[AI Revolution](80) Finds Background Music Matching My Photo in Just 3 Seconds

AI Music Tech Startup Newtune
Provides Music Matching Mood, Genre, and Situation
Beta Service of 'MixAudio' Launches This Month

Jongpil Lee, CEO of Newtune.

When watching YouTube or TV commercials, people are often more drawn to the music than the visuals. Expressing the excitement of finally arriving at a long-desired travel destination or the grandeur of vast nature with fitting music amplifies the emotional impact. Even the same piece of music can feel fresh when the instrumental arrangement is varied according to the scene or mood.

Until now, such music production required high expertise. Music professionals had to fully utilize their musical spectrum to select tracks and sometimes hire session musicians for separate recordings. Mixing, which involves meticulously editing audio tracks frame by frame, was also a demanding task. Copyright issues arising from this process were always a concern.

NewTune, an AI music technology startup, was established in March 2020 to solve these 'pain points.' Using generative AI technology similar to 'ChatGPT,' it creates music tailored to the situation, genre, mood, or emotions input by the user. Uploading a photo or a music file you liked can also generate matching music.

Lee Jongpil, the founder of NewTune, graduated from KAIST’s MAC (Music and Audio Computing) lab. The company is run by a diverse team including music engineers, producers, media artists, DJs, and indie band members. Lee said, "I loved music so much that I was invited to the Melon headquarters as a VIP user and was an active reviewer in music communities. I was confident that AI technology would advance how we enjoy music in our era, so after researching music engineering, I started this business."

Image of NewTune's MixAudio service.

On the 9th, NewTune launched the beta service of 'MixAudio,' an AI background music (BGM) generator applying multimodal technology. Multimodal means AI recognizes various types of information such as text, images, and audio. MixAudio can generate copyright-free music in just three seconds. The official version of MixAudio will adopt a subscription business model. Lee explained, "We produce audio data through our own network of producers and composers and have individual license agreements for all tracks, so we are free from copyright infringement issues. However, how to recognize copyright for music created by users through our service is a matter that requires social consensus."

In May, NewTune ranked first among 100 startups at the '2023 Expand North Star' Korea Roadshow, hosted by the Dubai Digital Economy Chamber and Dubai Trade Center. This event was a prelude to the world's largest IT exhibition held annually in Dubai, 'GITEX Expand North Star.' It takes place in major cities worldwide, selecting outstanding startups and providing investment matching opportunities. NewTune also won the 'Software & Mobile Application' Innovation Award at CES 2023. Kakao Ventures and Shinhan Capital made seed investments in NewTune in 2021.

Lee foresees generative AI shaking up the music industry. From the perspective of music creation, technological barriers will gradually be dismantled. He said, "Just as anyone can easily take photos and videos in daily life, everyone will be able to express their inspiration through music and share it with others, creating a new culture of enjoyment. This will give birth to new platforms and create new markets."

Of course, this change does not mean the end of artists. Lee expects, "Experts and artists will rather use AI’s help to focus more on richer inspiration and unique ideas. They will communicate with fans through more diverse channels, leading to further growth of the music industry and culture."