Echonos attended Music Tectonics 2026 in Santa Monica from October 27 to 29. My cofounder Brandon Grossnickle and I introduced our AI music video platform during the trip, including an outdoor stage presentation and a visit to the UMG Startup Studio. The focus of my pitch was how a song's audio can guide its visuals.
I am Syed Ali, CEO and cofounder. Brandon is our CTO and cofounder. This is a look back at those three days: where we went, what we introduced, and the practical questions about music videos and release assets that I am taking back to our work.
Three days in Santa Monica
Music Tectonics is a music technology conference organized by Rock Paper Scissors and founded by Dmitri Vietze. Its official conference program brought together people working across music, technology and the business of getting music to audiences.
The venues changed across the three days. The opening day was at the Santa Monica Pier Carousel; the next two were at the Annenberg Beach House. For our team, the trip included both the outdoor introduction on October 28 and the UMG session on October 29.
| Date | Setting | Our part in the trip |
|---|---|---|
| October 27 | Santa Monica Pier Carousel | Opening conference day |
| October 28 | Annenberg Beach House | My introduction on the outdoor stage |
| October 29 | Conference and offsite UMG studio | Brandon and I joined the Startup Studio |
The conference gave us a place to explain the product in the context of a real release. For an artist following that conversation, even a small format check is useful: our free Canvas safe-zone previewer checks a composition against placement and specification guidance. It is a browser-side utility; AI visual generation runs separately on paid plans.
What I introduced on the outdoor stage
My stage introduction explained how audio analysis guides beat-synced AI music video generation. I described a pipeline that separates elements of a track and identifies features such as kicks, drums, snares and beat drops. Those signals help guide cue points and visual transitions.
That is the product idea I wanted to make clear: a song supplies timing information as well as a mood. A visual change around a beat drop has a different purpose from an unrelated change halfway through a phrase. The creative direction still matters, but the track gives that direction a musical structure.
The AI music video generator guide explains the wider category. For the mechanics behind this part of the pitch, the companion guide covers how audio guides AI music video generation.
I also introduced release visuals. Cover Art, Spotify Canvas and Animated Cover Art serve different purposes around the same song. They are related creative decisions, rather than interchangeable files.
| Part of the introduction | What it means for an artist | A useful planning question |
|---|---|---|
| Audio-guided transitions | Musical events inform changes in the video | Which moment of the song should the cut follow? |
| A visual direction | The song needs a recognizable setting or idea | What should the audience remember? |
| Release assets | Artwork and short motion assets have different destinations | Which assets does this release actually need? |
Watch the short stage introduction below. The video includes English subtitles.
Inside the UMG Startup Studio
The UMG Startup Studio took place on October 29 with Universal Music Group's Digital Innovation team. Brandon and I attended, and Brandon introduced Echonos to the team.
The organizer's Startup Studio description sets out the format: selected founder presentations with feedback, an opportunity for other startups to introduce themselves, and networking. The official agenda also included a session about working with UMG. Its listed participants were Sujata Rao, Zeena Koda, Spencer Swayze and Karim Fanous.
The wider AI context was visible before the conference too. On September 28, UMG announced Òscar Celma as Senior Vice President, Applied AI and Machine Learning. That appointment is useful background to the industry's work on AI, separate from the Studio's published speaker lineup.
For us, the session was another setting in which to introduce the problem we are working on: helping an artist turn musical and visual direction into assets for a release. A short introduction makes clarity important. What does the artist provide, what gets made, and where will it be used?
What I am taking back to the product
My priorities after the trip are music-led timing, a clear visual direction, and assets that fit their destination. These are the questions I want our work to keep answering.
First, start with the moment. A music-video run works with a selected section of a song, rather than treating every part of a track as the same scene. Current runs produce 10 to 30 seconds, with Orpheon offering 10- or 15-second cuts. Planning that moment helps define what the video should do.
Second, separate the video from the release package. A longer video, cover artwork and a Canvas loop have different jobs. Our guide to planning a song release content kit lays out that distinction; the Spotify Canvas specifications guide covers one destination in detail.
Third, keep the artist's direction legible. A setting, character or central idea should be something the artist can describe and assess. Making more assets is useful when those assets belong to the same release, and the artist can tell why each one is there.
Thank you to Dmitri Vietze and the Music Tectonics team for bringing this community together. The photo below is one of the moments I wanted to keep from the trip.
Continuing the conversation
The next step is to bring these product questions back into the work. I want artists to be able to explain their visual direction, choose the musical moment that matters, and understand the assets they are making. If we met in Santa Monica, I would like to keep that conversation going. If you are planning visuals for a release, explore Echonos Create with that song and direction in mind.
FAQ
FAQ: Music Tectonics and our UMG visit
4 questions answered. Tap to expand.
What is the Music Tectonics conference?
What is the Music Tectonics conference?
Music Tectonics is an annual music technology conference in Santa Monica, California, organized by Rock Paper Scissors and founded by Dmitri Vietze. The 2026 edition ran October 27 to 29, with programming at the Santa Monica Pier Carousel and Annenberg Beach House, plus the offsite UMG Startup Studio.
What is the UMG Startup Studio?
What is the UMG Startup Studio?
The UMG Startup Studio is a session hosted by Universal Music Group's Digital Innovation team for music technology startups. At this conference it took place on October 29. The published format included selected startup presentations, feedback, founder introductions and networking, alongside a session about working with UMG.
What did Echonos present in Santa Monica?
What did Echonos present in Santa Monica?
I introduced our approach to beat-synced AI music video on the outdoor conference stage. The pitch covered audio analysis, visual transitions and release assets such as cover artwork and Spotify Canvas. Brandon Grossnickle also introduced the product during our visit to the UMG Startup Studio on October 29.
Who founded Echonos?
Who founded Echonos?
Echonos was founded by Syed Ali, CEO and cofounder, and Brandon Grossnickle, CTO and cofounder. Both attended the three-day conference in Santa Monica. I introduced the platform on the outdoor stage; Brandon introduced it during our visit to the UMG Startup Studio.
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Written by
Syed AliFounder & CEO
Former COO at Tabler App (1M+ users, $50K+ MRR, successful exit) and Data Science Consultant at Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Accenture. Leads capital markets, investor relations, and corporate strategy at Echonos.