- Latency is an important issue to consider when performing live music over the internet.
- Choira uses 5G technology to reduce latency issues and allow musicians to play together.
- This article is part of a series of articles on how 5G will change everything about 5G technologies in the industry.
The remote pandemic events of recent years have shown that people need to connect and collaborate more than ever before, whether they occupy the same physical space or not.
This manifests itself in virtual book clubs, game nights, and music jam sessions to name a few. While the first two can work with today's video conferencing services, the latter presents a unique problem: latency, or the speed of data transfer from one part of the network to another.
When you're casually chatting with someone, small delays can go unnoticed. But when the band plays instruments, even small differences can ruin an entire jam session.
Choira is a new platform that allows musicians to connect virtually in Mumbai using 5G technology to reduce latency issues and allow people to play together anywhere.
Vivart Rangari, CEO and founder of Choira, decided to embrace 5G technology in 2017 after visiting the offices of telecom equipment giant Ericsson in Sweden. After this meeting, Rangari, who has a background in music production, continued to research the technology and met with 5G experts to develop the idea of musicians successfully navigating the internet using 5G.
“In recent years, music has become a global phenomenon thanks to streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, with artists from all over the world trying to collaborate as much as possible with not only local but also global voices to create content ' Rangari told Insiders. We think it's important to create a digital music ecosystem with next-gen technologies so they can work on the same platform and collaborate with each other."
When you start a jam session, each member of the choir enters their language and instrument. According to Rangari, the jam session provided musicians with a platform to explore ideas. You can also record the session with the option to highlight a specific part of each person. The former is free, but getting copies requires a paid subscription.
If you decide to use a professional track, there is an opportunity to contact the manufacturer. This property is being sold on a per customer basis but starts at $500 with special pricing. According to Choyra, the user still retains the rights to the song.
In addition to jamming with friends, Choira users can collaborate on songs by well-known musicians at a promotional price. The app will ask for their song if they have an original or a cover and demo. A representative of the choir will contact the musician and add them to the user's conversation if they accept the project.
Another feature allows users to book recording sessions at verified studios. The app uses your location to recommend nearby studios, share studio history, amenities, and reviews. Choira works with busy studios to improve their ratings and bookings.
For each of these services, the choir charges a commission, 10% for studio bookings and 15 to 20% for musicians.
It is still in its infancy and is still being evaluated and worked towards achieving low latency. A recent test by Choira showed that two users 12 km apart had a latency of just six milliseconds. For context, Zoom recommends that users should have a call latency of less than 150 milliseconds.
Choira is based in Mumbai but Rangari plans to expand across India and eventually globally. It will target cities where the 5G network has been rolled out. Rangari predicted a US release in January and said he looks forward to working with the film's production.
Rangari also stressed the importance of creating opportunities for musicians in rural areas.
With this in mind, Choira created the Hope Project, aimed at musicians who are unable to pursue their craft to the fullest due to financial constraints or public scorn. These people can create a song for free through Choira, but Choira retains the rights to the song.