Mariano Salcedo: Mastering Music and Machine Learning at MIT
Born and raised in Mexico and Texas, Mariano Salcedo ’25 has been cultivating a strong bond with music for as long as he can remember. However, opportunities to express this passion were scarce. “There are no bands in Mexican public schools,” he says, highlighting the socio-economic barriers that limited his access to music education.
Despite these obstacles, Salcedo’s passion for music remained undeterred. “I’ve always loved music,” he continues. “I was a listener.” Today, Salcedo, the Alex Rigopulos Fellow in Music Technology and Computer Science, is breaking barriers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he is pioneering the fusion of music and artificial intelligence.
Salcedo’s Journey into Music Technology and AI
Salcedo earned a BS in Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making from MIT, studying how the classical understanding of signals can inform our understanding of AI. He is now part of the first cohort of master’s students in the Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program — a collaboration between the Department of Music and Theater Arts in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) and the School of Engineering at MIT.
This unique program, led by Professor of Music Technology Practice Eran Egozy ’93, MNG ’95, invites practitioners to explore, discover, and develop new computational approaches to music. It incorporates a lecture series that introduces students and the broader MIT community to music industry professionals, artists, technologists, and other researchers.
The Alex Rigopulos Fellowship, under which Salcedo studies, is named after a video game designer, musician, and former CEO of Harmonix Music Systems. Rigopulos co-founded Harmonix with Egozy in 1995, which is now part of Epic Games, where Rigopulos serves as the director of game development music. Sharing his satisfaction, Rigopulos says, “When MIT launched an advanced degree program in music technology, I was thrilled to fund a scholarship to advance this exciting new program.”
Salcedo’s Unique Research: Visualizing Music with AI
Salcedo’s research is centered around neural cellular automata (NCA), a unique approach that combines classical cellular automata with machine learning techniques to generate regenerative images. These images, when combined with a stimulus like music, can “show” sounds in action.
Salcedo’s approach allows anyone to create music-driven visuals harnessing the expressive and sometimes unpredictable dynamics of self-organizing systems. “I want the visuals to complement and enhance the listening experience,” he says. His research has earned him a spot as the student speaker at the 2026 Advanced Degree Ceremony for SHASS, a responsibility he’s proud to accept.
Salcedo’s work has also earned him high praise from Professor Egozy, who describes him as a multidisciplinary researcher who thinks deeply about how to use technology to encourage and expand human creativity.
Salcedo’s Transformation: From Mechanical Engineering to AI
Interestingly, Salcedo began his MIT journey as a Mechanical Engineering (MechE) student. However, a chance encounter with a Large Language Model (LLM) chatbot completely transformed his academic trajectory. “I met an LLM chatbot and was overwhelmed,” he remembers. This encounter ignited his interest in AI, leading him to switch his major from mechanical engineering to artificial intelligence and decision-making.
During his undergraduate studies, Salcedo’s love for music resurfaced. “I started DJing at MIT and loved it,” he says. He discovered that he could use technology to create fascinating soundscapes, even without mastering a traditional instrument. This led him to purchase a digital audio workstation to help him make music.
Salcedo’s Impact: Advancing AI and Music Technology
Salcedo’s research aims to improve the way we model self-organizing systems — systems like multicellular organisms, flocks of birds, or societies that interact locally but exhibit interesting behaviors. His work, though challenging, could potentially answer important ethical questions related to the further expansion and growth of AI.
Beyond his research, Salcedo is actively involved in community-building at MIT. He is a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and has participated in the MISTI program, conducting music technology research in Chile. Through his active engagement and contributions, Salcedo is making a mark at MIT and beyond.
Salcedo’s ultimate goal is to inspire others to experience the joy he feels working at the intersection of the humanities and sciences. By inviting audiences into his lab as participants in the creative and research processes, he hopes to drive their understanding and appreciation of the value of his work. “I want users to feel movement and explore sounds and their effects more fully,” he says.
For more details on Mariano Salcedo’s story and his groundbreaking work in music and technology, visit the original article here.
