Meet Aaron Kusterer

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aaron Kusterer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aaron below.

Hi Aaron, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Finding my purpose has been a long road and I think, in some ways, it’s still in a state of evolution. From the time I was kid, I dreamed of playing guitar professionally. I had no idea what that actually looked like but only how cool it appeared through the lens of a 9 year old. I was fascinated by just about anything related to guitar. If there was a guitar solo in a song, I was drawn to it. Cool guitar intro? I was all over it. During the beginning, my scope was a little limited to what my family had in the house music-wise, and so it took a few years to become aware of the many amazing players that were floating around the industry. Much of what I listened to as a kid was song-based music and mostly not of the virtuoso variety that I was drawn to for a bit later on. However, unbeknownst to me, that scope and presence of song/lyrics-based music actually set the course for what ultimately has become my purpose but more on that later. A large change occurred when I came across a CD at a yard sale when I was around 11-12 years old. It was the first G3 live album which featured Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Eric Johnson. I had never heard anything like that. For a number of years, that CD set me on a detour into a large focus on guitar virtuosity. And what a fun detour it was! It taught me a great deal about what can be achieved on the guitar and those boundaries continue to be pushed by many of the modern players of today. However, over time, following that compass began to net less and less both emotionally and professionally. As a sideman musician, the guitar virtuosity is often only mildly useful and ultimately, you have to do what is necessary for the artist/gig. The more I realized this, the more I found myself searching for meaning in the music I was playing and finding a love of the many varieties of thoughtful guitar usefulness in a song. That ultimately lead me back to where I first started. I was literally pulling out artists like Whiteheart and Petra which I had heard as a kid and then left behind for many, many years to listen to and rediscover. It was through this process (over a number of years) that I began to realize what I really loved and wanted to do and that was to write, record, and perform songs! I absolutely love working with other artists and getting to be a part of bringing their music to life, be it on stage or in the studio as both a session musician and producer/engineer. It’s so fulfilling and seeing the excitement is like a breath of fresh air. Writing and producing my own music has become a part of that as well. So, it took me a few years (or 20) but I love working to bring songs to life and that is what I feel my purpose has become.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hi! Well, first off, I’m a guitarist/vocalist, producer, and mix engineer. It’s amazing how the further we get into our careers, the more we add to our arsenal (and the more we grow!!). If you had asked me 25 years ago what I’d be doing now as a career, I would have said that I wanted to play for Whitesnake and make instrumental guitar records. I definitely wouldn’t have guessed that I would be producing other artists (self-producing as well), working as a sideman playing for a number of artists, and working as a mix engineer. Top it off which music direction, session musician work, and as many musicians do–private instruction. That mix has made me what I am today and honestly, I couldn’t be happier. It is truly a wild ride and I’m here for every second of it! I work out of a private studio conducting session/mix/music production work for a variety of clients, doing my best to meet each individual need. In addition to that, I released an EP of my own music late last year entitled, A Little Louder and I have several follow up singles set for release in the coming months.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Narrowing it down to three is a little bit of a challenge since I believe there are quite a few qualities in my line of work that are important. But, if I had to go with three that were most impactful, I would have to say: dedication to growth, fearless work ethic, and probably the least expected…caring about what you do and the product. Traditional education tends to lead students to believe they are set right out of college. Nothing could be further from the truth as the real world, boots on the ground reality is often vastly different than what they were taught. So, a dedication to growth has been (and still is) essential. Growth can happen in many ways but often the most valuable is through fire, which isn’t comfortable. However, it will make you better. Next, a fearless work ethic is something that will start really separating out those who achieve and those who do not. You have to be willing and able to work tirelessly. Lastly, you have to actually care about the projects you’re involved in. When someone truly cares, other people can feel it. It’s hard to describe and put into words at times but it’s felt and noticed. That said, it isn’t something you should do just so people notice–then it’s just a show and for the wrong reasons. You should do it because it elevates a situation and brings everything up. Ultimately, it’s recognizing that you’re serving something greater than yourself.

My best advice would be to remain teachable while being tenacious. You have to be willing to go after something, but also recognize when you don’t have the level required. If you want it bad enough, you’ll work to achieve that level and be open to any and all instruction to help you get there.

How would you describe your ideal client?

I think there are different types of clients just as there are different types of goals. An ideal client could take on a few forms but overall, I would say that it’s someone who is ready to take the next step in their creative efforts and wants to partner with someone to help them achieve a new level that they haven’t been able to hit. I work to partner with my clients to understand what they are after so I can best help them hit the level they desire. My goal is for us to make something they can be proud of and want to proclaim, “we made this!!” That partner mindset breaks down into a few characteristics but I would say that it’s a combination of knowing what they want while maintaining an open mind and being willing to try new things that may take them outside their comfort zone to achieve that new level.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aaronkusterer.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronkusterer/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.kusterer/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/aaronkusterer

Image Credits

Barbie Bates
AirBender Media
Petey K Styles
Victor Broden