When deciding what music production software to use, it helps to trust the professionals, and Output is a company built by actual musicians.
Output was founded in 2013 by ASCAP-award winning composer Gregg Lehrman, who previously worked under famous musician and movie soundtrack composer Hans Zimmer. Lehrman saw that the number of people creating their own music was growing, and he hoped to build the technology to help democratize the process.
“Technology democratized the creation process for video and photos. It makes sense that technology adoption would transition to music making,” Lehrman said in a statement. “We are working to inspire a new generation of music makers with a platform that brings the power of a studio to anyone, wherever they are.”
Now, Output is ready to expand its reach, thanks to its first fundraising effort. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles-based company announced that it raised a $45 million Series A from growth equity firm Summit Partners.
The new funding will help Output build more products for its customers, as well as add new features like more playable instruments and mobile versions of the software.
The company’s core production software, Arcade, started as an application that helped musicians turn loops and sounds into tracks, but has since then evolved to become a more comprehensive music production program. Over 420,000 musicians from across the world have used the Arcade platform.
Output’s software has been used to create songs for Drake, Coldplay, Justin Bieber and Rihanna. It’s also been used to create soundtracks for popular TV shows including Stranger Things and Game of Thrones. Beyond this impressive resume, Output hopes that this new funding will help it reach an audience of hobbyists and first-timers who want to find the best tools to bring their musical creations to life.
