Don’t worry! We have prepared a quick guide to make this easier for you!

1. What’s Kickstarter, and the overall idea behind the crowdfunding? If you wish to learn basic concepts, we would have to refer you to the Kickstarter website dedicated for that: [https://www.kickstarter.com/about]

2. Is this a pre-order? Both yes, and no, you could think of Kickstarter as another form of pre-order, but here YOU are the main difference, you can influence the product to make it even better! The more money is gathered, the more changes can be done.

At Kickstarter, you become a part of the community behind the project, you control it constantly with us, and we are here to listen and deliver the best product there is. With that being said, with Kickstarter, we are able to provide even more content than we would normally be able to in standard distribution, and it’s all thanks to exclusive content rewards.

1. How to Pledge? To support the project and get the listed rewards, choose your pledge level on the right side of the campaign page and declare support with an appropriate amount of money. Funds will be collected ONLY if the project is successfully funded. Pledging requires a credit card. 

If you don’t want to pay this way, you can always pledge on the Pledge Manager (more on this topic later). 

While the Kickstarter campaign remains active, you will be able to change the amount of money you have pledged, therefore changing the final rewards.

1. Target and Stretch Goals The target of a campaign is the minimum amount of money that it will take to bring the product to life. The way Kickstarter is designed, creators can gather more funds than initially planned. Most of the creators, including us, use these extra funds to present their backers with additional rewards for the trust in us and product - those are called Stretch Goals. Depending on the amount of money the campaign gathers, by activating more people and pledging more, you unlock more rewards across all pledge levels (especially important in this project).

2. Pledge Manager The Pledge Manager is a system that helps to manage all the rewards and distribution. It is designed to resemble a shop, where you will be able to pick and choose your rewards for the credit you have contributed during the campaign. Pledge Manager will be opened until the end of February.

3. Delivery and Risks Kickstarter is not a store and was created to enable creators to show ideas and prototypes, not final products. If you decide to take part in this endeavor, you need to consider this fact. 

Products might often slightly change or be delivered later than expected. Most Kickstarter backers take into account the track record of the creator – in our case, even though it’s our first Kickstarter, we have prepared for this endeavor by reading books and blogs, listening to podcasts and speaking to the whole production team in person.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 04:55

You could, but we don’t recommend it. The prices we’ve shown on this campaign, while based on very precise calculations with our partners, are just estimations at this point of the campaign. We’ll be able to finalize the prices before opening the pledge manager, when we know 100% what will be in each box, and this is where we will charge you for shipping.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

We’ve marked the cards as 14+ for two reasons: One, it’s the age that classifies the Songwriting Decks as a game instead of a toy for EU importation. Two, it’s a rather complex tool designed for professional or aspiring songwriters, perhaps a bit too much for a 10-13 year old. There are some explicit words on the cards (less than 5, so you could sort these cards out), and they have been censored.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

Producing a new product is always a lot of work and requires a huge team of people to design, produce and ship. Here’s a basic overview over the schedule for this project: Artwork Prep 1-2 weeks, Design Verification 2-3 weeks, Pre-Production 2-3 weeks, Mass Production 10-12 weeks, Final Assembly 1-2 weeks, Ocean Freight 4-6 weeks, Fulfillment 1-2 weeks. That’s a total of 21-30 weeks excl. buffer.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

The first print run will just be in English. Depending on the numbers of backers we get in Germany, we may consider a German version which you then could add to your order in the pledge manager after the campaign is over.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

We work with fulfillment centers that pack really well, but damage to the box does occasionally occur in the shipping process. Our standard policy is that we ask people to send us a photo of the damage. If it’s a small ding, dent or scratch, we’ll send a partial reimbursement ($3-10 depending on the damage). If it’s pretty bad, we’ll send a replacement.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

We would greatly prefer if you used Kickstarter’s system, but if you’re unable to do so, you can submit a payment any time during the campaign via PayPal to [email protected]. Please include a note with what reward you’re getting, your address, and your phone number. In case the project does not fund, you will of course get a refund.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

Yes, you will be able to do that through our pledge manager, along with a series of other products.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

We prefer to ship to addresses where someone can personally receive the decks during the day, whether it’s a work, home, friend, or neighbor’s address. The point of this is to prevent theft due to a package sitting on someone’s front porch all day.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

I’m happy to sign your copy if you run into me at a convention, but I don’t actually handle the backer rewards, so I can’t sign them.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

Yes, that is possible. However, we need to raise €9,500 and if enough people go down the $1 route we might not unlock additional stretch goals or worse, we might not even fund.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

Of course! The more cards you add, the bigger the challenge. Personally, I use the cards when I get stuck: I figure out which part is the problem (harmony, lyrics or melody), get out the corresponding deck and keep drawing cards until I find a solution to my problem.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

As with all of my products, the Songwriting Decks have been tested and blind tested extensively. Even the decks you see in the kickstarter videos are not the final version, and I have adapted new feedback into the final version you’re getting.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

You can find a description of all the courses at https://blog.holistic-songwriting.com/products

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

You will be able to buy additional copies of the Songwriting Decks, as well as all of my video courses. There will also be a limited quantity of Skype sessions with music industry professionals and coaches. These will be first come, first serve.

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21

Yes, you can. You get a 50% refund on MSRP, putting each deck at €16 or $17.50. Pledge $1 for the „Clink!“ Pledge level. When the campaign is over, you will be sent a link to our Pledge Manager. There, you will be able to buy as many copies at reduced price as you like. You will need to send some kind of verification that you are a brick and mortar store (business name and tax number).

Last updated: November 15, 2019 05:21