Detroit is a city long known for its rich musical history and culture. From Motown to techno to hip-hop, the Motor City has birthed music icons and nurtured underground movements for generations, leaving an indelible mark on the global soundscape.
But music is far more than the finished product we hear on the radio. It’s also about the journey: the tinkering, the experimentation, the relentless pursuit of sonic alchemy, and the technical finesse required to extract it from raw audio.
This is where having the right equipment is paramount — because sometimes, the tools of the trade can be just as important as the artists who wield them. And this is where Detroit also shines, though it won’t capture the same limelight as the city’s superstars.
Because, well, let’s face it: In the world of music, equipment isn’t the sexiest subject. But it’s one of the most integral.
In this case, the piece of equipment is the unsung hero of guitarists worldwide: the humble yet precisely engineered guitar pedal (an electronic device that modifies the sound of an electric guitar by applying audio effects through foot-operated switches).
Curt Malouin, owner and engineer at Red Panda in Detroit, doesn’t much care that the industry-leading guitar pedals his company manufactures aren’t the scene-stealer in his city. He’s just glad that his products are part of artists’ live performances and studio recordings around the globe. After all, it’s been his dream for over two decades — well before the first Red Panda guitar pedal hit the market in 2009.
“Growing up, I was always interested in electronics and computers,” says Malouin. “Around 11 years old I discovered Prince, which was the first time I really connected with music. There was a lot of new and experimental music at the time in Detroit, like hip-hop and techno. So those two interests really clicked together when I was a teenager.”
Malouin was driven to explore the details of the musical sound and rearrange it, a pursuit that eventually led him to create his own brand of guitar pedals and establish Red Panda. To this day, it’s the engineering aspect of his work that he enjoys the most.
But of course, bringing a dream to life and running a company entails more than just engineering. It requires administrative work, data collection, standardized online processes, and paperwork. The stuff that isn’t as fun to work on.
Which led him to Jotform.
“About 2015, we were searching for better solutions for the contact form on our website,” says Malouin. “The goal was to gather relevant information when people contacted us with questions, providing better service by avoiding unnecessary back and forths. After months of searching, I found Jotform, which was easy to integrate into our website.”
After seeing how straightforward it was to use Jotform for Red Panda’s contact form, Malouin started implementing it in other ways. He created surveys and forms for swag giveaway contests. In addition, he set up Jotform to collect customer data and equipment information for warranties, facilitating product registration.
Malouin also uses Jotform to take partner applications from musicians looking to use and endorse Red Panda products. The form allows artists to upload press kits, photos, and contact information that automatically populate Red Panda’s CRM system through Jotform’s CRM integrations.
We love using Jotform because it allows us to easily connect with customers and artists, and saves time because they can provide all the information we need up front.
Curt Malouin
Some features that Malouin uses within Jotform are Google reCAPTCHA and email validation, both of which have helped him address the spam issues he had with other online solutions.
Internally, Malouin used Jotform’s daily health checklist during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure safe working conditions at the office and manufacturing facilities. Jotform Tables helps him keep tabs on his data and easily access information from the thousands of form submissions he’s received.
The ease of use, quick form creation, and immediate live updates on the website make Jotform an integral part of our operations at Red Panda.
Curt Malouin
Ultimately, Jotform has helped Malouin keep Red Panda running smoothly, so he can focus on doing what he loves: engineering some of the most technically advanced guitar pedals in the industry, and putting them in the hands (or at the feet, rather) of musicians across the world.
“The most rewarding and satisfying thing [I do] is just hearing musicians take something that we build and then use it in a way we never imagined,” says Malouin.
For our part, we couldn’t be more excited to hear about how people are using Jotform to let them spend more time on what they’re passionate about. If you have a similar story to share, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
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