DIY Merch

Learn how to make being in a band the most rewarding and amazing experience of your life by taking full control of your musical destiny.

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Overview

Being in a band can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience, especially in a day and age where you can literally do everything yourself, without the need of a major label trying to coax you into a 360 deal.

This is cool and all… but how EXACTLY do you “DIY” being in a band? Well, this is where Ty Christian is going to come in and help you take control of your musical future.

In DIY Merch, you’ll see exactly what you need (and what you don’t need) in order to create high-quality merchandise that you can print on t-shirts and other materials.

Not only that, get the real deal on what it means to brand yourself to ensure you are sending a strong message to your audience and future fans.

DIY Merch puts it all together with the merchandise table, the absolute heart of your band, and Ty shows you how to lay your table so it’s irresistible to fans who want to support your music.

 

With your brand, merchandise, and merch table under control, you’ll want to make the most out of this new information by grabbing DIY Tour.

DIY Tour discusses how you can stay organized on the road and actually have the tour be a financial success.

Crucially, Ty will show you inexpensive ways to build road cases that will protect your gear and even show you how to create your own in-ear monitors so you can ensure your live shows go off without a hitch.

DIY Merch and DIY Tour (collectively known as DIY Band) is something that can really give you the tools to control your musical destiny…Why?

Because NOBODY will be more invested in the success of your band than YOU. So why not roll up your sleeves and learn from somebody who is part of the most funded, independent, power metal band on Patreon?

Creating The Brand

Let’s get the elephant out of the room right now: your band is a brand. Period. 

Lots of bands not only shoot themselves in their foot from the very start but blow their entire legs off, killing the dream before it even gets started. Ty will discuss the three major elements of a good brand:

  • Logos and colors
  • Your Voice (and even your audience’s voice!)
  • Your Look

More than just creating the brand, you’ll learn exactly why all of these elements need to be cohesive with each other and how you can go about creating a solid brand. So many bands are dead in the water at this very first step… but you won’t be!

Put Your Brand On Merchandise

You are about to save thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of time… because you’re going to learn just how easy it can be to create high-quality merchandise for your band.

On top of that, learn how you’ll have complete control of your t-shirt quality, and how to test designs without having to commit to printing 50-60 shirts from a company each time you want to try a new design.

You’ll be shown, step-by-step, how to:

  • Create your own design
  • Build your own screen box
  • Create the screen, otherwise called “burning the screen”
  • Use different inks to print shirts
  • Print your logo and design on other items besides t-shirts

How To Rule The Merch Table

You’ve put all this effort into making a brand and creating high-quality merchandise… but if your merchandise booth looks like complete crap… well, what’s the point? An attractive, well-stocked, and easy-to-navigate merch booth is essential to keeping your band financially afloat while on the road… so what makes a “good” merch table?

Not to worry: you’ll be shown what the most essential items of a merch table are, what most bands do wrong and the ins and outs of designing your merch table so that it’s nice to look at and builds your audience.

Additionally, you’ll see different “levels” of merchandise tables, giving you various examples of how you can maximize your table with the merch that you currently have.

Organizing & Staying Sane On Tour

Being “on tour” requires forethought and preparation… but how can you make the proper preparations if you’re not really sure what to do or what you need to actually prepare for?

Ty is going to bring you up to speed with his direct experience… which means you’ll be able to skip the extremely costly mistakes of being on the road, all but guaranteeing that you won’t make rookie mistakes, putting your band well ahead of the curve of other bands that won’t take the time to learn from this course.

The information presented in this module is exhaustive and includes:

  • How to create a group label (and why you should)
  • Effective ways to use a Google Calendar for planning
  • Smart ways to keep your vehicle safe and secure
  • How to define markets and find locals, as well as how to gather useful information to help you plan your tour
  • How to advance shows and find places to get a good night’s rest
  • Cost-effective ways to eat well and stay healthy

Road Worthy Protection On A Budget

Just imagine, you have your prized amp head and somehow it falls over or another piece of gear falls on it during transit and puts a huge hole or dent into it… sure, this might add to the aesthetic of your band… but what if your amp head just became an expensive doorstop? 

How can you get cases that will protect your gear without putting your wallet on fire?

This is where the “DIY” really comes into play as Ty shows you step-by-step how you can actually build custom cases from scratch! You’ll learn:

  • What tools you’ll need
  • The best types of wood and materials to use
  • How to cut your wood and prep for hardware
  • How to assemble handles and use a miter tool
  • Ways to install latches and foam

In-Ear Monitors From Scratch

Playing a good show requires that you can hear yourself and your band… with plenty of running jokes about front of house (FOH) and terrible sound systems, this is an aspect of touring that you’ll want to take absolute control of.

The good news is that you can actually build your own In Ear Monitor (IEM) system that you can take on the road with you, making it so that you can have a consistent and pleasant experience playing your gigs.

Ty walks you through what materials you need, gives gear recommendations, and shows how to set it all up so that you can have full control of your live sound, giving your band the best chance to sound as good and tight as possible!

Meet Your Instructor - Ty Christian

Ty is a vocalist and music industry jack-of-all-trades that’s been touring around the world with his band Lords of the Trident for 15 years.

He’s tackled nearly every position one could think of in the industry, from performer, tour manager, music marketer, videographer, executive director of a music charity, label owner, festival promoter…he’s even been a roadie for bands like Queens of the Stone Age and Steppenwolf.

He holds three degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a fierce proponent of the DIY band ethos.

He’s spoken at multiple music conferences on DIY band business topics and crowdfunding, and his band Lords of the Trident is the #1 most-funded independent power metal band on Patreon. In addition to making music, videos for his YouTube channel, and touring, Ty also teaches Tae Kwon Do and studies opera.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any special knowledge in order to get the most out of this DIY masterclass?

There will be a need for basic to intermediate computer knowledge and the ability to do some hands-on tool work, but that’s really about it! Part of the allure of DIY is learning how to do things yourself, so on top of learning how to give your band the best chance of success, you’ll be learning and honing new skills.

What if I don’t have access to a ton of tools or an area to set up shop?

Not to worry, you don’t need an entire workshop to create anything. You’ll need only very basic tools and you’ll be shown alternative approaches in case you’re missing a tool. You’ll be able to make your own screen printing supplies and road cases in literally any space – even your living room!

How is it that the shirts I’ll make myself will be just as high quality as from a print shop?

Your prints will be just as good as the professional print shop because you’ll know the exact type of material to use, as well as how to use the different types of inks correctly. So that means you’ll be able to create high-quality merchandise without having to cross your fingers hoping that the print shop does a good job.

What if I don’t have access to a ton of tools or an area to set up shop?

Not to worry, you don’t need an entire workshop to create anything. You’ll need only very basic tools and you’ll be shown alternative approaches in case you’re missing a tool. You’ll be able to make your own screen printing supplies and road cases in literally any space – even your living room!

What if I get stuck or need help?

When you buy the course, you are invited to join a private Facebook and Discord group where you can join hundreds of other course owners and all our instructors to ask any questions you might have and find help. You can even show any progress you are making and ask for feedback!

How is the course delivered?

Once you have bought the course, you can stream at any time, right from our website on our custom platform which lets you keep track of your progress and interact with your instructor.

Masterclass

DIY Merch

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