Scots who have always dreamed of pop stardom can now record and release their own music with a brand new app.
8D Music And Video Studio lets users create their own song using a pre-loaded selection of music samples and instrument parts. Burgeoning musicians can record their own vocals, with the app then mixing and mastering the song to make it sound like a professional production - all from their phone.
Once a song is complete, users can even upload it to all the major streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.
The software was created by Glasgow producer Andy Anderson, who has been a part of the city's thriving music scene for several years. Explaining the inspiration behind the app, the 35-year-old said: “Producing or making music is hard – it takes years of work, investment and effort and it can be really frustrating.
"So few people get the chance to try it or know enough to properly give it a go, and of course there are loads of people out there who would love to make and release their own song but it’s a distant dream. That’s what I wanted to change.
"I really wanted to open up this world to everyone. I get a lot of joy from making music and I wanted to share that with more people, give them the chance to see behind the curtain and learn the fulfilment you can experience from nailing your own song for the first time."
Andy worked with his brother Frankie, an app developer, to create the software. The layout is designed to be simple and easy to use, allowing people to become artists and producers in their own right in a matter of minutes.
Andy said: “We’ve made the app simple to use by combining hundreds of samples from traditional instruments like banjo to big synths that you simply drag and drop on to the timeline to create your song. Every sample in the app has been created to work hand in hand with each other so no matter what samples you use, your song will sound great.
“Anyone can now be a proper artist on Spotify and so on next to their favourite artists without being a musician and spending thousands on equipment and learning."
The app is free to use, with a one-off payment of £14.99 if you want to upload songs to all the major streaming services. Users can even get any royalties generated by their song in downloads or streams, with the 8d team on hand to help you set it up.
Andy added: “Most people don't have time to invest in music, so having this app to dip your toe in the water and have something that sounds great straight away is a way to encourage people to move forward in their musical journey without being disheartened time and time again.”
8D Music and Video Studio is available now as a free download on Apple and Android.
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