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Check out the Switching Styles KDrummer 16 Q&A below. K Drummer 16 is bringing you amazing drum covers, brought to a whole and creative new level with practical and edited effects. These covers are hard, energetic, amazing and visually stunning. These visuals add to the drum covers themselves allowing them to “capture the beauty of drumming, and of course the drumming of the metal and hard rock genre.” How did you start in music? I started showing interest in music and drumming back in the 3rd grade while in music class. My friends and I watched this film that focused on the drummer quite a bit, and I thought how cool it would be to play like that. One day, my Dad came home from work with a tom drum in his hand; I was so happy to have received my first drum that I didn’t even realize there was an entire five-piece kit behind him! From there, I wanted to learn as much as I could, so my Mom enrolled me in drum lessons at our local music center. What impact has music had on you personally? Music has had a substantial impact on my personality. It allowed me to express who I truly was, gave me confidence during moments of doubt, and, most importantly, it relieved me of any negative emotions daily. I either put on some of my heaviest songs or went downstairs to play my heart out to help clear my mind. How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never been on the internet? My sound on my drum covers varies vastly between each video, but in general, I always play with an aggressive, ecstatic, and fun feel. I encapsulate the viewer with improvisation where it suits and always ensure my playing is as confident as it can sound. Who are the musicians that inspire your sound as KDrummer 16? The musicians that inspire my sound are Danny Carey of Tool, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, and Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan of Avenged Sevenfold. Carey challenges me to play complicated fills and in odd time signatures, Bonham taught me to play loud and maintain a solid groove, and my ecstatic playing is all thanks to The Rev. What appeal do you think covers have compared to the original songs to a general audience? Covers really appeal to audiences because it allows musicians to show audiences how much their favorite songs can change. A drummer may decide to put a half-time feel over an upbeat feel, and it changes the entire emotion the song is trying to convey. If one really likes a song, they will find different ways to enjoy it, which always leads to covers. Why do you perform covers of songs? I perform cover songs because I love making videos, so it’s even better to make videos with drumming involved! My videos are drum covers at heart, but with some of them, I focus more on telling a story through the music and leaving the viewer in awe with what they saw. With what I mentioned earlier, too, I love improvising and showing people how I think the drum parts should sound in certain songs. Which one stands out as a favourite? How come? My favourite cover I’ve done is easily Ice Nine Kills- IT Is The End Pennywise Drum Cover. A close runner-up is either Tool- 7empest Drum Cover or The Ultimate Meme Compilation Drum cover, though. The Pennywise cover is my favourite because it tells a story, the song is fun to play, and it was just wild being able to take the role of a killer clown doing a drum cover! Why specifically drum covers? The reason why I record drum covers is pretty much because drums are the only instrument I’m good at! What’s the process of creating these covers? The process of making my drums covers are pretty straightforward. It always starts with a unique idea for a cover; how can I do more than just a song’s cover and make it stand out on social media? Then, I learn the song and make sure it’s ready to be recorded. Since I don’t have too many cameras, I record multiple takes of the cover to ensure I get all the camera angles I’ll be happy with. Next, I take any unique shots where there are either a different setting I’m playing in, or cinematic shots I’d like to incorporate into the cover. Finally, I start editing and putting all of my best takes into a cover filled with practical wonders, post-effects, and angles that will keep the viewer interested long enough to enjoy the entire video genuinely. How has Covid-19 impacted the music industry? Unfortunately, the music industry has been impacted by Covid-19 significantly. Artists are unable to tour; it’s more challenging to record new music, and musicians cannot meet up. The music industry is losing millions of income, and it’s up to fans to find new ways to support their favorite musicians. Fortunately, though, artists are finding creative to connect with their fans through virtual concerts, unreleased material, and live streams. How do online platforms like YouTube or Spotify impact the music industry? Electronic platforms such as YouTube and Spotify are incredibly beneficial to the music industry. Both allow artists to share their material conveniently with posts, connect with fans through live streams, and promote new music with teasers and other such methods of creating anticipation amongst fans. I’ve discovered many new bands and songs through the internet that I would’ve never heard if such technology didn’t exist! What are some of your fondest memories while making music? Some of my fondest memories while creating music have always been in a group session. I was in high school jazz and marching band, and the memories from those two bands are impeccable. Nothing is better than nailing a drum solo you’ve worked tirelessly on to perfect during a live performance, and the feeling of being on the football field after a near-flawless performance is incredible. The rhythm section in Jazz Band and the drum line in Marching Band are two close-knit groups that I am more than honored to have been part of and to call a second family. What are some obstacles throughout your music career? And how did you overcome them? Obstacles I have overcome throughout my musical career is remaining calm and focused during a performance. Freshmen year of high school, I was incredibly nervous during shows, and I often caught myself messing up simple rhythms due to it. But throughout my high school career, I learned to embrace that nervousness and turn it into concentration. Yes, I still get very nervous before every performance, but now I strive to put on the best possible show I possibly can by acting like it was just regular practice, where my entire focus is on the music and being the base for the rest of the band. What advice would you give to new and young musicians? Advice to new and young musicians, it may be overused, but it’s true, don’t ever give up. When you’re trying to learn how to do a six-let, linear fill split between both the hands and feet at a tempo of 180+, it may seem impossible during your first few attempts. Still, with time, concentration, and commitment, you’ll be playing it in no time and showing it off to impress your buddies! Also, find something you love to do and stick with it. Don’t ever let it go because everyone needs a release in life, and for most musicians, music is our release, and it’s the engine that keeps us rolling. What are your future plans? For my future plans, I just graduated high school in the Spring of 2020, so right now is a time of crucial decisions! A few of my friends and I are currently working on forming a band, I’m getting some credits at a community college before I transfer to a university, and I’m definitely going to keep producing YouTube videos for the world to enjoy. If all goes as planned, I’m either going to end up being a drummer for a band, a roller coaster engineer, and quite possibly both!

Joining only a few years ago in 2017, Mako Ray has gained over 2.8 million views from followers following his artistic career. Now he isn’t just a musician and cover artist but also an artist, and designer. His YouTube channel consists of art, design, game development content, and of course music. Music, for Mako Ray, is a means to an end, and the end is to listen to something you enjoy and “occasionally that end is supposed to have a specific stronger impact, attempting to elicit certain feelings from people such as happiness, sadness, fear, whatever the situation calls for, and I hope to be able to achieve that in my songs.” Music, for Mako Ray , is a means to an end. That end is to listen to something you enjoy. “Occasionally that end is supposed to have a specific stronger impact, attempting to elicit certain feelings from people. Such as happiness, sadness, fear, whatever the situation calls for. And I hope to be able to achieve that in my songs.” Video game soundtracks specifically inspire Mayo Ray. Artists like Toby Fox also influence him. Mayo Ray aims to bring more out of the music than just sounds. Currently, he admits to being in the “Following stage”. And creating an audience through social media with the end goal of making a living as a full-time artist. Below is an interview between Mako Ray and Switching Styles’ Dylanna Fisher . How did you start in music? I had a lot of free time as a teenager and ended up taking guitar lessons. Though I forget if it was my or my mother’s idea to do so. Either way I ended up enjoying it, and we eventually got an upright piano that I was very excited to teach myself to play. There were a lot of songs I wanted to learn that people hadn’t made sheet music to, for example, from certain video games. I had to also teach myself how to hear out notes and transcribe music. I ended up doing a lot of amateur piano covers and uploading them to YouTube . What impact does music have? For me personally, it’s mostly just some fun stuff to listen to. I’m not usually all that into treating songs as these hugely important sources of emotional impact. Though, I know many other people feel that way and I understand why. I’m very much an applied arts sort of person, so I typically view music as a means to an end, and that end for me is usually just something neat to listen to. How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never been on the internet? I suppose it’s sort of like…chill beats that are often bass-centric, with some occasional chiptune influence? I think it’s kind of hard as a budding artist to describe my own style, it just seems normal to me since it’s what I’m used to, like a visual art style or a spoken accent. Who are the musicians that inspire your sound? Toby Fox. Number one without a doubt. I’ve been a fan of his since he composed music for Homestuck which also featured several other artists I’d describe as influential to me. He really outdid himself with the Undertale OST . I’ll be very proud of myself if I can become half as skilled a composer as him one day. As for other influences, I think there are four types of music that come to mind. 1: Video game OSTs in general, particularly older games. Back before video game audio technology evolved to be able to create any sound the composers wanted, the sounds they worked with were much simpler, and they had to rely on stringing them together in interesting and memorable ways with lots of catchy melodies in order for them to sound like, well, anything other than some weird noises. I’ve always found that style of song making much more interesting than other soundtrack methods such as orchestral walls of sound that do their job but aren’t really memorable or compelling to go back and listen to again. 2: Songs that aren’t afraid to put their bass line front and center. Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers immediately comes to mind, the bass in their music tends to act as both the basis of the song and a counter melody which adds a nice level of complexity that I enjoy for similar reasons as #1. 3: Atmospheric songs that take you to another world while you’re listening to them. I’m talking anyone from Akira Yamaoka (the Silent Hill composer) to Macintosh Plus (the vaporwave composer). If it makes me feel like I’m trapped in a half-lucid dream that I can’t tell is a nightmare or not, I’m down with it. Most of my music doesn’t fall into that category, but I still find it very important to be able to capture that atmosphere when needed. And #4: Honestly, just those lofi hip hop chill beats to relax/study to songs . You know, the ones that often take no effort to compose other than taking some plundered piano loop and putting some drum samples over it? They just sound nice. I try to go for a similar feel with a lot of my songs but with extra complexity and memorability. What appeal do you think covers have compared to the original songs to a general audience? I think people just like seeing different versions of their favorite songs. They love it so much that they want more of it, and covers are a way to give them more. There’s also the novelty aspect of some of the more goofy covers like my Animal Crossing Africa one. Do you think covers will continue to be popular? Oh, of course! As long as people continue to find certain songs special they will continue to cover them and others will flock to listen. How is making covers different from making originals? Well you don’t have to go through the entire composition process for a cover, you just learn the notes that are already there for you and figure out how to play them properly. I suppose some mild composition is occasionally required if, for example, it’s a song that wasn’t designed to be played on your chosen instrument, at which point you have to make a custom arrangement that may differ from the original a bit but enables you to actually play it while still capturing its essence. Why do you perform covers of songs? There are certain songs I love so much that I want to embed myself in them, physically feel them, do everything I can to pay homage to them and just enjoy their composition first-hand. Learning how to play and sing them is the best way to do that. What’s your favorite cover? Why? My favorite cover I’ve done is a video on my channel called “Barrens, Glen, Refuge”, which is a cover of the three main area themes from a game called Oneshot. I used both a piano keyboard and its drum pad simultaneously and I’m just really proud of myself for managing to perform it in such a manner, especially the third song which was a challenge for me. I could have easily just played a drum loop while using both hands for the piano to make my life easier, but it wouldn’t have felt the same, it wouldn’t have felt like I was really experiencing the entire song. What’s the process of creating these covers? First I learn all the notes; usually someone will have already made a midi or sheet music for the song, but if not I’ll listen to it myself and discern all the notes by ear. Sometimes I’ll even do that if sheet music is available but a midi isn’t, since I’m so slow at sight-reading that it’s often faster to just hear it out. Then I write an arrangement of them in FL Studio designed for whatever instrument I’m playing; if it’s for piano, I fiddle around with the notes to make sure they’re actually physically playable with two hands. Then it’s just the process of practicing that arrangement until I’m able to play it decently enough. Of course, you’re probably curious about my Animal Crossing cover , for which I obviously skipped those last two steps. Instead, I recorded a video of each character playing various random notes on the in-game instruments, brought those clips into Sony Vegas, then placed and pitch-shifted them throughout the timeline to match the notes of Africa. I then did that key frame transparency cutout thingy, I forget what it’s called, to position each character into the same frame despite being from different recordings. You can notice some visual discrepancies and incorrect perspective between each character. And voila. Very tedious, but it was well worth it for the reception the video got. What are some of your fondest memories while making music? I did a piano and guitar cover of a song called “Alphamatic Replacement” that someone made for a music contest. It didn’t win but I liked it enough to cover it, and the composer saw my cover and was really impressed I was able to match its speed on the piano, so that felt nice. Other than that, just being able to play songs I loved on the piano, composing original music that actually sounded good to me, that sort of stuff was and still is really rewarding. What are some obstacles throughout your music career? And how did you overcome them? When it comes to covering songs, I’ve attempted several dozen covers over the years that never panned out because I was never able to actually master them. I don’t regret partially learning and never finishing them, though, because it was still fun, and the little practice they offered me still helped me improve my playing skills. These days I don’t really worry about fully learning every song I love. I just learn little simplified tidbits. When a song comes around that I’m positive I want to cover, I just sort of drop everything and hard-focus in on practicing it until I’ve mastered it, before it slips from the fleeting grasp of my attention span. As for composing? Having the sense of “I know what I’m doing” is an incredibly difficult thing to attain in digital audio workstations like FL Studio. There’s so much garbage everywhere on your screen that you have no idea the function of, you don’t know how to do anything other than make a short 2-second song loop that never gets extended. It’s totally overwhelming. It really just comes down to spending the time to familiarize yourself with everything; it WILL happen eventually, it’s inevitable, you just have to deal with the confusion until you get there. What are your future plans? My ultimate goal is to become a game developer. I’ve spent a lot of time since I was a teenager learning various skill sets such as art, music and writing. Now it’s just a matter of applying them to something, letting them all come together to finally create something big and proper. In addition to that, I’m also currently trying to cultivate an audience for myself, on YouTube, twitch and Twitter. I’d like to be able to make a living off this stuff as well as just be an internet personality weirdo in general. I’m working on a 3D model right now and considering becoming a vtuber. I do a lot of weird nonsense and I’m currently collecting a fan base who is into that weird nonsense. How does game development compare to creating music? It’s a MUCH more involved process that usually requires the creation of music but also visual art, coding, writing…in both cases, though, you’re creating a work of art for the purpose of a consumer to get something out of, whether that be a fun little time or a big emotional journey. Also, composing music for games is often different from composing music for general listening, as you’re usually creating something meant to serve as the backdrop to the rest of the game, rather than be the center of attention. Most songs in video game OSTs lack lyrics, for example, because they don’t want to distract too much from everything else going on. Unless you’re Persona 5, in which case you don’t care about that at all and will instead manage to get away with throwing lyric-containing jamming bops all over the place while creating one of the best video game soundtracks ever made. Though that game still contains many songs without vocals, during times where it’d be too distracting for those particular moments. You have got to know how much you can get away with and when to dial it back, I suppose. What advice would you give to new and young musicians? Just do something, don’t just sit there listening to the same short loop over and over trying to figure out how to continue it. Throw a bunch of random notes all over the place and see what you can do with them. You’d be amazed by how much easier it is to work with some weird hastily-composed garbage than a totally blank slate. Don’t worry about those giant synthesizers with the airplane control panels. Just use their instrument presets to have a sound to start with. Maybe mess around with a knob here and there to experiment and eventually learn what some of them do. The most important thing is to just get something there regardless of its quality. The quality will improve in time, but you can’t improve something that doesn’t exist. Final Thoughts In conclusion, Mako Ray’s journey from a budding artist in 2017 to a multi-talented content creator with over 2.8 million views on his YouTube channel is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance. What makes his work so unique is his versatility in music, art, design, and game development. Additionally, he creates a genuine emotional connection with his audience. For Mako, music is more than just notes and rhythms; it’s a profound way to evoke emotions and tell stories. Mako draws inspiration from captivating video game soundtracks and iconic creators like Toby Fox. He channels his creativity into both original compositions and covers. These works pay homage to the songs that have shaped his artistic journey. As you reflect on Mako’s story, it’s clear that the key to success lies in taking that first step, staying committed to your craft, and constantly seeking new ways to express your creativity. Whether you’re an artist, musician, or dreamer, Mako’s journey serves as an inspiration for all of us to push past our fears and begin building the future we envision. Thank you for taking the time to explore his story with us—remember, every journey starts with a single note, a single idea, and the courage to begin. Keep creating, and who knows where your own passion will take you next!

Joining only a few years ago in 2017, Mako Ray has gained over 2.8 million views from followers following his artistic career. Now he isn’t just a musician and cover artist but also an artist and designer. His YouTube channel consists of art, design, game development content, and of course music. Music, for Mako Ray, is a means to an end, and the end is to listen to something you enjoy and “occasionally that end is supposed to have a specific stronger impact, attempting to elicit certain feelings from people such as happiness, sadness, fear, whatever the situation calls for, and I hope to be able to achieve that in my songs.” Inspired by specifically video game soundtracks, and artists like Toby Fox, Mayo Ray aims to bring more out of the music than just sounds. Currently, he admits to being in the “Following stage,” and creating an audience through social media with the end goal of making a living as a full-time artist. Below is an interview between Mako Ray and Switching Styles’s Dylanna Fisher. How did you start in music? I had a lot of free time as a teenager and ended up taking guitar lessons. Though I forget if it was my or my mother’s idea to do so. Either way I ended up enjoying it, and we eventually got an upright piano that I was very excited to teach myself to play. There were a lot of songs I wanted to learn that people hadn’t made sheet music to, for example, from certain video games. I had to also teach myself how to hear out notes and transcribe music. I ended up doing a lot of amateur piano covers and uploading them to YouTube. What impact does music have? For me personally, it’s mostly just some fun stuff to listen to. I’m not usually all that into treating songs as these hugely important sources of emotional impact. Though, I know many other people feel that way and I understand why. I’m very much an applied arts sort of person, so I typically view music as a means to an end, and that end for me is usually just something neat to listen to. How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never been on the internet? I suppose it’s sort of like…chill beats that are often bass-centric, with some occasional chiptune influence? I think it’s kind of hard as a budding artist to describe my own style, it just seems normal to me since it’s what I’m used to, like a visual art style or a spoken accent. Who are the musicians that inspire your sound? Toby Fox. Number one without a doubt. I’ve been a fan of his since he composed music for Homestuck which also featured several other artists I’d describe as influential to me. He really outdid himself with the Undertale OST. I’ll be very proud of myself if I can become half as skilled a composer as him one day. As for other influences, I think there are four types of music that come to mind. 1: Video game OSTs in general, particularly older games. Back before video game audio technology evolved to be able to create any sound the composers wanted, the sounds they worked with were much simpler, and they had to rely on stringing them together in interesting and memorable ways with lots of catchy melodies in order for them to sound like, well, anything other than some weird noises. I’ve always found that style of song making much more interesting than other soundtrack methods such as orchestral walls of sound that do their job but aren’t really memorable or compelling to go back and listen to again. 2: Songs that aren’t afraid to put their bass line front and center. Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers immediately comes to mind, the bass in their music tends to act as both the basis of the song and a counter melody which adds a nice level of complexity that I enjoy for similar reasons as #1. 3: Atmospheric songs that take you to another world while you’re listening to them. I’m talking anyone from Akira Yamaoka (the Silent Hill composer) to Macintosh Plus (the vaporwave composer). If it makes me feel like I’m trapped in a half-lucid dream that I can’t tell is a nightmare or not, I’m down with it. Most of my music doesn’t fall into that category, but I still find it very important to be able to capture that atmosphere when needed. And #4: Honestly, just those lofi hip hop chill beats to relax/study to songs. You know, the ones that often take no effort to compose other than taking some plundered piano loop and putting some drum samples over it? They just sound nice. I try to go for a similar feel with a lot of my songs but with extra complexity and memorability. What appeal do you think covers have compared to the original songs to a general audience? I think people just like seeing different versions of their favorite songs. They love it so much that they want more of it, and covers are a way to give them more. There’s also the novelty aspect of some of the more goofy covers like my Animal Crossing Africa one. Do you think covers will continue to be popular? Oh, of course! As long as people continue to find certain songs special they will continue to cover them and others will flock to listen. How is making covers different from making originals? Well you don’t have to go through the entire composition process for a cover, you just learn the notes that are already there for you and figure out how to play them properly. I suppose some mild composition is occasionally required if, for example, it’s a song that wasn’t designed to be played on your chosen instrument, at which point you have to make a custom arrangement that may differ from the original a bit but enables you to actually play it while still capturing its essence. Why do you perform covers of songs? There are certain songs I love so much that I want to embed myself in them, physically feel them, do everything I can to pay homage to them and just enjoy their composition first-hand. Learning how to play and sing them is the best way to do that. What’s your favorite cover? Why? My favorite cover I’ve done is a video on my channel called “Barrens, Glen, Refuge”, which is a cover of the three main area themes from a game called Oneshot. I used both a piano keyboard and its drum pad simultaneously and I’m just really proud of myself for managing to perform it in such a manner, especially the third song which was a challenge for me. I could have easily just played a drum loop while using both hands for the piano to make my life easier, but it wouldn’t have felt the same, it wouldn’t have felt like I was really experiencing the entire song. What’s the process of creating these covers? First I learn all the notes; usually someone will have already made a midi or sheet music for the song, but if not I’ll listen to it myself and discern all the notes by ear. Sometimes I’ll even do that if sheet music is available but a midi isn’t, since I’m so slow at sight-reading that it’s often faster to just hear it out. Then I write an arrangement of them in FL Studio designed for whatever instrument I’m playing; if it’s for piano, I fiddle around with the notes to make sure they’re actually physically playable with two hands. Then it’s just the process of practicing that arrangement until I’m able to play it decently enough. Of course, you’re probably curious about my Animal Crossing cover, for which I obviously skipped those last two steps. Instead, I recorded a video of each character playing various random notes on the in-game instruments, brought those clips into Sony Vegas, then placed and pitch-shifted them throughout the timeline to match the notes of Africa. I then did that key frame transparency cutout thingy, I forget what it’s called, to position each character into the same frame despite being from different recordings. You can notice some visual discrepancies and incorrect perspective between each character. And voila. Very tedious, but it was well worth it for the reception the video got. What are some of your fondest memories while making music? I did a piano and guitar cover of a song called “Alphamatic Replacement” that someone made for a music contest. It didn’t win but I liked it enough to cover it, and the composer saw my cover and was really impressed I was able to match its speed on the piano, so that felt nice. Other than that, just being able to play songs I loved on the piano, composing original music that actually sounded good to me, that sort of stuff was and still is really rewarding. What are some obstacles throughout your music career? And how did you overcome them? When it comes to covering songs, I’ve attempted several dozen covers over the years that never panned out because I was never able to actually master them. I don’t regret partially learning and never finishing them, though, because it was still fun, and the little practice they offered me still helped me improve my playing skills. These days I don’t really worry about fully learning every song I love. I just learn little simplified tidbits. When a song comes around that I’m positive I want to cover, I just sort of drop everything and hard-focus in on practicing it until I’ve mastered it, before it slips from the fleeting grasp of my attention span. As for composing? Having the sense of “I know what I’m doing” is an incredibly difficult thing to attain in digital audio workstations like FL Studio. There’s so much garbage everywhere on your screen that you have no idea the function of, you don’t know how to do anything other than make a short 2-second song loop that never gets extended. It’s totally overwhelming. It really just comes down to spending the time to familiarize yourself with everything; it WILL happen eventually, it’s inevitable, you just have to deal with the confusion until you get there. What are your future plans? My ultimate goal is to become a game developer. I’ve spent a lot of time since I was a teenager learning various skill sets such as art, music and writing. Now it’s just a matter of applying them to something, letting them all come together to finally create something big and proper. In addition to that, I’m also currently trying to cultivate an audience for myself, on YouTube, twitch and twitter. I’d like to be able to make a living off this stuff as well as just be an internet personality weirdo in general. I’m working on a 3D model right now and considering becoming a vtuber. I do a lot of weird dumb nonsense and I’m currently collecting a fan base who is into that weird dumb nonsense. How does game development compare to creating music? It’s a MUCH more involved process that usually requires the creation of music but also visual art, coding, writing…in both cases, though, you’re creating a work of art for the purpose of a consumer to get something out of, whether that be a fun little time or a big emotional journey. Also, composing music for games is often different from composing music for general listening, as you’re usually creating something meant to serve as the backdrop to the rest of the game, rather than be the center of attention. Most songs in video game OSTs lack lyrics, for example, because they don’t want to distract too much from everything else going on. Unless you’re Persona 5, in which case you don’t care about that at all and will instead manage to get away with throwing lyric-containing jamming bops all over the place while creating one of the best video game soundtracks ever made. Though that game still contains many songs without vocals, during times where it’d be too distracting for those particular moments. You have got to know how much you can get away with and when to dial it back, I suppose. What advice would you give to new and young musicians? Just do something, don’t just sit there listening to the same short loop over and over trying to figure out how to continue it. Throw a bunch of random notes all over the place and see what you can do with them. You’d be amazed by how much easier it is to work with some weird hastily-composed garbage than a totally blank slate. Don’t worry about those giant crazy synthesizers with the airplane control panels, just use their instrument presets to have a sound to start with. Maybe mess around with a knob here and there to experiment and eventually learn what some of them do. The most important thing is to just get something there regardless of its quality. The quality will improve in time, but you can’t improve something that doesn’t exist.

“All the Way” is a remix of JackSepticeye’s gameplay by Schmoyoho. JackSepticeye is a YouTube Celebrity gaining fame from his vlogs  and comedic  Let’s Play series. “All the Way” by Schmoyoho Fun Fact: Jacksepticeye’s channel has over 12 billion views and 24 million subscribers. In Ireland, It is ranked as the most-subscribed channel. Game Stream turned remix brings us a fantastic song to continue to cover. That means that the songs we’re looking at today are covers of a remix of a game stream. That’s how music works in terms of creating, covering, and recreating. Taking these building blocks and inspiration to bring something entirely new to the world. The song itself is originally by Schmoyoho, which takes audio clips from some of Jacksepticeye’s gameplays and streams to bring his audience a new look at video game streaming. Here are the lyrics to the song that show a hilarious but positive song. Top of the mornin’ to ya laddies! My name is jacksepticeye (top of the mornin’) My name is jacksepticeye (uh!) My name is jacksepticeye (yes) Jacksepticeye (yes) Jack (yes) jack (yes) jack (yes!) All the way To fucking victory town All the way Feels good to be a winner, every now and then I believe in you Below are several covers of Schmoyoho’s “All the Way” that show no limit to musical creativity. “All The Way” Dramatic Piano Cover by Gud Nuse This cover of “All The Way” is different from the original. Gud Nuse brings a dramatic piano cover and adds to the drama by playing the song inside a church. “Jacksepticeye has an interesting voice. And when I heard this remix, I totally wanted to cover it in the Gud Nuse way. I also hope this cover reaches him or the talented Schmoyoho one day. I hope you like it. Let me know what you think.” mentions Gud Nuse . “All The Way” Impossible Remix by Toms Mucenieks Intense. That is one simple and powerful word used to describe this cover accurately. Toms Mucenieks has adapted Schmoyoho’s composition to create something entirely different but amazingly intense. “All The Way” cover by Knight of Breath This cover is created by Knight of Breath as a Happy Birthday gift to Jack. With the positive lyrics of the remix, it’s a perfect happy birthday song. The cover artist explains, “Jacksepticeye has been my favourite YouTuber for a while now. His videos really brighten up my day. He’s one of the kindest and most genuine people on this platform, and he deserves every sub he receives. Jack motivates me not only to be a better YouTuber but also a better person. As a loyal fan, I will keep watching and supporting Jack’s channel for as long as possible! I fell in love with this song when I heard it. It’s not only catchy. The message of going all the way and not giving up is just so heartwarming. Schmoyoho did a great job on this song, and the original has 64+ million views right now, which is awesome, haha!” “All The Way” Instrumental Cover by Vetrom This instrumental mix cover created by Vetrom brings forth the energy of the original remix with its style and, frankly, even more energy. Without vocals, this cover brings in additional instruments to create a symphony of music. Adding more of an upbeat instrument style makes the music that much more dynamic. The reason behind the cover’s creation? “What can I say? I’m a big fan of Jacksepticeye :D! and the work from Schmoyoho is awesome,” Explains Vetrom, “This song has been stuck in my head for days, and I love it!” “All The Way” Piano Cover by Amosdoll Music The piano cover of “All the Way” is more sombre than expected compared to the original song. Amosdoll Music brings something entirely new to the fandom of Jacksepticeye and Switching Styles’ audience. Many musicians have taken to covering “all the way” with the piano, and it’s a different sound each time. Similar to the dramatic piano cover, Amosdoll brings a slower and sombre approach to the cover. Not adding vocals enhances the song's reflective nature. It changes the entire feel of the music in such a solemn way. Tell me what you think in the comments below!!

Relive the joy of the game even when you’re not playing by listening to Animal Crossing Theme Song Cover Songs. Animal Crossing New Horizons was one of the happy moments of the Pandemic. It brought people together and brought them joy in one of the bleakest circumstances. “Make friends with adorable animal villagers and have fun creating a world of your own in the Animal Crossing series.” ~Introduction on Animal Crossing Official This Nintendo game quickly became the first console game to hit five million digital sales within a single month. The high sales are often attributed to the social distancing  orders during the  COVID-19 pandemic .  Fun Fact: K.K. Slider,  the canine travelling musician, is based on series composer Kazumi Totaka , and plays on certain nights in the town’s club. The music of Animal Crossing New Horizon is created by a combined effort of Yasuaki Iwata, Yumi Takahashi,  Shinobu Nagata, Sayako Doi and Masato Ohashi. Check out the whole Animal Crossing New Horizons right here on Spotify. Fun Fact: K.K. Slider provides players with a free copy of his songs, claiming that his music, “wants to be free”. Some fans say that this is canon support for music piracy on the part of Nintendo. Though Nintendo denies it saying it was meant as social commentary.  Animal Crossing Theme Song Cover Songs An increasing number of fans have uploaded inventive covers of the game’s theme songs, reimagining them in a variety of musical genres and styles. This vibrant engagement with the franchise underscores the strong sense of community that Animal Crossing has cultivated, where players not only enjoy the game but also showcase their creativity and appreciation for its world. Whether through art, music, or fan theories, the game’s influence continues to resonate long after the player logs off. In the end, Animal Crossing has proven to be much more than just a game—it is a global phenomenon that nurtures joy, creativity, and connection, establishing it as an enduring treasure in the world of gaming. On that note, here are some covers of the theme song for New Horizons. “New Horizons Theme” SKA-Jazz Cover by Ska Tune Network “Welcome Horizons” cover by FluteCookies “New Horizons Theme” by gabocarina96 . And yes, that is an ocarina. “New Horizons Theme” Cover by Longestsoloever feat. Brian Antonio “New Horizons Theme” Cover by FamilyJules Comment below which Animal Crossing Theme Song Cover Songs is your favourite!! Animal Crossing has undoubtedly carved a special place in the hearts of millions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a much-needed escape from the isolation of lockdowns. The game’s unique blend of life-simulation mechanics, paired with its calming aesthetic, allowed players to immerse themselves in a world where they could connect with charming animal villagers and design their ideal homes and towns. As the pandemic unfolded, Animal Crossing’s soothing gameplay and focus on community-building offered a sense of normalcy and social connection, filling a void that many people experienced in real life. As a result, the game quickly garnered immense popularity, setting new records for digital sales upon its release and cementing its status as one of the most beloved franchises in modern gaming history.

“I put words into other people’s mouths.” ~Bad Lip Reading~ Bad Lip Reading has taken the world by storm by bringing comedy in the form of bad lip reading and combining it with music to create BLR. Although similar to misheard lyrics, these covers are instead merely misread. The creator took inspiration from lip reading and the deaf community as he had to learn to read lips. His mother, a musician as well, went deaf in her 40’s requiring her to become an expert lip reader out of necessity much to the amazement of her son. Unfortunately, when he started, BLR was terrible at lip reading, getting misread messages much like his bad lip reading videos. Bad lip reading video is a comedic type performance taking the world by storm with over 991,823,564 views since 2011. The first Bad Lip Reading video released spoofing Rebecca Black ‘s song “ Friday “, titled “Gang Fight” .  One of them even had Mark Hamill as a guest star. Here are some of Switching Styles’s top BLR videos for your listening pleasure! “MY STICK!” “INAUGURATION DAY” “SEAGULLS! (Stop It Now)” “THE NFL” “BUSHES OF LOVE” “The Walking (And Talking) Dead” My nephews turned me on to Bushes Of Love by @BadLipReading . "Every day I worry all day" is THE summer jam of 2017, imho. https://t.co/hspxo1JvGz — Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) August 14, 2017 Do you have a favorite BLR Video? Let us know below!

Check out this article, Animal Crossing Crosses into Music With Island Tunes and a whole lot of Animal Crossing hype. “Make friends with adorable animal villagers and have fun creating your own world in the Animal Crossing series.” ~Introduction to Animal Crossing Official Animal Crossing, a super-popular game by Nintendo, has become a big hit worldwide. What makes it even more fun is the game's music. There are cool musical things both inside and outside the game. One particular part of the game lets you make your music. It’s called the Island Tune. With this, players can create their sounds or tunes. But here’s the catch – you only get 16 notes to make a short tune for your island. Even though there aren’t many notes, you can still make many different tunes. The highest note you can use might surprise you! People get ideas for their tunes not just in the game but also in real life from all kinds of music. This connection between the game and real-life music makes playing Animal Crossing even more exciting. In short, Animal Crossing is not just a game – it’s like a musical adventure, too! Making your own Island Tune is an excellent, creative, and fun way. And the surprising parts, like the highest note, make it even more awesome! Here are a few examples of these created Island Tune Cover Songs. “11 Studio Ghibli Songs as Town/Island Tunes” by Leia Leilani “15 Best Town Tune TikTok Songs” by AC Broski “20 Pokemon Island Tunes for Animal Crossing New Horizons” by GlitchxCity “Top 50 Nintendo Tunes for Animal Crossing New Horizons” by ProsafiaGaming “Disney Island Tunes” by DISNEY ISLAN

Do you worry that your house party is too mainstream? Too boring? Does it need something new? Switching Styles is Kicking up Your House Party; Top 10 Upbeat Covers to keep the party going and the vibes upbeat. We understand the importance of keeping the party lively and upbeat, and that’s why we’ve curated a list of the Top 10 Upbeat Covers that will undoubtedly add a burst of energy to your gathering. Now, let’s delve into the exciting world of musical transformation. Switching Styles is at your service, ready to introduce you to a diverse selection of tunes that will seamlessly integrate into your current playlist. These handpicked songs promise to infuse a zesty and refreshing twist into the timeless classics you already love. Imagine the thrill of discovering a new dimension to your favourite tracks, creating an atmosphere that resonates with positivity and enthusiasm. Embrace the joy of musical exploration as Switching Styles guides you through an eclectic journey of top-notch covers that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on your guests. So, why settle for the same old routine when you can elevate your house party experience? Let Switching Styles be your musical companion, enriching your playlist with a lemony-fresh infusion of creativity and vibrancy. Get ready to hit play and watch your party become an unforgettable celebration of music and camaraderie. Top 10 Upbeat Covers These are covers of the top ten party songs for your listening pleasure. “Old Town Road ” Cover by Alexander Stewart, Originally by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus Dance Monkey metal cover by Leo Moracchioli feat. Rabea & Hannah, originally by Tones and I “No Brainer” Cover by Macy Kate, Originally by DJ Khalid feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper “Hot Girl Bummer” Cover by Our Last Night, Originally by Blackbear “Don’t Start Now” Cover by Luminize, Originally by Dua Lipa “Electric Love” Cover by Olivia Ruby, Originally by Borns “Uptown Funk” Cover by The Current Ft. Set it Off, Originally by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars “Benny Blanco” Cover by Miles Away, Originally by Eastside ft. Halsey & Khalid “LSD” Cover by Arianna Palazzetti, Originally by Thunderclouds ft. Sia, Diplo, and Labrinth “Sunflower” Cover by J.Fla, Originally by Post Malone & Swae Lee

Like other remixes, YouTuber Remixes typically utilize sound bytes to enhance the audio and add some interest to it. There are remixes stylized for nearly every topic. Through Switching Styles, we’ve seen remixes focusing on COVID , Rick and Morty, Video games, and weirdly enough video game streamers or YouTubers. Photo by Pixabay on Top YouTubers in 2021 The inspiration for YouTuber Remixesare of course YouTubers. YouTubers, if you’re not already aware, are content creators, videographers or entertainers that publish content on YouTube. The top YouTubers or content creators on YouTube, according to Influencer Marketing Hub , are… 1. Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (PewDiePie) 2. Konrad Cunha Danta (Canal KondZilla) 3. Justin Bieber 4. Dude Perfect 5. Ed Sheeran 6. Christopher Comstock (Marshmello) 7. Eminem (EminemMusic) 8. Ariana Grande 9. Whindersson Nunes Batista (whinderssonnunes) 10. German Garmendia (JuegaGerman) 11. Ruben Doblas Gundersen (elrubiusOMG) 12. Felipe Neto 13. Luis Alvarado (Fernanfloo) 14. Samuel de Luque (VEGETTA777) 15. Evan Fong (VanossGaming) 16. Andrew Hecox and Daniel Padilla (Smosh) 17. Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) 18. Mariand Castrejon Castaneda (Yuya) 19. Sean McLoughlin (jacksepticeye) 20. Ryan Higa (nigahiga) Did you know that there are remixes about your favorite YouTube Stars such as Jacksepticeye, Markipler, DanTDM, and PewDiePie? There certainly are. YouTubers remixing about themselves with their audio and sound bytes is interesting because there typically wasn’t a musical aspect to their videos, to begin with. Many of the remixes we’ll look at are from video game streamers created with the sound bytes from specific streams.  The remixes are fantastically catchy!  YouTuber Remixes Here are some of the top YouTuber remixes to dip your toes into before we go in-depth! “YouTubers Laughing” By Day by Dave Taking the giggles, cackles, chuckles, chortles, snickering, and howls, of these YouTubers, Day by Dave creates a laughing compilation remix that enhances the typical laughing track. Be warned this one is honestly creepy; catchy but creepy. Maybe it’s the idea that some laughing tracks are old and outdated enough to be the recordings of people that are now dead. This is in theory true. However, laugh tracks began in the 1940s so many of those people could be still alive today. To further explain why that’s not likely, producers and editors tend to be constantly updating their audio files to remain relevant. There is a slim chance that anything created in this century has laughter from the previous century. Fun Fact: Eventually this video, immortalized on the internet forever and ever, will showcase the musical laughter of the dead. “ “ The World is Mine” By Endigo Taken from the Darkiplier vs Antisepticeye video starring AntiSepticEye , TomSKAR , TJSith Ian K NEEcox , Pamick Attack Daniel , ABlazingPhil , KillThePJ , JacksKills , Logan Paulution , and SharkYoHo . All of these Youtubers showcased their evil alternatives to one another to determine who is the strongest. Fun Fact: The competition finishes with the most powerful evil alternative identity being something entirely unexpected. Check out the original video to learn about the winner. The original video itself is dark and eerie by design. Adding it to a remix is cleverly eerie and dark but energetic and exciting. This remix includes all of the audio and characters from the original video merely with the musical remixing of Endigo. “ “Floor Gang” By Party in Backyard As one of the most popular YouTubers on the platform, Pewdiepie. As of May 2020, his YouTube channel has over 25 billion views, He ranks as the 16th-most-viewed channel on the platform. Pewdiepie remains one of the most successful and popular YouTubers, despite controversies of Fascism, Neo-Nazism, and White supremacy as you can read through several news media such as The Wall Street Journal , The Independent , The Guardian , and The Polygon . Remixed by Party In Backyard , this remix is strong with a great energetic beat based on his audio bytes of the phrase “Floor Gang”. Floor Gang is a fun phrase to connect with viewers as he sits on the floor. Fun Fact: Because of his popularity, views and overall media attention, he was included in the world’s 100 most influential people in 2016 by Time magazine. Due to this, his coverage of  indie games  has created an  Oprah effect , boosting sales for titles he plays. “ “ What is Going On ?” By Endigo “What is going on?” is a remix of DanTDM created by Endigo based on the video “THAT’S MY MOM?!?! (Among the Sleep)”. Endgio brings the energy from Dan himself and of course the video content to combine it into a remix perfect for casually eerie listening or putting it on repeat for 10 hours. In the description of the gameplay video, Dan explains, “here we go.. among the sleep.. becoming a baby, surviving the nightmares and my creepy-faced mom..”. It’s certainly worth the watch. Fun Fact: In 2017, He topped the list of the Highest-Paid YouTube Stars, earning $16.5 million according to Forbes . “ “The Deep Down Dark Deep” By Day by Dave Jacksepticeye is a YouTube Celebrity gaining fame from his vlogs  and comedic  Let’s Play  series. As of May 2020, his channel has over 12 billion views and over 24 million subscribers and is ranked the most-subscribed channel in Ireland.  Here is a remix of Jacksepticeye from his Subnautica series . This video showcased just how excited he was to have the game released and having the ability to play the full and complete release instead of doing it by piece mail. Released in 2018, Subnautica is a game that focuses on survival with action, resource collection and combat making it a well-rounded game. Fun Fact: Subnautica: Below Zero , the video game’s sequel is currently in development. It was released for early access in January 2019. Of course, Jacksepticeye did a playthrough series! Using more of the phrases instead of single words or vocalizations, Day by Dave brings more of a rhythm to this remix. This is much more fast-paced in terms of lyrics, which makes up for the fact that it’s shorter than most remixes at only 2:03 in length. “The Deep Down Dark Deep” By Day by Dave Share this article and tell us your favourite Youtuber Remix. This is certainly not the full extent of YouTuber remixes nor is it a more than just dipping your toes into the musical waters. There will be more YouTuber Remix articles to come. So stay tuned! Go forth and find your favorites and share them with Switching Styles!

“The Stages of Corona Life with 9gag Parodies” Guest Written by Editha Ripoyla Featured photograph taken by Simon Smiler What’s a quick way to understand the Stages of Our New Corona Life? Answer: Memes. Well, Memes and Parodies. Coronavirus Disease 2019… or COVID-19 for short. It’s affected us all worldwide in so many different areas of our lives. Just to name a few… The Financial Impacts, the Mental Health Declines, Outrage, Riots, Protests, and so much more. COVID-19 has drastically contributed to a lot of the unrest and mental stress globally, directly and indirectly. While there are many people that like to focus on the negative side, gluing their eyes to the death tolls, or decide that the lock down or face masks are nothing but an outrageous form of slavery (google at your own risk)… We’re not one of them! We appreciate the dark humor, the funny, the lisa simpson memes…? (source: Okay that might just be my personal preference… (you’ll understand the secret to the image in a bit, hold tight for the ride!) But most of all, here on Switching Styles we like… … Music Parodies ! It’s a fun way to spend your time indoors! And it even helps to uplifts the negative fog bogging you down, either from the people around you or your environment… Spend it with Laughter… And terribly timed singing trying to follow the Sing-A-Long Lyrics . Well, It’s kind of been a while since COVID-19 first shut the world down so you may not remember… So, to refresh your memory… let’s start Stage 1: Here, Chris Mann shares with us a hilarious, but vocally on point parody of Adele’s Song “Hello”. Since then he’s gone viral and officiated his Instagram Account to @officialchrismann , feel free to check him out! He soulfully describes the woes of the people as COVID-19 first begins the Shelter At Home, or “Stay Home” Order. We began with panic, anxiety, and sadness over loss of a freedom we once had… But what came after that? Stage 2: Acceptance. We were trying to understand our situation… wrapping our heads around what our new lifestyle must be like to stay safe. And for that, I’ve chosen this fun “ Under the Sea ” Parody called “In Quarantine” by Mark O’dea. We’ve struggled in this stage for the longest, since it’s timeline consists of nearly the entire duration of the lock down. It’s the acceptance of our new situation… Then the sadness of a future still far in the horizon, as we continue reacting to the dates for reopening being pushed back another two weeks… again . Okay, there’s kind of two parts with this stage… The first part , sung by Mark O’dea aka Sebastian , talks about how isolation can still be fun. Keeping us healthy, not needing to wear clothes or put on makeup, and bingewatching Netflix all day. All parts of our own inner dialogue as we try to accept our current state of affairs. The second part of the acceptance stage, is… Well… reverting to melancholy . This part of acceptance is conveyed by the Little Mermaid Parody from the song “ Part of Your World “. This song called “Part of Outside” sung by Ariel aka @ rapunzelrules on Instagram. She sings about a life without restrictions, a life without “Corona”. In this long stage we tend to switch back and forth between these two sides of the acceptance stage . Reacting to the news we see and hear. It’s a fun stage that has heavily contributed to our new bipolar tendencies. So, what comes after the long months of the Bipolar Stage? The Shelter in Place Order, or Stay Home Order , was lifted for a good chunk of the USA. Lots of industries and many businesses both big and small were required to study hygienic procedures and safety precautions in order to reopen. With that, many people were back to work in no time! For this stage I decided to indulge a little of my childhood favorite, the Backstreet Boys. This Backstreet Boys Parody, features a comical remix of the songs “ I Want It That Way ” and “ Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) “. You might recognize the singers of this parody. (source: This funny 5 minute parody , Chris Mann (yes, from the first video) now walks us through the stages of relief with more states opening up their doors as we move from Stage 2 to Stage 3 . Chris Mann lightly goes over some of the concerns on what this newfound freedom actually means. Can we leave our homes? In some states … Can we jog around the neighborhood? As long as you wear a mask ! Are restaurants open? … Kind of. What do I mean by that? Well, most restaurants are switching to Outdoors Dining . Some have switched entirely to Take Out Only if they don’t have the space required to maintain safe distances while eating… (since you know… we can’t wear a mask and eat at the same time…) Yeah, that’s a little scary… But if you like scary, go ahead and click the source link above. Here in the United States, specifically California (where Chris, AJ and I are from), we were in Stage 2 of the Resilience Roadmap . This is what we call our “Stages of Re-Opening”. There are 4 levels of Reopening, with the fourth stage being the End Of Stay Home Order . So this video marks the move from Stage 2 to Stage 3… the last stage before true freedom. Stage 3 meant that all High-Risk Businesses had to be trained for proper hygienic control, or take infection prevention courses, as well as be properly equipped by infection prevention standards to resume work. As you can see from the video, everyone was excited! Everyone was happy to go back to work, and stop the suffocating accumulation of debt from unpaid bills crushing them from the comfort of their homes. And finally… Our Last Stage… Immediate shut down of high risk businesses , and a reversion back to the Stage 2 Stay Home Order … That’s right folks, moving to Stage 3 was a bad move . We were seeing a plateau of COVID-19 cases , instead of a spike of new cases , which is usually the sign that a disease is reaching is peak before it dies off. But with a plateau… and no real change happening, this meant that there was more to come if we were to open back up the country. But the people were angry and protesting, the words of the people and businesses could not be ignored for much longer. Seeing no changes in new cases, people were becoming outraged at the government believing the Virus to “Not Be That Bad.” Many Doctors and Researchers with the World Health Organization , argued with each other and the people constantly asking for their opinions on the matter. They revealed time and time again, that we would only see a massive spike in deaths if we were to reopen hastily… Well… No one really watches the news anymore (and if they do its part of the conspiracy maaaan…), so their voices were nothing but mumbling under the screams of protests. So without further delay… For this reversion back to Stage 2, where we are currently at here in late July 2020… I chose this hilarious Outkast Parody of the song, “ Hey Ya! ” and if you haven’t see the original video, it makes it just a little more funny . Quick Warning: This is a little more on the Satire Side. And the secret is revealed! (source: Don’t forget to wear a mask everyone! And stay safe!

What is the EPL Poster Collection ? “Gig posters combine unique design with essential information about which artists played together and what venues they played,” reads the Capital City Records website . Capital City Records is a digital collection of Edmonton’s local musicians. Collecting local gig posters may seem like a weird collection but it collects valuable information that simple statistics can’t. Through the visual collection, you can tell the style, the culture, the interaction, the subtle of the music industry at the time. Even within the same year, gig posters have such a range in design. It’s a way to visually see the diversity in the music world. This collection follows the mission of Capital City Records to include the local Edmonton music industry into the larger scheme of music archiving. Do you have posters to donate? How do you donate posters to the EPL? If you are an artist, a promoter or run a venue, this is an amazing opportunity to contribute to local music history. For more information see the Captial City Records FAQ . These posters only requirements are that they are local. Genre or date doesn’t matter! If you are interested in sharing your concert poster collection, please contact localmusic@epl.ca . Comment Below your favorite gig posters!!

Photo by RDNE Stock project on The pandemic is hitting vulnerable industries hard, with some experiencing more severe impacts than others. The music industry is among those that are greatly affected by the pandemic due to restrictions on their main sources of income and customer interaction. Live music, in particular, is suffering the most. “So many artists live so close to the bone. We’re really seeing just how vulnerable our artists are in a community. I think a lot of people are panicked, and that’s really affecting any kind of validity to do anything meaningful to the creativity. So yeah, just overall, this is definitely sort of a real cloud of anxiety,” Explains Miranda Mulholland , Artist and Chair of Music Canada’s Advisory Council. How can you support your favourite artists? Talking with the musicians themselves. There are several ways that a fan can support their favourite artists. We have interviewed Cody Blakey, a local recording engineer; Leshan Masikonte of Melafrique; Phillip Rodda of Medical Pilot; and Angeles Joselito, the owner of Apollo Entertainment Company. All of them had interviews with Switching Styles and discussed the best way to help artists during a crisis. Support their Streaming Services “If everyone has a much free time as the memes on Facebook are saying, looping songs on Spotify is always a great way to boost those streaming numbers!” said Rodda. Streaming services such as Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and iTunes provide various bands with a platform to showcase their music. By subscribing to a streaming service, like Spotify, music enthusiasts can show support for a range of different artists. Additionally, listeners can enjoy access to an extensive collection of songs and not pay an exorbitant amount. Buy Merchandise “Even before Covid-19, the music merchandise industry was worth multiple billions of dollars worldwide. I would not be surprised if that remained the same this year,” Phillip Rodda, a member of the band Medical Pilot, explains. “For a lot of local and regional sized bands, merch like t-shirts and CDs are the key to a band’s financial health. Even if the live shows have stopped, these bills still need to be paid. And merch gives fans a way to help out as much as possible”, Phillip Continues. This may seem fairly obvious. That being said, it’s the most direct way to pay the band for being the band you know and love. It directly benefits the band. “If you have any spare money, please contact a band directly to ask to buy their merchandise. Don’t go from a streaming service or Bandcamp unless they are extremely far. If you message a band and ask to buy their merch, they would be over the moon! Every little bit helps,” Blakely admits. Share & Engage This is your time to show off your favourite band on social media. This can be as simple as liking an Instagram post or sharing a Facebook event. It can be as in-depth as signing up for newsletters or tagging the band in your posts. “In all seriousness, just engaging on social media goes a long way. Seeing comments from people showing support is one of my biggest mood boosters, especially when I’m stuck awake late at night thinking about how much it sucks not being able to play a show,” said Rodda. Why is this important? Why is it important to support the music industry? The Music industry is one industry that provides an outlet not only for musicians but for music lovers. It’s a way to find comfort during these stressful times. During the pandemic, Canadians report, through an Abacus Data Survey, they consume more music than usual and find comfort during these difficult periods. Final Thoughts on Supporting the Music Industry “It’s an important time to be supporting locally when making money through performing isn’t possible,” explains Joselito, “The music industry is important because we keep the space we occupy from being boring. Imagine what the pandemic would be like if you didn’t have the opportunity to listen to music. While we aren’t an essential service, we are definitely important.”