Company
Play Anything
Play Anything, as described on the show by Andrew Carlins.
Episodes (1)
Andrew Carlins, co-founder and CEO of Play Anything, on assistive AI that turns recordings into sheet music, publisher licensing and organic growth.
Questions these episodes answer
What is assistive AI in music?
Andrew Carlins uses the term for tools that work on a musician's own recording instead of generating new music. A creator uploads audio and gets sheet music, guitar tabs, a piano roll or MIDI to learn from, share or edit in a DAW.
From: Beyond Generative AI: Building Technology for Musicians
Why do people stop learning an instrument?
Carlins says most US children get access to an instrument through public school and most drop it before graduating. Adults who want to return say they lack time, that finding a teacher is hard, or that they are not good enough.
From: Beyond Generative AI: Building Technology for Musicians
Can a music startup that pays for licenses be venture backed?
Carlins says giving part of the margin to the industry makes the risk-return profile worse than a standard education or consumer product, which is why there are so few venture-backed music businesses. The upside is fewer competitors and markets, like schools, that ask for license clearance.
From: Beyond Generative AI: Building Technology for Musicians
How did Play Anything find its first users?
Before the seed round all growth was organic. Carlins does not remember the exact number but says it must have been over a hundred thousand users, which showed the team the need was real.
From: Beyond Generative AI: Building Technology for Musicians
Will AI replace music teachers?
Carlins says no. He does not think computers will match a professional teacher sitting next to you, but they are good at checking whether you hit the right notes and hold them for the right duration.
From: Beyond Generative AI: Building Technology for Musicians