Born and raised on the east side of Cleveland, 24-year-old Brandyn Armstrong has always had a love for music.
He said, “I grew up around a lot of rap music, around the age of 5, I actually started writing songs.”
That became the motivation behind his invention, studio stick--a smartphone app and portable recording studio.
“I wanted to go to the studio one day and I didn’t have access to any studios and I was thinking it’d be cool if I had a product that I could take with me and record anywhere I want to.”
The first of its kind, studio engineers who’ve worked with him say the product is innovative and on target with where the music industry is going.
“It matches a lot of stuff that we use in the actual studio,” said Miles Stevens, engineer at a Cleveland studio downtown. “I think it fits what’s going on cause a lot of artists are working from home or at different locations.”
But things haven't always worked out in Brandyn's favor. There was a time he admits, he was on the wrong track.
“When I got in High School it was like I started really just hanging out in the streets more…I got kicked out of every like class” said Armstrong.
After hitting rock-bottom, he decided he wanted something different for his life, so got his GED, and now studies business at Cleveland State.
And that's where he won a startup competition for his studio that you can literally pack up & carry it anywhere.
“I won a $1,500 prize that gave me the capitol to be able to invest in the product.”
He told me this invention is the start to what he hopes will be a very positive and impactful future.
“I want to see it all over the world. We definitely want it to be in the hands of celebrities.”
And he hopes his story can encourage others to go after their dreams too.
“Believe in yourself, take action and never give up and I believe those three things are like the key to success.”
Armstrong is planning for the studio stick to be sold in stores around the holiday season late this year, and you may have the option of buying everything as a unit or just the app by itself.
