in this episode of the guitarwavers podcast, i talk with UK guitarist and producer billy-joe—better known as a slower tempo — about what it really takes to make a living from calm instrumental music. we dive into how he turned a period of anxiety into a full-time music career, how playlists became his quiet superpower, and why success on Spotify still comes down to patience, persistence, and genuine connection.

we also explore:

• how playlists evolved into the “new radio” for instrumental artists

• why he believes everyone can build a sustainable music career without bots or hype

• creative burnout and rediscovering joy through new guitars, alternate tunings, and curiosity

• keeping the algorithm out of the writing room—and the heart inside the music

• simple production setups that prove taste beats gear every time

and, as always, we close with an intimate live guitar performance from billy-joe.

⁠join the guitarwavers community here⁠ — a calm space for instrumental guitar artists to share knowledge and grow together.

relaxed energy 🦦

timestamps

00:00 introduction and belief in music
00:22 meet billy-joe clark
01:14 creative process and self-promotion
02:04 journey into instrumental music
03:27 first track and finding a niche
06:08 full-time musician journey
06:57 marketing and promotion strategies
15:24 playlist strategy and challenges
30:30 balancing multiple projects
39:50 navigating the uncertainty of algorithm changes
40:01 seasonal drops in music streaming
40:50 the power of building relationships with playlist curators
42:39 modern classical release promotion strategies
45:39 balancing creativity and algorithmic considerations
53:13 the excitement of new instruments in the creative process
01:01:24 managing multiple music projects and genres
01:15:36 guitar recording techniques
01:17:02 streaming and audience interaction
01:18:21 live streaming experiences
01:19:18 les paul setup and microphone choices
01:22:28 writing and recording process
01:30:57 post-production insights
01:39:17 final thoughts and inspirations

referenced links

• A Slower Tempo

• Billy Joe (acoustic project)

• Pop-punk band Look What Happened

• The Riff Yard Podcast with Billy-Joe

• Lance Allen (Billy's instrumental guitar inspiration)

• Playlist analysis tools: artist.tools | SubmitHub Playlist Checker

• Free plugins mentioned:

  • Polyverse Wider

  • TAL Reverb-4

  • iZotope Neoverb

in this first episode of the guitarwavers podcast, i talk with swedish guitarist and producer rebecca mardal about how playing guitar can keep you grounded in a stormy world. we dive into how she managed to grow an audience as a sensitive artist, finding the balance between authenticity and algorithms, and letting music become her anchor instead of your pressure.

we also share how the term guitarwave was born and what we’re building with the community — a calm space for instrumental guitar artists to hang out, share knowledge, and grow together.

join us here

and as always relaxed energy 🦦

timestamps

00:00 – intro & how rebecca found guitar as a coping tool
03:40 – the story behind guitarwave & the community
08:00 – what it means to be rooted in a stormy world
13:20 – authenticity vs. algorithm: creating without losing your calm
20:00 – when music becomes therapy
26:40 – overcoming perfectionism and releasing more freely
33:00 – the art of feeling before thinking (free-flow creativity)
37:40 – how connection, not numbers, builds longevity
43:30 – using social media consciously as an artist
50:00 – finding the hook without losing honesty
01:04:00 – building your own musical world
01:17:00 – working with epidemic sound and learning production
01:28:30 – lessons from johnny marr on creative flow
01:35:00 – how rebecca develops her guitar style and emotional expression
01:43:00 – why feeling beats thinking (and what’s next for her)
01:45:30 – rebecca plays a live outro piece
01:46:00 – closing & guitarwavers invitation