- Fender, or more specifically Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), have announced a new partnership with Apple Music.
- Their new subscription app ‘Fender Songs’ will allow users to jam along, practise and perform to a database of thousands of tracks on guitar, piano and ukelele.
The guitar giants have already secured tracks from publishers such as Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Kobalt and BMG. Master rights holders such as Warner Music are also involved to ensure chords within the app are accurate to their original performances.
We’re told that the app will use a complex algorithm which utilises “complex digital signal processing techniques and deep knowledge in music theory” to accurately pick up on chords in just a few seconds.
An impressive new venture, this isn’t the first app release from Fender but rather the fourth, following on from Fender Play, Fender Tone and Fender Tune.
The app itself will cost a very reasonable $4.99 per month or $41.99 for a 12-month subscription and users will benefit from 10% off from fender.com when purchasing guitars, amps and pedals.
Other participating retailers will also take part in the discount scheme.
The app will first be available for iPhone and iPod touch, although plans are underway for an iPad version.
You’ll have several modes to choose from, with the app mimicking how a player would typically learn a song, starting slow and speeding up before eventually recording themselves.
Practice mode will allow the user to see an overview of the song, including chords and lyrics, in order to familiarise themselves and being learning at a suitable pace.
Play-along mode will offer a scrolling run through of the track, again showing the chords but giving the player a chance to play through ‘karaoke-style’.
Lastly, perform mode allows the user to jam along without the backing track and record to their camera/phone.
Andy Moony, CEO of Fender, told us:
“Fender Songs we believe will enable players to easily and dramatically expand their song repertoire, Goldman Sachs forecasts the number of streaming subscribers to hit 700 million in three years and top 1 billion by 2030; these are staggering numbers that bode well for Fender’s success in both the digital and analogue worlds.”
We know there are already a countless amount of subscription apps to choose from, but Fender Play certainly sounds like a fun concept and at $4.99 we can’t really complain at the price. What are your thoughts? One too many subscription apps or hours of fun for just a few dollars a month, let us know in the comments below!