Mentor My Mix Ep. 012 – MING: From HTML to OM records, multiple streams of revenue, and a Grammy Nomination

• From New York bands to the University of Miami and back.
• Working in web development and tech through the tech boom of the late nineties.
• Trying to get signed to the German label Studio K7 producing Trip Hop, Drum & Bass, Jungle and experimental Hip Hop.
• Getting referred to the sales division of OM records.
• Building the relationship over a period of a year to getting signed as MING & FS.
• Being a “student of the game” and going out on “The Deep Concentration” tour with OM.
• Subsequently getting signed for a three-record deal with OM records.
• While playing in a rock band also making electronic music under the name Beat Tree.
• Working full time to fund the music career.
• Going out every night to make connections and network.
• Getting signed for the “weird” electronic music but not what MING & FS thought would be a major label deal with Beat Tree.
• Rewiring & re-eq’ing sound systems to make them sound right when on tour.
• Music business is 90% failure.
• Understanding the concept of failing forward and never giving up.
• Ten year run with Ming & FS, disbanding in 2006.
• Being in a Nissan commercial creating the music from car sounds (link opens in new tab) to fund the tour.
• Going on tour while filming the Nissan spot that ran through the Superbowl and joining the screen actors guild.
• Creating Habitat music production company to create original scores for commercials until the bubble burst in music licensing.
• Making money from multiple streams and shifting with the times.
• Learning from the mistake of overselling.
• The numbers of self pressing and why vinyl is never really coming back.
• Using any merch that doesn’t sell for promo.
• Throwing huge parties and promoting to the Mavens to create the right word of mouth buzz.
• Making mix CD’s to give away at every show and getting them sponsored by clothing brands to building a significant production business for touring artists.
• Struggling to get back on tour as a DJ post Ming & FS but building such a strong production business producing that when Covid hit it brought into focus that the work was coming in steadily.
• Commercial work, scoring and producing keeping all the irons hot.
• Getting nominated for a Grammy for a remix but not seeing any upside and crickets the next year.
• The Grammy bump is for major label “1 percenter’s”.
• Studio design and working with singers right in the room without headphones.
• Preparing the room to work with different singers.
• “I just vomit music at this Point!”

Want to watch MING produce? Check out this breakdown on his remake of White Horse!