Mixman

Mixman is an American interactive music company, which produces computer software that allows for creation and manipulation of music files.^[1]

In 1996, Mixman released the first interactive CD that allowed music fans to perform in real-time with zero-latency and utilizing auto-beat matching. With patented synchronous technology, and a flexible proprietary audio format, Mixman develops software to deepen the creative, performing music experience.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]}

History

The Early Days

Mixman Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1994 by Josh Gabriel and Eric Almgren.^[8][9] The mission was to create powerful but easy-to-use interactive music creation tools that enabled the user to make and perform the music with actual digital song elements of their favorite artist and musical styles of passion. Gabriel’s original concept came from a machine he developed performing dance music in clubs while in college. The machine generated light beams and as the dancer/performer broke the light beams with his hands, musical elements were triggered and played in a synchronized music mix. The real time performance nature of this original idea remains as the fundamental uniqueness of Mixman software today. Later Gabriel built a prototype with a joystick, sampler and computer that demonstrated the first user playable experience with popular dance songs. A team to develop the hardware device prototype that could work with “music cartridges” much like video game cartridges. Within a year the prototype was built that consisted of a 4”x7” box (which contained electronics and firmware), a hardware controller and music cartridges that contained the music data for each song. The industrial designs of the hardware controller were designed by Scott Summit of Summit ID who had designed notable products for Palm, Silicon Graphics and Apple. Fundamental patents were also filed on the synchronization technology.

Early seed funding for the company was provided by Almgren, Roger Summit and Dick Asher. Dr. Roger Summit, founder and CEO of Dialog Corporation, and electronic music enthusiast was the first board member and business advisor to the company. Gordy Davidson, along with his law firm, Fenwick & West, advised the company on its formation, early corporate development, facilitated patents filings and venture capital financing. Dick Asher, former CEO of Polygram Music and President of Columbia Records (now Sony), also joined the board and became an investor and consultant to the company to facilitate working relationships with major record labels.

Mixman the software company

Financing for consumer hardware at the time was very difficult. Venture investors at the time in the consumer space were looking more for software companies that carried higher margins and didn’t have the high marketing and inventory costs of consumer hardware. Mixman began developing a software prototype and was able to obtain its Series A financing to develop and sell software and music content via licensing to OEM’s and record companies and via the internet. The financing was led by Donald McKinney who was founder and CEO of International Networking Devices and ex-Sequoia Venture Capital, and several angel financiers.

Mixman developed and released several software SKUs to retail, licensed its software to OEMs and record companies and developed its on-line self-publishing community. Mixman had a retail hit with Mixman Studio Pro and licensed software to several OEM brands including Sony, Creative Labs and Intel. Mixman also developed software SKU’s in collaboration with major labels with notable titles as George Clinton’s Greatest Funkin’ Hits (Captiol) and Tommy Boy’s Greatest Beats (Tommy Boy/Warners). Mixman also created an Apple Macintosh version. Mixman software won Keyboard magazine software awards and won “Demo God” at the 1997, 1998 DEMO conferences. To fund further development and expand its retail presence Mixman raised a Series B financing led by TDF Capital, with partner Thomas Ng (now of GGV Capital) and Seed and Series A investors participating.

Merger and Spin Out

In 1999, looking to expand its internet presence and further development, Mixman looked to raise a Series C venture financing. Beatnik, an internet audio company, was founded and led by Thomas Dolby, a popular music artist and technology entrepreneur and was of similar size in terms of people to Mixman. Beatnik had recently hired Lorraine Harriton as CEO to raise financing and run the company. Beatnik had a web based audio technology platform that provided an interactive audio experience to web sites. The two companies were brought together by Mayfield Fund, led by Mayfield Partner Alan Morgan, with the idea that Mixman could be the killer application that ran on the Beatnik web audio platform. With Mixman’s revenue and products combined with Beatnik’s internet story Mayfield would fund the combined company with a $12M financing and take the company public shortly thereafter. Tony Fadell, who later went on to create the iPod and iPhone was hired as a consultant to work with Eric Almgren to write the combined company business plan. The plan was approved by both boards and the company merged with the subsequent financing following shortly thereafter. Other investors also included Zomba Music (later acquired by BMG) who also held a board seat.

The combined company quickly ramped up to 140 people and prepared its S1 SEC filing to go public. In March of 2000 market conditions were not conducive to taking internet companies public so the IPO was postponed, however in the IPO process the company raised a $35M mezzanine round of financing led by MTV. As the lead revenue generator, the company continued to invest in, develop and market the line of Mixman software and content and continue partnerships with OEMs and music content companies. Josh Gabriel left the company to start a career as a recording artist/producer and formed Gabriel and Dresden, now an internationally known electronic music act. Eric Almgren left the company to start Vivcom, Inc. (now VMark.tv), a video search company, and remained on the Beatnik board. Mixman product development and business was then led by Richard Appelbaum, the now current CEO of Mixman Technologies, Inc. In late 2002 Beatnik spun out Mixman to a stand-alone company with new ownership including original founders and current CEO.

Partnerships and licensing

Mixman software has been licensed for distribution with hardware and software products.^[10]

Music education

Mixman is used extensively in education. Mixman donates products and has assisted with programs with the Miracles Foundation, Zeum, Boys and Girls Clubs, and many other institutions in the US and Canada.^[11]

References

External links

• Mixman Official site