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