New App Strikes a Chord for Fire-Impacted Musicians

A new app is providing relief to musicians who lost instruments, recording equipment and music collections in the devastating Eaton Fire, offering a digital pathway to recovery and reconnection.

Instrumental Giving, launched on April 26 during a community gathering at A Noise Within Theater in Pasadena, is a registry platform created by Altadena Musicians. The app allows musicians who lost gear in the fires to post “Help Requests,” which donors can browse and fulfill – much like a wedding registry. All donations are tax-deductible.

“Thousands of musicians lost their musical instruments to the LA fires. We are doing something about it,” the Altadena Musicians team announced via a social media post.

Once musicians sign up for the app, they are verified by providing a driver’s license showing they lived in a fire-affected zone, or documentation such as an insurance or FEMA letter proving their loss. They can then create a Help Request for each item they hope to replace.

Donors can view these requests and communicate directly with musicians to coordinate donations. Once a request is fulfilled, the musician marks it as complete, enabling the donor to receive a tax receipt for the item’s fair market value.

The app also lets donors post “Help Offers” for items they’re willing to give. Only verified musicians can view and respond to these offers, allowing them to search for needed equipment and coordinate directly with donors.

The effort is particularly significant for musicians in the Pasadena and Altadena areas, where many artists live and work. With creative tools lost to fire damage, the app provides a direct and secure method to rebuild their artistry and careers.

For more information about the app and on how to help, visit https://altadenamusicians.org/news/instrumental-giving-the-app-that-connects-donors-to-musicians/.