Michael's Mixdown

Kyle Decker of Quest Friends

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:14:42 GMT

On today's episode of Michael's Mixdown, Kyle Decker, showrunner for Quest Friends! joins me for a discussion about actual play table top roleplaying podcasts. He and I compare notes on what makes our audio dramas different, as well as talk about what makes the actual play podcast scene so popular these days! Plus I put Kyle to the test and ask him to blindly react to which one of my dice towers sounds better!

Find everything you need to know about Quest Friends! here

If you're interested in my other show, The Custodians, you can find that here

Michael's Mixdown is a show primarily about the recording arts, so whether you heard it in the studio or in the stadium, you can hear about it here on Michael's Mixdown.

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Indy Prog Metalists StarChaser Discuss Tsars of the Universe

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

If you're a fan of the show, you know I love a good concept album. And when I found out there were local Indy prog musicians creating a concept album just down the road from me? I had to have them over to discuss it! This episode, I sat down with StarChaser, the medium-bending band led by the visionary Kara Tucker (vocals/guitar) and her husband Nick Tucker (bass/guitar). Dorian Phelps rounds out the trio on drums. More than just musicians, Nick and Kara bring together art, fashion, and storytelling to create a world around their music. Since Kara and Nick are locals, I actually got to have them over to the Michael's Mixdown studio for an in-person chat! In this conversation, they share how their artistic backgrounds shape StarChaser’s identity, from the bold visual aesthetics and stage presence to the deeply personal stories woven into their lyrics, and the music they love that inspires them. Whether you’re drawn in by the sound, the look, or the stories behind it all, this episode offers a closer look at the creative heartbeat of Indianapolis' own StarChaser.

All the links!

https://www.youtube.com/@JuJu_StarChaser

https://starchaser1.bandcamp.com/album/tsars-of-the-universe

https://www.instagram.com/jujustarchaser/

Find my other show, The Custodians, here: https://shows.acast.com/the-custodians

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Joe Fisher Creator of Midnight Burger

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Ever wonder how the burgers get made over at Midnight Burger HQ? Tune into this episode of Michael's Mixdown to find out all about Joe Fisher, and how he makes his hit sci-fi audio drama series. We talk about the differences between how we make our respective shows, and discuss what goes into audio drama production from dialogue to sound effects. How many cores should your computer have to make an audio drama? Turns out, most of them! Joe discusses how Midnight Burger was formed, and how the community has grown since its inception. We discuss Indiana in media, cause that's where I'm from! We even talk about the in-person Burger Con and what else you can expect from the folks at Midnight Burger on their Patreon feed later this summer. Want to learn more about how Joe does his thing? Subscribe to the Patreon and stay tuned!

Find everything Midnight Burger here: https://www.weopenatsix.com/

Their TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@4diceharpies

Their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midnightburgerpod/

Support them on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/midnightburger

Find The Custodians, my audio drama here: https://shows.acast.com/the-custodians

Support The Custodians (So Gross Productions) on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/So_Gross

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stop.drop.rewind and Engineer Roye Robley Discuss SDR Self-Titled

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 17:00:58 GMT

We had a few... difficulties this episode. I've decided that "Black Hole Benny" the giant space cat must have been interfering with our transmission. Apologies in advance that the interview skips around a few times. We had a terrible time with the recording service, and people kept dropping out and having difficulty connecting. Bearing that in mind, this is still an excellent episode packed with tons of great insights into how this album was made!

In today's episode of Michael's Mixdown, stop.drop.rewind rejoins me to discuss their newest release with their engineer and producer, Roye Robley! Their self-titled album hit the airwaves back in November, and has been a big hit for the band. We discuss how their success has grown over the years, how several of the songs were written and recorded, and what the guys have planned next!

You can find prog-punk, Northwest Indiana-based stop.drop.rewind here:

https://www.stopdroprewind.com/

You can buy their music here:

https://stopdroprewind.bandcamp.com/

You can find Roye here:

https://linktr.ee/royerobley

stop.drop.rewind is a Midwest power trio that combines the energy and spirit of pop-punk with the colors and improvisational elements of jazz and soaring intricacies of progressive rock to bring forth a sound that is as unique as it is listenable. All music appearing in this episode from the album "stop.drop.rewind" and all music is used with permission.

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Nospūn Bassist and Vocalist Discuss Ozai EP and Next Project

Mon, 05 May 2025 04:42:16 GMT

Cole Millward (Bass) and Phil Rich (Vocals) join me to discuss their latest release, Ozai. Ozai is an EP that reintroduces some of their older work to the world in a re-recorded, mixed, and mastered package. They tell me all about rebuilding that EP from the ground up, and how they've changed over the years from the original release. We discuss them meeting Dream Theater, playing at ProgPower, harsh vocals, hidden references, and the future of touring and their next release!

Follow Nospūn!

https://www.facebook.com/NospunOfficial

https://www.instagram.com/nospun_official

Listen to Opus!

https://open.spotify.com/album/0fKncaxQqzmZHCNVtKPKOz?si=WWep3iijTkKiEqh5SzyWaA

Listen to Ozai, new and original versions!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7aoxabLnQs2iORO40s7rf5?si=xxzedoZMQxyfijR8I_RNtQ

https://open.spotify.com/album/3n13wGC3h9vG8T0E2AcURP?si=zzTRBnq5QgW-axlrhycQ2w

Listen to Cole and Michael on our previous episode of Michael's Mixdown!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0VUqYNw92IYtznbjLgxO2b?si=pIO0X5CFQ0ybPB9aC7uBsg

Follow me!

https://www.facebook.com/michaelsmixdown

https://www.instagram.com/michaelsmixdown/

Ozai and Opus created and owned by Nospūn, a progressive metal band hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina. All excerpts from Ozai used with permission.

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Fleetwood Mac's Rumors with Mikey

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:09:50 GMT

Joining me today is Mikey from the podcast "The Crossover with Josh and Mikey." Josh is a buddy of mine, and you can hear more about him in episode 12. Anywho, Josh introduced me and Mikey and awhile after that he's jumping at the chance to be on my show! So today we're talking about Fleetwood Mac's classic album "Rumors." Sometimes you get a rare album where nearly every song is perfect, and many, if not all, of the songs from the album are successful hits. Equal parts drama, talent, and engineering goodness combine to give us one of the most successful and best-selling albums of all time. Join Mikey and I in a discussion that spans from 1977 to 1997 about Fleetwood Mac (and a few other bands maybe). Find "The Crossover with Josh and Mikey" here: https://anchor.fm/thecrossoverwjam

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Michael and Friends Favorites of 2021

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:09:38 GMT

This episode, I wanted to talk about all my favorite albums and songs that came out this year. There's no real order here, it's not a top 10 in any way. Just all my favorite things that came out this year. I discuss what I liked about these releases and how they got me through the year. And since I listen to a decent variety of genres, so there's a whole bunch of different stuff to listen to this episode! And at the end, I got some friends to chime in and tell me what their favorite stuff was this year, and what their music did for them in 2021!

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American Idiot, musings about Fall and Loss

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:06:38 GMT

Do you remember the 21st night of September? The day that American Idiot by Green Day was released to the public? And I'm pretty certain that no other significant musical history has to do with September 21st. Anyway, this episode is all about the album American Idiot, which was a huge hit for Green Day in 2004. This album brought them back to the scene, even though it was vastly different than what they'd done before. Full of political unrest and teenage angst, this album contains songs that helped to define my entire generation. This album was ubiquitous when I was growing up, and not Earth, nor wind, nor fire could stop it. Come take a listen to find out what made this album so special.

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Counting Crows Special

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:06:22 GMT

I have loved this band since I was a kid, and it's one of the few bands that has stuck with me all my life. Join me in this episode where I talk about all the walks of life that have included Counting Crows. I ramble on about personal stories, times of doubt and hurt, and times where I felt inspired and mighty. Counting Crows has it all. This is probably the most personal I've gotten in an episode to date, so be open and have some feels with me.

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In The Air Tonight Solo'd

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:06:08 GMT

In this Solo'd episode of Michael's Mixdown, I quickly break down two versions of In The Air Tonight, the first being the original, and the other being a cover version by The Protomen. I talk about how Phil Collins went from being the drummer of Genesis, to being an incredibly successful solo artist. I also talk about the differences between the two songs, and what I like about the cover that they changed. If you recognize this cover of In The Air Tonight, it might be because it was in the latest season of Cobra Kai!

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Towerblock Solo'd

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:05:54 GMT

Welcome to a new format style episode from Michael's Mixdown. The Solo'd episodes will be shorter and come more frequently than the big deep-dive episodes. Sometimes a song just strikes me in a certain way, and I have an immediate appreciation for the production. Some songs also just do not have all that much detailed history to search for online. So this series was born. These episodes will be more commentary style throughout the song, and just my thoughts and reactions to what I'm hearing.

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The History of Thriller

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:05:28 GMT

In this episode, I break down the iconic Thriller, by Michael Jackson. There's a ton of information about this album out there, and there was a lot to unpack. This is a great episode, and you'll learn a lot about what went into Thriller, the best selling album of all time!

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The Making of Hamilton

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:05:06 GMT

In this first episode of Michael's Mixdown, I discuss the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hamilton, and how the record was made and other behind the scenes details!

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Cigarettes Solo'd

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:28:26 GMT

I've been thinking about covering my thoughts on this song for a long time, and here it finally is! In this episode I discuss the song "Cigarettes" by King's X. This song debuted on their 1994 album Dogman, and it has some really killer production. I talk at length about how the vocals and guitars are hard panned left and right, which adds some depth and emotion to the song. In my opinion, they sound disconnected from one another. This is a great sad, melancholy song, perfect for a rainy day.

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Scenes From A Memory, a Masterclass in Prog Concept Albums

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:28:04 GMT

In this episode, I tackle one of my favorite albums of all time, Dream Theater's Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory. Scenes is an amazing display of musicianship and lyrics, and every time I listen to it, I'm totally blown away. It's one of those feelings that I wish I could go back and listen to it for the first time again. Scenes really is an incredible piece of art, and I hope you all will give it a listen.

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Indy Locals: Sunset etc

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:46:20 GMT

What do you get when you throw Rue Fontaine, Abe Rodriguez, Daniel Minnerick in a blender? Probably a gross mess. But throw them on stage or in the studio together and they become Sunset etc! They're a band local to me that plays shows all around Indianapolis. I actually had them live in the Michael's Mixdown studio (small bedroom in my house). We talk all about what the band has been up to lately, including the recording of their recent singles. We also just cover a lot of life stuff, audio nerd stuff, our favorite movies, and we talk about many more interesting topics (dicks)! Get in touch with the guys and sign up for their mailing listsunsetetcetera@gmail.comFind their music:https://sunsetetc.bandcamp.com/Get their socials here:https://www.instagram.com/sunsetetc/https://www.facebook.com/sunsetetc/

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Five Year Anniversary

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 04:30:45 GMT

Happy birthday to Michael's Mixdown! I've been podcasting for five years now. I've met a lot of very cool people, and I've experienced a lot of cool things. Today I want to recap my journey to this point, and go over some of the things I've learned. I can't teach you how to make a lot of money, but I might be able to teach you how to be a better podcaster. This episode comes on the heels of the notice that many of my episodes have been taken down due to copyright violations. It was my understanding that Spotify was granting a blanket license to use any music found on their platform so long as this show was hosted on this platform. They notified me that the protection was going to be removed going forward, but that episodes published before June of this year would be honored. I guess they walked back the deal. The entire topic of "fair use" is for another time, but this impacts the ability for this show to exist. Going forward, all episodes will be interview style and any copyrighted works presented will be done so with the express permission of the artist who is being interviewed. All that being said, Michael's Mixdown will be taking a back seat to other plans I have. If you feel so inclined, please check out The Hellscape, and The Custodians.https://shows.acast.com/the-hellscape/episodes/the-custodians-episode-one-hell-breaks-loose

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How Bewildered Biscuit Productions Brings Comics to Life

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:01:00 GMT

In today's episode, I sat down with the team at Bewildered Biscuit Productions (BBP) and discussed their projects in animated comics! Many of my voice acting friends are involved in their various projects, including former Michael's Mixdown guest Nels Gross (episode 36). BBP take comic books and turn them into something special far beyond any ordinary motion comic. They add animation, voice acting, music, and sound effects! So come learn a little about the process and then check out their work!https://www.youtube.com/@BewilderedBiscuitProductionshttps://bewilderedbiscuit.com/https://www.instagram.com/bewildered_biscuit_productions/https://www.tiktok.com/@bewilderedbiscuit?_t=8gyUUFiOSTL&_r=1https://www.facebook.com/bewildered.biscuit.productions

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A Spooky Conversation with The Cello Doll

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 06:14:15 GMT

Joining me today is Carolyn Regula, aka The Cell Doll! I saw Carolyn talking on her YouTube channel talking about building a booth for home recording, and I knew that we should have a conversation about that! We talk all about her career as a cellist, our favorite metal bands, and about her journey to becoming a home recording artist. I guarantee you will learn interesting things about recording, and have a ball laughing along with us. The Cello Doll website:https://www.cellodoll.com/The Cello Doll Social Medias: https://www.facebook.com/thecellodoll/https://www.instagram.com/thecellodoll/https://www.youtube.com/@CelloDollhttps://www.tiktok.com/@thecellodollCheck out her latest single:https://open.spotify.com/album/5qq0oYxougANW8RHhTqpEJ?si=Yt_bBXd9QUmFe6Mx6k3G9A

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Pete Mitchell on His Solo Material

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 04:01:00 GMT

Pete came back! This time, we talk about Pete's solo career, but we do talk a little about No More Kings. Pete has released 4 albums and half a dozen singles spanning the last 9 years. We go into his process for production, how his solo stuff alters from No More Kings, and a few nerdy tangents. Oh, and if you listened to the last episode with Pete, you might remember that I tried to set up and interview a Robo Petey, but it didn't work out very well. So for this episode, I interviewed Pete inside a soundproof room inside of a Faraday cage. I am certain that Robo Petey will not find out about it. Find Pete's stuff here, including his artworkhttps://daspetey.bandcamp.com/ http://www.daspetey.com/https://www.etsy.com/shop/daspeteyOr listen to him on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/0wIOhOQ25lu76ffjsbDFCN?si=b9BWZRUbSNGNAhUqGLtppgFollow him on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/petemitchellmusicJoin his Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/daspetey

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All Things Audio with Aarondoesaudio

Mon, 20 May 2024 06:25:21 GMT

Who is Aaron? Why does he do audio? Come find out in this episode of Michael's Mixdown. Today's guest, Aaron Willis, has nearly 30 years of audio experience and joins me in this episode to share his experiences and share some wisdom he's picked up along the way. We also talk about some of our favorite audio software and other gear. We wax philosophical about how to get the best out of your time in the studio. Find Aaron's website herehttps://aarondoesaudio.com/Follow Aaron on Tiktokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@aarondoesaudio

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Old Gods of Asgard, Masters of Music in Remedy Games

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:31:09 GMT

Warriors, torchbearers, come redeem your dreams! Joining me in this episode are Markus Kaarlonen (aka Captain) and Olli Tukiainen, who appear in Alan Wake 2 as Tor Anderson and Bob Balder respectively. Captain and Olli are the keyboard player and guitarist from Poets of the Fall, but they also make music as the Remedy Entertainment in-universe fictional band Old Gods of Asgard. We discussed how they make the switch from Poets to Old Gods, how interactive game songs like "Herald of Darkness" and "Take Control" are created, and their appearance at The Game Awards 2023! Find info about Poets and Old Gods on their official website herePurchase their merch hereHerald of Darkness music video hereExperience Alan Wake 2 for yourself here

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Cole Millward of Nospūn - Best Prog Metal of 2023?

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:58:52 GMT

The progressive metal scene has been shaken up by some dudes from North Carolina calling themselves Nospūn. Their bass player and audio engineer, Cole Millward, joins me on this episode to talk all about the production of their debut album Opus. Opus is a concept album following the story of a young man who is obsessed with completing his opus, and will sacrifice just about anything to see it through. Cole tells me all about the recording and engineering on the album, from guitar cab sims and drum samples, to the surprisingly complicated layers of the vibraslap sound in the middle of Earwyrm. We do a brief overview of the story for the album, and we discuss what's next for the band!Catch Nospūn live at ProgPower 2024https://progpowerusa.com/Follow Nospūn:https://www.facebook.com/NospunOfficialhttps://www.instagram.com/nospun_officialhttps://www.tiktok.com/@nospun_officialCheck the music video for Earwyrm:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt8Ccwa_j9s

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Odysseus Welcomes You to the Horizon

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 07:20:00 GMT

Ever heard any Nashville Prog Rock? You're about to! Odysseus' upcoming album "Horizon" will be out 2/3/24, and you should check it out! This episode we talk about the story of this ambitious concept album, and the production behind it. And we talk about Cheerios at some length, so there's a little bit of everything in this episode! Plus, near the end, one of my favorite bits that I've ever designed for the show and I had myself howling with laughter, so stick around 'til the end!

Find their Discord here:

https://discord.gg/ep9kXDTkxs

Odysseus website:

https://www.odysseusexperience.com/

Streaming links here:

https://www.odysseusexperience.com/music

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Voice Actor, Composer, and Audio Engineer Nels Gross

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 17:45:33 GMT

Today's episode forecast calls for stupid voices and a high of lotsa laughs. Meet Nels, he's a cool guy. Voice actor, musician, engineer, he's everything you could ever want to be and more. We've worked on a few projects together, from his Hellscape to some of his music. Come listen as we spin you a tale (and use a lot of stupid voices to do it).

Nels info here:

https://linktr.ee/voiceofnels

Join the Hellscape Discord:

https://discord.gg/25sJmqUMr4

The New Zodiax comic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9UJhh9wqzg

The Hellscape audio production on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/557kl2iAqsy9Bl00pj0xdR?si=ed67400e25734af3

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VO Discord and TikTok with Chris and Mandy

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 19:03:54 GMT

Have you seen those voice acting challenges on TikTok? Maybe you've participated in a few of them! Or maybe you've started looking up resources for voice acting and found there are Discord communities online. Well join us in this episode where guests Chris Greenfield and Mandy Fisher discuss their online voice over communities. We discuss all about what resources you can find and take advantage of if you are just starting your voice over journey. Mandy and Chris provide all kinds of content to help everyone learn and grow, and the communities have really blossomed into something that we're all very proud of. If you're seeing this as one of the first steps in your voice acting journey, please join us in our respective communities and ask as many questions as you can!

Mandy's server:

https://discord.gg/MhxTJB6vQX

Chris' server:

https://discord.gg/UTwxpcNBKj

Find Mandy on TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@astoriaredhead

Find Chris on TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisgreenfieldva

Mandy's websites:

https://linktr.ee/astoriaredheadvo

Chris' website:

https://chrisgreenfield.info/

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Russ Castillo: A Life of Music (Pink Floyd, Producer's Workshop)

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 05:18:21 GMT

You folks are in for a treat today! Russ Castillo is a record producer, audio engineer, and former audio professor, as well as my friend for the better part of 10 years. We met when he was invited to be a guest speaker at one of my audio classes in college. It was immediately clear that he'd had a long and storied career in audio in Los Angeles. He worked for Producer's Workshop, which saw many huge bands walk through the door. Russ was close with Pink Floyd during their time making The Wall, and has since worked with other major acts including The Doors, Liberace, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Russ lived in Muncie for a few years, just around the corner from my buddy Steve Robert (see episode 5 for more about Steve), and I got to see him in action once and soaked up as much as I could. Russ is so full of stories, we could probably do several 2 hour episodes, but we'll just start with this one! Thanks again to Russ for taking the time to be on my show, it really means the world to me!

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Gabriel Harley Band Rocks in Central Indiana

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 05:54:17 GMT

This episode of Michael's Mixdown has been awhile in the works. Gabe, front man of the Gabriel Harley Band, and I have been friends for 7 or so years now. Gabe was my first post-college audio connection, and we've worked together on many projects since. I've been Gabe's studio assistant, his pain-in-the-side, and live sound engineer. I've finally gotten the chance to have him on the show, along with the rest of the band, of course! Dave Alexander (lead guitar), Kendall Thomson (bass), and Eric Wood (drums) all sat down with me to discuss the recording of the upcoming album "Beat of a Broken Heart," which releases on November 19th. We cover some of the gigs we've worked on over the years (and let me tell you, some of these stories are quite something), how the album came together, and we even talk about some of Gabe's previous work (with the odd D&D reference thrown in). This is also the most guests I've ever had on the show at once, and it was really quite a thrill to be able to put all this together. It really is a pleasure to know and work with these gentlemen.

Check out the single "Beat of a Broken Heart" out now!

https://open.spotify.com/album/3YxWDMZJm2nt8Y6km2nMr9?si=A8P57vc6TXaC3B5OqOSuEQ

Join the Gabriel Harley Music Group here, and interact with the band!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/4079651868780605

Join us for the album release party for "Beat of a Broken Heart" at the Patron Saint in downtown Indianapolis, featuring special guests Highwater Troubadours!

https://www.facebook.com/events/853949192722845

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Colette Feehan 2, Audiobook Boogaloo

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 06:04:49 GMT

It's been awhile since I had my friend Colette on the show, and has she ever been busy! Since we spoke last, she completed her PhD, got married, and has started a career as an audio book director. She also does voice acting, and can make trumpet and loon sounds. Is there anything she can't do? Join us for a peek behind the curtain on how audio books get made, and other goofy things that we discuss along the way.

Find Colette here: https://www.cmfvoices.com/

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Science Penguin, A Conversation about Prog on the Road

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 03:50:26 GMT

Hey, I made some new friends! Join me for a sort of impromptu episode where Joel and Matt from Maryland-based Science Penguin get to know me, and I them. We talk all about what kinds of bands we're into

(surprise it's prog) and how their recent tour went. There's some really good advice in here if you're a musician that's heading on the road or into the studio for the first time.

Find Science Penguin here: https://sciencepenguinmd.bandcamp.com/

Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SciencePenguinMD/

Or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciencepenguinmd/?hl=en

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Devora Wilde aka Lae'zel of Baldur's Gate 3

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 05:05:14 GMT

Hey Michael's Mixdown fans, are you ready for a Wilde time? Get it? Because on today's episode, I have Devora Wilde as a guest! Devora has many on-screen credits in shows such as "Pandora" and "Hollyoaks" and voice-over credits in games such as "Total War: Warhammer 3" and "Battlefield 2042." But most recently she was one of the lead roles in Baldur's Gate 3, playing the Githyanki fighter Lae'zel. Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) has taken the PC gaming world by storm and has quickly risen to be one of the highest rated, and most played computer games of all time. Join us for this episode, where we discuss what it was like to provide voice to one of the most iconic characters in recent video games, but also the process for suiting up to provide motion capture as well! This episode was recorded live in the Astoria Redhead VO Discord Server (Astoria Redhead's Server), which provides tons of free resources and advice on all things voice acting. So if YOU would like to learn more about the world of voice acting, and get started on your VO journey, please join us there!

https://discord.gg/scYYPgQvWB

Follow Devora on TikTok here

https://www.tiktok.com/@thisisdevo?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

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Pete Mitchell of No More Kings

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 05:35:34 GMT

Today a dream of mine came true. They say never to meet your heroes, but I say you need to find better heroes. I've been listening to No More Kings since my college friend and roommate Mike introduced me to them. NMK has a particular style and sense of humor that just fit perfectly with us. Joining me today is the man behind the band, Pete Mitchell. Join us for a lot of laughs and sincere moments. We talk about the background of the band, some behind the scenes info on various tracks, Dungeons & Dragons, the MCU, misheard lyrics, and more! No More Kings is known for such songs as "Obey the Groove," "Critical Hit," and "Sweep the Leg." NMK is also famous for the music video that accompanies "Sweep the Leg" which gathered the cast of The Karate Kid together long before Cobra Kai. Pete's music has also been featured on the television show Psych and the video game Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. Listen in anywhere you get your podcasts from, and pray Robo-Petey never finds you.

Find everything No More Kings and Pete Mitchell here: http://www.daspetey.com/nomorekings

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stop.drop.rewind: Midwest Prog Punk

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 05:10:47 GMT

In today's episode, I had the pleasure of talking to some new friends, Kris and DJ from stop.drop.rewind! The TikTok labeled "progpunk" band caught my ear the first time I heard them, and the fact that they were fellow Hoosiers was the icing on the cake. I knew from seeing them on TikTok that they would be the exact type of guys I would have a blast talking to, and so I did! We cover a lot of ground, everything from Lord of the Rings, to the business behind the music, and even some tips for everything from practicing to stage presence. This episode is just too fun and epic to get into a description, so put your headphones on and listen to some Indiana nerds talk shop (as well as lots of their awesome material sprinkled in)! SDR's newest single "Dinosaur Bones" is available now, and is accompanied by this amazing music video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMazXhtuzdY

Find SDR wherever you stream music.

Learn more here: https://www.stopdroprewind.com/

Buy and listen here: https://stopdroprewind.bandcamp.com/

Kris's TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@sdrklo

DJ's TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@MS4wLjABAAAAkm0-rThTIyf7HjtPcXaO7lNTE3F3cB0iNjPsOpr2ONkpmEC9-NYVj9jR2VV1kGRN

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Creating The Voice of Vader

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 06:35:17 GMT

In this episode, I decided to talk about one of the most iconic villain voices of all time. Darth Vader! Later in the episode I also take a crack at recreating the iconic character's voice and effects with my own style. I didn't want to do an impression or copy exactly what's already been done, so this will be Vader like you've never heard him before!

Also, this episode contains spoilers for Obi-Wan, so if you haven't seen it yet, go watch that first!

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Voice Actor Mandy Fisher on How to Break into Voice Acting

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 05:49:05 GMT

In today's episode, I chat with voice over professional Mandy Fisher about her experiences in the voice over field. You might have heard Mandy's work in commercials for Macy's, Crayola, or Peloton. With 15 years experience behind her, I figured she would be the right person to ask, "How does one take things to the next step?" So if you've already dipped your toes in the voice over pond, and you've decided to move forward with how to acquire the right gear and work with the right people to get your career started, this episode is for you. We discuss some different types of commercial VO and what you can do to be successful in those fields. This discussion, however, does not cover things like how to get started, or if you should try fiverr or not. For those resources, look to places like iwanttobeavoiceactor.com or even Mandy's tikok @astoriaredhead

Find Mandy's stuff here: https://www.mandyofish.com/

So take a listen to our conversation about how to survive in the voice over industry at the professional level, and let me know what you thought!

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Peter Rothbart: Storytelling in Music

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 10:07:29 GMT

A decade ago, I saw a show when I was in college that left an impact on me. After that show my college girlfriend and I bought a CD from the singer we'd seen. His name is Peter Rothbart, and his album "You Are What You Dream" has been in my music library ever since. Every so often over the past ten years I have listened to that album all the way through and admired the song-writing. So I got in contact with Peter and asked him to be on my show! Join us as we discuss the album "You Are What You Dream" and some of Peter's other music. Please find Peter's websites below, as well as the website of one of the contributors to the album, Aura Ruddell.

http://www.poemadept.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU800Y0sNG56xjH_rpwrmA

https://auraruddell.com/

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WWWTA Crossover

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 06:27:02 GMT

So, in or around October of 2020, my friend Jake and I had the idea to have a crossover episode of our respective shows, What Were We Talking About and Michael's Mixdown. So here, nearly a year later, we've done just that! In this episode, we talk about our favorite cartoon theme songs and cartoon music in general, but as usual, we tend to get off topic a little bit. But that's the way we roll. And as we didn't do a whole lotta prep for this one, we left out one of our favorite theme songs, the iconic Duck Tales. Okay listen, WE'RE SORRY. So as a joke, I included the old and the new theme to Duck Tales here and there. Get off our backs.

*Language Warning* Michael's Mixdown is normally a clean show, but this episode ain't right and it ain't normal, so there's some harsh language in this one.

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Keyboardist Christian Pulkkinen: James LaBrie, Simulacrum, Eden's Curse

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 21:06:19 GMT

In this episode, I sit down and have a wonderful chat with Christian Pulkkinen, a.k.a. Chrism, who is an insanely talented keyboardist and composer. He is involved with a multitude of bands including Simulacrum, Eden's Curse, James LaBrie, Adamantra, and True Cult Club! We talk about his latest release, Genesis by Simulacrum, and some behind the scenes about the equipment and software used to create that album, as well as his other projects, including the upcoming James LaBrie solo album! You can find his websites below, as well as links to where you can listen to his music!

https://www.simulacrum.fi/ (Make sure to check out the Nothing Remains music video here!)

https://www.chrism.vip/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/359NzdW2t09A9nVYG0iBnz?si=f3KPJ2PHQkaVa2OCq4mXyA

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6fkU8ZxHs1InP0ofHMmM8X?si=ebwzZWYUQMu6xrzPRnGqmw

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TNcLTyzJPIGfebyYkKzcd?si=2N7TLe5US2Os8CIwcMyqwQ

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2cwD4dkBkH2jLh6yic3tb8?si=z_Y9og6YT36TPb7i8m-I3A

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Reel Foley Sound: A Discussion About Foley Recording and Sound Effects

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 09:59:05 GMT

I got the chance to talk shop with the folks from Reel Foley Sound, Sanaa Kelley and Arno Stephanian! They are Foley recording artists, and that means that they provide sound effects for movies, television, and video games! Believe it or not, most of the sound effects in film and T.V. are actually not recorded on set with the actors, but are rather recorded later on a Foley sound stage, and added back in later! They explain all about what goes into their job, and their favorite props that make all the coolest sounds!

You can find Reel Foley Sound here:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelfoleysound?lang=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel_foley_sound/?hl=en

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0134085/

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Key of Geebz: YouTube Reviews of PROG!

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 08:50:14 GMT

Today, we're listening to music in the key of Geebz! Geebz comes from the YouTube channel "Key of Geebz" where he reacts to some of our favorite progressive rock and metal tracks! Geebz is a composer, and you'll find his videos titled "Old Composer REACTS," as well as referring to himself as the "De-Composer." He is a genuinely good guy and was a blast to talk to. But if that wasn't enough, he is also involved in charity work with children, especially those who are in hospitals battling various ailments. He takes dinosaur puppets and does ventriloquism for the kids to try to get them out of that world for a little bit.

You can find the link to his music reaction channel "Key of Geebz" here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ0zCC_pb_p5rH2PqWlzBEw

And you can find his channel for the puppeteering here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxxBUVd_H4F1P8058qGWFoQ

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Animated YouTuber Josh JX

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 06:54:40 GMT

This episode I am joined by a good friend of mine, Josh, who captains a YouTube channel called Josh JX. We discuss his background in radio and other voice performance, which ultimately lead to the creation of his YouTube channel. On his channel, he creates nostalgia videos about games and shows that we grew up with in the 1990's. There is an upcoming episode for Josh's channel that covers Pokemon Red and Blue, that yours truly played a small part on. Find Josh's channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0_iEczDbSFA32JQxP5S2Rg

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A Deep Dive Into The Electric Castle

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 08:59:45 GMT

This episode breaks down the absolutely epic double album "Into The Electric Castle" by Ayreon. What a beast of a subject to tackle. This concept album features multiple characters and dozens of performers and instruments. It took about a month to record and edit the entire thing! And the best part? The creator of the album agreed to answer some of my questions for the show! So come check this out, it will be well worth your time!

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Voice Actress Colette Feehan on How Voice Actors Make Those Crazy Voices

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 04:41:16 GMT

In this episode of Michael's Mixdown, I have remote guest Colette Feehan on the show to discuss her exciting research into linguistics and ultrasounds of the mouth and vocal tract of voice actors as they do child-like voices. She started posting on TikTok about her research and went viral overnight. We nerd out about voice actors, discuss cartoons, and we both do some character voices! This episode was a ton of fun, so join us and learn some things about how your voice works!

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So You Want To Make a Podcast

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 23:15:34 GMT

In this episode, I give some tips that I think will help you get started podcasting, or help improve your sound quality. I give some general advice, including what you should consider in your surroundings, gear, microphones, and editing software. Even if you only have your phone, I have some ideas on how to get better sound.

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Better To Have Loved and Lost: Steve Robert

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 08:41:57 GMT

This is a really special, emotional episode. Steve Robert (Roh-Berh) was a very close friend of mine, and one of the most caring and loving human beings this planet has ever seen. Steve passed away from brain cancer, but his influence lives on in his community, and in his friends and family. He was a really special person. He was involved in local community outreach programs and advocated for social justice, love, and equality. He was a musician, song writer, guitar and harmonica player, philosopher, psychologist, a friend, a husband, and somebody very special to me. This is our story.

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Explaining Audio Terms Pt.2

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 08:27:37 GMT

This is the second audio terms episode, and this one is fairly short and sweet. In this episode, I talk about most of the same effects, like compression and delay, but this time I apply these effects to the electric guitar so that you might better understand how these effects are used in music.

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Explaining Audio Terms Pt.1

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 08:21:24 GMT

I had been getting some questions and feedback from listeners, and the comment I got most was that there were a lot of terms being thrown around in my show that people were not understanding. So I decided to make a two-part episode to explain what some of these terms mean. You'll learn about compression, distortion, reverb, delay, and more! To have examples of these effects make sense, I did some voice over work so that I could manipulate my voice to mimic famous sound-designed big creature voices. This was a super fun episode, and I love doing voice work, so this was a thrill for me!

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Michael's Mixdown (Trailer)

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 07:30:16 GMT

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