Music Tech

Music based on Coronavirus DNA is now an NFT Collection

One of the most exciting aspects of Music NFTs is the level of creativity that it enables alongside the ability to monetize.

Using a process called DNA Sonification, ViroMusic.io has created a collection of 10,000 songs and digital images using the genetic code of the Coronavirus and is selling them as NFTs

The songs are now available as an NFT collection on Rarible.com. They currently have a listing price of .07 ETH or about $297.

Their software combs through the viral code to identify sections that sound musical and turns each letter of RNA into a musical note comprising a melody.

Then human-played instruments were added on top as accompaniment including Yoed Nir on the cello, whose credits include Regina Spektor, Judy Collins and Interpol’s Paul Banks. Drum parts were added by Chuck Sabo, who recorded on albums by Elton John, XTC, OMD and Natalie Imbruglia.

How DNA Sonification works

From the ViroMusic website:

“The idea for this collection was born from an awe of the beauty in the code of life. We hope this project helps to raise awareness that even a virus capable of inflicting such misery is fundamentally based on the same code as every living thing on earth. We thought it would be interesting to take this code and make it play music. We hope you find it as haunting, interesting and provocative as we do.”

Bruce Houghton is Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank and serves as a Senior Advisor to Bandsintown which acquired both publications in 2019. He is the Founder and President of the Skyline Artists Agency and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.

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