When a music sector is affected by complexity and friction, it’s ripe for a tech-based solution. It’s the reason why composer, producer and mixer Sefi Carmel decided to launch the SphereTrax music licensing platform.
The licensing and sync gallery simplifies the process with thousands of pre-cleared tracks available for clients including production companies in film, television, games and advertising, as well as brands, creative agencies and freelance creators.
SphereTrax uses assistive AI to power the search of its catalogue based on entering words based on emotions and feelings. All tracks are converted to Dolby Atmos to provide an immersive sound experience as standard for sync placements.
The SphereTrax model allows artists and composers to keep up to 75% of their royalties from a sync. It uses blockchain technology Bitcoin SV to ensure a transparent licensing process, with payments in either cash or cryptocurrency.
The music licensing start-up recently recruited Helen Wiltshire as head of sync, sales and marketing from Warner Chappell.
Here, SphereTrax founder and CEO Sefi Carmel opens up about the opportunity he saw to find a more streamlined solution for licensing and sync…
What was the vision for SphereTrax, why did you decide to launch the company?
“I decided to launch SphereTrax because there was a big gap that was screaming at me, ‘How has no one done this before?!’ SphereTrax addresses the pain points of creatives trying to quickly find pre-cleared tracks for their films, TV, advertising and games. The fact that no one was delivering music for media in immersive formats, and the complexity of the licensing process, together with the huge advantages that SphereTrax offers musicians, made it clear to me that this had to be done.”
How does the platform make sync more accessible and sustainable for artists and clients?
“We are striving to put creators at the heart of what we do, whether that is in terms of our artists or clients. For clients, our clear pricing structure ensures that they are working with no hidden fees, no long waits for approvals and no surprises in regard to additional monetary or creative demands from artists. Our adaptability as a small company also allows us to adjust to client needs quickly, whether that is creating bespoke agreements, updating the site to assist their workflow or even sourcing music at high speed. As an example, when asked for Iraqi music earlier this year we were able to find, approach and sign a band from Iraq within 24 hours.
“For artists, they not only benefit from access to SphereTrax’s clients, but also highly competitive rates; all of our artists take the lion’s share of income. We are also running regular artist community updates and webinars to ensure they feel heard, seen and supported by us. The step we believe is revolutionary for artists, though, is that as soon as we get paid – they get paid. With our competitors, It can sometimes take up to a year for an artist to see any income for a sync, and for the majority of people making music this stunts not only personal finances but also the ability to continue creating music.”
How do you use AI to power the search function for clients?
“We use assistive AI to help us search our catalogue in a similar way to how humans describe music – using emotions and feelings, like ‘happy’ or ‘whimsical’ attached to faders, similar to those you see on a mixing desk. We allow the user to describe what they need accurately, and find it quickly.”
What does Helen Wiltshire bring to the company? And what does her appointment signify about the development of SphereTrax?
“Helen brings with her a unique combination of her rich and diverse experience from working on sync at Cooking Vinyl to her work with major league player Warner Chappell, combined with her sharp intuition and great passion for music. She is a real asset for SphereTrax!”
The step that we believe is revolutionary for artists is that as soon as we get paid – they get paid
Sefi Carmel
Why was it important to embrace Dolby Atmos as standard?
“The world of consuming both music and media is becoming increasingly experiential; not just in cinemas and at immersive events but on laptops, VR headsets and even home audio set-ups. Dolby Atmos has been the gold standard for cinemas for nearly a decade but as the likes of Apple Music move towards prioritising it for personal use, we strongly believe that more people will be demanding it not just when they listen to music but also for their favourite TV shows and movies from the comfort of their own homes. Fans don’t just want to watch anymore, they want to feel – and Dolby Atmos makes that possible.”
Can you tell us about any recent sync placements?
“We have had some initial success with multiple content films for Little Big Fish Films, a cinema trailer for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, and have been working on full composition, sound design and sonic branding for a campaign due to launch this summer. One of those we’re proudest of, though, is an anti-domestic violence campaign we worked on with Studio Nuts in Brazil, providing both the music and sound design. It’s an incredible piece of work creatively; both important and confronting.”
How is the company expanding in terms of both sync clients and composers? Are you bringing on new partners?
“Our aforementioned approach to artist payment and sync access means that since launching last year, music submissions are coming in thick and fast. So far, we’ve received in excess of 60,000 track submissions from which we’re selecting the very best to be included on SphereTrax. In our bid to offer as much diversity and quality as possible, we are also seeking out musicians from all over the globe and tapping into our own networks to continue signing new artists.
“Our approach to expanding our client repertoire is currently multi-faceted. Obviously, music supervisors play a vital role in the synchronisation process so we are in conversations with many of the UK’s finest, as well as being in discussions with the Guild [of Music Supervisors] about collaboration. The clarity and simplicity of the licensing process means we are also finding our work resonating with directors, editors and producers, with many engaging with the site and even basing full music budgeting on what we can offer. The launch of the label also allows us to tap into music needs covered by blanket licenses both in the UK and Europe, such as through Soundmouse/BBC Music Box.”
What is the label element of SphereTrax?
“As of the beginning of May, SphereTrax has signed a deal with Horus distribution allowing us to officially launch as a label. Initially, this means we can offer artists distribution to DSPs and social networks, playlisting opportunities and full registration for both master and publishing with PROs globally. As we build on this initial launch, we are also in discussions with artists to expand into traditional label services; radio plugging, marketing, fully scheduled single and album releases. The [label] launch was almost exactly a year to the day since SphereTrax launched as a platform and, for us, exemplifies not only our ambitions as a company but also our commitment to ensure we put our artists careers at the centre of everything we do.”
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