Yihao Chen is a Music AI researcher and the founder of of OctAI, now GenreX a Generative AI company building the Mid Journey of music. Yihao is a classical flutist, a composer, and an AI music researcher. He was a music AI researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology and an undergraduate researcher at Cornell University where he worked on automatic harmonization using machine learning. His company, GenreX, has been funded by AI2 a research institute founded by Paul Allen and led by Ali Farhadi, conducting high-impact research and engineering to tackle key problems in artificial intelligence.

In this episode, we're diving into the career of Johnny5, a DJ, Promoter, and producer who's been shaking up San Francisco's music scene. We talk about his transition from his Chicago-based Hip Hop routes to the Bay Area to pursue his passion and the influence his formal education had in propelling him to new heights. After moving to San Francisco in 2005, Johnny5's sound quickly evolved, blending grimy bass and house elements, and he became a force in the city's bass music scene, hosting a prominent bass music night at Temple SF and making his mark on the festival circuit. He also played a significant role in the dubstep scene, co-founding "Ritual Dubstep," a weekly event that grew to be the largest on the West Coast. As a producer, Johnny5 founded Irie Cartel Recordings in 2011, achieving success with releases that climbed the Beatport charts. His productions, like the "Thuggin" EP, offer a diverse range of bass-heavy sounds, showcasing his versatility and impact in the industry. Join us as we listen to his hottest soon-to-be-released tracks and explore Johnny5's remarkable journey in the electronic music world, from his early influences to his thriving career in San Francisco's music scene.

Johnny5 CONTACT/ INQUIRIES:

Management/Booking/ Collab:BookJohnny5@gmail.com

Beatport: www.beatport.com/artist/johnny5

Owner @blendsandtrendsrecords (Tech & Bass House)

Owner @IrieCartelRecordings (Dubstep & DNB)

•Founder @bayareaphonk (Phonk Music Monthly)

For all the MMM Podcasts visit:

www.mentormymix.com

Learn to Produce: http://www.pyramind.com

In this episode, we speak with Mr. Bill about his focused approach to electronic music production and touring and how to develop multiple revenue streams with a sample pack company, a website-driven education business,  a label, a podcast and most recently collaborating with a plugin developer, Yum on the VST plugin "Slap".  Learn why he transitioned out of using  Ableton for his live sets and his approach to using over 82 tracks in a one-hour set. We talk about the impact AI is having on music creation and why Mr. Bill doesn't consider it a threat to his career. We even talk about managing anxiety as an important process for all artists to get through their self-limiting beliefs. At the end, Mr. Bill reveals the collaborations on his upcoming release on a yet-to-be-disclosed label.

For more on Mr. Bill visit:

https://linktr.ee/mrbillstunes

Opening & Closing Music: Sol Potion Remix By Imaginate and Gregory J. Gordon, AKA CODE369

https://open.spotify.com/track/2tOdcFvDqwljvfpASSA2DI?si=54f22d9b3da0426b

For more MMM Podcasts visit:

www.mentormymix.com

For information on Pyramind Music & Audio Production Institute visit:

https://pyramind.com

Marieme is a Senegalese-American artist whose music focuses on themes of Self Love, Revolution, and Empowerment.  Being uprooted by war at 6 months old shaped Marieme into a messenger of Love who has learned to manifest her way to success in the music industry through strong networking, perseverance, and trust in Flow.

Learn how Marieme's talent for singing and songwriting has created numerous opportunities for her as a performing artist and landed her a coveted deal as a Universal Music Group publishing artist being placed in film and television. The podcast opens with her recent hit song "Built For Greatness" which was recently placed on the Michelle Obama and Oprah Netflix special as well as Apple TV campaigns.

The podcast highlights Marieme's willingness and ability to call in serendipity to help guide her through career-defining moments including working with Lady Gaga stylist, Nicola Formmichetti and being invited to perform on the infamous art car, Robot Heart at Burning Man. She thanks Greg for the music production classes she has taken through Pyramind that have empowered her in the studio and in her songwriting collaborations. In 2020 she created a video that went viral in Brazil creating a large fan base for her there. The first single from her first full-length album comes out September 2023 with the single "Changing" which has already been licensed to "Grey's Anatomy".

Www.Marieme music.com

Socials

@mariememusic

https://hoo.be/mariememusic

Built For Greatness

https://open.spotify.com/album/3nR4q9NK8GcHYcXPZmMKRl?si=k1bRoUFGS2an-b_ddncOuw

It's Me

https://open.spotify.com/track/3CSxXvWjAR5oSNQ37GhoSH?si=480wEaMARIquLpawCedxLw 

Watch on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fihrKqiWGd0

In this episode of The Mentor My Mix Podcast, we had the opportunity to meet with producer, audio engineer, and studio owner Mckay Garner. We discuss his studio setup and the Pros and Cons of Mixing in Dolby Atmos.

The interview begins with an analysis and breakdown of the pre-mastered track “Bright Dark”, Written and produced by Ben Flanagan from the rock band “Black Map” with Mckay in the roles of co-producer, arranger, and mixer. Mckay goes on to discuss his day-to-day work life, how he has built an impressive Dolby Atmos configured studio, and how his experimentation with sound design has shifted the way he works and collaborates with artists and musicians.  

Learn about object-based mixing and binaural rendering, as well as the optimal environment to set up an Atmos system. The interview concludes with an in-depth discussion of technological advancements in music and the customization of individual listening experiences.

Songs Played:

Bright Dark By Ben Flanagan:

https://www.mckaygarner.com/

Envelopes By Mckay Garner: 

https://open.spotify.com/track/77mplqop2qGC8VUdSxA8z1?si=caa8a8d48e0b44bc

Find out more about Mckay Here: 

http://mckaygarner.com

http://goldengatemixers.com

http://how-to-make-a-record.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckayallday/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mckaygarnermusic

In this episode, we had the pleasure to sit down with Rob Garza from the trailblazing electronic duo Thievery Corporation. Rob shares how he has built an extraordinary enduring career in the music industry, from Thievery Corporation to his own solo project Garza and now the creation of a soon-to-be-released musical documentary telling the story of musicians from war-torn Yemen. Formed in Washington D.C., almost 30 years ago, by Rob and partner Eric Hilton, Thievery Corporation carved its own lane in electronic music by creating a genre-blending sonic gateway unifying diverse cultures.

We begin the interview with a brief analysis and breakdown of Thievery Corporation's popular track Lebanese Blonde to better understand the sound design and musical styling that went into creating their biggest hits. Garza takes us back to the very beginning of his musical journey and what led to his passion for electronic music and producing at an early age. He shares the evolution in technology he experienced firsthand that has shifted from the way electronic music was created over twenty years ago to what it is today. 

Deepening his international reach, Garza touches on his courageous efforts to amplify the story of the Yemeni people through their rich musical heritage. Garza shares the story of his journey through Yemen and the recordings he has created with select Yemeni musicians to help tell their story through his efforts with the United Nations World Food Project and how that opportunity has opened his eyes to the privilege of making music without social or political limitations. 

Lebanese blonde:

https://open.spotify.com/track/6k5VMHrwv7mgPpkQSRQtQr?si=Dhsu-5-hRB63xWTH1fspBA

Summers , ours (G’s dust up):

https://open.spotify.com/album/4sk2k0cvOe7MPIePypjWAC?si=K7xJoA_LRi-9uJhiSn-YMg

Amerimacka:

https://open.spotify.com/track/55HeOFek7Rylb7FtNy5hli?si=IvWl2x56QPWUtbHLDZtcMg

In this episode, we get to know Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepard, the dynamic duo who lead the children's music collective Alphabet Rockers, and who just won a Grammy for their latest album The Movement.  The collective was born out of their passion for Hip-Hop music and culture, social justice work, and letting the young people in their community be a driving force in the media made for them. The collective includes Kali De Jesus, Tommy Shepard III, and Maya Fleming, as well as other collaborators like DJ Roza Do and Samara Atkins.

Kaitlin and Tommy talk about how the goals of the collective have been shaped, deciding early on that young people are sophisticated enough to enjoy authentic Hip-Hop and giving them opportunities to write songs from their perspective, as well as choosing not to compromise their focus on racial justice and bring up uncomfortable topics just because they make children's music.

They also talk about what led up to their Grammy win, how the landscape in their field has been changing, and how the win has opened up new opportunities for them, and how they plan to make sure to keep those doors open for others. They talk about their working dynamic and the business model they have developed and how a policy of giving people a chance when it comes to input for the project has led to discovering new talent.

Listen to the Grammy-winning album The Movement here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6OJMNs9bxCaxUc72OfzcO9

Check out Alphabet Rockers Website:  https://www.alphabetrockers.com/

Learn more about their projects: https://www.alphabetrockers.com/links

Listen to more Mentor My Mix episodes here: http://www.mentormymix.com

Episode #33 of the Mentor My Mix Podcast brings us Vital Powers, a performing artist Born to Jamaican parents and from Wolverhampton, England. Pyramind's social media director initially discovered VitalPowers through engaging and well-produced content on his Instagram & Youtube channels. He sparked our curiosity enough to DM him and invite him down to the studios where his charm & talents convinced us to invite him on as a podcast guest to share his path to success by becoming a BBC talk-show host and a content creator and rep for DITTO Music, one of the UK's leading digital distribution platforms. The interview begins with a world premiere preview of his newest track, Too Savage. Topics range from strategies for hosting festivals and using social networks to book & promote tours with similar artists to using his presenting skills to diversify his visibility and earnings as an artist. They analyze and discuss Vital's various vocal styles and then Greg creates a beat on the spot in Ableton Live using the Push 2 for Vital to freestyle too. Vital's influences & styles come from Grime to Rap and Drill to Dancehall. Vital's influences & styles come from Grime to Rap and Drill to Dancehall. He's been a BBC Presenter and is now a DITTO Music Video Content Creator & Mentor. Affiliated with: BBC R1 / 1X / AN / WM / Introducing / Three, MOBO's, Help Musicians, PRS, Multiple Charities + more. Releases like 2016’s “POWERS" hit the iTunes Hip Hop top 20 charts Performing on over 200 stages like MADE Festival 2016 + BBC Radio 1's BIG WEEKEND Festival 2016 alongside artists such as: Stormzy, JayKae, Lethal B, Dappy, Stylo G, Big Narstie, Alkaline, Wiley, and J Hus. In 2018 BBC West Midlands gave VITAL Powers his own Radio Show. ‘The Midlands Source’ VITAL has over 2 million+ Youtube views collectively including on his personal Channel. 5 music videos featured on Channel AKA & television appearances on #MADEinBrum + BBC 1's Midlands. • SEARCH "VITAL POWERS 力" or @VITAL0 Spotify Playlist: I Came Here For VITAL Tracks Played: ● https://youtu.be/uALU35Y83pk (Too Savage - VITAL Powers) (UNRELEASED) ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gljz4ZmLEbU (CAMMY RIDDIM - VITAL Powers) ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbBTrn4Po28 (WAKE UP - VITAL Powers) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Area Hip Hop legend Big Rich started his career making beats at a young age, which is how he first met a young San Quinn. He quickly developed his love for producing and rapping in the group Fully Loaded, which became the breakout group on San Quinn and Charlie Kelley’s record label. In 2002, Big Rich released San Francisco Anthem with San Quinn and producer Traxamillion, which became the most requested song on 106.1 KMEL and became the theme music for the Giants and 49ers. Big Rich went on to work with other bay area legends like Mac Dre and E-40 and had a number of hit songs in the greater Bay Area.  Rich made the decision to diversify his career in the industry first by starting a marketing agency with his girlfriend and business partner Danielle, by offering label services. They then pivoted to education and artist discovery by launching Project Level and 1015 Management. Project Level is an educational organization that trains underserved youth in San Francisco about jobs at many levels of the music industry, including music production, videography, photography, choreography, talent management, and record label A&R work.  Rich came up with the idea for Project Level because he believed music saved his life at a young age, and he wanted to be able to share that gift with a new generation of young people in the community. 1015 Management is geared toward finding the next generation of talent to help them get developed and signed like 24KGoldn, a Bay Area superstar who Big Rich helped make the introduction to get signed by Columbia Records and go multi-platinum. With a combination of training, management and a discovery showcase called "The Next Big Thing" Project Level is well poised to deliver on its promise. Add to that funding sources and partnerships including Atlantic Records, Time/Warner, YouTube, The Golden State Warriors, and Pyramind Institute, and Big Rich is well on his way to creating an amazing ecosystem of opportunities for career development and finding the next generation of superstars. See the video recap and blog from the interview here: https://pyramind.com/big-rich-discovering-the-next-generation-of-talent Follow Big Rich https://www.instagram.com/big.rich/?hl=en Listen to the music from the podcast https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lkPydJppIPd2K9jJkfmMC Check out Project Level https://www.projectlevel.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was live-streamed to the PyramindSF.TV Twitch channel. Greg speaks with Smasheltooth, a West Coast Dj, artist, and producer whose new album Smashel of Liberty comes out spring of 2023 on Mal Label Music. Smasheltooth, or “Smash” for short, gives us a look into how her life experiences and musical influences shaped her DJ career and her first full-length album, which includes both unreleased music from nearly a decade ago, and new songs from the past few years including collaborations with Rappin' Forte and other notable artists. Her career has taken her from editing Pornography in LA to being a touring DJ and performer, and now working in Tech in Portland. All the while, Smash has unapologetically brought her love for Hip-Hop, Hyphy, Punk, Dance Hall, and especially Mac Dre to the Bass and Dance music scene. After this episode was recorded, Smash headlined Pyramind live, a VIP live audience & streamed event, playing her first-ever set of all original music, with support from fellow female DJ, Source Zero. Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/smasheltooth IG: www.instagram.com/smasheltooth FB: www.facebook.com/smasheltooth TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@smasheltooth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get to know Dylalien, a San Francisco-based artist who writes West Psy, a style of dance music born out of the Goa Gil Psytrance parties in Northern California. Dylalien and Quasar, are the duo behind Fractal Cowboys. The two have played around the world on 5 continents and at some of the largest festivals in Europe. Dylalien shares the Fractal Cowboys song "Backdoor Dinosaur," the first West Psy release put out with his musical partner of many years, Quasar. They also listen to and discuss his latest solo creations, "Clocktower" and "Waken and Baken", recently signed with Dome Of Doom Records. He and Greg discuss the hallmarks of this emerging genre as an evolution of Trance music and its influences from traditional Psy Trance and west coast Bass music. Dylalien points to his personal inspiration from artists like Negativland and from creating "psychedelic propaganda" sound collage art before being introduced to Psy Trance at Burning Man. Dylalien talks about his experience putting on events, from his first time meeting Goa Gil at Burning Man to now touring the world and performing in front of 10,000-plus crowds in South America and Israel. The discussion focuses on the importance of evolving a genre and how that happens and the emerging regional differences in the popularity of Psy Trance, West Psy, and other Psychedelic genres around the world. Dylalien has recently joined the LA-based Record Label Dome of Doom, and is excited about the opportunity to grow a larger audience here at home in California! Learn how to become an Electronic Music Producer here: https://pyramind.com/electronic-music-producer-program/ Check out Dylalien Here: https://linktr.ee/dylalien Check out Dome of Doom Records here: https://www.domeofdoom.org/ Listen to The tracks from the episode: https://open.spotify.com/track/3z6SPG1L6ecmaBz5SUnMhG?si=d3f930b0e4c345a3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Greg talks with Phil "Rene" Collis and Lukeino Argilla two members of the Drum 'n Bass group Bachelors of Science, who just released a brand new LP Within This Moment. The trio, including Chris Doe, was originally formed in San Francisco but is currently based mostly in southern California. They open up the conversation by talking about the process of collaborating on this fourteen-track LP and the challenges of working together while in different cities and across different platforms, and how they've spent years working together and coming up with a group process that works. One of the members, Luke Argilla, also works for Dolby as a mix engineer using their ATMOS Spatial Audio system, and Bachelors of Science has been releasing ATMOS mixes of their music since the remixes of their Space Between album from 2015. Luke also has an atmos-capable studio in his home. He talks about the strategies for creating spatial audio mixes of their songs and creating interesting listening experiences that will also translate to different listening environments. Phil weighs in as someone closer to an atmos music consumer and talks about experiencing atmos audio for the first time in studios and nightclubs, and how the focus of the technology has begun to shift from those environments to streaming music at home. Bachelor's of Science, both as a group and individually, have previously worked with Pyramind on a few occasions, Luke's first release was on one of Pyramind's Test Press compilations drawn from the events under the same name that Pyramind produced in the mid to late 2000's. Bachelor's of Science was also previously featured as the opening track on the 2009 LovEvolution Compilation (along with many notable artists including Miguel Migs, Bassnectar, and Lee Coombs) which was released to benefit Pyramind's annual scholarship. Their track, The Ice Dance, became one of their most played tracks but due to metadata mistakes on the Lovevolution compilation, the album was listed as a Bachelor's Of Science release rather than a compilation. The three joke about it now but this was a problem that took some time to finally get resolved with the distributor, InGrooves, highlighting the importance of getting your metadata right the first time! In 2012, They founded CODE Recording, in order to publish their own music, as well as publish other standout Drum 'n Bass artists. The tracks "Stomp" and "Brighter Days" from the latest LP, are also played and Phil and Luke talk about the inspirations for the tracks and their experiences working with the vocalists featured on them. Now that the record is out, the group has a full lineup of concerts everywhere from Denver to Sardinia and are already getting new tracks produced and mixed for their next release. Stream Within This Moment here: https://open.spotify.com/album/45gM8mKFlUM2U1dzj4mUpU Learn more about Bachelors of Science here: Linktr.ee/BachelorsOfScience Watch their Pyramind Live stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdn8aPwvMic Check out CODE Recordings here: http://www.coderecs.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gizma is a Psy Trance artist and a MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) research physician. She is a native Mexican who grew up both there as a young child but is now based in SF. Gizma recieved her M.D. from the University of Michoacan in 2009, and comes from a family of doctors. She talks about coming to San Francisco to attend Pyramind Music & Audio Production Institute because of her passion for music and love for the city. "The Opening" is the first track played, and she credits the instructors at Pyramind that helped her learn the sound design techniques and Apple's Logic Pro that gave her the skills and creative workflow to produce at this level. Greg and Gizma discuss the influences that went into this track, and how her work as a research Physician for MAPS influences the music she makes. Being an indigenous Mexican drew her to her research with MAPS because psychedelic medicine is such a big part of her culture and has inspired the music she makes. They dive into the sound design process of her music, and she talks about many of the plugins and techniques that are staples of producing Psy-Trance music as well as how she likes to sit down and start a track, usually by choosing a vocal or spoken word sample. They then get into talking about the record labels that Gizma has worked with over the years, including Spun Records, and Antu Records where she releases music now. The conversation turns to collaboration with fellow label artist, including the next track they listen to, "Cognitive Liberty" produced in collaboration with Psy Trance artist Ital. Gizma talks about the inspiration for the song, as well as the collaboration process that went into making the track. The Psy-Trance scene in Mexico is discussed, and how it's no longer the underground thing it was back in 2003 when she started going to events there, and why it's now a great thing that it's much more visible and accessible. The conversation then turns to how the psychedelic medicine of her culture and family influences her work and music, and how she applies that knowledge in her medical practice. They close out the episode by listening to the track "Ainu" by Gizma and Amplify, which was inspired by the Aboriginal Ainu people of Japan. Check out Gizma at https://gizma44.wixsite.com/gizmamusic Listen to the songs in this episode at https://www.beatport.com/artist/gizma/767546 Check out Antu Records at http://www.anturecords.com Check out MAPS at https://maps.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode starts by listening to the song "Evil Aria" by Illexxandra on the latest Mal Label compilation Space Opera. Mal talks about putting the compilation together, and how they brought together a diverse lineup of up and coming and established artists around a common stylistic theme. Greg and Mal then mention the Pyramind live stream scheduled for later that day featuring some Mal Label Artists, and how they will continue to work together on events and Mal Label releases. Mal credits two events that inspired her to get into live event production, Shambalah and Bass Coast in Canada. Both because of how fun they are and how they work hard to create a safe dance space for their patrons. Mal and Greg then discuss the meaning of safe dance spaces and how important they are for the scene, as well as how much progress has been made to create Safe dance spaces. Mal Label now has over 250 releases. The label has gotten to this point by focusing on putting out material from up-and-coming artists, as well as prioritizing women and POC artists. Mal also talks about how the label has recently moved from putting out releases in rapid succession to focusing more on creating curated compilations in order for each release to get the proper time needed for marketing. She also talks about leveraging their large catalog into a music library that focuses on micro-licensing for internet ads and home-exercise content, and how doing so has created a consistent revenue stream for the label and its artists. They listen to another couple of tracks from Space Opera, first "The Dragon" by El-Diablo and Nim-1. Greg and Mal talk about the crossover potential between Bass Music and Hip Hop, and how it's been done so successfully over the years. They close the Podcast with the closing track from Space Opera, "Space Coast Boogie" by Bukkha. Pyramind Live with Mal Label artists, El Diablo and DJ LB: https://youtu.be/5NpLSaNoVxg Mal Label: https://www.mallabelmusic.com Send Demos to demos@mallabelmusic.com Space Opera EP: https://open.spotify.com/album/0C3Iukpu3ksSKuw5MwgPbP?si=h9c9qclyQjKw0tyR7-XvVw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Wilson, AKA Sinukus, has a long and storied Bay Area music industry history. This discussion starts with an introduction to The Ambient Mafia DJ collective, their compilation releases, and their move to streaming during the pandemic. Greg & Stephen discuss the use of different technology platforms to "stage-manage" all the DJs involved and their ability to seamlessly move from one set to the next all while re-streaming to multiple platforms. The conversation then moves to Stephen's background in tech and how he gained notoriety in the music tech sector by developing an embedded MP3 player in the browser for Live 365 Internet Radio. This then led to him being hired by Winamp to develop a system for accessing your music collection from the cloud and then Avid, the makers of Pro Tools, where he was originally a developer for 12 years and ultimately for the past 7 years became an architect. His development at Avid started with the challenge of latency compensation and went on to Elastic Audio, clip based gain, and cloud collaboration. All this while promoting and throwing multiple monthly parties and ultimately back to his passion for Down-Tempo chill electronic music with the Below Zero broadcast radio show on Energy 92.7 FM from 2008 to 2014. The podcast ends with a discussion of the formation of the "meta-collective", Unison, which is made up of multiple Bay Area DJ collectives that have come together to support each other and raise money for multiple charities. This super-organized, tech-forward crew also developed multiple education docs for the technology they use for supporting and managing large collective live streams. The closing track is from The Ambient Mafia compilation, Chillroom Culture Vol. 1, called Frog Pond by Mo Corleone, and featuring Beau Dream. Links: Unison https://unison.stream The Ambient Mafia https://www.ambientmafia.com Chillroom Culture Vol 1 https://ambientmafia.bandcamp.com/releases Ambient Mafia - Sunday Sundowns live every Sunday 5pm-10pm PST https://twitch.tv/theambientmafia Sinukus https://linktr.ee/sinukus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, singer-songwriter and recording artist, Lucia Lilikoi shares the experience of creating her latest album Luz and stepping into the role of producer and engineer for the project, Greg and Lucia discuss her musical career journey, beginning with her roots growing up in Sevilla Spain with the influences of a working musician and producer father, attending a music conservatory at a young age, and then moving to Los Angeles for High School, and attending Berklee College of music.   They talk about her experience recording her first album in her father's home studio and another friend producing and helping to recruit session musicians for the project, while also playing her music live in the Los Angeles venue circuit. She goes into detail about her experience crowdfunding her second album in a time just before the current major crowdfunding platforms became prominent, and how engaging with her core group of fans helped her accomplish a successful crowdfunding campaign, and allowed her to work with Grammy winning producer, Malcolm Burn.   Lucia also talks about how she developed her specific sound and distilled it into a genre she calls Dream Folk, and how this lead her to learn the practice of sound healing. She gives us her insights about building a sustainable career in music while remaining niche in the age of streaming. Finally, they listen to the song “Angel of Mine” from her latest record Luz, and talk about her inspirations for the song and the meaning behind the lyrics. Songs played during the podcast: Black Seed & Luz from the album Luz. Website: www.lilikoimusic.com   Sound Healing: https://www.alchemicalsinging.com/ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3HKZMX5  Apple Music: https://apple.co/3uGc0wA Bandcamp: www.lucia.bandcamp.com  Videos  Light: https://bit.ly/3BcmzJ9  Angel of Mine: https://bit.ly/34Ora86  Live at The Center SF: https://bit.ly/3GJbhgD After the Wind: https://bit.ly/3uHBGcq  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Greg interviews musician, producer, mix engineer, and label boss Michael Starita. They discuss the power of saying yes even when you think you might not be ready and the importance of having the drive to learn as you go. Tracks from Michael Starita’s latest release are highlighted to show his techniques for producing and collaborating with other artists, as well as the influence of spirituality and meditation practice on his music. Michael Starita also gives us insight into his personal journey to find fulfillment in the music industry as an artist/producer and engineer. Featured Tracks; Middle track, “The Dream” featuring Christan Scott aTunde Adjuah and Trent Park from his latest album The Wakeup Call Michael Starita Wrote produced and played keys on this track, with songwriting and trumpet playing from Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, songwriting, lyrics, and vocals from Trent Park, and songwriting and guitar from Robin Applewood. This song and album were released on Michael Starita’s Be Still Records label, which is dedicated to spiritual music. Michael challenged himself and his collaborators to channel the music on the project from the heart, rather than overthink anything when writing and performing the music. Last track, “The Search” featuring Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band from The Wakeup Call Michael Starita wrote produced and played keys on this track, with songwriting and vocals from Sean Johnson of Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band. Sean Johnson sings a Mantra, from Hindu and Yoga Tradition, about the concept of the Guru, what it represents, and how it permeates everything, including each person. Michael Starita talks about the process of writing this song, by passing musical Ideas back and forth between him and Sean Johnson until they felt ready to send each other multitracks and get mixing. Michael Starita is an artist, producer, mix engineer, founder of both the Starita Music and Be Still Records labels, founder of Bay Area Music Collective, and the former president of the San Francisco chapter of the Recording Academy. He has produced and engineered tracks for a plethora of artists including Los Amigos Invisibles who were nominated for a Latin Grammy in the song of the year category, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Third Eye Blind, A Tribe Called Quest, Yo Yo Ma, and Childish Gambino to name a few. Michael Starita blends his influences and roots in Rock, Soul, and Electronic music with his spiritual practice and meditation to create genre-bending and introspective music. Website https://www.staritamusic.com/ Be Still Records website https://bestillrecords.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Greg speaks with Pyramind Alumni and recording artist, Sheridan Carter. Sheridan shares insight into his newest track "Toes Done" and how he meets and collaborates with the producers who have helped to craft his sound. They discuss the inspiration behind telling stories as a songwriter with his start singing in church and the influence his mother had on him pursuing his craft. Great tip on using his phone for writing to make sure everything's backed up in the cloud and accessible across all his devices. The loss of his mother and former producer Cosmo who tragically both passed away. How he turned inward for inspiration and dealing with the grief and wrote tracks like "I Miss You Mom" and "Lay Away" about his mother and how she continues to be a theme and source of inspiration. The importance of working on himself to better himself and sending that out as a message in his music. How the number one reason he came to Pyramind was to network and meet and collaborate with new artists and producers. Seeing the long arc of his career and the impact that collaboration has had in advancing his career opportunities including his collaboration with fellow Pyramind student Colin Sentz AKA Shrike on a track that they recorded & produced at Pyramind Studios for NBA 2K Games and how it's also been released as a single and on the Pyramind Records "Game Sound On" music compilation release. The importance of the business negotiations to make it all possible and keep up with the negotiations. The mixture of styles that made the sound pop and how that's such a driving force in the evolution of music. How "listening to more music" is so important to have as many different references and points to draw from. Cross-pollinating audiences to help drive interest to bigger audiences. The need for a "calculated push" and his business collaboration with Pyramind music business instructor Steffen Franz and Independent Distribution Collective to market and promote his releases. Peaking at #17 on the Itunes Hip Hop charts. Getting within the first five albums of the pre-release order charts. The creation of a virtual event in lieu of being able to tour during Covid. Breaking down the track, "I miss You Mom". and revealing his approach to songwriting with melodies & lyrics. They end with a sneak peak at up and coming releases and why smoking weed is an integral piece to activating his voice and feeling more comfortable and less anxious. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Greg interviews Multi-Instrumentalist, Producer, Label Boss, and Ableton Certified Trainer, Kiva. They discuss both live and studio production techniques for producing Dub-style music using Ableton Live. Featured tracks from Kiva's new album are highlighted for various drum & Dub production techniques referenced in Kiva's Pyramind Youtube videos. Kiva explains the message behind his new record and how he has held true to his vision as both an artist & producer and discusses the business of running his label Adios Babylon. Featured tracks: Opening track, "Holy Mountain" from his latest album Odium Kiva played all instruments: piano, guitar, melodica, trumpet, live percussion, live drum set, etc and sing the vocals as well. The live drums and percussion were recorded using only a laptop mic on the other side of the room to catch a dirty textured recording to blend with the clean programmed drums. Middle Track: "Return to Your Silence" feat. Ancient King produced by Kiva from album Swords of Wisdom*the drums and percussion on this song were created using the specialized rack technique demonstrated in his drum rack tutorial for Pyramind Ending Track: Akae Beka (pronounced Ahh-Kay Beh-Kah) "Power of the Trinity" Kiva 321 remix*. This song features one of the greatest and most prolific vocalists in the history of reggae, the late Vaughn Benjamin of St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands who released over 70 albums with his bands Midnite and Akae Beka before he transitioned from this world in 2019. Kiva played all instruments and this song also features a beautiful acoustic guitar section near the end he composed using alternate string tunings. Kiva is an artist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and founder of the record label Adios Babylon. Founding his record label Adios Babylon circa 2004 in NYC, Kiva has released numerous albums and has produced and remixed for many underground soul, hip hop, reggae, & dance music artists. His style blends elements of dub, soul, hip hop, and futuristic electronics. He has delivered his music through high-energy performances and DJ sets through sound systems from Brooklyn to Tokyo, and is a regular performer at the renowned “Dub in the Rainforest” festival in St. Croix, USVI. He has shared stages with reggae and dubstep artists Lee Scratch Perry, Midnite, Pressure Busspipe, Mykal Rose, Akae Beka, I Grade Dub, Kode 9, Joe Nice, RSD, and many more. His latest full-length solo instrumental album “Odium” was released mid-2021. DJ Kiva is also a world-renowned Ableton Live Certified Trainer with over 15 years teaching experience. He has taught Ableton and music production to over 7000+ students worldwide, from novice producers just beginning to pursue the craft, to legendary top professionals looking to embrace new music technology. website: www.adiosbabylon.com online music store: https://adiosbabylon.bandcamp.com/ Book Kiva for a private one on one session here: https://pyramind.com/product/kiva/ Kia's Youtube tutorials: Specialized Drum Racks in Ableton Live: https://youtu.be/IJ7myDC-338 Slice To MIDI sample chopping: https://youtu.be/_7k4o3_ChUI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todd “Kush” Kushnir is an artist and creative explorer who has been free-diving at the intersection of sound, video, and experience design for more than 30 years. A native of Silicon Valley, a graduate of Humboldt State University, and bus-traveler and sonic-manipulator with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, Kush and Greg talk about the real-world experiences that brought them together professionally and the foundation that led to his career-altering decisions that laid the foundation for his twenty-plus years in the recording industry and his recent foray into the world of NFT's. Kush has created multimedia experiences for DJ Shadow, Meat Beat Manifesto, Dream Theater, and numerous other artists. His extensive experience as a live and studio engineer, video producer, multi-instrumentalist, 2D/3D graphic designer are all on display in his latest work in the NFT world.  Kush’s latest audio releases include Everyone Orchestra releases found here: https://everyoneorchestra.bandcamp.com/ Kush NFTs are scattered across the Metaverse: https://linktr.ee/kushnadas  Beats with Visuals: https://metashrooms.io https://foundation.app/kushnadas The latest Drop is here: https://knownorigin.io/kushnadas Abstracts Collection here: https://opensea.io/collection/kush-abstracts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices