My Joly mic

Ok, first off. I don't have kids, the car is paid for, and I needed a decent microphone to add to the mic closet.

I was surfing the web one night and found Michael Joly over at OktavaMod.com, and I listened to his sound samples.

A quick search of Ebay and I found a used Rode NT1a for a song and had it shipped to Michael.

I've had it now for about a month and have been using it daily for various scripts and I have to say... I freakin' love it. It's everything the stock NT1a isn't. Lush and full, clear and warm. My new clients in California have been gushing about how great my stuff is. (it's embarrassing and bordering on flirtatious!)

I'm the first to admit, I like gear. I read the Sweetwater catalog cover to cover and check out musican's friends stupid deal of the day every morning, (I'll let you know about the MXL V900 in a few weeks) but my new Joly modded mic is amazing and I can't think of any reason to spend more. It's paid for itself already with landed auditions. (I'm the new national voice of the hawk for Identity Hawk)

So ya, I'm hooked. I'm going to go tell Michael right now that I'm a huge fan and I'm spreading the word of his outstanding work.

Monk

Do good work, get more work...

Work comes from all sorts of places. My ex-brother-in-law, hell of a nice guy, asked me for some character voice work for a friend of his last year. It was spec work, gratus. No problem. Who knows right?

This year, that guy calls me, would I be willing to do some scripts for him for an educational sight? Yup, and this time with pay.

Would he have called me or found me on Voice123? or some other way by chance? Maybe, but he's out in San Diego, why would he be looking for a guy in New York?

You never know where that next gig will come from or where it would lead. Do you really think that the people who voiced the Simpsons were expecting the gig to last this long?

Do good work, get more work. Repeat.

Thumbtack post

I never stop looking for ways to get my name out there!

Voice over Artist

Microphone contest

Recordinghacks.com is having a monthly microphone giveaway. They wanted me to add the mention to the blog, so I figured, "Why not!"

Hey, if ya don't enter and play, yah can't win.

Plus there's great information about a microphone that you've been wanting to add to your closet.

So go look.

Good behavior and it's rewards

So I was stuck in the studio waiting for client approval for a Smith and Wesson trade show VO that I had done. The clients were gathering to discuss the text, the tempo, etc.

I waited 3.5 hours. Spinning my wheels, trapped.

I looked up the AFTRA rates for studio time, 112.oo per half hour! WOW. So I wrote up an invoice for half that, then thought about it, and charged $40.oo per hour to sit.

The studio was grateful, the client was happy.

The studio was so happy with how I handled it, they handed off my demo to a new client. The new client, Pittsfield Co-op Bank like me. I'm now their guy.


Be a nice person, treat people well, and you get paid back in kind. Go figure!

Totally off topic

Ok, most of this has been about my career and stuff. (by the way, in rehearsal for Fantasticks as El Gallo.. )

Some of you may know that my old dog Henry died a few weeks ago. Cancer got to his kidneys and that was that. He was a great soul and I'm sure I'll meet him again.

We have a new pup. Bumbles. He's a Staffordshire Terrier. Full on meatball of a dog. And smarter than some people I know. (no offense)(you may not not know who you are)

He's a rescue from the Columbia Green Animal Rescue, and he's an absolute snuggle bunny.

Here's the reason for the post. If you're in need of a pet. Rescue one. Seriously. You will not find a better friend.

Welcome Bumbles to the fray. (recording session on Monday, rehearsal on Sunday, VO gig coming up on Tuesday...) Back to our normal broadcasting.

Actually P.S. Caught up with an old friend J.R. worked with him at WSBS in Great Barrington... He will either drag me back into radio, or I'll drag him up onto the stage. (they sometime pay just the same...)

Sometimes it's just so cool!

Walked into the studio and the engineer Steve told me that I was there to try to fix a problem commercial.

Ok. The commercial is for a local ski area and they're trying to recreate a call center with various operators answering calls about a "hidden mountain"

No big deal, read the copy, made sure they were happy and was heading out the door. Steve tells me that my read and tag will be used on 4 different commercials.

4.

:)

That means I can bill for 4! WOOOOOO! Sometimes it's just so cool!