Talking music and community with TJ Barends of Bare Sounds
by j. rees (may 2021)
Drive a short block past the railroad crossing down the main drag in Ponchatoula, Louisiana and look for the bright powder blue building with the roaring bear on it. There you’ll find Bare Sounds, a music collaborative located at 276 E Pine St. offering lessons, recording, and supplies to the local community. Founded in 2013, Bare Sounds is the entrepreneurial project of local couple TJ and Chelsea Barends, and for the past eight years has been serving as a creative hub for the music lovers and makers of Ponchatoula and the surrounding areas. Over the course of 2014 and 2015, Bare Sounds slowly grew into the musical sanctuary that operates today.
[pictured above: Bare Sounds logo]
A collaborative musical space where musicians can gather, learn, and exchange ideas, Bare Sounds is a licensed music retailer specializing in music lessons. Offering private, one-on-one music lessons to music enthusiasts in the local community, five days a week. Whether interested in learning a new music skill, or focused on improving the skills or natural talents already possessed, Bare Sounds offers a student focused lesson plan that meets the students where they are at, with several music instructors for students to choose from. As a licensed music retailer, Bare Sounds hosts a full gear supply of guitars, ukuleles, strings, picks, tuners, straps, etc.
[pictured above: Bare Sounds guitar and string retail display]
To find out what's good, I interviewed TJ Barends, owner and founder of Bare Sounds, about both the business and the fun side of music. Born in Albany, NY, Barends’ family moved to Ponchatoula, LA just a few months after his arrival, so he sees himself a Ponchatoula local, considering he has been here *almost* his entire life.
Describing his early introduction to music, he speaks of his father’s influence and efforts of instruction. (Barends) “He turned me on to The Eagles, Blackhawk, Dwight Yoakum, The Outlaws, and more at a young age. I just soaked it up! As I got a little older, I started to really get into punk and pop, so naturally I listened to a lot of Green Day.” The father and son’s bond over music began with listening and singing along to their favorites and over time began to take the next developmental step into technique and creation.
(Barends) “ I remember my dad offering to teach me some chords around 8... Sadly, it wasn't my time.” The time for tunes finally came in TJ’s early teenage years. (Barends) “I started learning chords and songs around 14. I wanted to write songs. The second song I learned was my first original tune, "I'll Try". I just started with a G major chord and started shifting my fingers around to find the sound I was going for. It eventually turned from a mess into something that fit the melody in my head.”
[pictured above: TJ Barends, Bare Sounds founder and owner]
For TJ the goal in learning guitar technique was to be able to eventually compose his own music. (Barends) “...this is how I went from learning to writing. They sort of inspired one another. I'd learn a song, then steal a couple of chords and try them with something else I had been trying. I just kept finding these pieces, saving them and then putting them together.”
Over time these pieces fell in place, and what didn’t fit fell away. Barends ironed out his creative process over the years and jokes about how he has grown into this music business role, noting: (Barends) “I've been recording since 14, playing gigs since 16, and teaching since I was 17, so if that counts... I mean, I made a few bucks going on 17 years now.”
It only made sense for the next step to be a greater, more grounded sharing of the love of music. Thus, the idea for Bare Sounds began to manifest. (Barends) “Bare Sounds was formed as a music space that Ponchatoula has needed. We slowly opened in late 2014/early 2015. The longest part of the process was building the actual building. It took awhile longer because we didn't move into an existing place. I continued to travel around teaching, gigging, and recording until we had a "home place".”
[pictured above: Bare Sounds sticker design]
TJ fondly describes the early beginnings of Bare Sounds and how the musical sanctuary that stands today came to be. (Barends) “I was a "traveling guitar" instructor, and engineer. I generally taught in people's homes and churches. (For a while) I engineered out my apartment and a studio space that Allen Lloyd (of Sir-Reel Studios, Director at the Reimers Theater) had in Hammond. After producing a few records, songs, soundtrack work, and some other releases, I felt the need for a space that I could call my "music home". Bare Sounds was born out of this idea and the tireless support that my family has always had for my music. I've grown up here and saw the need for a space where musicians can begin to learn, record, get a few of the "bare" necessities (laughs) and just network with one another. I'm always learning how to adapt this business on the level that we can manage. There is always room to grow for the future.”
[pictured above: (left) TJ Barends, (right) music instructor, Benjamin Thomas}
In addition to offering weekly music lessons, Bare Sounds hosts a custom twelve by fifteen foot studio where Barends’ philosophy is simple-- when the music hits you, you hit “record”. This customized studio space is perfect for tracking live bands as a whole or separately. Offering recording services (which include mixing and mastering), rates are based on hourly use, but Barends also offers “project fees” for those who have a whole project in mind, such as an E.P., a full length album, or a song with all the production values expected from a professional recording. This project based pricing option makes it easier for those looking to record on a budget.
[pictured above: Bare Sounds recording studio space]
[pictured above: Bare Sounds recording setup 1, drums]
In addition to recording and instructional services, Bare Sounds also provides consultation and booking of live entertainment, helping clients find the right musicians for different events. Returning in a post-covid landscape will be Bare Sounds summer music camps, covering several focuses including general music making, a celebration of the ukulele, performing, recording, etc.
[pictured above: (right) Avery Meyers, (left) TJ Barends]
Over the years, Bare Sounds has been a significant part of many musicians' lives and for Barends, collaborating and working with musicians of all kinds is a dream come true. Some favorite songs he has worked on include "Ride Out" by The Shiz (Liz Hogan), "Light (O, Let Your Light Shine Bright)" by Lilli Lewis, and "Who Ya Gonna Love" by Dash Rip Rock (Bill Davis).
[pictured above: Bare Sounds recording setup 2, electric guitar and amp with mic]
Barends describes several of the projects he has worked on with great passion, some of his all time favorites including groups such as The Shiz and Dash Rip Rock, and individual creative brilliants such as Wade Hymel.
(Barends) "Meet You In The Morning" by The Shiz was a great time and a truly epic record. There's some insane talent all over that one. The Shiz, a songwriting project of creative couple, Liz Hogan and Lilli Lewis is a regular collaborator with Bare Sounds.
"I'm On It" (was) my first recording venture into R&B with my friend Todd Q. Chester. I learned a lot and we were able to produce some really beautiful vocal arrangements and sonic spaces on that record.
"Who Said That", the first solo album by Wade Hymel. This dude has been one of my best friends for years and he makes great music. Every track is full of imagination. This one hasn't been released yet, but it's a long time coming and it's coming in hot.
"Cherchez La Femme" is another great one; it’s he newest record by Dash Rip Rock... From the mind of Bill Davis, this record is a beautiful wrecking ball!”
[pictured above: Bare Sounds recording setup 3, amp stack with vocal mic]
Some other projects to come out of Bare Sounds studio include:
Twists on Christmas covers since 2009
(check back around the holidays to catch the 2021 holiday tunes)
2015
Beware The Licorice Vines soundtrack
(Live performance recorded at Southeastern Louisiana University)
2016
I'm On It by Todd Q.
Orange Music, Vol. 1: Water & Light by Lilli Lewis
2017
Orange Music, Volumes I & II (tracks 1,2,3,5) by Lilli Lewis
2018
Shit's Rough and That's Okay by Incubators
2020
The Prayer (single) by Todd Q.
Kindest Eyes (single) by Southbound 55
Winter In Our Bedroom (single) by Southbound 55
2021
Collect by Josh Hoover
Free Fall (single) by J. Rees
TJ hopes that Bare Sounds will continue to grow in its ability to offer musical support to the small town community. (Barends) “The work to reach out more and be even more inclusive and inviting is never done. We definitely strive to provide a safe space. If you feel unwelcome, then we have failed you. We want to include musicians and help them grow. Bare Sounds is about the love of music.”
His advice to anyone wanting to get into music is to “seek other musicians when you are beginning. I waited a while to do this and am blessed that I was able to finally feel comfortable enough to play for my peers. A true musician only wants to see you grow in your craft and will not tear you down.”
In addition to working with and learning from others, he also notes the importance of self expression throughout the music learning process. (Barends) “Find your own "voice" through your instrument. Wear your influences, but be no one else. Be you!”