Frequently Asked Questions
What is audiobaba?
Audiobaba is a next-generation music search and recommendation engine. We realize that unless you know the name of the song you want, searching for music has so far been a pretty pathetic undertaking. Because there really is no better way to describe a song than "da da dee da da da", rather than using text to search for music, Audiobaba searches for music by fingerprinting the acoustic and impossible to articulate qualities of every song in its database and searches through them acoustically. We then further refine and personalize results as we receive feedback from our valued users.
What makes it different?
Instead of using the old methods of keywords, genres, and metatags, we rethought the musical paradigm. With text, the name of the game is to find what you want. With music, the idea is to discover new things. So why does music search return the song you want? We thought that was a little silly, so we created Audiobaba. Instead of just returning the song you want (it does that anyway because we know users expect it), it actually returns songs that sound similar.
How does it work?
Audiobaba is powered by a complex artificial intelligence and years of academic research on sound and music. Our computer algorithms 'listen' to music and compare it for multitudes (we can't tell you the exact number but its over 70) of acoustic qualities like beats, rhythm, and all that jazz.
Who's behind it?
Audiobaba is a small bunch of guys based in Vancouver BC that just happen to share a passion for music and technology. We all came from different startups and decided to do our own in the music space. The rest is what you see on this site.
What's it in for you guys?
Fame and fortune, but most of all, a chance to discover new music. Maybe a sponsor or two to keep the lights on...
What's this RSS thing?
We're pretty proud of this one. Its like our search engine in a bite sized piece. Say you like The Killers (we do), just pick a favourite song by The Killers and RSS it. Each week, our music genie will pilfer through the internet and find new, free, music that sounds like that song from The Killers. It found us a sample clip of the Japanese band Straightener, which we think rocks pretty good.
Can I improve results?
Yes! By clicking on the 'thumbs down' icon next to results, you can tell us that the track listed is not acoustically similar to the seed track you picked. We will take this feedback into account and over time the results you and others will see will be more relevant.
Where do you get your content from?
We have collected hundreds of thousands of samples of fingerprints from our users via our plug-in and also scour the web for indie artists that are looking to have their work found and promoted. Each track goes through a 3 second fingerprinting process and is then inserted into our database for instant availability on searches. If something more relevant is injected, it shows up higher on the list.
How do I submit my music?
We encourage artists to submit their content directly to us. You can do so by using our online submission form, available here.
What are your future plans?
After we get rich, we're gonna live our lifelong dream: We're gonna start a band.
Please remember that this is a pre-release service and that we value your feedback. Click here to send us some!