FEATURED CREATOR: AcousticTrench

You may have seen videos on social media of AcousticTrench playing pop song covers on his guitar, accompanied by his two dogs, Maple and Cherry. We reached out and asked AcousticTrench some questions on his musical background, how he got started playing music with his dogs, and what gear he's using! You can watch AcousticTrench (along with Maple and Cherry) at his website or socials!

We most often see you playing the acoustic guitar, but we also see you play other instruments, like the kalimba. Can you tell us a bit more about your musical history?

I first began with the piano when I was very young, and then switched to the guitar when I was 8. The guitar has always been my first passion but I love learning new instruments! I play about 20 different instruments now, and I enjoy feeling a new perspective on music when I return to the guitar after playing a very different instrument.

What first gave you the idea to record music covers with your two dogs, Maple and Cherry?

Long before I recorded my first video, Maple has been sleeping beside me while I play the guitar, ever since she was a little puppy. She loves to rest against my leg while I play an instrument, so when I’d go to record a video she’d always be there. Cherry is a little shyer, but she loves to cuddle up against Maple and has started to appear in my videos more often.

Apart from playing music, what else do you do with your time?

I enjoy spending a lot of time out in nature with my dogs, hiking, and running. I’m also passionate about photography and videography.

What gear are you using to record your music and videos?

When I first started sharing videos online all I had was an iPod Touch. I'd record, film, and edit everything just on the small device. I had a following of about 500,000 on Vine before I started to upgrade my equipment and eventually built my own little studio. For the past 5 years, I’ve been using NT5 mics to record my guitar arrangements, sometimes including a third mic, the NTK. Recently I’ve begun using TF-5s in place of the NT5s and I’m loving the sound these mics are able to capture!  When I’m recording videos out in nature I also often use my VideoMic Pro+.  

If you could give one piece of advice to beginner musicians, what would it be?

I think the most important thing is to have fun with the process. If you really enjoy what you’re doing, It won’t feel like work and you’ll want to do it more often. The more often you play the faster you improve, so just have fun with it!