Priyaranjan Mestri, a graduate student from India, relocated to Seattle to study digital media. He discovered two local music stores - Bass Northwest and Trading Musicians - while looking for places to visit. At Bass Northwest, he found a wide selection of basses but none that were left-handed, his preference. The manager said he could order one and call when it arrived in two weeks. At Trading Musicians, the left-handed basses were priced much higher than right-handed ones. Dissatisfied with the options, Priyaranjan left his contact details at both stores and decided to also search online for a suitable left-handed bass guitar.

1. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
INTRODUCTION
I
relocated
to
Seattle
from
India
to
pursue
my
graduate
studies
in
Digital
Media
at
the
University
of
Washington.
It
had
been
only
a
few
weeks
and
I
was
looking
up
the
internet
for
siteseeing
and
places
to
visit
and
came
across
an
exclusive
Bass
Guitar
store
called
“BASS
NORTHWEST”,
located
on
Yesler
Way
Downtown
Seattle.
I
was
really
thrilled
and
excited
to
know
about
an
exclusive
bass
guitar
store
in
Seattle.
Evidently,
it
was
a
must
visit
and
I
put
it
down
on
my
to
do
list.
I
visited
“BASS
NORTHWEST”
along
with
a
friend
of
my
mine
from
the
same
cohort,
as
he
is
a
guitarist
too.
We
both
are
equally
passionate
about
the
bass
guitar
and
we
are
looking
forward
to
jam
and
hopefully
create
some
good
music
in
our
free
time.
However,
as
we
entered
“BASS
NORTHWEST”
we
realized
that
there
were
all
sorts
of
basses.
From,
upright
bass
to
fretless
bass
to
acoustic
bass
to
electric
bass
to
short
hand
beginners
bass
guitar
to
ukulele
bass
and
of
course
amplifiers
and
accessories.
The
number
of
electric
bass
guitar
was
more
than
other
types
of
bass
and
there
were
different
categories
such
as
used,
new
and
custom
made.
They
had
a
great
selection
for
all
types
of
customers
from
beginners,
intermediates
and
experts.
It
was
basically
a
one-­‐stop
shop
for
bass!
While,
my
friend
was
looking
around.
I
had
a
chat
with
the
store
manager
about
his
store.
I
was
really
intrigued
and
impressed
by
the
store
concept
and
was
wondering
how
it
sustains
by
only
selling
bass
instruments.
Upon
asking,
the
store
manager
said
that
they
have
a
wide
price
range
and
a
variety
of
choices
for
their
customers
including
a
number
of
customized
guitars.
They
also
trade
online
and
hence
this
is
how
they
easily
survive
the
competition.
However,
I
finally
decided
to
get
to
the
point
“I’m
a
left
handed
bassist
and
I
don’t
see
a
left
handed
bass
guitar
around”.
I
was
wondering
if
I
could
try
one
as
I
am
looking
to
buy!
The
manager
said,
“Unfortunately
we
do
not
have
left
handed
bass
guitars
as
of
now
and
it
is
rarely
available”.
“Nevertheless,
I
can
order
one
for
you
and
call
you
once
we
have
it
in
our
store.
That
should
take
approximately
two
weeks”.
I
replied
that
I
am
a
musician
and
would
never
buy
an
instrument
unless
I
try
it
or
feel
it
unlike
other
things
bought
online
or
ordered
with
theoretical
information.
Therefore,
I
was
left
with
no
choice
but
to
share
my
contact
details
and
wait
for
his
call
till
they
at
least
have
one
bass
guitar
at
their
store,
which
I
could
try
and
decide
if
it
suited
my
requirement.
Moving
forward,
I
visited
another
music
store
called
“TRADING
MUSICIANS”
at
Roosevelt
Way
NE,
Seattle.
It
was
a
typically
music
store
with
all
kinds
of
guitars
and
musical
instruments.
At
“TRADING
MUSICIANS”
one
can
not
only
buy
but
also
sell
or
trade
their
instruments
or
equipment.
Therefore,
due
to
the
very
nature
of
“TRADE”
1

2. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
at
Trading
Musicians
I
found
a
couple
of
left-­‐handed
bass
guitars.
The
first
one
was
a
black
Ibanez
with
active
pick-­‐ups
and
four
strings.
The
sound
was
great
and
it
looked
nice
too.
It
had
a
good
matte
finish
and
silver
knobs
and
a
great
single
cut-­‐
away
shape
but
it
was
priced
twice
as
much
as
the
right-­‐handed
counterpart
and
I
thought
it
was
unfair.
Just
because
I’m
a
left-­‐handed
musician
I’m
ought
to
pay
twice
the
price!
So,
I
checked
the
other
guitar,
which
was
a
vintage
Paul
McCartney
Hofner
bass
and
it
did
not
suit
my
requirement.
Consequently,
I
had
to
leave
my
contact
details
here
also
and
wait
for
my
kind
of
Bass!
Eventually,
I
went
home
and
looked
up
online
for
left
handed
bass
guitars
on
www.ebay.com
and
www.craigslist.com.
With
no
luck
there
I
browsed
http://www.Guitarcentre.com
where
I
found
only
37
compared
to
thousands
of
choices
for
right
handed
people,
and
that
too
these
37
were
not
all
at
one
store
but
were
subjected
to
purchase
online.
Which
means
I
don’t
get
to
try
them
I
just
buy
them
and
try.
At
the
end
of
the
day
I
was
left
with
few
intriguing
questions
and
those
were:
1.
Why
can’t
left-­‐handed
bassists
play
the
right-­‐handed
guitars?
2.
Why
do
manufacturers
produce
less
left-­‐handed
guitars?
3.
How
to
play
the
right
-­‐
handed
bass
left
-­‐
handed?
4.
Can
I
invent
a
Universal
guitar
for
lefties
and
righties
both?
These
are
a
few
questions
that
I
would
like
to
throw
light
upon
in
my
blog
(www.slappopnpick.com)
to
solve
the
pre-­‐said
problem.
Hence,
below
is
my
strategic
approach
to
resolve
the
issue.
(A)
What
outcome
do
you
seek
(ideally
measurable,
and
based
on
recent,
specific
insights
that
you
might
have
around
your
initiative
or
product)?
Such
as
behavior
change,
product
launch,
increase
in
sales,
brand
awareness,
donation.
As
per
leftybass.com
(ranked
1
in
Google
search)
there
are
only
736
left
handed
bassists
in
the
world.
Although,
there
are
a
number
of
websites
and
blogs
dedicated
to
left
handed
musicians
or
guitarists
unfortunately
they
do
not
focus
on
left-­‐handed
bass
players
primarily.
However,
some
blogs
do
stand
dedicated
to
left
handed
bassists
but
they
don’t
“answer
the
unanswered”
i.e.,
“issues
of
the
left-­‐handed
&
right-­‐handed,”
meaning,
why
left
handed
people
are
not
able
to
play
right
handed
guitars
and
basses.
All
the
more,
it
is
really
difficult
for
them
to
find
a
guitar
when
desired.
For
example;
I
visited
an
exclusive
Bass
Guitar
store
called
“BASS
NORTHWEST”
in
Downtown
Seattle
and
realized
that
there
are
no
left
handed
bass
guitars.
In
fact,
there
were
no
pieces
on
display!
Therefore,
to
create
a
successful
engagement,
I
need
to
create
valuable
content
by
“Answering
the
unanswered”
that
I
discussed
earlier
on.
Why
can’t
left-­‐handed
bassists
play
the
right-­‐handed
guitars?
Why
do
manufacturers
produce
less
left-­‐handed
guitars?
Can
I
invent
a
Universal
guitar
for
lefties
and
righties
both?
Do
lefties
play
differently?
These
are
a
few
questions
that
I
would
like
to
throw
light
upon
and
establish
a
strong
sense
of
“uniqueness”
and
get
online
users
to
talk
around
it
and
share
stories
and
posts.
2

3. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
Thus,
the
primary
outcome
I
seek
is
to
create
solid
awareness
of
a
blog
(platform/channel)
exclusively
for
left
handed
bass
players
focused
on
answering
the
issues
that
I
have
discussed
previously.
(B)
What
kind
of
successful
engagement
needs
to
occur?
Such
as
online
comments,
increase
in
word
of
mouth,
social
media
affirmation
from
those
whom
you’re
most
keen
to
reach.
Why
do
you
believe
this
form
of
engagement
will
lead
to
the
outcome
that
you
seek
in
(a)?
Basically,
the
whole
Idea
is
to
make
this
blog
a
source
of
information
or
resource
for
left
handed
bass
guitarists.
That
includes
addressing
the
biggest
problems,
latest
updates,
instruments,
manufacturer
news
and
new
releases
to
build
a
strong
network
of
people
who
love
music
or
are
left-­‐handers
and
bass
enthusiasts.
Evidently,
engagement
requires
strong
captivation
i.e.
compelling
stories
and
posts
which
will
motivate
readers
to
like
the
blog
and
engage
them
further
by
posting
comment,
re-­‐blogging
or
reposting,
sharing
on
Facebook,
increasing
“likes”
and
re-­‐
tweeting.
Also,
I
feel
awesome
videos
and
interviews
will
increase
traffic
to
the
blog,
thereby
increasing
the
overall
awareness
of
the
blog.
Therefore,
initially
to
drive
traffic
to
the
blog
I’ve
started
conversations
on
Facebook
by
asking
questions
like
-­‐
What
initial
problems
and
apprehensions
a
left
handed
person
would
face
while
choosing
an
instrument?
Or,
How
about
learning
to
play
the
right-­‐handed
bass
left
handed?
Or,
How
many
left-­‐handed
musicians
in
this
group?
PRIMARY:
Left
handed
bassists
SECONDARY:
Left
handers
Below
is
a
screen
grab
from
a
Facebook
group
called
“Left
Handers
Club”
with
2,744
members.
I
posted
a
comment
asking
about
apprehensions
of
being
left-­‐handed
and
choosing
a
left
handed
instrument
and
the
response
can
be
seen
in
the
image
below.
3

4. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
In
the
above
screen
grab
one
of
the
member
of
the
group
has
clearly
stated
that
he
always
wanted
to
learn
the
bass.
However,
initially
he
was
told
to
learn
to
play
right
handed.
Consequently,
I
introduced
him
to
my
blog
and
he
instantly
liked
it
and
has
been
actively
following
it
since
then.
In
conclusion,
I
feel
this
form
of
engagement
will
lead
to
the
outcome
that
I
desire
in
(a)
because
I’m
focusing
on
the
left
handed
bassists
and
their
problems
and
am
creating
content
that
will
help
them
succeed.
(C)
What
story
do
you
want
to
tell?
Considering
your
organization’s
overall
narrative,
develop
a
short
Action-­‐Idea.
It
should
have
a
recognizable
beginning,
middle
and
end
(see
Hosein,
Storyteller
Uprising)
and
be
sufficiently
universal
in
its
appeal
to
easily
inspire
a
larger
communications
strategy
around
it.
According
to
Jerry
Welch
owner
of
Jerry’s
Lefty
Guitars
(http://www.jerrysleftyguitars.com/about_us.html)
“8%
to
10%
of
the
population
is
left
–
handed
and
not
even
1%
of
the
guitars
built
are
left
-­‐
handed”.
It
is
obvious
because
the
market
is
righty
biased.
Everywhere
we
go
left-­‐handed
people
come
across
objects/tools
that
are
designed
for
the
right-­‐handed.
From
a
computer
mouse
to
scissors,
from
camcorders
to
screw
drivers
and
hockey
sticks
to
guitars.
Thus,
the
market
for
these
guitars
is
limited
and
scarce.
Moreover,
there
are
constraints
like
lack
of
choices
for
left
handed
bass
guitarists,
guitars
priced
twice
the
right
handed
counterparts
and
certain
apprehensions
of
being
left
handed.
Also,
as
a
left-­‐handed
bassists
having
experienced
problems,
I’ve
4

5. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
realized
that
there
is
a
strong
need
for
a
blog
(Channel/Platform)
exclusively
for
us
which
will
help
us
get
better
because
of
the
common
trait.
Also
it
would
be
a
place
to
know
more
about
being
left-­‐handed
and
to
share
experiences
and
knowledge
in
a
community
with
liked
ones.
Hence,
this
blog
(http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/)
will
discuss
all
about
the
southpaw
bassists.
Below
is
a
screen
grab
from
www.Guitarcenter.com.
There
are
only
37
Left
handed
Bass
Guitars
available
for
left
handed
bass
players
compared
to
100s
and
1000s
for
right
handed
people.
Thus,
I
dedicate
(http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/)
to
my
left-­‐handed
friends.
I’m
looking
forward
to
become
an
ace
left
handed
bass
player
and
so
can
you
by
learning
how
to
overcome
constraints
like
lack
of
choices,
and
also
how
to
play
the
right
handed
bass
left
handed,
stories
of
famous
bass
guitarists,
best
bass
lines,
videos,
lessons,
interviews
and
more.
Thus,
as
a
left
–
handed
person
you’ll
not
only
be
“UNIQUE
but
also
“FAMOUS”.
5

6. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
(D)
What
are
your
story’s
primary
elements?
In
other
words,
what
might
create
a
relevant,
relatable
connection,
set
the
scene,
provide
some
narrative
tension,
as
well
as
a
resolution?
Possible
elements
to
also
consider:
primary
character,
newsworthy
trend,
use
of
emotion
or
suspenseful
outcome.
Why
do
you
believe
this
will
work?
The
primary
element
of
the
story
is,
the
idea
of
“Learning
to
play
the
right
-­‐
handed
bass
left
-­‐
handed.”
The
supporting
elements
are,
stories
of
renowned
left
–handed
bass
players,
motivational
stories,
interviews
and
videos.
I
empathize
with
the
audience
feelings,
thus,
I
plan
to
equip
them
with
the
knowledge
and
information
for
FREE
so
that
it
alters
their
constraints
and
enhances
their
wisdom
by
increasing
their
level
of
creativity
and
serves
as
source
of
motivation
and
inspiration.
As
per
the
observation
by
a
child
psychologist
Daniel
Siegel
mentioned
in
the
book
“Storyteller
Uprising,
Trust
and
Persuasion
in
the
Digital
Age
by
Hanson
R
Hosein,”
“Our
shared
stories
create
a
connection
to
others
that
builds
a
sense
of
belonging
to
a
particular
community.”
With
that
sense
of
belonging
comes
a
growing
feeling
of
trust
among
a
group
of
people,
which
can
catalyze
a
sale,
a
vote
or
outright
upheaval
in
a
nation’s
political
system.
(E)
What
is
your
story
format
and
vehicle?
Such
as
a
video,
podcast,
text,
game,
press
release,
blog,
slideshow,
whitepaper
or
an
online
series.
For
the
purposes
of
this
assignment,
the
blog
will
serve
as
your
format
and
vehicle,
but
consider
what
other
assets
you
could
integrate
into
your
blog
other
than
just
text.
PRIMARY:
Blog
posts,
audios,
videos
and
stories.
SECONDARY:
Repost
interviews,
articles,
reviews,
photos,
guest
blogging
and
research
findings.
(F)
How
will
you
syndicate
your
story
into
the
media
ecosystem?
Consider
your
organization’s
channels,
social
channels
and
legacy
media
channels.
Which
platforms
make
most
sense?
Why?
ONLINE
PRIMARY:
SOCIAL
NETWORKING
SITE:
The
best
way
to
promote
and
market
the
blog
successfully
is
by
engaging
and
participating
in
a
conversation,
promoting
others’
contents
and
followers’
information,
asking
questions
and
sharing
my
information
and
the
blogs
page
subsequently.
1)
Create
a
Facebook
page
to
build
blog
awareness
and
disseminate
information,
participate
in
left-­‐
handers
groups
and
engage
actively
because
Facebook
has
the
maximum
number
of
left
handers
groups
and
members
who
are
active
and
prompt
in
responses/discussions
compared
to
any
other
social
networking
sites
like
Google
+,
Pinterest,
Friendster
6

7. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
also,
50%
of
consumers
value
a
Brand’s
Facebook
page
than
its
website
(As
per
Market
research
company
Lab42).
As
a
result
I’ll
be
engaging
on
Facebook
initially
to
drive
maximum
traffic
and
work
towards
the
second
best
social
networking
site
after
Facebook
and
so
on.
2)
Twitter
will
allow
me
to
follow
conversations
on
bass
guitars,
and
also
follow
hash
tags,
and
link
posts
to
hash
tags
in
order
to
encourage
engagement,
participation
and
comments.
Twitter
is
a
great
source
to
find
questions
that
prospects
are
asking,
current
trends
they
are
following.
Eventually,
this
will
allow
me
to
find
out
what
the
prospects
want
to
know
and
more
importantly
what
they
are
discussing
about
lately.
3)
LinkedIn
has
groups
of
professionals
and
discussion
threads,
therefore
sharing
a
post
or
asking
a
question
in
the
group
of
relevant
target
audience
will
boost
the
blogs
presence
and
increase
engagement
by
comments.
Because
–
LinkedIn
(Groups)
has
a
unique
command
called
“Discussions”
where
you
can
start
a
new
conversation/discussions
and
engage
prospects
further
if
they
are
not
on
Facebook.
LinkedIn
helps
me
connect
with
people
especially
in
professional
occupation
who
are
passionate
about
bass.
It
could
be
a
small
number
of
people
compared
to
Facebook,
but
would
give
a
higher
level
of
engagement,
as
they
are
working
professionals
and
will
spend
time
only
in
their
passion/interest
as
a
way
to
beat
stress.
Also,
I’ll
be
able
to
track
opinion
leaders
to
increase
outreach
and
connections
in
the
field
of
music.
7

8. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
Above
is
a
screen
grab
from
LinkedIn
where
I
started
a
discussion
about
the
Bass
in
music.
SECONDARY:
1)
Add
some
well
known
blogger
guitarists
and
bassists
to
the
blog
roll
and
comment
on
their
posts.
This
will
enable
me
to
get
their
attention
and
redirect
them
to
my
blog.
8

9. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
2)
Social
bookmarking
site
like
StumbleUpon
and
Reddit
are
a
great
way
to
increase
traffic
as
users
bookmark
them
in
their
collection
or
share
them
with
more
users.
3)
“Liking”
left
handed
groups
and
pages
on
Facebook
and
LinkedIn
and
actively
participating
in
an
on-­‐going
conversation.
LEGACY
CHANNELS:
WORD
OF
MOUTH:
Since
there
are
a
lot
of
music
events
and
rock
shows
happening
in
Seattle,
participating
in
them
and
sharing
the
Facebook
page
details
via
QR
code
batches
will
increase
awareness.
(G)
What
conversations
and
interactions
can
you
anticipate
from
this
syndication?
Consider
how
you
can
engage
any
influencers
involved
in
those
conversations
and
interactions.
What
type
of
content
do
you
believe
will
stimulate
the
most
interaction?
Why?
In
what
form
do
you
believe
that
interaction
will
occur?
How
will
you
handle
any
negative
or
controversial
feedback?
Conversations
and
Interactions
based
on
price
range,
models
and
equipment
in
the
technical
zone
and
inconveniences
experienced
by
playing
the
bass
guitar
upside
down
or
by
flipping
strings.
One
person
shared
his
experience
that
when
he
tried
playing
the
right-­‐handed
bass
left
–
handed
way,
the
knobs
obstructed
his
movements.
Also,
I
anticipate
to
get
likes
for
post
or
reposts,
comments
and
recommendation
to
follow
other
bloggers
in
the
same
genre
and
pointers
to
improve
or
add.
Awesome
Videos
of
left
handed
bassists
playing
a
trick
or
two
in
it,
funny
photos
and
video
lessons
will
also
help
increase
interactions.
Since,
audiovisual
elements
have
a
stronger
appeal
to
capture
attention
and
it
will
allow
target
audiences
to
share
their
opinions
and
comments
instantly.
Followed
by
blog
posts
and
reposted
interviews,
which
will
spur
more
feedbacks
and
compel
visitors
to
stick
around,
recommend
and
revisit.
However,
I
believe
content
based
on:
1.
Why
can’t
left-­‐handed
bassists
play
the
right-­‐handed
guitars?
2.
Why
do
manufacturers
produce
less
left-­‐handed
guitars?
3.
How
to
play
the
right
-­‐
handed
bass
left
-­‐
handed?
4.
Can
I
invent
a
Universal
guitar
for
lefties
and
righties
both?
Will
stimulate
the
most
interactions
because
these
are
the
unanswered
questions
and
the
potential
solution
to
the
overall
problem
is
in
the
answer
to
these
questions.
In
addition,
I’ve
created
a
Google
Docs
survey
to
know
what
the
audience
is
struggling
with
and
what
problems
they
are
facing.
As
a
result,
I
will
create
content
focusing
on
them
and
their
problems.
9

10. Preliminary
Storytelling
Brief
Priyaranjan
‘RANJAN’
Mestri
http://slappopnpick.wordpress.com/
Narratives
&
Networks
in
Digital
Media
MCDM,
UW.
Depending
on
the
negative
or
controversial
comment
I’ll
thoroughly
analyze
the
issue
and
respond,
for
example:
1) If
the
comment
or
feedback
is
true:
a) Acknowledge
the
feedback
b) Use
phrases
like
“I
understand
and
offer
a
solution“
instead
of
“SORRY”
as
it
will
create
a
wrong
impression
on
my
behalf
of
being
incorrect
and
hamper
the
blogs
image
c) Take
the
conversation
offline
2) If
the
comment
or
feedback
is
partially
correct
and
slightly
misguided:
a) Acknowledge
the
error
on
my
part
b) Politely
correct
misguided
information
(H)
What
further
story
assets
can
you
develop
from
those
conversations
and
interactions
(sometimes
in
collaboration
with
your
influencers)
that
will
help
propagate
and
sustain
your
story
ecosystem?
Alternatively,
how
can
you
sustain
this
content
channel
over
the
long
term?
[This
is
a
big
unanswered
question,
we’ll
discuss
it
in
our
last
class,
after
your
final
brief
is
due,
so
we
expect
some
speculation
from
you.]
To
sustain
over
the
long
term:
(A) I’ll
propose
the
idea
of
inventing
a
universal
bass
guitar
that
can
be
played
by
both
right
handed
and
left
handed
people.
This
will
save
cost,
increase
choices,
accessibility
and
availability
for
left-­‐handers.
(B) Start
conversations
about
the
bass
guitars
origin,
its
significance
in
different
genres
especially
Rock
and
Roll
music.
(C) I
will
also
start
a
new
section
for
left
handed
guitarists
and
look
forward
to
approach
Guitar
manufacturers
to
increase
the
production
of
left
handed
instruments
in
collaboration
with
influencers
to
sustain
this
content
channel
and
propagate
further
and
stay
alive.
10