Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brayden Massie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brayden, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I was lucky enough to learn my craft from two music institutions that ultimately shaped and helped create the producer I am today. I started out learning at Icon Collective in LA, later studied to get a masters degree in music production from Berklee, and then went back to Icon to take some of their advanced courses. This path of learning quite literally taught me everything I know in terms of music production. I say this because I didn’t just learn in the classroom, I was also able to learn from so many aspiring artists around me. Being in an environment where people focused strictly on the music and its creation was very powerful for my learning both inside and outside of the classroom. The fun part of it all is that even though I learned from a more structured environment, I am still learning every single day about my craft. I believe learning never stops, and there are so many talented artists out there who’ve not gone to school who are incredible and knowledgeable, so I think there are always places to grow and learn from everyone. No matter where you start, though, I encourage anyone who wants to learn production to seek knowledge in any way you can. Go on YouTube, practice concepts/try to listen for things, get involved in producer communities (e.g., Discord), and just be super hungry for knowledge. I’m a firm believer that consistently making incredible music will always lead you down a positive path in this industry. I don’t know everything, but I know that trying to always be involved in learning in some aspect has helped me in my own art.

When it comes to what skills I think are most essential in this craft, I personally think the two most important skills are resilience and the ability to constantly seek knowledge. This industry and craft are full of ups and downs when it comes to emotional and financial stress. There are many different paths as well, so sometimes its hard to know if or feel like you’re on the right one. The only thing I know for sure is that you only lose if you stop trying. People learn and move at different rates, and even though that’s the case, if you’re constantly trying to learn the craft and be a positive part of the industry in and outside of the studio, you’ll get to where you want to go, I truly believe that; just don’t stop trying.

Some of the biggest obstacles in my past and current career that have limited my learning mostly revolve around obstacles I’ve set for myself. There’s the obvious financial obstacle that most producers face because sometimes learning may cost a great deal of money making it difficult to gain access to knowledge. Plus, even though there’s free knowledge out there, having the discipline to constantly learn and guide oneself is tough. The obstacle that I feel I set for myself most often is exactly that, the lack of time investment/discipline and then feeling guilty about it. That guilt can weigh me down quite a bit, making it seem like I’m doing nothing to advance my career. That becomes paired with a feeling of worthlessness and sometimes its’s really hard to create or even want too. Because of this, I’ve tried my best to create a personally respectable balance between creation/music and my every day life. It’s definitely not easy, but I try to keep in mind that even watching a few producer related videos on YouTube can be seen as a win on the day for me and my music journey. I think this will always be an obstacle for me, but I try my best to keep my head down, ignore the noise, and just keep grinding.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

What peaked my interest surrounding music creation was mainly the music itself. I grew up playing music and being around it constantly while my life was being shaped. Music is everything for me; my emotional support, cheerleader, dance partner, and most understanding friend. It provides therapy to me, and I found a lot of fulfillment in those feelings. Creating music has always fascinated me and I think that fascination, paired with the desire to help/connect with others, drove me to music production. Once there, I just kind of went down this rabbit hole, made a commitment, and decided to go for it. I would say I launched myself into the music industry officially around 2019, when I helped create a record label.

The name of the record label is SOL Records. We primarily distribute, promote, and curate house/techno music. We also host live events throughout the year. If you want to check us out, it’s @moveforsol on Instagram, we’d love to get to know you! Aside from the label, I personally provide mastering services for other producers or artists. I also produce my own music under the alias Mass.E.

I think what I’m most proud of currently is the company’s ability to keep moving in what we perceive as a positive direction. Even though we’ve shifted our focus from primarily hosting live events to the distribution of music, it feels like we’re moving in a direction that is in line with what we want to achieve as a company. I feel good about the other producers around us and the business plan we’ve set in place. With that being said, shout out to everyone who’s a part of the community and to the people who’ve supported our music, it means the world to us.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative to me is connecting with people through music. The connection that you feel with the dance floor can be incredible, and providing a form of musical therapy to both myself and someone else is definitely something I enjoy.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The best thing you can do to support an artist is to buy that artists art on places like Bandcamp. If you can’t spend money, then like their photos, repost them on socials, or tell people about them. I think these are all easy things to help support artists. At the end of the day, we live in a social ecosystem driven by what we see on our phones. Standing out in those environments can change an artists career. So aside from telling people about the artist, liking/reposting/commenting on their social media can help a lot for anyone trying to gain exposure.

Contact Info:

• Website: masseproductions.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/mass_e_music
• Facebook: Facebook.com/mass_e_music
• Twitter: twitter.com/mass_e_music
• Other: www.moveforsol.com