Music tech developer unveils a music identification system for clubs!

Berlin- based music tech developer Future Audio Workshop is currently working on a music identification system in order to track and enlist music played in nightclubs.

Called Geo Track ID, the product is currently in testing mode at Prince Charles, Berlin. The thought behind it is to relay data to performing rights organisations (eg. GEMA), in order to ensure that fees can be equally distributed amongst its members.

Apparently, German clubs have had quite the history with GEMA, with disputes surrounding royalty threats and DJ laptop charges, potentially destroying the club entirely. After a revised fee structure was put together, an agreement was reached 2014 onwards.

A Future Audio Workshop statement reads:

“Until now, it has been extremely difficult for PROs [performing rights organizations] to obtain information detailing the music played in clubs.

“Instead, most PROs currently employ ad-hoc methods to estimate this data, and in doing so tend to produce results that are inaccurate.”

So, how does it work? Well, picture a “box” of a small dimension, that’s fitted to the sound system. This shall continuously analyse the music played, so “fingerprints” can be sent to the headquarters for storage in a database.