thinkplay is revolutionizing music creation by building the first software that allows musicians to build, perform with, and sell fully customizable ePedals.
thinkplay ePedals are unlike any type of ‘effects pedal’ musicians have used before. Traditional pedals house sounds such as distortion, echo, and flanger. The virtual ePedal houses a mapping of audio samples, video clips, and effects which can be triggered in real time, and shared with musicians of various instruments.
In other words, they’re associating sounds made by physical instruments with digital effects, audio and video clips that are triggered when a certain pre-programmed note is played. Enterprising artists can also share and sell their best ePedals via Thinkplay’s online marketplace.
Co-Founder Brendan Garrity explains…
Tell us about the product or service.
thinkplay is a patent-pending performance/sharing tool that gives musicians unprecedented capabilities. Our concept originated from the limitations of traditional instruments, and the growing demand for electronic/computer based music. We have designed a platform that bridges the gap between the two, and opens up a whole new realm of creativity for musicians.
Using our platform, musicians can map audio AND video samples of any length to notes on their instrument for real time triggering. We have had musicians playing EDM, hip-hop beats, and visual compositions directly from their instruments!
Furthermore, you can share your mapping of samples with other users on our online store via our concept of the “ePedal.” An ePedal is a user-designed virtual pedal that houses samples that have been mapped to musical notes. You can brand your ePedal and put it up for sale on our store or share it for free. Currently thinkplay is compatible with guitars, keyboards and MIDI devices.
How is it different?
Programs such as Ableton Live and Reason are the standard for DJ’s but have steep learning curves. thinkplay makes it easy for instrumentalists and/or DJ’s to trigger audio and video samples from their instrument. Furthermore, we have developed an online marketplace which makes it easy for artists to share their creations and democratizes the sample pack market.
What market are you attacking and how big is it?
Given the limitless applications of our technology, we are going after musicians of all demographics. Specifically, younger musicians who are looking to differentiate themselves and add a new dimension to their performance will find our technology appealing. NAMM data estimates there are over 38 million musicians in the US who play instruments that are immediately compatible with thinkplay.
What is the business model?
thinkplay generates revenue by charging a transaction fee for any ePedal sold over our online store.
Our beta will be available as a free download, but we plan to switch to a subscription fee model once we have established a sizable user-base.We also make money by selling a specific wireless MIDI pickup that is required by guitarists. The pickup registers what notes a guitarist is hitting in real time and wirelessly communicates this with our software. A third party company called Fishman makes the pickup. We have developed a partnership with them and are authorized dealers of this product.
Any notable musicians using your product?
Our technology has been in heavy development this summer, so we are now getting ready to put this in the hands of musicians. Most notably we have seen interest from Mark Kelley from The Roots, and Richard Fortus from Guns N’ Roses.
What are the milestones that you plan to achieve within 6 months?
We will be working to establish an initial beta testing user-base. It is our goal to make sure they are all having a GREAT experience with our platform. Simultaneously, we are actively fund raising to further the development of our technology and scale our business.
If you could be put in touch with one investor in the New York community who would it be and why?
Jay-Z would be a great connection for us. He is business savvy and has brand power. His music industry knowledge is unrivaled and he would see why thinkplay will revolutionize musicianship.
Why did you launch in New York?
We began working on this concept upstate at Cornell University, so it was merely a matter of our location at the time.
What’s your favorite summer time beach destination close to NYC?
Coney Island by far! There is so much to do.
