A new website which aims to help musicians learn from the stars of the music world has signed a deal with a major music label.

Brighton-based showmehow toplay.com (SMHTP) features software that allows people to download tutorials of songs broken down to individual instruments.

At the moment most of the songs are cover versions recorded by session musicians but the deal with Universal Records will give the site access to some of the label's major stars.

The site has already done a deal with Boys II Men and expects to gain access to acts on Universalowned Island Records, such as The Fratellis and Amy Winehouse.

The man behind SMHTP is freelance engineer and producer Mark Flannery.

The 43-year-old began his career as a runner in Dublin's Windmill Lane studios, where he made the tea as U2 recorded their album The Unforgettable Fire.

He got his big break while working with Mutt Lange as he produced Def Leppard's Hysteria album, which went on to sell 15.5 million copies.

After this success he worked at London's Battery Studios before he joined the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM) as a songwriting tutor.

It was there he had the idea to set up SMHTP.

Mark said: "I thought there was a real gap in the market for online distance learning.

"What BIMM does is great but not everyone can afford it or can travel down to Brighton. I wanted to open that experience out to everyone."

Mark has developed a software tool called Multiplayer, which lets users break down a song into its individual parts and see the various players playing in isolation.

Mark said: "Herbie Flowers, the world-famous bassist who played on Lou Reed's Walk On The Wild Side, believes that if you want to be a great musician you have to play with great musicians. This software lets you do that. You can download the software for free and it shows how it works using Smells Like Teen spirit by Nirvana.

"After that it's 99p to download one of our songs but it will be £3.50 to buy one from an established artist from Universal."

It is this revenue-raising aspect that has excited record labels as they struggle to remain profitable in the world of digital downloads and file sharing.

Mark said: "The record companies are always looking to do new things and find new revenue streams.

There is nothing like SMHTP anywhere else in the world.

"We are already talking to other interested record companies, so watch this space."

The next stage is to develop the site's social networking features.

Soon the technology will be in place for people to upload their own performances and share them with others.

Mark added: "Technology means most producers work from home. This will let people play alongside their heroes and learn from them at the same time."