Digital Detox Ep. 4 | Frank Brown on Music, Mentorship & Surviving the Industry

Welcome to Digital Detox Ep. 4 featuring the legendary Frank Brown — audio engineer, musician, and mentor whose career spans decades across television, concerts, and music. In this episode, MattViolinist sits down with Frank to dive into his journey, from being born into a musical family to working with icons like Destiny’s Child, building studios, and mentoring the next generation of artists. This conversation covers the state of today’s music industry, the realities of being a working musician, the value of mentorship, and how to create longevity in an ever-changing landscape. If you’re an artist, DJ, or creative navigating the modern music world, this episode is packed with gems. 🕒 Timestamps 0:00 – Intro & Matt’s story of meeting Frank 4:45 – Frank Brown’s musical roots and family history 11:30 – From musician to audio engineer & TV background 17:20 – Lessons from building studios and working with artists 23:40 – Mentorship, guiding young creatives, and asking “What’s your plan?” 31:15 – Destiny’s Child and early big-stage experiences 37:50 – The decline of record labels & the rise of streaming 44:05 – The problem with today’s music industry structure 51:30 – DJing, phrasing, and how the craft has changed 58:00 – The importance of environment & creating the right vibe in studios 1:06:20 – Advice for new artists navigating today’s landscape 1:12:40 – Closing thoughts & words of wisdom