SonicAgent.com has released a new digital audio identification system entitled SonicPrint. The software acts much like CDDB for digital audio files, quickly allowing identification of music being played through the Internet.

The interesting twist with SonicPrint is that it tracks the unique identifier it utilizes to identify a specific piece of audio being played, is the audio signal itself, or the "soundprint" of the audio file being played.

It seems SonicAgent claims to have compiled a vast database of copyright protected music, and stating now that it is finally prepared to offer SonicPrint as a solid and complete digital audio tracking solution.

Specifically targeting online software server solutions such as online file exchange programs and websites, SonicAgent aims to bring a turnkey software solution to the recording industry with SonicPrint. If what they claim they are capable of doing is true, may very well be in a good position to do so. The most interesting thing about this solution is that it works without relying on forcing new audio file format standards on a community that will not accept them, and rebuke them. Unlike digital watermarks, such as SDMI provides, a SonicPrint of a digital audio file, once recorded, does not require any modification of the file which the audio signal is originating from to serve its function.

One thing important to note about the SonicPrint audio identification process is that it is client / server related. Meaning if you are playing your music in a program such as Winamp, that program needs to be setup to work with SonicPrint in order for the tracking solution to work. Obviously this is not a feature that we find in any common audio playing application currently. This means the tracking of existing critical mass of digital audio music listeners is not something that is logically achievable at this time. It could however logically achieve this if implemented as a standard, something that almost certainly would present a serious privacy concern to some.

SonicAgent is offering the use if co-located black-boxes which they can connect to their existing mainframe database to anyone seriously interesting in digital audio identification, along with licensing of the software for those whom wish to compile their own database of SoundPrints.

Interesting to say the least. Check out a screen shot of the software in action.

What do you think of the idea behind SonicPrint? Does it stand a chance to make a difference to the future of the digital music distribution process or is it simply just another interesting idea? Let us know in the guided discussion thread.