Berlin music tech startup Uberchord announces licensing partnership with Universal Music and presents new version of their mobile, interactive guitar teaching app (Music Press)
Uberchord releases new app version featuring popular songs and world’s first interactive rhythm guitar trainer
17 November, 2016 – Berlin, Germany: Uberchord Engineering GmbH today announced the signing of a worldwide licensing partnership with Universal Music. The deal comes only a few weeks after the firm completed the prestigious Abbey Road Red Accelerator program in London. Uberchord had used the six month program at the legendary studio to develop key partnerships within the music industry.
In addition, the company also revealed a new version of its app. This update will take full advantage of the new licensing deal to provide users a wider and more engaging experience. The celebrated Chord Trainer function has been extended, and now offers the world’s first interactive guitar rhythm trainer. A new feature, Song Trainer, has been added – this uses selected songs from the Universal Music catalogue to provide an accessible introduction to guitar, and can also benefit advanced users as a virtual guitar teacher.
What makes Uberchord’s creation unique is the application of pioneering technology to a new and utterly modern learning concept. The app can actually listen to the user play guitar through the microphone of a mobile device, where the audio is then processed by smart software. Uberchord uses this technology to provide immediate and precise feedback to the user, and can also adapt intelligently to an individual’s learning progress. Uberchord not only develops its students in the mechanics of guitar playing, but also provides an understanding of the instrument and music itself. In addition to learning popular songs, the user is also kept motivated by small, easily accessible goals and a daily, individualized ‘workout’ program.
The company’s patent-pending audio recognition software is as unique as it is crucial for the app’s concept. Instead of merely recognizing whether a tone or chord has been played correctly or not, the algorithm can accurately isolate individual notes to diagnose wrong fingering. On the back of this, the software can then decide on specific sections and exercises to be repeated or changed, as well as providing a detailed tracking of the player’s stats and progress.
Uberchord 2.0 in the iTunes Store https://itunes.apple.com/app/id952669753
With the new release 2.0, Uberchord will also roll out a subscription model for the price of 4.99 USD per month. The company reasons that with the introduction of licensed music, the platform can no longer be offered free of charge if artists are to be compensated for their work.
“There is no more immersive way to deal with music than to play it yourself”, says co-founder and CEO Eckart Burgwedel. “The new Universal license allows us to support music from some of the biggest and most exciting names in the business, from artists like Coldplay, Metallica and Jack Johnson to name just a few. Naturally, we are thrilled to be able to work with such a partner to realize our vision, especially if the artists also benefit from it.” Uberchord has already begun talks with other music publishers to import a wider song catalogue.
The team works punishingly hard to continuously improve their product and the unique learning experience it provides. On average, 85% of all beginners give up their instrument within the first year. Uberchord’s mission is to change this. An ambitious vision, the founders will readily admit, but their achievements so far are very encouraging. With an active user base in the tens of thousands, an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 and numerous features in the App Store, the team have real wind in their sails moving forward.
Download Uberchord Images & Resources
About Uberchord:
Uberchord was founded in 2014 by partners Eckart Burgwedel, Simon Barkow-Oesterreicher and Martin Polak. What started as the world’s leading guitar chord app has slowly grown into a personalized music platform, and one which lies at the frontier of music education technology. The app is frequently featured by Apple in the iOS Store and boasts a 4.8/5 rating, aggregated from more than 1,000 reviews.
About the Abbey Road Studios Accelerator Program:
Launched in October 2015, Abbey Road Red is the studio’s specialized initiative to support the work of the brightest in music tech entrepreneurs, researchers and developers. The first of its kind in Europe, the studio exploits its unique status in music to incubate rising stars in the music tech startup scene.