MING: Getting signed, touring, national commercials, multiple streams of revenue, and a Grammy Nomination

From New York bands to the University of Miami and back. Working through the tech boom of the late nineties to support a growing music career. 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 with OM 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 all while playing in a rock band and 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 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!"

Watch MING breakdown his remake of White Horse: https://youtu.be/f8-CqwFYGsk

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