Voiceover & Imaging from coast to coast – Meet Mikey…

A lot of you guys might already know him – or better – his voice. He’s the voice of Clique. Besides of that he’s head of production at WAAF in Boston and multi-format VO and Imaging artist. He’s always developing new ideas to make his imaging and VO stand out and now’s here to answer our questions and sharing some tips with you. – Enter Mikey Muscatello

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52732976″ iframe=”true” /]

Want more? Check out the full interview, screen shots and audio.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52733100″ iframe=”true” /]

1. Which production system do you use and why?

I use both Pro Tools and Adobe Audition. I like the speed of Adobe, and I know it like that back of my hand… although I don’t really know the back of my hand very well… the other side of my hand and I have been in a long relationship since I was a teen. But Since Pro tools seems to be the industry standard, I use it when I actually have a lot of time (which is pretty rare). I feel like Adobe loses some of the clarity though whereas Pro Tools keeps it. Make sense? Maybe it’s in the mixdown process, I don’t know, I’m not an engineer or computer programmer.. STOP YELLING AT ME

2. What are your favourite plugIns (including screenshots)?

I am addicted to the WAVES Bundle, which I only have for Adobe, another reason why I use Adobe more. CLA, L1, and I like a setting in Adobe called tube-molded compressor, it really kinda gives my VO a warm feel. But I been having a “hiss” problem lately and I can’t seem to figure out why… it’s pissing me off! Maybe someone out there has a suggestion??? Anybody? Hello!? (Comments please)  Pfft fine!

3. How do you schedule your work (priorities…)?

That’s a good question. I guess, it depends on the script. If it calls for a deepish/Movie man type of read then I do it first thing in the morning. Other than that, I prioritize but what is needed ASAP. Whether its production or VO, does not matter. If it’s needed right away, I get it done. I tend to not have much of a life…good thing I love what I do. Plus WAAF keeps me quite busy, so I’m always writing, production or voicing something pretty much every day.

4. What do you love about being the head of production @ WAAF?

I love the freedom I have at WAAF. Ron Valeri gives me a lot of room to write things and produce them the way I feel they should be on the station. A lot of PDs want to review every piece of imaging or copy written, thankfully that isn’t the case. The stationalty is pretty much me. Like how I am in real life. Sarcastic and dickish. It’s fun. When I was working in Sacramento it was the same, only the PD wanted to hear everything that I put on the air and wanted nonstop imaging done. I was doing 35 pieces of imaging a WEEK! And doing a daily show!! It was pure madness.

5. What is the best Pro Tools or production trick anybody should know?

Well, this is a tough question for me. I’m not too technically savvy. I think, I got to where I am based on my voice, my writing skills and creativity. And I don’t produce the way most producers do and I think that annoys some people. I don’t have any tricks. The biggest trick is to be creative and try to new things .. all the time.

6. How do you get inspired and what do you use as source of creativity?

Besides smoke a lot of pot? Just kidding… or am I? I use everyday life as inspiration. Sitting at a bar listening to people talk can spark a new “bit” .. walking the city can spark a creative idea for some local/relatable sweepers. TV, Movies, Art. Everything! I consider what we do “art” and we are audio artists, so inspiration can come from every corner of the world, every family member you have, things you did as a child, friends, music, porn.. wait, what we’re we talking about again?

7. Qho were your radio production idols, who influenced your work as a producer?

Len “Boom” Goldberg.. I’m not even sure if he was the prod guy, but he was the voice of WMMS in Cleveland my whole childhood. When he said “100 point 7 WMMS… The Buzzard” I would get chills! This man had PIPES! I wanted to be him. Then, as I got older and understood that the stupid little things that I was making in my mom’s basement with TV clips and weird sound effects, was actually something I could do for a living, I started paying more attention to names. Like Cousin Deke, and the mighty John Frost! He became the guy I wanted to be. Here’s a guy who was so demented and out there, that he was offered his own service to outsource his madness. KROCK (back in the day) was by far the freshest, funniest and most cutting edge station in the country, and it was mostly because of him. To this day he is an inspiration to me. I still have never met the guy, only talked thru email. But it’s because of Len, Deke & John that I am what I am. Oh, and Malcolm Ryker, that dude knows how to deliver a rock script. 99X in Atlanta was amazing, because of his VO (IMO) and now he’s one of my VO’s here at WAAF and he’s the VO of a million other rock stations. I hope someday I can meet these guys… And I also hope to take their jobs. What!? I’m just being honest!

8. What would be your 3 key advices for a youngster?

Don’t expect to get anything handed to you… I say that, because it seems like the last few interns I have had to deal with, have NO CLUE what they are getting into. You gotta work your ass off to make it. This is the entertainment biz, remember that. We audition, we get shot down, we get fired from gigs, we get yelled at, we get our egos bruised and we have a hell of a lot of fun doing it!
Never think you are too big for a gig… Because you’re not. I worked in Elko, NV. Do you know where that is? Of course you don’t because it sucks! But it paid off and I finally made it to the majors.

Be patient.

You suck.

And .. There is no crying radio you little pussy. Man up!

Oh, you only asked for 3… my bad.

Thanks to Mikey for sharing his wisdom, screenshots and audio with us.