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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about AceSteps - from creating your first AI-generated song to understanding tokenomics and revenue sharing.

General Questions​

What is AceSteps?​

AceSteps is an AI-powered music creation and tokenization platform built on Base Network. It combines three powerful capabilities:

  1. AI Music Generation - Create original music by simply describing what you want
  2. NFT Ownership - Mint your creations as ERC-721 NFTs with verifiable on-chain ownership
  3. Fractional Trading - Enable trading to let fans invest in your music through ERC-20 tokens on Uniswap V4

Think of it as "create music like prompting ChatGPT, own it like NFTs, trade it like stocks."

How is this different from Spotify or other streaming platforms?​

FeatureTraditional StreamingAceSteps
OwnershipPlatform owns distribution rightsYou own 100% via NFT
RevenueFractions of a cent per stream80% of ad revenue to creators
Fan ParticipationListen onlyInvest and share in success
TransparencyBlack box royalty calculationsAll revenue on-chain
TradingNot possibleTrade song tokens 24/7

On Spotify, artists average $0.003-0.005 per stream with opaque calculations. On AceSteps, you own your music outright, earn 80% of revenue, and can let fans invest alongside you.

Is it free to use?​

Creating music is completely free - you can generate unlimited songs using AI.

You only pay:

  • Gas fees when minting NFTs (~$0.01-0.10 on Base)
  • Gas fees when enabling trading
  • 1% swap fee when trading tokens

There are no subscription fees, platform fees for creation, or hidden costs.

What network is AceSteps on?​

AceSteps is built on Base Network (chainId: 8453), an Ethereum Layer 2 developed by Coinbase.

Why Base?

  • Low fees: Gas costs pennies instead of dollars
  • Fast transactions: ~2 second block times
  • Ethereum security: Inherits Ethereum's security guarantees
  • Easy onboarding: Coinbase users can bridge ETH seamlessly

Do I need crypto to use AceSteps?​

Yes, you need a small amount of ETH on Base for gas fees. Here's the breakdown:

ActionCost
Generate musicFree
Listen to musicFree
Mint as NFT~$0.01-0.10 gas
Enable trading~$0.05-0.20 gas
Trade tokens~$0.01-0.05 gas + 1% fee

You can bridge ETH from Ethereum mainnet using the Base Bridge or buy directly through Coinbase.

Copyright & Legal​

Who owns the music I create?​

You own 100% of the music you create, verified by blockchain-based NFT ownership.

When you mint a song:

  • An ERC-721 NFT is created representing full ownership
  • The NFT contains metadata linking to your audio
  • Ownership is cryptographically proven on-chain
  • No platform, label, or third party has any claim

This is true ownership - not a license, not distribution rights, but actual ownership recorded immutably on the blockchain.

No copyright risk - here's why:

  1. Original Generation: ACE-Step creates genuinely new audio, not remixes or samples
  2. No Training on Copyrighted Works: The model architecture generates novel patterns
  3. Apache 2.0 Licensed Model: The AI model itself is open-source with permissive licensing
  4. No Copyright Claims: AI-generated content doesn't infringe on existing copyrights

You can commercially use, sell, and trade your AI-generated music without worrying about takedown notices or legal issues.

Can I upload my own music or recordings?​

No - AceSteps only supports AI-generated music. You cannot upload:

  • Your own recordings
  • Cover songs
  • Remixes of existing tracks
  • Any external audio files

This is an intentional design choice, not a limitation.

Why can't I upload external music?​

This restriction is what makes AceSteps truly decentralized.

Traditional music platforms face a fundamental problem:

  • Users upload copyrighted content
  • Platform must moderate and remove infringing content
  • This requires centralized control and moderation teams
  • Platforms become liable for user uploads

By only allowing AI-generated music:

  • No copyright infringement is possible
  • No moderation is needed
  • No centralized control required
  • Platform can be fully decentralized
  • Smart contracts can operate autonomously

This isn't a bug - it's the core innovation that enables trustless music ownership and trading.

For Creators​

Do I need musical training to create music?​

Absolutely not. AceSteps is designed for everyone.

You don't need to:

  • Read music or understand music theory
  • Play any instruments
  • Have production experience
  • Own expensive software or equipment

Just describe what you want in plain language:

  • "Upbeat electronic dance track with heavy bass drops"
  • "Calm acoustic guitar melody for studying"
  • "Epic orchestral piece like a movie soundtrack"

The AI handles all the musical complexity. Your creativity and vision are what matter.

How long does music generation take?​

Approximately 4.5 seconds for 30 seconds of audio.

The ACE-Step model is optimized for speed:

  • Text prompt processing: ~0.5 seconds
  • Audio generation: ~4 seconds
  • Total time: ~4.5 seconds for 30s of music

This is significantly faster than traditional production (hours/days) and most other AI music tools.

How long are generated songs?​

Songs are typically 30-60 seconds. This is optimized for:

  • Quick iteration and experimentation
  • Social media sharing
  • Initial creative exploration

Longer duration options may be added in future updates.

What happens when I enable trading on my song?​

When you enable trading, the following happens automatically:

  1. NFT Locked Forever - Your NFT is transferred to the SongVault contract
  2. 100,000 Tokens Created - ERC-20 tokens representing fractional ownership
  3. You Receive 80,000 Tokens (80%) - Sent directly to your wallet
  4. 20,000 Tokens to Pool (20%) - Added to Uniswap V4 liquidity pool
  5. Trading Begins - Anyone can buy/sell tokens immediately

After this:

  • Ad revenue flows to the Uniswap pool via donate()
  • Token price rises as ETH accumulates in the pool
  • All token holders benefit from the song's success

Can I get my NFT back after tokenizing?​

No - and this is intentional.

The NFT is permanently locked in the SongVault contract. Here's why this is a feature, not a limitation:

The Math Problem:

  • 20,000 tokens start in the Uniswap pool
  • As people buy tokens, they leave the pool
  • To withdraw the NFT, you'd need 100% of tokens
  • But tokens are distributed across many wallets
  • Collecting all 100,000 tokens is mathematically impractical

Why This Matters:

  • Prevents rug pulls: Creators can't drain liquidity and disappear
  • Protects investors: Token value is backed by the locked NFT
  • Enables trust: No centralized party can reverse the tokenization
  • True decentralization: No admin keys, no special permissions

This permanent lock is what gives investors confidence to participate.

Can I sell tokens I receive as a creator?​

Yes, you can sell your 80,000 tokens at any time on Uniswap. However, consider:

  • Selling large amounts will move the price
  • Your remaining tokens' value depends on continued success
  • Building a loyal fanbase often means holding some tokens
  • Token sales are transparent - investors can see creator behavior

For Investors​

How do I make money from song tokens?​

Token value increases through a simple mechanism:

  1. Song Gets Popular - More listeners = more ad impressions
  2. Revenue Generated - Ads generate ETH revenue
  3. Revenue Added to Pool - 80% flows to Uniswap via donate()
  4. Token Price Rises - More ETH in pool = higher token price
  5. Sell for Profit - Trade tokens back to ETH at higher price

Example:

  • You buy 1,000 tokens for 0.01 ETH
  • Song goes viral, ad revenue adds 1 ETH to pool
  • Token price increases 10x
  • Your 1,000 tokens are now worth 0.1 ETH

What are the trading fees?​

FeeAmountGoes To
Swap Fee1%Platform (LP position owner)
Gas~$0.01-0.05Network validators

There are no:

  • Hidden fees
  • Withdrawal fees
  • Deposit fees
  • Maintenance fees

Is it liquid? Can I sell anytime?​

Yes - tokens trade on Uniswap V4 with 24/7 liquidity.

  • Buy anytime: Swap ETH for song tokens
  • Sell anytime: Swap song tokens for ETH
  • No lockups: No vesting or time restrictions
  • Instant settlement: Trades execute in ~2 seconds

Liquidity depth depends on pool size - more popular songs have deeper liquidity.

What's the minimum investment?​

There's no minimum. You can buy fractions of tokens worth just a few cents. However, consider:

  • Gas fees (~$0.01-0.05) make very small trades inefficient
  • Practical minimum: ~$1-5 worth to offset gas costs

How do I know which songs will be successful?​

Look for:

  • Creator reputation: Established artists with followings
  • Early engagement: Social shares, playlist additions
  • Quality: Does the music actually sound good?
  • Genre trends: What's currently popular?

Remember: This is speculative. Only invest what you can afford to lose.

Technical Questions​

What AI model powers music generation?​

AceSteps uses ACE-Step, a 3.5 billion parameter music generation model.

Key specs:

  • Parameters: 3.5B
  • License: Apache 2.0 (open source, commercial use allowed)
  • Speed: ~4.5 seconds for 30 seconds of audio
  • Quality: Studio-quality 44.1kHz audio

The Apache 2.0 license ensures the model can be used commercially without restrictions.

What wallet should I use?​

Any Ethereum-compatible wallet works. AceSteps connects through Farcaster's built-in wallet connector.

Recommended options:

  • Farcaster Wallet - Built into Warpcast, seamless experience
  • Coinbase Wallet - Easy Base integration
  • MetaMask - Most popular, well-supported
  • Rainbow - Great mobile experience

Why Uniswap V4 specifically?​

Uniswap V4's hooks are essential for our revenue model:

Traditional AMM: Swap happens → That's it
Uniswap V4:     Swap happens → Hook triggers → Custom logic executes

Our SongRevenueHook enables:

  • Automatic revenue distribution via donate() function
  • Fee tracking through afterSwap hooks
  • No manual intervention - fully automated on-chain

Without V4 hooks, we'd need centralized infrastructure to distribute revenue.

Are the smart contracts audited?​

Audit status will be updated before mainnet launch.

Current security measures:

  • OpenZeppelin contracts for ERC-721/ERC-20 standards
  • ECDSA signature verification for minting
  • Replay attack prevention via used signature tracking
  • No admin keys for critical functions post-deployment

Is the code open source?​

Yes. All code is available on GitHub:

  • Smart Contracts: Solidity contracts for NFTs, tokens, vault, and hooks
  • Frontend: React/TypeScript application
  • Documentation: This documentation site

Check our GitHub repository.

What happens if AceSteps shuts down?​

Because AceSteps is built on decentralized infrastructure:

  • Your NFTs remain yours - Stored on Base blockchain forever
  • Tokens keep trading - Uniswap pools operate independently
  • Revenue continues - If ad system integrations remain, revenue flows
  • No platform dependency - Core functionality lives on-chain

The worst case: no new music generation, but existing assets remain fully functional.

Troubleshooting​

My transaction failed. What do I do?​

Common causes:

  1. Insufficient gas - Add more ETH to your wallet
  2. Slippage too low - Increase slippage tolerance for swaps
  3. Network congestion - Wait and retry
  4. Signature expired - Generate new music and try again

I don't see my NFT in my wallet​

NFTs may not display in all wallets immediately:

  1. Wait a few minutes - Indexers need time to update
  2. Add manually - Import the NFT contract address
  3. Check on Base Explorer - Verify the transaction succeeded
  4. Use OpenSea - Often indexes NFTs faster

Music generation keeps failing​

Try:

  1. Simplify your prompt - Complex prompts may timeout
  2. Check your connection - Ensure stable internet
  3. Clear cache - Refresh the app
  4. Try different wording - Some phrases work better than others

Support​

How do I get help?​

  • Farcaster: Follow @acesteps for updates and community support
  • Twitter/X: Follow @acesteps for announcements
  • GitHub: Open an issue for bugs or feature requests

I found a bug. How do I report it?​

  1. Check existing issues on GitHub first
  2. Create a detailed report including:
    • What you expected to happen
    • What actually happened
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Wallet address (if relevant)
    • Transaction hash (if applicable)

Can I contribute to the project?​

Yes! AceSteps is open source. You can:

  • Submit pull requests
  • Report bugs
  • Suggest features
  • Improve documentation
  • Help other users on Farcaster