Acoustic Labs is creating Music Videos
The musical project of GC Johnson, composer and multi-instrumentalist. Est. 2009
43
$171.50
Milestone Goals
Accessory Bundle Giveaway
Every day, when I'm playing guitar or composing, I'm using at least one of these awesome accessories. I love the feel and long-lasting tone of Elixir strings. I love the ease and sleekness of G7th capos, and Ebows have proven to be a very effective and inspirational way to get pad-like and voice-like sounds out of any guitar (well...with the exception of nylon stringed guitars). If we can get to the $500 dollar per video milestone I will send a lucky Patreon Supporter 2 packs of Elixir Light guage nanowebs, 2 G7th Performance capos and an Ebow.
Ronroco Giveaway
The Ronroco is an instrument that you may have heard during the films 21 Grams and Babel. Composer Gustavo Santaolalla uses one in his music, and I credit him with inspiring me to get one a few years ago. Ever since, the instrument has been the source of a fountain of creativity and has ironically gotten me as much session and recording work as the guitar itself. Here's a link to one of my recent Ronroco compositions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C2HWzBsyOU
I'll be very excited to gift a Patreon Supporter one of these incredible instruments once we reach the $1500 Milestone, and if you have any questions about how to play it or tune it, I'm happy to guide you through all of that.
Alvarez Regent Series Giveaway
Many of you may know that I play Alvarez guitars. It's a brand I fell in love with when I was 16 years old (that was a long time ago) and a majority of my learning and evolution as a guitarist was spent on the frets of an Alvarez. That's exactly what the Regent Series guitar was designed for, an entry level guitar that a young player can learn on and take inspiration from, and evolve with. I play one in this video, a cover of Hans Zimmer's Inception soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCqPvMoxLuw
It's almost synchronistic, and certainly an amazing blessing, that I've come to know and work with the amazing team at Alvarez, and it would be an honor to provide one of their Regent Series instruments to a Patreon Supporter at the $2000 Milestone.
Travel Guitar Giveaway
Travel guitars are special. They're not just for packing up and throwing into an airplane overhang bin. They're perfect for the student player, who is in need of a bang-around instrument that they can take around everywhere, keep in their car, and essentially wear like a second appendage. They have the ability of maximizing practice time without being too cumbersome, and you'll find there will be more opportunities to take advantage of those "inspiration moments", when there's a tune in your head that you just have to translate to the guitar. At the $3000 Milestone, I'll be sending an Alvarez LJ60 "Little Jumbo" to a winning Patreon Supporter.
Baritone Giveaway
Baritone guitars are becoming a real must-have in any guitarist's arsenal. They let you approach composition and songwriting from a melodically deeper register, and that difference alone can open creative doors. And then, on an every-day level, they're just super fun to play and you can feel every note as the guitar responds. I play an Alvarez ABT60 baritone in my Back to the Future cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQj6LxJTEQY
Upon reaching the $4000 Milestone I'll be sending a Patreon Supporter a brand new ABT60.
Alvarez Masterworks Giveaway
I don't personally own one of the Alvarez Masterworks Series yet, but they're on my bucket list. I've played and recorded with a few samples and have been absolutely floored by them. They're really a new class of instrument, made from all-solid wood, and they sound and respond incredibly well. A lucky Patreon Supporter will be getting a brand new Masterworks Model guitar from me once the $5000 Milestone is unlocked.
Canon Camera Giveaway
I feel as though having a DSLR Camera has really contributed to the progress of my youtube channel. With a DSLR and lens (My go-to is an 18-135mm) you can get a "filmic", soft-focus feel and look that a normal point-and-shoot or phone or even a GoPro are so far incapable of getting. Whether your thing is stills or video, the new breed of DSLRs really open up a lot of possibilities for you, and in the right hands - or even with just a few weeks of learning - can garner some very professional results. At the $6000 Milestone I'm going to send the winning Patreon Supporter a Canon T5i (or the latest model Rebel) and lens, and just like with the Ronroco Giveaway, if this is your first DSLR I'll be happy to help answer any questions you have about photography. I don't know much compared to some of my friends (we all know them, the walking encyclopedias of film or photography), but I can definitely help you get set up and started shooting your first video or the ultimate selfie ;)
Portable Studio Giveaway
This would really be a dream. What better way to thank you for your support than to have a giveaway like this, a brand new macbook pro and the latest Logic software. It's essentially a portable studio, and when I'm away from my imac (these days that's about half the year) a macbook pro and Logic are my workhorse. At this $7000 Milestone I'll have Apple ship you a macbook pro and Logic software, and I'll also send a USB mic so you can jump right in and get recording. And I'll absolutely make myself available for a personal tutorial with the software if you need some guidance.
Alvarez Yairi Giveaway
Another dream. The yairi is the pinnacle of the Alvarez line of guitars. There are several models (pictured is a WY1TS), and each one is just as marquis as it gets. They're the kind of guitar that keep me awake at night, knowing they're in the closet not being played, constantly calling me to come out and practice for just a few more hours. The master luthier, Kazuo Yairi, crafted these guitars for many decades until he passed early this year (2014). His family and factory now carry on Kazuo's tradition of making guitars that are at the peak of tone and craftsmanship. It will be my great pleasure to gift one of these fine instruments to a Patreon Supporter at the $8000 Milestone.
As this Patreon page evolves I'll be adding to and updating these giveaways to make them as awesome and frequent as I can, and again I want to thank you for considering participation in this new and exciting support community.
About
Acoustic Labs began as a personal challenge, to write and perform new material every month and to focus on the guitar, exploring different sounds through effects and techniques.
Since 2009 - the year the project started - I've grown as a composer and producer, and have learned an array of other instruments like the Ronroco, Erhu and Guitarviol.
Acoustic Labs is now a platform, not only for my guitar compositions and covers, but for my multi-instrumental work, and focused on getting my music where I believe it fits best, in the realm of Film, TV, Games and Commercials.
I'm so grateful for the response and inspiration I have received from the internet community over the years. It's support that has really nourished and sustained me creatively, and to anyone that has ever reached out, spread the word, bought a tab or music, or watched a video, I have heartfelt thanks for all of you.
You can reach me anytime with questions or business opportunities (or just to say hello!) at [email protected]
Since 2009 - the year the project started - I've grown as a composer and producer, and have learned an array of other instruments like the Ronroco, Erhu and Guitarviol.
Acoustic Labs is now a platform, not only for my guitar compositions and covers, but for my multi-instrumental work, and focused on getting my music where I believe it fits best, in the realm of Film, TV, Games and Commercials.
I'm so grateful for the response and inspiration I have received from the internet community over the years. It's support that has really nourished and sustained me creatively, and to anyone that has ever reached out, spread the word, bought a tab or music, or watched a video, I have heartfelt thanks for all of you.
You can reach me anytime with questions or business opportunities (or just to say hello!) at [email protected]
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Top PatronsSee all 43
Hi, thanks so much for coming to my Patreon page! My name is GC Johnson. I'm a composer and multi-instrumentalist, and every month I post video-songs on youtube. My Acoustic Labs channel has grown a lot since I started it in 2009, and I'm grateful every day for the response and support from the internet community. I've had more than 5.5 Million video views, and gotten to work on some great projects, including the HBO show "Newsroom" with Jeff Daniels and composer Johnny Klimek, where I added guitar flavors to the overall score. It's been a great 5 years and I'm determined to keep making music on youtube and beyond for everyone to enjoy.
You may have heard that making ends meet for musicians these days is harder than ever, and it's true. Music sales are heavily undercut by the shareable nature of digital files, the price point per song hasn't adjusted to inflation like other industries have in the last couple decades, and the planned obsolesce of equipment and software makes keeping a studio up-to-date a very expensive endeavor.
By supporting me through Patreon you're helping to secure a much more stable creative environment for me, and ensuring the music keeps flowing from year to year. And I've made sure to reward Patreon Supporters well, providing music and/or tabs direct to you as soon as they're completed, and also setting up Milestone Giveaways, where all supporters will have the chance to win brand new equipment that I often use in my own projects, like a new Alvarez guitar or a Canon DSLR camera. You'll find more information about my Patreon perks below, and the Milestone Giveaways are detailed to the left of this page.
Patreon accepts credit, debit cards, and Paypal accounts, and takes just a few seconds to set up. You can enter any amount you'd like to give per video I post, or you can select from the perks I've included (below). You can cancel anytime and set a limit on your monthly giving, so you never go over your own budget. I usually post 2 videos per month when I can. Please explore this page and Patreon site, check out the Perks and Milestone Giveaways, and see if any are a good fit for you!
Just for considering this Patreon page, I'm giving away an entire album of solo guitar covers, including arrangements of the "Back to the Future" theme, "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence and many others. Download it here, and as always, thank you for the support, inspiration and kindness:
http://www.patreon.com/creation?hid=734683
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