A new iPhone application developed by a UF graduate is making it possible for even those who don’t know the difference between a C-note and a G-note to write the next hit song.
And for UF students to win some cash.
The application, called Songbloom, was created by UF agriculture alumnus Amaury Garcia, 34, and is based off a music collaboration site of the same name.
The idea behind Songbloom is for musicians to upload tracks over a skeleton track that provides structure. From there, musicians can upload their own guitar, bass, keyboard and vocal tracks for a song.
One submission is chosen for each instrument for a pair of songs that are released each month in two categories — rock and hip-hop.
The application mimics the website’s system, but instead of users submitting recordings of themselves playing an instrument, users sing the melody or part for the song they think up.
“Non-musicians still have music in them.” Garcia said. “They can still interpret melody, just not through an instrument.”
The tracks are then recorded with the real instrument by a studio musician.
Until Nov. 27, two current Songbloom projects are taking submissions for lead vocals. If a UF student downloads the iPhone application and submits a winning track, he or she will receive a $200 prize.
The songs are judged by Garcia and his staff, including the studio musicians and engineers.
The tracks don’t need to be overly fancy or technical to be selected, he said.
“It’s purely content and feel of the audio that’s submitted,” Garcia said. “It’s how well it suits the song and how much life it gives the song.”
