Among the venues that Indian AI background music startup Tringbox has been working with are cafés, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and hotels—places that are likely to also host live performances. The company says its operations in these spots go “beyond in-store music intelligence” through a “consumer music interaction platform” that offers “a QR-based song request solution”.
Here’s how it will work: Customers can ask a DJ or artist to play a song through QR codes placed inside the venue, after which “Tringbox’s ‘AI Vibe Check’ system evaluates whether requests align with the venue’s music policy, audience profile, time of day, and overall ambience”.
Only if it matches those criteria does the act play the request, which they can see through Tringbox’s ‘partner app’, accept or decline it, manage the queue, receive shoutouts, and earn through tips and premium features such as skip-the-queue.
“AI-generated music on Tringbox is used only for ambience/background music inside venues,” a spokesperson told Music Ally. “The guest song request feature is a separate layer and is enabled only at venues that have the proper licenses in place for playing requested commercial music.”
Even within those establishments, the list of tracks is restricted to those they have obtained a license to play. “The idea is not to replace DJs or live performers, but to give them a structured request-and-monetisation layer, while helping venues maintain control over the overall music experience,” says the spokesperson.
That Tringbox isn’t replacing all music at venues with its AI-generated output could be a source of relief to working musicians. However, the introduction of an “AI-assisted messaging and request layer between guests and DJs”, as they put it, does have the potential to take away the spontaneity that’s such a vital element of live gigs.
It might eliminate the chances of somebody expecting Bollywood music at a metal night, for instance, but we’re guessing the average DJ doesn’t really need assistance when it comes to judging a tune’s “tempo, flow, crowd energy, and suitability for that moment”. Moreover, is it necessarily a bad thing for a band to break into a ballad during a high-energy set? That’s something venues might want to consider when signing up to use the app.
