How to use Periscope as a guitarist

So I discover the latest app the other week that seems to be taking social media by storm. Periscope.

Periscope has just surpassed 10 Million users in it’s first 4 months and is now averaging 40 years of video views in one day!

This app links to your twitter account and lets you live stream from your phone where people watching your video can ask questions and comment as well and ‘heart’ your video and in return you can watch new people form around the world or your contacts from Twitter. There are other apps like this out there also such as Meerkat that has a similar concept.

So why am I talking about a social media app on a guitar website? Well, In my eyes this app, if it continues to gain popularity as is predicted, could really open doors for guitarists.

Do you remember when you searched for a guitar tutorial on Youtube and there wasn’t one? Me neither!! Youtube sent the earlier adopters into Internet glory, launching careers and getting noticed by the people you want to notice. But now posting tutorials can be white noise and even other apps like Facebook are now filled with ‘Lick of the week’.

I see Periscope as getting a second chance to be an early adopter. It’s still up and coming and in development to a certain point (I’m aware Android versions can’t global search yet) so there’s only a splattering of guitarists on there so it’s easier to gain followers!

You maybe thinking this could be a fun idea but what exactly could you live stream? Let’s see how to use Periscope as a guitarist:

• Practice sessions

  Nothing makes you work harder than having an audience, it’s part of the reason people progress so quickly in guitar lessons over being self taught, So be honest say that your working on something or you’ve just learnt something new you want to share and put it out there. Again I’ve found that as it’s in it’s early stages comments are positive and supportive especially amongst other musicians, but hey if your not ready to be critiqued turn off the comments 🙂

• Live shows

  We Periscoped my last gig with Jes in Manchester last month. Not only was it a confidence boost seeing the nice comments afterwards (You can replay the video for the next 24 hours or save to your camera role) but we increase our exposure around 50 extra people watching the show.

  It also provides the benefit of getting impartial insight into the gig, what tracks did people like, which weren’t working as well? Sometimes friends and relatives can’t be the best source of review.

• Teach

  I stumbled across a piano teach on Periscope the other week who had accumulated a huge number of Twitter and Periscope followers (I can’t remember his name at this moment!) simply from doing quick, free 15 minutes lessons. It was good worthwhile content and he responded to comments and questions that came up as he went. He promoted his Skype lessons and his other social media accounts and you can bet he got paying customers out of the hundred that watch him each time.

• Impartial advice/reviews

  As mentioned before, and as we all know, the internet wont be afraid to hurt your feelings. You can’t succeed without failure, as all guitarists will know, so fail in front of strangers, get honest feedback about a new song you’ve written, get advice on a lick you’ve come up with. It might boost your ego, it might make you want to stop playing guitar for a week but I bet you’ll become a much better guitarist by exposing your musicianship, getting used to playing in front of an audience (even if you can’t see them). Periscope is a great stepping stone to get you stage ready!

• Jam

  Have a laugh! Periscope is a fun social experience and you feel like you’re hanging out with people from all over the world. So take requests, improvise, discuss your gear, talk about your favourite latest tunes anything you want, the world is actually your oyster!

• Be inspired

  Although no tag feature has been implemented yet to search for any guitarists some big names currently ‘Scope’ as we call it. Check out John Mayer for example talking about his favourite tracks from Paradise Valley and why. If your Twitter feed is full of guitarists then any that Scope will be listed for you already.

So all in all I think Periscope could greatly benefit guitarists especially those who get on it early and even if the app itself doesn’t take off as planned it’s still great practice to play in front of an audience without the staring faces, get honest feedback and just get yourself a few more fans.

I’ll be keeping an eye out for your scopes!