Overview

Hello world! My name is Dylan Kaiser, and I'm a singer-songwriter in the proud city of Cleveland, Ohio.

Music has been with me as long as I can remember: at the same age I began learning the ABC’s from my older sister, I was also learning to read sheet music at the Cleveland Institute of Music. After a decade of classical training with CIM, I began playing in bands through the School of Rock program in Rocky River–taking the opportunity to now play the music that resonates with me. This experience led to Berklee College of Music, which has allowed me to craft my own songs and ideas even more creatively. The music has been growing with me every step of the way, and I hope to finally share this growth with you.

The material is ready, the team is waiting to get it out of my head, and onto a track- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my first ever, professionally produced studio album.

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded album with Max Challice in Boston, MA. Max is a Boston-based producer and engineer with 15+ years of experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Max and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life. 

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “sofa On The lawn,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "sofa On The lawn" on my own, to create an album of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. With that said, this campaign can give us a unique opportunity to collaborate and make great art together. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts. Max and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the album. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this album. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the album will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a really exciting group of gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

Music has the incredible ability to heal and unite people. It lets us share a unique experience to connect emotionally and spiritually with each other, regardless of our backgrounds or differences. I am, for the first time in my life, feeling brave enough to offer my music up to my city and my community as part of that bigger picture.

I believe that everyone has something to offer that brings light into the world and that, for me, is music. Meeting other musicians and like-minded people are always the most rewarding encounters in my life; it allows me to learn and grow with others not just musically, but as a person as well. One of my hopes is that this project will continue me on this path of shared growth as I find new exciting ways to express myself through music.

This will be my first dive into creating music at a professional caliber. I’ve stockpiled countless songs and ideas leading up to this part of my journey, and have even added more during this campaign. It has been a private cultivation, with its purpose often shrouded in doubt. The time finally feels right to get even a few of these songs out, and the quality of recording I can achieve with Plaid Dog Studios excites me to finally share in the human experience with you.

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support.

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share the page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.