Sound collections developer/licensor Q Up Arts is pledging 50% of the sales of California KeysTM to GlobalGiving’s California Wildfire Relief Fund (globalgiving.org/projects/california-wildfire-relief-fund), as of October 2.
Slashing pricing from $499.00 USD to $150.00 USD, then giving away 50% of the remaining revenue might appear a reckless business decision, but that is exactly what world-class sound collections developer/licensor Q Up Arts is doing with its iconic California Keys software title. Yet Q Up Arts President Douglas Morton makes his position perfectly clear when reflecting upon the decision. “Witnessing how fire is consuming California, a state already heroically battling COVID-19 and the economic slowdown, is heartbreaking,” he says.
Such sadness is all the more appreciable as the Californian music tech brand co-founder grew up in Cupertino, and still lives in California. Some of the verdant parks Douglas Morton visited as a child are now a pile of ash. Meanwhile, many of his dear friends are displaced from their homes — some have lost their homes altogether. As a true musician, Douglas Morton poured his sorrow into his music. Making much use of California Keys’ supremely-sampled Fazioli 10-foot grand piano presented in stereo and surround, scripted and designed for maximum expressivity and playability to fit every style of playing — perfect for composing somber tunes with such subtle expression, he hit upon a bright idea to counter today’s turbulent times: “Why not make California Keys more affordable for musicians so they can also express their troubles through their music and support organizations responding to the California wildfires with their purchase?”
Anyone taking Q Up Arts up on this open-handed offer will receive a personal thank you card in the form of an e-mail confirmation that Q Up Arts duly donated $75.00 USD to GlobalGiving’s California Wildfire Relief Fund in their name. Needless to say, supporting firefighters and providing emergency supplies such as food, water, and medicine to those in need is a given, but the California Wildfire Relief Fund will remain open to provide longterm assistance.
As Q Up Arts’ aforesaid California Wildfire Relief Fund-supporting project ends on October 31, there has never been a better time than now for anyone to add California Keys to their collection of compositional tools, thankful in the knowledge that the resulting donation to GlobalGiving’s California Wildfire Relief Fund in their name will exclusively support communities impacted by those wildfires burning across Douglas Morton’s beloved California. German giant Native Instruments — creators of the industry-standard KONTAKT platform powering the biggest selection of sampled instruments available — is also California-connected as Native Instruments North America, Inc. operates out of Los Angeles; as such, it is duly donating all serials/licenses for the duration of Q Up Arts’ California Wildfire Relief Fund-supporting project.
Musically moved to end on an exceptionally helpful high note, Q Up Arts itself is also allocating a number of free California Keys downloads to those that have experienced the loss of their homes and studios due to the California wildfires; anyone affected as such can contact Q Up Arts directly.
