Promoting the new HP Split - a part laptop, part tablet device from Hewlett-Packard - the tech company recently launched 2Days Beat, a two-day, live online event that saw producer Clams Casino and hip-hop artist Vic Mensa create an endless soundtrack based solely on input from a YouTube audience. Broadcast over YouTube Live on November 18-19, the project aimed to engage with tech-savvy 20-somethings and resulted in three original tracks, as directed by an audience of over 214,000 people who put forward upwards of 10,000 comments.

At face value, the setup was simple: From noon until 5 p.m. on the day of launch, a virtual host on HP’s YouTube channel pitched questions to visitors. These questions were based around genres, lyrics, musical styles, rhythms and specific instruments, to which the audience could answer with personal preferences. Meanwhile, the artists were at the ready in a white-walled studio to respond to requests in real-time. Seven cameras on set provided various angles for the audience to receive the performance and respond with additional suggestions. To heighten the visual appeal, several resident artists from Shepard Fairey’s L.A. studio were on hand to visually respond to requests, painting lyrics and user comments in the studio, around the performance.

In order to maintain engagement, crew members planned an hourly visual stunt - such as dropping a word made of glass letters and filming the result in slow motion with a Phantom camera - adding to the impact of the final video, with the general idea being that everything happening on set would add to the performance and resulting footage.

Initially tapped to make one song with an affiliated video, Clams and Vic responded so well to audience participation that they created three original tracks over the three days, with the lead being Egyptian Cotton.