Kaitlyn Hough

The problem

Metal music is loved by many, but unfortunately there are other genres such as pop and rap that have become more popular and socially acceptable. This is especially tough for metal musicians. As other genres grow in popularity, it can be difficult to find other metal musicians to work with, and it's especially difficult in some areas more than others. If you live in New York City for example, you are sure to find a handful of metal fans and musicians. However, in Kansas and Tennessee, you're more than likely to be surrounded by those who love country music.

the product

An application that connects metal musicians to collaborate on new music and chat with fellow metal heads, regardless of each users' location. Create breakdowns with a drummer from New Zealand, then go and write lyrics with a vocalist from Montana.

what is Hardchord

Hardchord is a collaborative tool for metal musicians, allowing you to collaborate on new metal material with other metal musicians regardless of their location. Hardchord allows you to meet, connect and collaborate with metal musicians that you wouldn't have found otherwise. Create a profile displaying your favorite songs and bands, what instruments you play, and even previews of your original content for other viewers to hear. Users then have the option to request to collaborate with that user based on the previews of their original material.

Hardchord requires a monthly subscription in order to enjoy all the features we offer. For $5 a month, you can meet other users, chat with other users, and collaborate with up to 3 other musicians. For $10 a month, create a masterpiece with as many musicians as you need, and you also have the opportunity to join discussion groups with members that play the same instruments as you.

Hardchord App Prototype

Research and data

personas

Rachel

25 year old living in Florida. With 6 years of experience playing guitar and singing, Rachel aspires to create great metal material with some new people. In her free time, Rachel also enjoys drawing, painting and skateboarding.

DRew

26 year old drummer with 15 years of experience in playing, recording and performing metal music. Drew is looking to meet people that share his passion for the metal community. Drew previously met any friends with similar musical interests at concerts, but since those are put on pause, he's looking for new ways to meet potential band members.

Matt

A 30 year old bassist from the UK. While having 10 years of experience playing the bass, Matt is new to trying out vocals. He would love to meet other collaborators and to talk with other vocalists around the world about vocal techniques and training. Matt loves bands such as Hail The Sun and Dance Gavin Dance, which have a different spin by combining different genres, so he's looking to work with musicians that like to think outside of the box.

branding

Marketing Strategy

Hardchord kiosks at music stores. At stores such as Guitar Center, kiosks would be set up with an employee representing our platform. With maximum knowledge on how Hardchord works, they'd be able to let you know if this is the app for you.

Our Sponsor

Hardchord is pleased to announce our partnership with Garrett Russell, vocalist of Metalcore band Silent Planet. As a metal vocalist, Garrett understands the difficulty some go through to find potential band members. He believes that Hardchord is the perfect place for metal heads to meet one another and collaborate on amazing new content.

Hardchord has partnered with Yamaha to give you a free year of everything our platform has to offer with a $300 purchase or more. To get the word out, cards with the free-trial code would be handed out when a customer makes a qualifying purchase. For online purchases, email blasts will be sent to anyone registered to receive the Yamaha email blasts. After an online purchase is made, the code for the trial will be emailed to the user.

marketing challenges

When deciding on a marketing strategy, social media advertising was very low on the list. The usage of social media isn't as big and influential as it is in other genres or in other ideas such as the beauty and cosmetic industry. Advertising our platform at a music store allows all musicians who enter the store to learn about all we have to offer. Offering a free trial of our platform with an instrument purchase encourages the user to continue to play their desired instrument and to collaborate with musicians they wouldn't have worked with otherwise. The Coronavirus pandemic has also affected the way Hardchord gets to their target audience. in the past, presenting the platform at concerts would have been a great way for more to learn about Hardchord, but that will just have to wait for the future.

merchandise

Hardchord offers a variety of merchandise that make the perfect gift for your favorite metalhead. Choose anything from a logo T-shirt to a set of Hardchord guitar picks.

Thank you!

Created By

Kaitlyn Hough

Appreciate