Meet Sam Haiman

An Interview with Sam Haiman

Hi Sam, Where do you currently reside?
I live in Wayne

What's it like to have a CD out and in your view the current state of the music industry for independent artists?
It's great to have a CD out.  I find that it is nearly impossible to properly promote yourself without having music on hand.  Without a recording to show, it becomes a thousand times harder to get yourself booked as a performer.  It is imperative to success.  Plus, it can become a decent stream of income.

The state of the music industry is a bit like the wild west right now.  There used to be trusted sources for good music through the typical channels of the large labels and radio stations.  But since the recent evolutions of the industry - due to the internet with Napster, iTunes and then eventually streaming services like Spotify - the industry expanded to a near chaotic level.  There is so much music today that it can become hard for a listener to sift through and find that which resonates with them.  On the flip side of that token, there has never been a greater time for an independent artist to create a livable stream of income off of performing, recording and licensing.  I like to think of it as the expansion of the music middle class.

How do you promote yourself?
I use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, posters and annoy the heck out of people.

How many years have you been playing?
I started playing guitar at thirteen right after my bar mitzvah to attract girls my own age.  I figured if Angus Young could attract a pretty woman, why couldn't I?  It was a form of peacocking for me.  At some point around the age of fifteen, I truly fell in love with it, and eleven years later it's become all I do.

What musicians influenced you?
All musicians influence me in one way or another.  I'm constantly trying to "borrow" different approaches to the guitar and performing from other performers, whether it be Bono or the kid playing at the local coffeehouse.  However, my big three as I call them will always be Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and John Mayer.  I was raised on Bruce, SRV made me fall in love with guitar and Mayer made me fall in love with the art of a song.

What's it like to gig or tour?
It is truly exhilarating.  There's nothing I love more in this world.  It is to the point that whenever I look at a stage that I'm not standing on, it physically pains me.  It's long days in a car driving, poor hygiene, and bad eating habits.  The fact that you get to play in front of an audience every night and try to win them over makes up for it all.

Tell us about your gear.
I use an acoustic guitar by a company called Furch Guitars out of the Czech Republic.  It sounds like a Taylor but with richer harmonic content and a full-bodied sound.  It's got a thin neck which I like and just sounds gorgeous overall. I also use a Jamman Looper, a hardwire delay pedal, and a polytune.

What advice would you give a newbie musician?
Keep writing and keep playing.  Your material will constantly be improving over the years, and it is vital that you allow yourself the opportunity and the ability to adapt.

What was one of your accomplishments as a musician and what are your goals?
Some of my greater accomplishments thus far were getting to perform at several well-known festivals and clubs like Musicfest, NY State Fair, and Studio at Webster Hall on bills under some of my greatest heroes.  My goal is to be able to make a decent living out of performing and recording and to have a small following throughout the world.

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Visit Sam at: http://samhaiman.com