We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gage Clark a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Gage, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?

So far, I have managed all of Gnarly Whale Sounds social media accounts myself. I chose to do personally so that I could craft the overall aesthetic of how Gnarly Whale was presented. From the beginning, I had a certain look and sound in mind, it was just about taking the time through trial and error to get to a point that I was happy with it. So far, the results have been positive! We’ve been able to capture an audience, reach potential customers and while seeing consistent growth. The most valuable lesson I have learned with social media is keeping it consistent, with both timing and quality of content.

Gage, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When I moved to Nashville in 2016, I first started working primarily as a live sound engineer in different bars and venues around town. I enjoyed working live events, but always had a passion for working in recording studios. Being inspired by platforms like Audiotree and NPR Tiny Desk, I decided to try my hand at something similar. I was able to network with many different bands and artists through running sound in various venues around town, so I began to invite them to come record live performances in my home studio. We called these live sessions “Live At Gnarly Whale”. After some time recording these sessions in my home studio, I was able to slowly transition into a studio in Germantown, sharing a space with local non profit Pitch Music. After working out of their studio for a little more than a year, Gnarly Whale Sounds was able to move into it’s own studio space located in the Hermitage area.

We offer recording sessions for demos, singles, EP’s and full albums. The primary service as of now are live sessions called “Live At Gnarly Whale”. Artists and bands come in and perform their music like that would at a live show and we capture it with high quality audio, video and photos. By the end of the session, the bands and artists get a fantastic product that they can use to promote new releases, upcoming shows or it can be used in an EPK.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of clients for Gnarly Whale Sounds has been social media, specifically Instagram. Each week, we feature some of our favorite live sessions on our socials. With these weekly features, we are able to showcase our work and the artists that come through the studio. By doing this, we are able to connect with the fan base already establish by the artist while also reaching the friends of the artists who are performers themselves.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

The biggest hurdle to overcome when starting out was just having the gear necessary for capturing the sound and visuals of live performances. Fortunately, prior to starting Gnarly Whale I had been a musician and amateur engineer for a quite a while, so I had built up a small collection of equipment over the years. After starting the business, I continued to work as a live sound engineer, production manager and tour manager for various venues and artists. This allowed me to keep networking with new bands and artists, as well as make money to invest back in to Gnarly Whale Sounds for new recording equipment, lighting gear and studio space.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gnarlywhalesounds.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gnarlywhalesounds/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPI_S8pv-HzFPhnV9_JTpw

Image Credits
Erik Georges Jamie Glasgow