Arlo Tarr

I was really scared and apprehensive when I first started thinking about doing a "Pre-Buy" to help get my EP finished. 

Why should folks want to help me? Everyone has their own lives and families to worry about. Who am I to ask for someone else's money?

On the other hand, I had this music that I had been working on, for really, the last two years. I thought it was pretty good. I liked it and I wanted to present it fully developed.

I wanted the songs to have a real drummer and real bassist play the parts, not just my software instruments. I wanted to have a professional mixer listen to the songs and make them sound like the songs I used to listen to on my tape player when I was a kid.

I wanted it to sound professional but that takes money. It takes more money than I have available to me. Like most of you reading this I have a mortgage, kids and bills that pop up out of nowhere.

I was able to pay for the title track on "The Archetect" to get done but it would've taken me a year or two to get the other three songs done.

Then one day, I saw a video on Youtube with Ariel Hyatt. She wrote a book called "Crowdstart". I thought maybe that's how I can get these songs done but I didn't like the idea of asking folks for money.

I bought her book. I read it. I realized in the book that it's not just about asking for money. It's about connecting with your current fans and, hopefully, make a bunch of new ones. I also realized that I wasn't just asking for money. I was asking for money but I was also giving my fans something in return. A couple of minutes of escape from their hectic day, someone to talk music with and also a chance to help release someone's else's art. 

Initially I was going to call it a "Crowdfund" but I thought "Pre-Buy" explained it better. I wanted my fans to know they were getting something in return. So I launched my "Pre-Buy".

Then something happened that I didn't know was going to happen...

The Pre-Buys started happening as soon as I launched, $10, $25, $100, $200! I was really happy that I was getting the funding but what I didn't know was that I have a lot of people ROOTING for me.

There are friends and family doing the Pre-Buy that I see a couple of times a year. There are friends and fans doing the Pre-Buy that I've NEVER MET in person or not seen since HIGH SCHOOL. They leave me nice comments about the song. They comment on the talent that I was given. They encourage me to do more. I never realized how many people are rooting for me and that feels REALLY good!

I wanted to write this blog to let anyone reading this know that people are ROOTING for you. You might not have someone shouting it at you every day but they're there. Maybe you're like me and you just need to poke your head out into the world somehow. So call an old friend or family member. Go to a concert. Get some coffee with someone. Talk to some people. It can make you feel really good! You might be surprised, like I was, of how many people are rooting for YOU!

So a BIG THANK YOU to everyone that is ROOTING for me!!! I'm very grateful to you all!

-Arlo