Fender Digital

About Fender Digital

Fender Digital is a wholly owned division of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) that was established in 2015. This subsidiary is dedicated to creating a digital ecosystem of products and interactive experiences to support musicians at every stage of their journey. The division was spearheaded by Ethan Kaplan, who served as the first Chief Digital Officer and General Manager, building the team from the ground up to over 70 people.

Fender Digital's flagship product is Fender Play, a subscription-based online learning platform launched in 2017 for desktop and mobile devices. It provides instructor-guided 4K video lessons to teach guitar, bass, and ukulele. The business model for Fender Play is centered on monthly or annual subscriptions, which grant users access to thousands of lessons, a personalized learning path based on their musical preferences, and progress tracking. This service was created to address the high dropout rate for new guitar players, with research showing that 90% of beginners quit within the first year. By reducing this churn, Fender aims to significantly expand the music industry and increase the lifetime value of its customers.

Beyond the primary learning platform, Fender Digital has developed a suite of complementary applications. These include Fender Tune, a free and highly-rated tuner app with over 11.8 million downloads that also provides practice tools like a chord library, scale diagrams, and drum rhythms. Another app, Fender Tone, serves as a companion for the brand's Mustang GT and GTX digital amplifiers, allowing users to manage presets and tones. The division also relaunched Fender.com as a direct-to-consumer website, enhancing the product experience and expanding into new territories.