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What is Carry-A-Tune Technologies?
Carry-A-Tune Technologies is the developer and publisher of a unique new family of software products that use specialized computer-aided pitch tracking to teach people how to sing in tune and on tempo.
Carry-A-Tune Technologies's initial two consumer products are SingingCoach and SingingCoach Unlimited, which are available nationwide in CompUSA, Fry's Electronics, Target and other retail stores. SingingCoach Educational Edition, a product developed specifically for the educational marketplace and which includes a music education curriculum, is available direct from Carry-a-Tune Technologies.
These products combine patent-pending technology with entertaining, animated on-screen vocal coaching to teach people at all levels to sing better. Users will be successful whether or not they can read music. These first-of-their-kind products take the fun of karaoke and add real-time visual feedback of the singer's pitch and rhythm to enable adults and children alike to sing better and enjoy singing.
Founded in 2000, Carry-A-Tune Technologies is based in Tampa, FL. The privately held company was created by one of the principals of the Thompson Group, a leading catalog publisher and direct marketing company also based in Tampa. The president of Carry-A-Tune Technologies is a principal in the family-owned and run Thompson Group, allowing the new software business to leverage Thompson Group's substantial physical facilities and significant marketing and distribution resources.
What is the company's PC-based "learn-to-sing" system?
SingingCoach and SingingCoach Unlimited are both powered by Carry-A-Tune technology. They help people learn to sing by teaching them to sing in tune. The software tracks their pitch as people sing and displays it as a pitch-tracking line on the screen, superimposed on either a 'sheet music' or 'graphic' view of the song. This system allows the singer to actually see what he or she is singing on a real-time basis.
The SingingCoach learn-to-sing system has as its fundamental goal making it easy for anyone even the so-called hopelessly 'tone deaf' to learn to control their pitch and rhythm and thereby learn to sing in tune. Simple to install and easy for singers ages 6 to 106 to use, Singing Coach works on PCs running Windows XP, ME and 2000.
Users get a high-fidelity headset with built-in microphone plus a selection of practice songs and free song downloads from the Carry-A-Tune Technologies online song library of 300-plus selections ranging from hits to standards. In the basic version, users get 12 practice songs and four free downloads; in the unlimited version, users get 24 practice songs and 12 downloads.
Users can also purchase additional songs from the on-line music store. These songs include number one songs from EMI and Warner Chappell, two of the world's largest music publishers.
SingingCoach Unlimited includes a 'compose mode,' in which users can enter any song from sheet music by simply pointing and clicking, or compose their own original songs. It also includes an 'import MIDI' feature that allows the user to import standard MIDI files with embedded lyrics. There are over 10,000 songs available for purchase at varying prices from the three currently selected sites that are currently linked to the Carry-A-Tune Technologies' online music store including songs made famous by artists from the Tony Bennet to Kelly Clarkson. The 'compose mode,' coupled with the 'import MIDI' feature, truly makes the product 'unlimited'.
The suggested retail price is $49.95 for SingingCoach and $99.95 for SingingCoach Unlimited.
How does it work?
Carry-A-Tune Technologies's musical software products offer numerous features that act like 'training wheels' for the person who can't carry a tune. The primary support device is a visual, real-time depiction of the singer's actual pitch compared to the 'target' or pitch he or she should be singing. Many other features make the process of learning to sing easy, fun and perhaps most importantly, free of public embarrassment.
In either 'graphic view' (no need to read music) or 'sheet music view', the program shows users their actual pitch on screen while displaying the target for each note as they sing. SingingCoach lets users see and hear how to adjust their voice to stay in tune. When users finish singing a song, the software calculates a score (from 1 to 100) and displays it on screen. Both SingingCoach's basic and unlimited versions allow users to compete with one another for fun using a singing scoreboard. The scoring also provides a completely objective method to assess singing.
What features make SingingCoach unique?
SingingCoach and SingingCoach Unlimited give users real-time feedback and assistance with their singing. The programs features a 20-lesson tutorial, after which singers are able to sing the basics (i.e., Hot Cross Buns, This Old Man) on pitch and in tune and can move on to more difficult songs. Additional unique features of this learn-to-sing software are:
- Custom vocal range when a new user signs in, he sets his own vocal range. Once that is set, each song and exercise is automatically transposed into a key that makes the song easy for that person to sing.
- Visual depiction of pitch Singing Coach shows the actual pitches sung with its Pitch Tracking Line. There are two views where pitch tracking is used: Graphic View and Sheet Music View. The Graphic View is similar to an X/Y graph in which X represents time and Y represents pitch. Each note is shown as a "target" pitch bar, with the lyrics displayed below the target pitch bars. The Sheet Music View mimics a piece of sheet music complete with treble clef, notes, rests, key signature, etc. The "pitch targets" are the note heads.
- Scoring After a singer completes an exercise, he or she receives a score (0 to 100) which indicates what percentage of the time they sang "in tune."
- Tempo change If a song is difficult for a singer, he or she can slow the tempo down (without changing the key) which will allow them to learn to sing the song. After he or she learns to sing it, the tempo may be increased.
- Breathing indicators In the graphic view, the spots where the singer should breathe are indicated with a "B" symbol. This insures that the singer has enough breath to get through each phrase on pitch.
- From 'pitch-matching' to 'a cappella' Users can learn a song with or without metronome, melody, or accompaniment. Different instruments can be selected to play the melody. This allows a beginner to 'pitch-match' while a pro can sing the much more challenging style of 'a cappella' or without any music at all.
Who uses SingingCoach?
In its first year of test marketing, people from across the country and of all different backgrounds have used SingingCoach and SingingCoach Unlimited. Users range from music teachers to school districts to families to professional singers to celebrities.
Additional users include: Jessica Sierra, a semi-finalist on Star Search and American Idol; Dr. Kirk Kassner, music educator with the Federal Way School District, Federal Way, Wash.; Dr. Susan Homan, professor and childhood educator with the University of South Florida; Dr. Arthur Harvey, a neuromusicologist at the University of Hawaii and past president of the Hawaii Music Educators Association; Nashville-based professional singer/songwriter Ally White; and Richard Watson, editor, Music Trades magazine.
What markets does the company serve?
While Singing Coach and Singing Coach Unlimited are appropriate for children and adults alike, Carry-A-Tune Technologies has targeted specific markets including:
- household consumers,
- from shower singers to true performers;
- schools/education focusing on kindergarten through higher education and home schooling;
- musical instrument dealers including piano and organ dealers;
- senior citizens; and
- religious institutions.
How is the product distributed?
Carry-A-Tune Technologies' SingingCoach family of products are available in the following retail stores: CompUSA, Fry's Electronics, select Target stores, J&R Music World, Amazon.com, MediaPlay and other retailers. In its first year of test marketing, people from across the country and of all different backgrounds have used SingingCoach and SingingCoach Unlimited. Users range from music teachers to school districts to families to professional singers to celebrities.
In addition, short form infomercial spots will run during the Summer and Fall of 2005 on both national Cable Networks (MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, etc.) and in local broadcast markets of major metropolitan areas.
Outside the United States, SingingCoach is available in Canda, United Kingdom and Australia. The products are also available through:
- www.carryatune.com
- toll-free order line 888-378-5050
- educational catalogs
- direct marketing
- musical instrument dealers
- music educator and music dealer trade shows
- specialty catalogs
- textbook publishers
What key trends are impacting the market?
Key trends influencing the Carry-A-Tune Technologies business include the penetration of PCs and the Internet globally along with the growth in sales of computer games and educational software. In addition, sales of downloaded music have been skyrocketing. SingingCoach ties into this country's cocooning trend in the past few years and provides a great family activity that cuts across every economic stratum. In the past, families sat around the piano and sang together. With SingingCoach, 21st century families may sit around the computer and sing together. SingingCoach also ties in well with the popularity of reality TV programs like American Idol, but instead of non-objective scoring of the singer's talent, SingingCoach gives singers an objective score at the end of every song, indicating what percentage of the time he or she is on pitch and on tempo, providing a colorblind, objective approach to assessing one's singing talent.
What is the company's history?
As a 13-year-old, company founder Carlo Franzblau 'earned' the starring role of Conrad Birdie (think Elvis Presley) in his summer camp's production of Bye Bye Birdie with one condition he would not be singing any of the heartthrob's songs. Every time Carlo started to sing, he was either mobbed by hysterical groupies on stage or in one case, he was 'punched' to prevent his singing. The fact that he couldn't determine whether he was singing on key or on pitch remained with Mr. Franzblau through his undergraduate days at Harvard and his graduate work at Harvard Business School. Finally, in early 2000, he had the resources, and the time, and found a software developer with the expertise to assist him in developing Carry-A-Tune Technologies's pitch tracking software. Carry-A-Tune was founded in 2000 with Mr. Franzblau's family and family business, Thompson Group, supporting the company and product development efforts. SingingCoach was launched on a trial basis in late 2003.
Who heads the company?
Carlo Franzblau, president and founder, and Kenneth Spiegel, vice president and general manager, run the day to day operations of the company.
For more information please contact info@carryatune.com
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