Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about Zippgun reviews, feedback services, booking, payments, and privacy.

About Zippgun

What is Zippgun?

Zippgun is a platform that helps independent artists gain visibility, receive professional feedback, and continue developing their craft through a combination of music reviews, promotion, and one-on-one feedback services. It is both an independent music publication and an artist development platform.

Why was Zippgun created?

Zippgun was created to help independent artists navigate a music landscape where visibility and meaningful discovery can be difficult. The platform exists to connect artists with listeners, provide constructive feedback, and support long-term artistic growth.

Who is Zippgun for?

Zippgun is designed primarily for independent artists, bands, producers, singer-songwriters, and other creators looking for visibility, feedback, or professional insight.

Do you work with all genres?

Yes. Zippgun works with artists across genres and styles. While many artists come from independent and underground music communities, the platform is open to a wide range of musical approaches.

What makes Zippgun different?

Zippgun combines music reviews, artist promotion, and professional feedback services within a single platform. The goal is not only to help artists get noticed, but also to help them continue improving over time.

Is Zippgun just a music blog?

No. While published reviews remain an important part of the platform, Zippgun also provides songwriting feedback, production feedback, marketing feedback, and artist development services.

Can I use more than one service?

Yes. Artists may use review services, promotional services, and feedback services independently or together, depending on their goals.

Reviews & Promotion

How does the review process work?

You submit your music, complete checkout, and your submission enters the editorial workflow. Once completed, eligible reviews are published on the platform.

Are reviews guaranteed?

Eligible submissions are reviewed and published. However, submissions must meet platform eligibility requirements. Incomplete or ineligible submissions may be declined.

What makes a submission eligible for publication?

Music must be a completed work intended for public listening and distribution. Zippgun evaluates eligibility based on completeness and suitability for publication, not subjective judgments about artistic quality.

Can a submission be rejected?

Yes. Incomplete works, rough snippets, test uploads, unfinished projects, or other material not reasonably presented as a finished release may be declined. If a submission is deemed ineligible, the artist will be notified and refunded.

Can I submit unreleased music for a review?

Generally, review services are intended for music that has already been released or is publicly available through a distribution platform. If you're seeking feedback on unreleased material, a feedback session may be a better fit.

Feedback Services

What is a feedback session?

A feedback session is a one-on-one service where an experienced contributor reviews your music and provides constructive, professional insight designed to help you improve your work.

Who provides feedback?

Feedback is provided by approved Zippgun Feedback Contributors who are assigned to service requests through the platform workflow.

How do I know which feedback service is right for me?

Choose the service that best matches your goals. Songwriting feedback focuses on the song itself, production feedback focuses on sound and execution, and marketing feedback focuses on branding, promotion, and audience growth.

Why pay for feedback instead of asking friends?

Professional feedback provides objective, actionable insight from someone outside your immediate circle. The goal is to identify opportunities for growth that may be difficult to see on your own.

Will feedback be honest?

Yes. Feedback is intended to be constructive, actionable, and honest while remaining respectful and focused on helping artists improve.

How long are feedback sessions?

Standard feedback sessions are 90 minutes long.

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Follow-up sessions, when offered, are 45 minutes long and are designed to address remaining discussion points or review progress made since the original session.

What do I receive from a feedback session?

Every feedback session is designed to provide two primary outcomes:

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  • Dedicated one-on-one discussion focused on your music and goals.
  • Written feedback notes that summarize key observations, recommendations, and discussion points from the session.

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Together, these help artists continue applying feedback long after the session has ended.

Will I receive written feedback notes?

Yes.

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After your session is completed, your contributor will provide feedback notes that summarize important observations, recommendations, and next steps discussed during the session.

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These notes are available for future reference and can help guide future revisions, releases, and creative decisions.

How long will my feedback notes be available?

Your feedback notes remain permanently attached to the original feedback request and can be accessed at any time through My Feedback under My Account.

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Whether a request appears under your active requests or your past requests, the associated feedback notes remain available for future reference.

Booking & Follow-Ups

How quickly can I book my feedback session?

Most feedback requests are assigned within 24-48 hours, depending on current demand and contributor availability.

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Once assigned, you'll receive access to your contributor's booking calendar and can select an available appointment time.

How do I schedule my session?

Once assigned, you'll receive access to your contributor's booking calendar and can schedule a time directly through their availability.

Why are feedback sessions held on Google Meet?

Feedback sessions are conducted through Google Meet because it provides reliable scheduling integration through Google Calendar and offers strong audio quality for discussing and reviewing music in real time.

Why do I need to confirm my booking?

Because scheduling occurs through Google Calendar rather than directly inside Zippgun, booking confirmations help keep the platform synchronized and ensure everyone has visibility into the appointment.

What are follow-up sessions?

Follow-up sessions are optional, discounted sessions offered after a completed feedback request. They are designed to address remaining discussion points that couldn't be covered during the original session or to review updates and revisions made based on previous feedback.

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Each feedback request may receive one follow-up opportunity. Follow-up sessions remain tied to the original project, contributor, and service type.

Do follow-up sessions require a separate purchase?

Yes. Follow-up sessions are separate purchases and are offered through a private invitation sent after a contributor marks a request as eligible for follow-up.

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Follow-up sessions are offered at a 40% discount from the standard service price and are intended only for continued work on the original project. Follow-up sessions are 45 minutes in length and remain tied to the same contributor and service type.

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New projects or unrelated feedback requests require a standard service purchase at full price.

Can I request a reschedule?

Yes. Customers may request a reschedule through the platform workflow. Reschedule requests are reviewed and processed before a new appointment is booked.

What happens if a contributor misses a session?

If a contributor is unable to attend a scheduled session, Zippgun will work with you to resolve the situation. Depending on the circumstances, this may include reassignment to another qualified contributor, rescheduling with the original contributor, or a refund. Customers will not be penalized when a missed session is outside of their control.

My Account & My Feedback

Do I need an account?

Yes. A Zippgun account allows you to purchase services, manage requests, receive updates, and access platform features related to your activity.

How do I know the status of my request?

Each feedback request includes a progress tracker showing the current stage of the workflow.

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Stages may include:

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  • Booking
  • Feedback
  • Follow-Up
  • Completed

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Updates are communicated through My Feedback under My Account and by email notifications.

How will I receive updates about my reviews and feedback requests?

Zippgun communicates important updates through two primary channels:

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  • Email
  • My Feedback available under My Account

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Status changes, assignment updates, booking confirmations, completed feedback sessions, published reviews, and other workflow milestones will be reflected through one or both of these channels.

Can I see past requests?

Yes. Completed requests remain available in My Feedback under My Account, where they can be referenced at any time.

Payments & Policies

When am I charged?

Payment is collected during checkout when you purchase a service through the platform.

What is your refund policy?

Refund decisions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and depend on the circumstances surrounding the request.

Can I cancel a feedback session?

You may request a cancellation through the platform. Cancellation requests do not automatically result in refunds and are reviewed administratively before a decision is made.

Platform Trust & Privacy

Is my music private?

Music submitted for feedback services is only shared with the people necessary to provide the service. Review submissions are intended for editorial processing and potential publication of a review article.

Who will see my submission?

Visibility depends on the service.

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Feedback submissions are shared only with the people necessary to provide the service, including the assigned contributor and Zippgun administrators.

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For review submissions, the public-facing material is the published article, the artist name, and the public Spotify or SoundCloud song link used for the review. Other submission details are used for editorial processing and are not automatically published.

Do I keep ownership of my music and ideas?

Yes.

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Artists retain ownership of their music, recordings, lyrics, compositions, branding, and other creative work submitted through the platform.

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The purpose of feedback sessions is to provide guidance, perspective, and professional insight. Any ideas, suggestions, recommendations, or creative feedback provided during a session become part of your project and are yours to use however you choose.

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Zippgun does not claim ownership of your music or the feedback you receive.

Are feedback sessions recorded?

No. Feedback sessions are not recorded by Zippgun.

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Artists and contributors should assume sessions are private, live conversations focused on discussion, feedback, and collaboration.

Why don’t you record feedback sessions?

Zippgun focuses on providing written feedback notes rather than session recordings.

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Written notes are easier to reference, remain permanently attached to your feedback request, and help highlight the most important observations, recommendations, and action items discussed during the session.

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The goal is to provide artists with clear, actionable takeaways they can revisit long after the session has ended.