Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Have you ever thought about working in the industry of music equipment?! I did, and worked day jobs for a bunch of different companies for over 18 years, and got to know LOTS of folks in that industry. I wanted to shine a light on how it all works, HOW and WHERE folks can find routes in, the GOOD and BAD, if they are interested. So I invited my pal Tom Lewis, Brand Manager at @SourceDistributionTV (Arturia, ASM, Buchla, RODE distributors) to help explain the lay of the land, to share his route in (he skipped Uni and went straight into it), and share some of my route, as our paths are quite interlinked. Tom stepped into the job I left (there was no one else I could recommended more highly), although his job is broader now than mine was then! Anyway, ya gotta eat. Here's how we both managed not to starve (yet).
This was filmed at the London Synth & Pedal Expo, 2025.
MORE ON SOURCE DISTRIBUTION
▶︎ sourcedistribution.co.uk - this is who Tom works for and I used to, it's a distributor in London, was by far the best working experience I've had in the industry.
SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL:
▶︎ Patreon: patreon.com/mylarmelodies (Join a community of music makers and ask me questions directly!)
▶︎ Buy some music on Bandcamp: mylarmelodies.bandcamp.com
▶︎ Make a one-time donation via Paypal: paypal.com/ncp/payment/KNLRQUDAUDUUJ
▶︎ Subscribe to my podcast Why We Bleep: whywebleep.com
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introducing Retailers, Distributors, Manufacturers
04:31 My route into the industry
13:27 Tom's route into the industry
15:27 Absorbing knowledge at a dealer
20:44 Working for a small install company
22:51 Getting into synths
24:51 Hiring differences at dealers?
26:35 Being passionate
29:56 A Brand Manager Job
32:18 A Product Specialist Job
35:46 Tom's favourite trip, meet the DFAM
39:13 The ladder
40:20 In summary - How to get a job
Have you ever thought about working in the industry of music equipment?! I did, and worked day jobs for a bunch of different companies for over 18 years, and got to know LOTS of folks in that industry. I wanted to shine a light on how it all works, HOW and WHERE folks can find routes in, the GOOD and BAD, if they are interested. So I invited my pal Tom Lewis, Brand Manager at @SourceDistributionTV (Arturia, ASM, Buchla, RODE distributors) to help explain the lay of the land, to share his route in (he skipped Uni and went straight into it), and share some of my route, as our paths are quite interlinked. Tom stepped into the job I left (there was no one else I could recommended more highly), although his job is broader now than mine was then! Anyway, ya gotta eat. Here's how we both managed not to starve (yet).
This was filmed at the London Synth & Pedal Expo, 2025.
MORE ON SOURCE DISTRIBUTION
▶︎ sourcedistribution.co.uk - this is who Tom works for and I used to, it's a distributor in London, was by far the best working experience I've had in the industry.
SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL:
▶︎ Patreon: patreon.com/mylarmelodies (Join a community of music makers and ask me questions directly!)
▶︎ Buy some music on Bandcamp: mylarmelodies.bandcamp.com
▶︎ Make a one-time donation via Paypal: paypal.com/ncp/payment/KNLRQUDAUDUUJ
▶︎ Subscribe to my podcast Why We Bleep: whywebleep.com
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introducing Retailers, Distributors, Manufacturers
04:31 My route into the industry
13:27 Tom's route into the industry
15:27 Absorbing knowledge at a dealer
20:44 Working for a small install company
22:51 Getting into synths
24:51 Hiring differences at dealers?
26:35 Being passionate
29:56 A Brand Manager Job
32:18 A Product Specialist Job
35:46 Tom's favourite trip, meet the DFAM
39:13 The ladder
40:20 In summary - How to get a job
