Monthly Recap May 2026

Introduction

May was a month of new beginnings. New paths, new systems, new insights — but also a lot of uncertainty. I learned that independence doesn't mean being alone. There are people who help. There are structures that make sense. And there are insights that take you deeper into your business than you expected. This month was less about success and more about movement — and that's exactly what I needed.

Beat Store Migration The Manual Step Toward More Control

The decision was clear: time to leave BeatStars. Not out of bitterness, but out of strategy. Mass market. 3-for-2 deals. That doesn't fit Vaynex — and I even saved a subscription fee in the process.

So: migration to Gumroad.

The thing is: a migration is a manual process that takes a lot of time. Every beat has to be uploaded individually. Every description rewritten. Every license term adjusted. It wasn't glamorous, but it was necessary.

Why Gumroad? Because it's simple. Because I can integrate it directly into my blog. Because I'm in control — not some algorithm shoving my beats into a 3-for-2 campaign. The custom domain link isn't working yet, but that's fine. Processes take time.

No sales through Gumroad yet. That's okay too. The system is set up. The structure is there.

Music Business Basics Workshop at Musik Büro Basel

One workshop. Four parts. One insight that changed everything.

I attended the "Music Business Basics" workshop by Musik Büro Basel. The agenda was packed: structure of the music industry (labels, publishers, distribution, management), copyright & rights (copyright law, master rights, publishing), revenue streams & collection societies (royalties, PROs, neighbouring rights, sync, metadata) and practical application.

But the most important takeaway was clear: There are people who help.

The music business is a brutally tough industry. That's no secret.

The host was Lea G from break-through-consultancy.com. The organizer: Musik Büro Basel (musikbuerobasel.ch). A few hours of input that saved me months of research.

Collab with Ari — Final Stretch, Full Power, Surprise Coming

This was the month the collab with Ari really picked up speed.

The dynamic? Full power. No misunderstandings. No compromises where both sides walk away unhappy. That's rare. That's valuable. That's exactly what I envisioned for Vaynex.

The stems from my beats have been sent to Ari. And: almost all of them have been recorded. Nearly every track is in the can. That means a release is coming soon — one that shows more than just my beats.

There's also a surprise. But the announcement comes later. Maybe in the June recap.

The release is coming soon. And I'm ready.

What Else Was Going On

• Finger drumming & sampling intensified: Invested a lot of time into craft. That pays off directly in the feel of the beats. When you feel the machine instead of just controlling it, everything sounds different.

Outlook June 2026

• Build out Gumroad: Upload more beats.
• Prepare Ari collab release: Marketing, distribution, announce the surprise.