On221.com | “On two-two-one.”

Imagine you’re listening to a song produced by your favorite producer. The music enthusiast in you wants to hear just the piano chords on the instrumental, minus what ever abomination of a rapper is on it, so you cut him out and just enjoy the “musicality” of the track. Sounds like a perfect world, doesn’t it?

Well, Korean engineers have taken us one step closer to Utopia with the design of a new digital music format that is able to separate sounds, such as specific instruments and even voices. Guitars, piano, chorus, drum, voice and base are all divided via the new MT9 extension’s six-channel audio equalizer.

This could mean instant instrumentals for all rap-hopefuls to get a good 16 in on, or flawless a capellas for DJ-mixes and blend tapes. Musicians can easily learn their favorite tune by singling out their instrument of choice.

As digital music has become easier to pirate, this may further crush the industry as it will allow total control over file, killing the reason some people still buy singles — i.e. a capella and instrumental. Adding to the piracy, MT9’s have no DRM which will allow them to be copied freely.

This new music format will bear a MT9 extension — versus to the MP3 we’ve grown accustomed to — and will go by Music 2.0 out on the market. Music 2.0 is said to be compatible with iPhones, PCs, cell phones and even karaoke bars, which will be a big market for the new format.

MT9 was created by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute with Audizen tackling the task of commercializing this innovation. The Motion Picture Experts Group have immediately selected MT9 as a prospect for the new standard in digital music in April and will have a follow-up in June.

ETRI is currently said to hold two foreign patents, six domestic patents, and will fire for two more this year. Audizen already has MT9 albums for sale on their website for 2000 won (14 USD) and claims that older records can be remastered to MT9.

Companies such as Samsung and LG have showed interest in adding Music 2.0 players to their phones and are likely to be released early next year.