Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1489831
j u ly • a u g u s t • s e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 2 c g w 2 3 diences and creating opportunities for fans to directly interact with artists in a way not possible before. MTV's new category was creat- ed to honor virtual concerts as well as recognize the potential of the metaverse as a new platform to experience music. Virtual and mixed reality events won't replace real-world live performances; instead, the metaverse offers an augmentation of the music experience: greater accessibility to artists with more chance of fan interactions. Live events are now location agnostic and the metaverse offers an entirely different experience, rather than watching a live event like an online viewer through teleconference. Aer all, everyone has Zoom fatigue by now. How we interact with one another virtually centers on molding movements within the metaverse to match individual avatars — a concept known as 'motion printing.' How we move in the real world is authentically replicated in the metaverse, since the way we move — our physicality — is as much a part of our identity as our fingerprint. How we present ourselves in the virtual world matters just as much, if not more, than in the 'real' world. It's no surprise that fashion hous- es have been some of the first to enter the metaverse and experi- ment with NFTs for designs. Motion capture can be used to create a genuine representation of the unique movements of an individual in the metaverse — their 'motion print'. When the digital avatar rep- licates the physicality of an artist's real-world experience, the virtual live event seems more authentic and a sense of connection to the moment, and between artists and fans, is created. Artists experimenting with virtual avatars is not a new concept, however. Gorillaz is a successful band known only for its animated online personas. DJs like Deadmau5 follow suit, using a mouse mask in all their performances and remaining otherwise anonymous. He's taken this one step further in the metaverse. Using an Xsens MVN Link motion capture suit, Deadmau5 projected his avatar into virtual space, testing a mixed-reality event. Recently Teflon Sega, a 2D an- ime singer with 10 million plays on Soundcloud and 15 million plays on YouTube, has come to prominence due to his immersive interac- tive concert Wave. The mystique around the identity of the virtual singer is what makes the character so captivating, blurring the lines between science fiction and reality. He's since transitioned into a full, 3D metaverse native, describing himself as a "metatruborn." Yabal, one of the rising AAA metaverses, is the perfect example of how motion capture technology is becoming critical to the future of live entertainment. It's a metaverse specifically created for live entertainment, empowering seamless interaction between physical and virtual worlds, and providing the highest quality experience for users. The man behind the idea is Dominik Faber, who uses motion capture to enable artists to create authentic, intimate in-game live shows. His argument is that virtual environments provide a new level of intimacy around artist engagement, something that's unattain- able in the real world. By capturing authentic facial movements with a device as simple as an iPhone, and realistic body movements with the Xsens suit, and then displaying these in real-time, the user ex- perience is elevated and makes individuals feel much closer to the artist. In a time where people have never felt physically further apart, this provides an opportunity to revolutionize and potentially save the live music industry. In all these examples anonymity is part of the brand; the artists adopt a virtual avatar as a way to both define their acts and create An avatar created by Dominik Faber, founder of the Yabal metaverse. Hugel, a popular DJ, performed a live virtual show in Yabal. Artists can customize their Yabal virtual concert environments.