SoundLabs and UMG announce agreement for AI voice modeling

SoundLabs announces a partnership with Universal Music Group to offer MicDrop, an AI vocal plug-in that can create ethical vocal models using an artist’s own vocal data.

SoundLabs, a new AI technology company providing responsibly trained, next-generation AI tools for music creators, and Universal Music Group have announced a strategic agreement that will enable UMG artists and producers to use SoundLabs MicDrop. MicDrop is a cutting-edge AI vocal plug-in for creating official high-accuracy vocal models for artists using their own vocal data to train, while retaining ownership control and giving them full artistic approval and control over the output.

Set to officially launch this summer, MicDrop is a real-time plug-in (AU, VST3, AAX) compatible with all major digital audio workstations (DAWs). The collaboration between UMG and SoundLabs allows UMG artists to create custom vocal models that are exclusive to their creative use cases and not available to the general public.

SoundLabs was founded by software developer, composer, producer and electronic artist BT. In a career spanning over 25 years, BT has released, produced and remixed platinum and award-winning music for artists such as David Bowie, Madonna, Sting, Death Cab for Cutie, Peter Gabriel and Seal. He has also composed the music for films such as Monster and The Fast and the Furious.

As a software developer, BT has pioneered new techniques for music creation tools that have been used in albums, scores and trailers around the world. He has patented and developed audio plug-ins such as Stutter Edit, BreakTweaker (iZotope), Polaris and Phobos (Spitfire Audio), among others. His software products have generated gross revenues of over US$70 million.

The SoundLabs founding team also includes experienced software developers Joshua Dickinson and Dr. Michael Hetrick of Unfiltered Audio, known for pushing the boundaries of typical creative audio tools. Together they are expanding the pursuit of ethical AI and expanding human creativity.

MicDrop is the first in a series of interoperable AI tools and services developed by SoundLabs for sound design and music generation. SoundLabs’ goal is to provide artists with powerful new tools while helping them properly manage their intellectual property.

“It is a tremendous honor to partner with the forward-thinking and creatively focused Universal Music Group,” said BT. “We believe the future of music creation is distinctly human. Artificial intelligence, when used ethically and trained consensually, has the Promethean ability to unlock unimaginable new creative insights, reduce friction in the creative process, and democratize creativity for artists, fans, and creators of all kinds. We are building tools not to replace human artists, but to amplify human creativity.”

“UMG is committed to putting artists at the heart of our AI strategy, so that technology serves the art, not the other way around,” added Chris Horton, SVP, Strategic Technology at Universal Music. “We are delighted to be working with SoundLabs and BT, who have a deep and personal understanding of both the technical and ethical issues surrounding AI.”

“From its own experience as a singer and working with many vocal artists, BT understands how artists perceive and value their voice. SoundLabs will enable UMG artists to expand their creativity by leveraging voice-to-voice AI and sing in languages ​​they don’t speak, perform duets with their younger selves, restore flawed vocal recordings, and more,” Horton concluded.