Awen - Stem Mixer | Music Collaboration & Derivatives

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Ian McCullough

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

9

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Create 'Stem Mixer', a tool to allow split collaborative works and track music IP provenance, ensuring transparent rights and revenue distribution for all creative contributions.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

NMKR - our NFT Infrastructure

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

MIT License

[METADATA] Horizons

Marketplace

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

We propose 'Stem Mixer,' a decentralized platform that utilizes the Cardano blockchain to manage music intellectual property (IP) through Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). By embedding IP rights within NFTs, we create a verifiable and immutable provenance chain for every piece of music, from original tracks to derivatives like remixes and samples. This approach not only simplifies rights management but also fosters a fair and transparent marketplace for music collaborations.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Our project's success will bring significant value to the Cardano Community by enhancing the usability and functionality of NFTs within the music industry. We intend to measure the impact through both quantitative and qualitative metrics. 

We plan to share the outputs and opportunities from 'Stem Mixer' with the community through:

• Regular updates and progress reports on X, Discord, and our project's website
• Presentations and workshops at Cardano-related events
• Collaborative projects with other Cardano community members and developers

This approach ensures that the benefits of 'Stem Mixer' are broadly disseminated, contributing to the growth and evolution of the Cardano ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our capability to deliver the 'Stem Mixer' project with high levels of trust and accountability is underpinned by our established track record, transparent processes, and commitment to community engagement. Here's how we ensure and validate our project's feasibility and trustworthiness:

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Initialization

Cost: 25,000 ADA

Length: 1 month

Milestone Output(s)

• Agile framework board set up in Notion with user stories and tasks
• Infrastructure setup completed.
• Key functionality initialized.
• Initial administrative and miscellaneous tasks addressed.

Acceptance Criteria

• Successful completion of the Research and Planning Document.
• Successful completion of infrastructure setup document, including NMKR
• Confirmation of initial administrative tasks and story boards

Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Link to the Notion agile framework board, showing all tasks and user stories.
• A link to a new GitHub repository containing the infrastructure setup document.

Development

Cost: 25,000 ADA

Length: 3 months

Milestone Outputs

• Core system architecture developed.
• User interface prototypes designed.
• Backend and frontend integration tested.

Acceptance Criteria

• System architecture reviewed and approved.
• UI prototypes validated through user feedback sessions.
• Integration report demonstrating successful backend and frontend connectivity.

Evidence of Milestone Completion

• System architecture diagrams and approval documents.
• User feedback reports and finalized UI designs.
• Backend and frontend integration test results.

Launch

Cost: 25,000 ADA

Length: 3 months

Milestone Outputs

• Launch of the live version of the tool
• Initial marketing campaign executed.

Acceptance Criteria

• Beta version live and operational as verified by QA process.
• There is a marketing campaign documented including social impact analysis.

Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Link to the live beta platform.
• QA approval report is available on GitHub.
• Marketing campaign analytics report is available on GitHub.

Finalization

Cost: 25,000 ADA

Length: 2 months

Milestone Output(s)

• Produce a closeout report
• Produce a closeout video
• All final tasks and bug fixes are completed

Acceptance Criteria

• The closeout report and video will thoroughly document the results and outcomes of the project
• All final tasks and bugfixes are documented

Evidence of milestone completion

• A closeout video and report is on GitHub, including all final tasks and bugfixes

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Ian McCullough (Cullah)

LinkedIn

Role: Full Stack Developer

Relevant Experience:

• Award-winning musician composed and licensed 10,000+ syncs of 16 years of open-source music in video games, films, tv shows, and advertisements.
• Senior level developer with a 10+ years of full-stack web development and scripting languages.
• MPhil in Music & Media Technology from Trinity College, Dublin.
• BS in Computer Engineering from Marquette University.

Maggie Schmidt

Milwaukee, USA

LinkedIn

Role: Project Manager / Quality Assurance

Relevant Experience:

• 5 years of project management & quality assurance with companies like Universal Audio, Audiophile, and Wisconsin Music Ventures
• 10 years of entertainment industry experience
• BA Music Performance from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Associate Degree, Audio Engineering from MAT

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone 1: Initialization (25,000 ADA)

• Project Management: 5,000 ADA
• Includes planning and setting up the project infrastructure.
• Development: 10,000 ADA
• Setting up initial key functionalities.
• QA (Quality Assurance): 5,000 ADA
• Initial testing and setup verification.
• Administrative: 5,000 ADA
• Includes initial administrative setups and miscellaneous tasks.

Milestone 2: Development (25,000 ADA)

• Project Management: 6,000 ADA
• Ongoing project oversight and management.
• Development: 12,000 ADA
• Core development work, including backend and frontend.
• QA: 4,000 ADA
• Regular testing and feedback incorporation.
• Documentation: 3,000 ADA
• Documentation of development progress and technical details.

Milestone 3: Launch(25,000 ADA)

• Marketing: 8,000 ADA
• Marketing campaigns and public engagement.
• Project Management: 5,000 ADA
• Coordination and launch preparation.
• Development: 7,000 ADA
• Final adjustments and setup for launch.
• QA: 5,000 ADA
• Final pre-launch testing and quality checks.

Milestone 4: Finalization (25,000 ADA)

• Project Management: 5,000 ADA
• Closing project phases and ensuring all criteria are met.
• QA: 5,000 ADA
• Final testing of the entire platform.
• Documentation: 5,000 ADA
• Final project reports and user documentation.
• Community Engagement: 5,000 ADA
• Feedback collection and community interaction post-launch.
• Reporting: 5,000 ADA
• Final reporting back to the community and stakeholders.

This structured approach aligns with our goal of maintaining high levels of accountability and delivering value to the Cardano community.

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The project costs have been diligently considered, taking into account industry standards, market-driven rates, and the comprehensive skill sets required.

This ensures that every ADA spent contributes to the successful execution of the project, aligning with Cardano's vision for a decentralized and informed community.

The budget reflects not only the project's immediate needs but also its enduring impact on the Cardano ecosystem.