I am certainly not the most influential person in the music production space, but I truly value the relationships I’ve built with my readers and viewers.

Sponsored content is rare on my channel. If I choose to work with a brand, it will always be because I actually use the product or service myself and genuinely trust the brand to provide excellent customer service and support. More importantly, I will always make it abundantly clear that such content is sponsored.

If I don’t explicitly say that an article or video is sponsored, then it is not sponsored.

In general, I prefer not to create sponsored work or receive free products. If I do partner with a brand, I will have shared this page with them beforehand and I would have built a relationship with them over an extended period based on mutual trust and understanding.

Beyond that, I think it’s important to question the purpose behind a sponsorship. For me personally, a sponsor should support and enable what I do, not constrain or control it. Ideally, it’s a win-win-win situation for the viewer, the brand, and myself. My website has never been and never will be an extension of any brand’s marketing department.

Most of the equipment and products I use and review are purchased by me, but sometimes I will rent or borrow equipment.

Occasionally companies will send a product to me free of charge, and I will always clearly state in the article or video that it was provided at no cost. Usually, the reason I accept these offers is simply due to practicality– I don’t have an unlimited budget and sometimes there are things that I’m curious about or that I’ve been asked for my opinion on.

Offering free products never guarantees a positive review or a review whatsoever.

All that being said, there are a few additional non-negotiable points I’d like to share for the sake of clarity. I’ve made all of this info publicly available to viewers and brands alike so that we’re all on the same page:

  • My work is my own. I create and produce each article, musical piece, or video based on what I’m excited about and what I think will be relevant/helpful to my audience at that time.
  • I retain full control over what is shared on my accounts across all platforms.
  • My reviews are always as objective as possible and my opinions are always my own. 
  • I do not submit previews of videos to anyone for approval or revisions.
  • I have full control over my calendar. While I’m happy to work collaboratively when possible when it comes to scheduling, no outside party can pay or otherwise influence me in return for scheduling priority.
  • I do not participate in embargo releases.
  • Just because a product is provided to me at no cost does not mean I will review it or feature it in an article or video. I do not make videos in exchange for free products or services.
  • I only work directly with reputable brands.
  • I prefer to avoid beta versions of products/software and prefer to use what will actually be delivered to other customers.
  • I will only include information I believe is relevant and necessary in any videos.
  • I will work to seek answers for anything about a product/service that I don’t fully understand to make my videos as accurate and helpful as possible.
  • I never include additional social media promotion in any sponsorship agreements on any of my channels.
  • YouTube’s “includes paid promotion” option will be checked any time a YouTube video features a product or service that was provided at no cost, even if it’s not an official sponsorship.
  • I’m more than happy to let others share my videos, as long as the post links directly to the original video uploaded to my YouTube channel. Videos may not be re-uploaded elsewhere.
  • I do not guarantee any number of views or any amount of audience engagement on any videos.

Thanks for taking the time to read and understand my Ethics Statement. I value the integrity behind what I do and the relationship with anyone who takes the time to read, watch or listen to something I’ve made.

-Arthur