JoyTunes creates apps that allow people to teach themselves to play music but they've also become a favorite of many teachers who encourage their students to use the apps to support practicing. Their apps generate revenue through paid accounts and in-app purchases. Recently JoyTunes completed a $5 million Series A round and, in what sounds partly like a leap of faith, are now giving registered teachers and their students free access to Piano Maestro. CEO and Co-founder Yuval Kaminka says it's a move to partner with teachers and grow the larger digital music learning pie.
JoyTunes currently features two iOS apps: Piano Dust Buster and Piano Maestro. The latter is now free for registered teachers and their students.
For anyone who's worked with kids the following video of a key Piano Maestro feature should help make it clearer why music teachers are digging JoyTunes:
Assign Home Challenges with Piano Maestro
JoyTunes announced their $5 million Series A round earlier this month.
CEO Yuval Kaminka says they support his emerging plan to turn teachers into partners:
Music teachers are the gatekeepers to everything that’s happening in music education...They’re a natural partner."
It’s a ‘Let’s work with them’ approach...We want to remove anything that blocks adoption. Let’s become true partners with the teachers to introduce technology into music education.”
However Kaminka is giving up 40% of their current revenue to grow the digital music learning pie without seeming to have a new revenue model. Quite bravely they seem to be planning to figure that out once they have an even deeper knowledge of their users' needs:
My knees are still shaking from this...[but] We'll understand our customers' needs better over time...and be able to deliver on the magic of turning everyday play into musical performances."
Stay tuned!
JoyTunes currently features two iOS apps: Piano Dust Buster and Piano Maestro. The latter is now free for registered teachers and their students.
For anyone who's worked with kids the following video of a key Piano Maestro feature should help make it clearer why music teachers are digging JoyTunes:
Assign Home Challenges with Piano Maestro
JoyTunes announced their $5 million Series A round earlier this month.
CEO Yuval Kaminka says they support his emerging plan to turn teachers into partners:
Music teachers are the gatekeepers to everything that’s happening in music education...They’re a natural partner."
It’s a ‘Let’s work with them’ approach...We want to remove anything that blocks adoption. Let’s become true partners with the teachers to introduce technology into music education.”
However Kaminka is giving up 40% of their current revenue to grow the digital music learning pie without seeming to have a new revenue model. Quite bravely they seem to be planning to figure that out once they have an even deeper knowledge of their users' needs:
My knees are still shaking from this...[but] We'll understand our customers' needs better over time...and be able to deliver on the magic of turning everyday play into musical performances."
Stay tuned!