L.A. Business Journal: Music Mastermind’s Zya Lets Players Turn Vocals Into Instrument Sounds
New Software Allows Nonmusicians to Speak Up
November 28th, 2011
We excited to share with you an article about Zya's public announcement that ran in the Los Angeles Business Journal featuring our very own Salem Rose and Kid Digital!
New Software Allows Nonmusicians to Speak Up
WEB: Music Mastermind’s Zya lets players turn vocals into instrument sounds
Natalie Jarvey, LA Business Journal
"Music Mastermind has launched software that lets aspiring musicians create their own songs – without ever picking up an instrument.
The Calabasas company announced earlier this month that its music-making software, Zya, is now available online on HP computers. Zya, which has the look and feel of music video games such has Activision Blizzard’s “Guitar Hero,” lets users create songs by singing lyrics, turning vocals into instrument sounds, adding premade music hooks and mixing beats.
After a player creates a song, [they] can share it with friends and compete against other Zya players for a top spot on the software’s virtual music chart.
Zya uses Music Mastermind technology that makes a voice sound, like, say, a drum or guitar, allowing a person to compose a song without playing a physical instrument.
Matt Serletic, company co-founder and chief executive, said the software could appeal to everyone from children to accomplished musicians, but the target demographic are people who don’t have a music background. “The genesis of the idea was the kid who maybe doesn’t understand how to use a music production tool but is still creative and wants to have a lot of fun,” he said.
Serletic, a music producer who won two Grammy Awards in 200 from his work with guitarist Carlos Santana, cofounded Music Mastermind with Bo Bazylevsky, a former Wall Street bond trader in 2008.
The 40-person company raised $10.8 million in May from Intel Capital and Liberty Global to help develop Zya and prepare it for launch.
Zya, which will be available for wide release in early 2012, is free to use. Users can choose to buy additional features such as songs and custom avatars.
The software in some ways is similar to other music production tools such as Apple’s Garage Band and features game elements comparable to “Guitar Hero.”
“It really is kind of a hybrid between something that’s fun and addictive to play, but also very powerful as a music production tool,” Serletic said. “We wanted to provide a different experience.”"
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