Uploaded January 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Autoencoders have a number of limitations for generative tasks. That’s why they need a power-up to become Variational Autoencoders. In this video, I explain the first step to transform a vanilla autoencoder into a VAE. Specifically, I discuss how VAEs use multivariate normal distributions to encode input data into a latent space and why this is awesome for generative tasks. Don’t worry - I also explain what multivariate normal distributions are!
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Slide deck:
github.com/musikalkemist/generating-sound-with-neural-networks/tree/main/09%20From%20autoencoders%20to%20VAEs%20Part%201
Join The Sound Of AI Slack community:
valeriovelardo.com/the-sound-of-ai-community
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Interested in hiring me as a consultant/freelancer?
valeriovelardo.com
Follow Valerio on Facebook:
facebook.com/TheSoundOfAI
Connect with Valerio on Linkedin:
linkedin.com/in/valeriovelardo
Follow Valerio on Twitter:
twitter.com/musikalkemist
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Content
0:00 Intro
0:32 Issues with vanilla AEs
1:03 From AEs to VAEs
1:46 Encoder mapping: AEs vs VAEs
2:40 Univariate normal distribution
11:37 Multivariate normal distrivution
16:13 Usage of multivariate normal distribution in VAEs
22:06 How multivariate normal distribution solves discontinuities in VAEs
Autoencoders have a number of limitations for generative tasks. That’s why they need a power-up to become Variational Autoencoders. In this video, I explain the first step to transform a vanilla autoencoder into a VAE. Specifically, I discuss how VAEs use multivariate normal distributions to encode input data into a latent space and why this is awesome for generative tasks. Don’t worry - I also explain what multivariate normal distributions are!
===============================
Slide deck:
github.com/musikalkemist/generating-sound-with-neural-networks/tree/main/09%20From%20autoencoders%20to%20VAEs%20Part%201
Join The Sound Of AI Slack community:
valeriovelardo.com/the-sound-of-ai-community
===============================
Interested in hiring me as a consultant/freelancer?
valeriovelardo.com
Follow Valerio on Facebook:
facebook.com/TheSoundOfAI
Connect with Valerio on Linkedin:
linkedin.com/in/valeriovelardo
Follow Valerio on Twitter:
twitter.com/musikalkemist
===============================
Content
0:00 Intro
0:32 Issues with vanilla AEs
1:03 From AEs to VAEs
1:46 Encoder mapping: AEs vs VAEs
2:40 Univariate normal distribution
11:37 Multivariate normal distrivution
16:13 Usage of multivariate normal distribution in VAEs
22:06 How multivariate normal distribution solves discontinuities in VAEs
