, and alter the mood of AI-generated music, giving users control over the key, tempo, brightness, and other song characteristics and elements." Toro was up on that conference stage with a synth early in the morning, with a screen behind him to demonstrate how he integrated Lyria into the beats. He apparently told the crowd that he assigned a prompt to each of the 16 knobs shown.
You can see some photos and clips below, and read more about the I/O announcements here.
"I understand why most would opt out of using the Lyria tool but I actually see how this could be of use to every type of musician," Chaz Bear wrote on Instagram after. Here's his post:
Thanks @google for having me at I/O. Big thank you to the @googledeepmind team for having me present this amazing tool.
I understand why most would opt out of using the Lyria tool but I actually see how this could be of use to every type of musician. Upon first use I was open, no pessimism. It basically comes down to how detailed of a prompt you can think. I felt the drum programming was very intriguing… odd but a new sound. The sound quality was decent to great. You set the key and bpm.
I’ll try to make a video on what exactly I was doing but I’ve attached a photo of my set up from I/O. First off I’m using the Lyria Real Time (goo.gle/lyria-realtime) and sending that into a Pioneer DJM900 with a sm58 mic with an atheory autobox live. I was also using a Yamaha Motif with a EH Memory-man. Also going into the mixer was an electric tabla I found from Keda Music.
I’ve also attached a set of presets that I made in the early stages. Some satisfying results. Ultimately I had the most fun creating a sample library, mainly of drums. It’s really shines at recreating other electronic music genres, even something like “90s fusion jazz with programmed keyboard drums”… worth sampling for sure. Some of the acoustic instruments are a bit all over the place but some can fall into a progression or even, again… something worth looping maybe.
I do see some uses for something like this… it’s basically royalty free music— indie films etc. I cant say I’d use it for everything but I did have fun using it and did find it sparked more ideas 💡.
@tomsguide Count on Google to try to set a vibe for its developer conference ? it's Google I/O day and Tori y Moi is warming up the audience ahead of a Gemini-centric keynote @Toro y Moi @Google #googleio #googleio2025 #toroymoi #dj #livebeats #gemini #googlegemini #googlehome #googleevent #sundarpichai #techtok #technews #event #livedj #tomsguide
♬ original sound - Tom’s Guide
@bcheungz you wasn’t with me at the 9am toro y moi AI dj set at the Google I/O keynote
♬ original sound - Brian Cheung
Google is having Toro y Moi play for half an hour before the I/O keynote using some of their cool new AI music products, which is fine, but the only visual they're giving us makes it look like he's only turning knobs to bring different parts of the track in and out pic.twitter.com/AT6AIViGmu
— Eli T. D. (Dialetheism Truther) (@esalalumbo) May 20, 2025
one of the rarer things ive embroidered lol TyM in the google font on a patagonia vest for bro opening the google i/o keynote today pic.twitter.com/t4hUuyI8Ed
— tron (@Tronfucious) May 20, 2025
