TheWaveVR is a social VR music platform which allows DJs to mix tracks live in VR in front of a virtual audience which can connect to experience the performance from around the world.

The company announced today that it’s raised a $2.5 million seed investment to build out the platform. KPCB Edge, Presence Capital, Rothenberg Ventures, RRE Ventures, The VR Fund, Seedcamp, Luma Launch, Boost VC, Immersion VC, GREE, Outpost and several angles participated in the round. TheWaveVR was co-founded by Adam Arrigo, Aaron Lemke, and Finn Staber.

The company says, “TheWaveVR is a VR platform for people who love music, enabling them to view, host and socialize in live and recorded shows worldwide, anytime, anywhere. By democratizing the concert experience, TheWave will disrupt and help revitalize the music industry,allowing musicians and artists to reach a much broader audience like never before.”

Earlier this year at SVVR 2016, we caught a glimpse of TheWaveVR in action. Inside, DJs have a virtual mixing table where they can grab track samples and insert them into a module to play to the audience. A fader between the two tracks allows the artist to shift the relative volume, while transparent boxes to the right and left apply effects to the tracks in real time as you move your hands through them. Meanwhile, abstract visuals pulsate to the beat throughout the virtual venue.

Then there’s the audience, who can join and experience the performance socially with other VR users. Audience members with VR controllers were able to paint with light to express themselves during the show.

Concept art of TheWaveVR's audience experience
Concept art of TheWaveVR’s audience experience

Right now there’s no word on how many audience members TheWaveVR will support simultaneously, or precisely which headsets it will be available for, however we have seen it used on both the HTC Vive and Gear VR. The company says they’re aiming for a Q4 2016 beta launch.

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See Also: The Future of Music Creation & DJ Performance with ‘TheWave’ | Voices of VR Podcast

“We’re working toward empowering artists and music lovers alike and transforming the way people connect through music by building the world’s first musical metaverse in VR,” said Adam Arrigo, CEO of TheWaveVR. “Music creators will be able to fully customize how their audience experiences the music – whether that’s by transforming the venue from a realistic nightclub to outer space or putting on the most unimaginable light show ever. Fans won’t have to travel the globe or miss out on their favorite DJs, musicians or festivals and can experience the music like never before, while socializing in totally new ways alongside their friends.”

At VRLA Summer Expo 2016 this weekend, TheWaveVR is the centerpiece of a “VR Rave”, which will feature DJs mixing music through the platform while an audience equipped with positionally tracked Gear VR headsets and subwoofer vests enjoys the performance.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • Stefan Eckhardt

    Prominently absent from the list of supported platforms is PS VR, especially since it seems to support everything else (as attendee). I asked them if that is eventually going to change, since I have been waiting for such a thing.

    • Foxko

      I really hope they do consider bringing it to PSVR. The more music games/experiences the better. Harmonix looks cool but this would be this would be something else

  • Hogo

    I’d also like some of the visuals to be less abstract and more technical. In the tools area when performing, I would love a more tron esque type look, and I think the audience would follow along more with some tools that are more visually understandable. Nevertheless, I love this, and look forward to the beta

  • RS

    “Democratizing the music experience” is just another way of saying that the artists will not be getting paid for the use of their music.if anyone follows the music business, musicians are fed up with tech companies using their stuff for free to found businesses, and then using the excuse that they will “find a wider audience for their music” in return. Us musicians would like to be paid for the use of our work,