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# JoyTunes Raises $5 Million, Gives Registered Teachers Free Access
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/joytunes-raises-5-million-gives-registered-teachers-free-access/
- Published: 2014-08-26T13:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2014-08-26T13:00:00.000Z
- Description: JoyTunes creates apps that allow people to teach themselves to play music but they've also become a favorite of many teachers who encourage their students to use the apps to. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2014/08/joytunes-raises-5-million-gives-registered-teachers-free-access.htm
- Author: admin
- Tags: Apps, Mobile & SMS, Music Business, Music Tech, Startups & Funding, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:38

[![Joytunes-logo](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b7c6d334a2970b-150wi "Joytunes-logo")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201b7c6d334a2970b-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

JoyTunes creates apps that allow people to teach themselves to play music but they've also become a favorite of many teachers who encourage their students to use the apps to support practicing. Their apps generate revenue through paid accounts and in-app purchases. Recently JoyTunes completed a $5 million Series A round and, in what sounds partly like a leap of faith, are now giving registered teachers and their students free access to Piano Maestro. CEO and Co-founder Yuval Kaminka says it's a move to partner with teachers and grow the larger digital music learning pie.

[JoyTunes](http://www.joytunes.com/?ref=hypebot.com) currently features [two iOS apps](http://www.joytunes.com/apps?ref=hypebot.com): [Piano Dust Buster](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id502356539?mt=8&ref=hypebot.com) and [Piano Maestro](https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/id604699751?mt=8&ref=hypebot.com). The latter is now free for registered teachers and their students.

For anyone who's worked with kids the following video of a key Piano Maestro feature should help make it clearer why music teachers are digging JoyTunes:

**Assign Home Challenges with Piano Maestro**

JoyTunes [announced](http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/08/12/joytunes-collects-5m-to-make-it-fun-to-learn-to-play-music/?ref=hypebot.com) their $5 million Series A round earlier this month.

CEO Yuval Kaminka [says](http://www.fastcompany.com/3034680/joytunes-now-free-for-music-teachers-and-students-on-its-big-strategy-shift?ref=hypebot.com) they support his emerging plan to turn teachers into partners:

"Music teachers are the gatekeepers to everything that’s happening in music education…They’re a natural partner."

"It’s a ‘Let’s work with them’ approach…We want to remove anything that blocks adoption. Let’s become true partners with the teachers to introduce technology into music education.”

However Kaminka is giving up 40% of their current revenue to grow the digital music learning pie without seeming to have a new revenue model. Quite bravely they seem to be planning to figure that out once they have an even deeper knowledge of their users' needs:

"My knees are still shaking from this…\[but\] We'll understand our customers' needs better over time…and be able to deliver on the magic of turning everyday play into musical performances."

Stay tuned!

*Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith ([@fluxresearch](https://twitter.com/fluxresearch?ref=hypebot.com)) recently launched [DanceLand](http://dance.land/?ref=hypebot.com). Send news about music tech startups and services, DIY music biz and music marketing to:*

clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com

.