Veteran composer and producer Rettward von Doernberg releases a new single, “The Wind in My Hair,” marking a stylistic departure from the political and elegiac tone of his earlier work. Shifting focus, he returns to ambient music, an area he previously explored in tracks like Night Drive, while introducing an electric guitar line generated entirely by artificial intelligence.
The AI-generated guitar part, originally created during an unrelated session, became the foundation of the track. Von Doernberg paired it with layered electric piano sounds to create a nostalgic, cinematic atmosphere.
While the composition incorporates AI, von Doernberg emphasizes the importance of human interpretation. Drawing on his training and influences, including James Newton Howard, Alan Silvestri, and Hans Zimmer, he sees AI not as a substitute, but as an extension of the composer’s toolkit.
The single arrives amid a prolific period for von Doernberg, who has released weekly tracks on Bandcamp in recent months. His work spans radio, television, film, and video games, often performed by ensembles ranging from chamber groups to full orchestras.
Educated at the Musicians Institute and UCLA, von Doernberg embraces emerging technologies without abandoning classical foundations. “AI is not a threat,” he states. “It’s an infinite collaborator that pushes my creativity further.”
“The Wind in My Hair” is available on Bandcamp.