MusicDNS
Encyclopedia
MusicDNS is an acoustic fingerprint
ing service and a software development kit
provided by MusicIP. MusicDNS is used by MusicIP Mixer, MusicBrainz Picard
, and Jaikoz
. According to MusicIP, the fingerprint database contains over 22 million fingerprints as of August, 2006. MusicDNS has nothing to do with domain name system
(DNS). In 2008 MusicIP folded but the assets were purchased by former MusicIP CEO Andrew Stess and a new company formed called AmpliFIND Music Services who issued a press release announcing the new company in 2009. Additionally, MusicDNS has been rebranded as AmpliFIND.
MusicDNS is extensively used by the MusicBrainz
-powered Picard
tagger for audio file identification to facilitate tagging
of audio files.
The fingerprinting client
library
that looks up and identifies audio files based on existing fingerprints is called Libofa. While the client library is open source
and dual-licensed
under the GPL
as well as APL
, the code for performing initial music analysis
and submitting new fingerprints to the MusicDNS database is proprietary
as the database also contains data for style similarity analysis for use in MusicIP Mixer.
The MusicDNS client library works by first generating an acoustic fingerprint of the analyzed audio file. This acoustic fingerprint is then looked up from the MusicDNS web service
. If a close enough match is found to an existing fingerprint, the service returns an identifier called a PUID (short for Portable Unique IDentifier
) that unambiguously identifies the matching fingerprint. These identifiers can be used by third parties (such as MusicBrainz
) to relate information to the identified audio file. PUIDs are fully qualified UUID
s and do not include any acoustic information.
The MusicDNS client library implements the Open Fingerprint Architecture specifications developed by Predixis Corporation (later known as MusicIP) during 2000–2005.
Acoustic fingerprint
An acoustic fingerprint is a condensed digital summary, deterministically generated from an audio signal, that can be used to identify an audio sample or quickly locate similar items in an audio database....
ing service and a software development kit
Software development kit
A software development kit is typically a set of software development tools that allows for the creation of applications for a certain software package, software framework, hardware platform, computer system, video game console, operating system, or similar platform.It may be something as simple...
provided by MusicIP. MusicDNS is used by MusicIP Mixer, MusicBrainz Picard
MusicBrainz Picard
MusicBrainz Picard is a cross-platform MusicBrainz tag editor written in Python. Picard replaced an earlier "Classic" tagger is intended to be the next generation of tagger for MusicBrainz, with a focus on album-oriented tagging and cross platform compatibility.Since version 0.7.0, MusicBrainz...
, and Jaikoz
Jaikoz
Jaikoz is a Java program used for editing and mass tagging music file tags. Jaikoz generates acoustic fingerprints of your files and looks up the PUID and the existing metadata from the MusicBrainz or Discogs service...
. According to MusicIP, the fingerprint database contains over 22 million fingerprints as of August, 2006. MusicDNS has nothing to do with domain name system
Domain name system
The Domain Name System is a hierarchical distributed naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities...
(DNS). In 2008 MusicIP folded but the assets were purchased by former MusicIP CEO Andrew Stess and a new company formed called AmpliFIND Music Services who issued a press release announcing the new company in 2009. Additionally, MusicDNS has been rebranded as AmpliFIND.
MusicDNS is extensively used by the MusicBrainz
MusicBrainz
MusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
-powered Picard
MusicBrainz Picard
MusicBrainz Picard is a cross-platform MusicBrainz tag editor written in Python. Picard replaced an earlier "Classic" tagger is intended to be the next generation of tagger for MusicBrainz, with a focus on album-oriented tagging and cross platform compatibility.Since version 0.7.0, MusicBrainz...
tagger for audio file identification to facilitate tagging
Tag (metadata)
In online computer systems terminology, a tag is a non-hierarchical keyword or term assigned to a piece of information . This kind of metadata helps describe an item and allows it to be found again by browsing or searching...
of audio files.
The fingerprinting client
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
library
Library (computer science)
In computer science, a library is a collection of resources used to develop software. These may include pre-written code and subroutines, classes, values or type specifications....
that looks up and identifies audio files based on existing fingerprints is called Libofa. While the client library is open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
and dual-licensed
Dual license
Multi-licensing is the practice of distributing software under two or more different sets of terms and conditions. This may mean multiple different licenses or sets of licenses. Prefixes may be used to indicate the number of licenses used, e.g...
under the GPL
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
as well as APL
Adaptive Public License
The Adaptive Public License is an Open Source license from the University of Victoria. It is a weak copyleft, adaptable template license that has been approved by the Open Source Initiative....
, the code for performing initial music analysis
Musical analysis
Musical analysis is the attempt to answer the question how does this music work?. The method employed to answer this question, and indeed exactly what is meant by the question, differs from analyst to analyst, and according to the purpose of the analysis. According to Ian Bent , analysis is "an...
and submitting new fingerprints to the MusicDNS database is proprietary
Proprietary software
Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary...
as the database also contains data for style similarity analysis for use in MusicIP Mixer.
The MusicDNS client library works by first generating an acoustic fingerprint of the analyzed audio file. This acoustic fingerprint is then looked up from the MusicDNS web service
Web service
A Web service is a method of communication between two electronic devices over the web.The W3C defines a "Web service" as "a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network". It has an interface described in a machine-processable format...
. If a close enough match is found to an existing fingerprint, the service returns an identifier called a PUID (short for Portable Unique IDentifier
Portable Unique IDentifier
PUID or Portable Unique IDentifier is a unique identifier used by MusicIP and given by MusicDNS to identify a song.- How it works :To identify songs stored in digital format, an acoustic fingerprint of the song is required. This fingerprint can be generated using the Open Fingerprint Architecture...
) that unambiguously identifies the matching fingerprint. These identifiers can be used by third parties (such as MusicBrainz
MusicBrainz
MusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
) to relate information to the identified audio file. PUIDs are fully qualified UUID
Universally Unique Identifier
A universally unique identifier is an identifier standard used in software construction, standardized by the Open Software Foundation as part of the Distributed Computing Environment ....
s and do not include any acoustic information.
The MusicDNS client library implements the Open Fingerprint Architecture specifications developed by Predixis Corporation (later known as MusicIP) during 2000–2005.