Tunepresto

6th February 2011

Tunepresto is a big idea in a very small package. Upload your video, and Tunepresto scans the images to analyse the tone and content, combines that with your choice of music style and automatically generates a piece of copyright-free music to be used on your video.

Tunepresto’s chief executive Siún Ní Raghallaigh left her job in TV production when she spotted the need for copyright-free soundtracks. With funding from Ireland’s development agency, Raghallaigh worked with the University of Limerick to create desktop composition software. Four years on Tunepresto, formerly known as Albatat, has relaunched as a consumer web tool; producing one track and publishing to YouTube will be free, downloading it will cost €7.50.

Based in Galway, Ireland – indicative of the fact that startups can flourish outside London – Raghallaigh (left) claims Tunepresto goes some way towards rethinking copyright for the digital age, at a time where copyright violation and piracy is widespread. “It’s a proactive solution for the public and for the industry,” she says. “There needs to be much more done to help musicians.” Some composers already use the site to illustrate styles to potential clients.

Now, Tunepresto’s eyes are fixed firmly on the US market, which accounts for 80% of its business.