Deadmau5 co-founded Pixelynx, an Animoca Brands-owned metaverse company, which today unveiled the release of its most recent set of tools for Korus, an AI-powered music creation platform where users can remix content using AI and authorized stem files created by artists and record labels, mint music, and make money.
Korus is unveiling new features today that will allow users to create and experiment with music, such as dynamic graphics, a layering tool, and video recording. A new playlist tool and an incentive scheme are now available to encourage creative contributions.
Korus’ primary proprietary tool is called “Sound Mosaic,” and it is a music composition algorithm that can produce music from stem files that are supplied to it. Korus compensates musicians for the music they submit, and artists retain ownership of any new output that incorporates their stems. Users divide royalties with the original intellectual property owner. The Sound Mosaic tool will soon be available as an SDK, allowing developers to integrate new audio experiences into their businesses.
To commercialize their IP, each artist on the site is constructing their own unique AI models based on their IP. Deadmau5 released his AI model “Mau5trap DNA” in June, which included music from his independent record label.
“It’s a new paradigm to be able to buy this AI model from your favorite label and play with it.” “The [Mau5trap] drop made about $18,000 in about 24 hours and included music from three relatively unknown artists—less than 10,000 followers each—and, in general, would not make a fraction of that from streaming in five years, let alone 24 hours,” Pixelynx co-founder and CEO Inder Phull told TechCrunch.
The firm is currently sorting out its business strategy, according to Phull, but it has acquired an ownership investment in Reveal, an unchained royalty-splitting platform, to give artists and creators “full transparency over the royalties,” he said.
“The economy and business model we’re attempting to develop are heavily influenced by gaming, soft currencies, and methods for consumers to spend on in-platform microtransactions. “We’re putting the pieces together right now,” Phull said.
Another element of the site is its AI companions, known as “KORS,” who are friendly robots that you can teach to make new music and album artwork. For example, “Create a track with a dark mood and an angry vibe.” You may gather three free companions made in partnership with Mau5trap and music firms Beatport and Pioneer DJ. Korus plans to offer premium companions made by renowned and up-and-coming artists that will provide fans with original content.
“As we continue to evolve the platform, these will begin to develop personalities; they will be aware of your interests.” So, for example, if you’re creating this country home genre, let’s say it knows and will continue to help your experience in that direction or feed you stuff related to the communities that you’re a member of,” Phull said.
The platform’s first new feature is “Scenz,” a video tool that allows you to create artistically beautiful graphics by choosing from animated backdrops and moving pictures and avatars around the screen. Korus also enables you to shoot videos and publish them on social media.
“Whether you want to create your experience in a 3D environment and build a space for that visual experience to take place or whether you want to just use more traditional video and textures, this is all a real-time visual composition engine in many ways,” Phull said in an interview with TechCrunch. Phull also mentions camera interactions, which allow you to submit a scan of yourself and perform as an avatar; however, this feature was not available in time for the presentation.
The next feature is called “Layer Mosaic,” and it lets you change stems by modifying drums, vocals, harmony, melody, and chords, as well as using an XY pad for effects. It’s intended to give you the sensation of playing like a DJ and to deliver a sense of “musical creative agency,” according to Phull. Similar to CreateSafe’s newly announced Triniti platform, you can likewise make new sounds using AI text prompts. Korus intends to integrate voice inputs in the next version.
Korus is also offering “NOIZ,” a soft currency that can be used to buy audio and video material as well as music downloads. The site pays you for creating songs, sharing material, and interacting with it. You’ll also get an award if you log in every day. You may exchange your awards for digital collectibles, merchandise, and gift cards.
Finally, the new playlist function allows you to design content collections while also browsing playlists created by other people. Korus thinks that the playlists will improve music discovery and foster a community of producers on the site.
Phull also disclosed that the firm is collaborating with Netflix’s blockbuster sci-fi series “Black Mirror” to produce its own web3 experience.
“Our goal is to bring fans closer to the IP and worlds they love by fusing many sectors, including music, film, and television, with our core technology.” Many people believe that the future of AI will be a dystopian, gloomy story. “We hope to demonstrate that this will not be the case, and we will always strive to have fun with our partners along the way,” Phull added.
Richie Hawtin, Ben Turner, and Dean Wilson, who are all experts in the music industry, also formed Pixelynx. Korus users have generated and minted over 15,000 songs on the chain since its inception in May.
