The idea was born from an unexpected encounter while I was working on mixing a song in a music studio. From one of the rooms, I overheard a conversation about developing an application, and I couldn’t resist sharing my ideas, which contradicted what was being said. To my surprise, my input was met with an interested silence rather than opposition.
Shortly after, a man named Joe Forgo approached me and expressed his agreement with what I had said. He asked if I would be interested in creating something new together. Without hesitation, I replied, “How about music software?” It turned out that Joe was also a musician with many ideas about improving existing software and hardware. Our first business meeting took place right there in the studio, surrounded by instruments—he grabbed a guitar, and I sat down at the piano. Instead of words, we started with spontaneous musical improvisation. We immediately felt a special connection, and a bond of trust formed between us.
Two weeks later, we met again, and I presented the first software concept. The application was a mobile DAW with several unique features, aiming to cover producer communities, sound packs, and every creative musical area. After long discussions and thorough planning, we developed the concept, which envisioned providing musicians with a new approach through a comprehensive, well-designed platform.
Joe, being an experienced entrepreneur and musician, had a significant influence on the developments. Soon, a young programmer, Ervin Kobor, joined us. At only 22, Ervin had excellent skills in both programming and music production. Later, André Samosi, a recent engineering graduate, also became part of the team after finding our work so inspiring during his internship that he became a core member of the company.
While developing the mobile application, we realized that some parts of the software could be turned into standalone applications, allowing us to build a community even before launching our main software. Our first products were VST plugins, as well as Straight Set, a DJ software.
This is how we launched three free and three paid software products, each offering unique features. In 2023, many music influencers named these among the most practical plugins of the year. This inspired us to develop another plugin package, which we plan to release in 2024.
Of course, our original goal of developing the mobile application is still in progress, but in the meantime, several other projects are underway, which we await with equal excitement.
Our journey has been full of challenges, but we all believe in our shared goal: to create music software and tools that add real value to the music community.
We currently work with numerous professionals, many of whom started part-time in various areas before becoming full-time employees, while others continue to work part-time. These include designers, marketers, web developers, and backend developers. We also maintain close connections with sound designers and producers who do excellent creative work and contribute significantly to the progress of Platone Studio.
Timeline
Mid-2020:
- Foundation of Platone Studio and the start of the mobile application’s design.
2021:
- Designing and testing our first desktop application.
- Creating the design and structure of our website.
- Developing our software activation system.
- Further development of the mobile application’s design and software.
- Brainstorming VST ideas.
2022:
- Completing the full design of our website.
- Developing new software concepts.
- Finalizing the first VSTs and desktop applications: Delay Eleven, Flex Reverb, Delay 44, Swiss Saturator, Straight Set for DJs, DJ Filter.
2023:
- Launching the website and new software.
- Expanding the team.
- Developing and refining our marketing strategy.
- Organizing a remix contest in collaboration with an international label.
- Collaborating with several notable influencers in the music production market.
2024:
- Further developing our marketing strategy.
- Establishing new collaborations.
- Launching four new VSTs.
- Further expanding the team.