Primeiro Beat
Belo Horizonte, Brazil · first cohort complete · partner: named local studio
What it is
Eighteen young producers who had never worked in a professional room got paid studio time, an engineer, and mastering for one finished track each. No contract, no royalty share, no obligation to credit anyone.
Why we fund it this way
The gap for a producer at that stage is not talent or software. It is one properly monitored room and one person who knows how to mix. Both are cheap to buy and almost impossible to access without a network.
What we got wrong
The first cohort was recruited entirely through our own social channels, which meant it skewed toward people already following the artist. The second cohort will recruit through schools and community studios instead.
Quarterly breakdown
The full year.
Budget
Where the $24,000 went.
| Line | Detail | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Studio time | 212 hours at partner rate | $12,700 |
| Engineer fees | Recording and mixing | $6,300 |
| Mastering | 31 tracks | $2,800 |
| Equipment fund | Shared mics and interfaces | $1,600 |
| Showcase event | Venue and sound | $600 |
| Total | Cost per producer $1,333 | $24,000 |
That is what it costs to take someone from a bedroom setup to a finished, mastered track. A $250 monthly gift funds two producers a year, start to finish.
On location