David J. Michalak
music producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, videographer
About
David J. Michalak
Born in Lancaster, PA
Lives and works in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Hi! I'm a free-lance producer of music and film working in the Rotterdam area, but collaborating with many around the globe. I have experience producing videos and composing, recording, mixing, and producing music for albums, short films, video games, and podcasts in genres covering soundtrack, chip-tunes, electronic, jazz, rock, progressive, folk, death, and hip-hop.
CV
Education:
1995-1999: Vassar College: A.B. Film, Chemistry
2013: completed 12-week Berklee Online Class: Mixing and Mastering with ProTools
2017: completed 12-week Berklee Online Class: Music Business 101
2019: completed Lynda.com Intro to Final Cut Pro (10 hr class)
Experience:
Music:
1991-1999: drummer and pianist for David and Jay: rock and experimental-jazz band
1994-present: drummer, bassist, keyboardist, and backing guitarist for Toxic Waste: rock band
1995-1999: drummer for Serenity: heavy metal band
1999-2014: drummer and bassist for Michalak2: jazz band
2000-2002: drummer for CHUD: brit-pop band
2000-2003: drummer for TW: death metal band
2000-2004: drummer for Donkey Show: progressive rock band
2002-2003: co-composer, musician, and mixer of soundtrack for "Skate Squad: Episode 1" (30 min) - with Jay Olin
2004: composer for USC film school short "Urban Renewal": on IMDB.com
2005: soundtrack for short film "The Mold Inspector"
2008: soundtrack for short film "Klondeities"
2014: recording and mixing of Toxic Waste's "Just Buried" in Jackpot! studio: 7 days with Larry Crane and Jay Olin
2018: soundtrack for "Rex McFury: Public Defender" (Ludum Dare 41 Game Jam)
2018: soundtrack for Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar video
2019: produced the theme music for "Not Simple" podcast
2019: produced the single "What They Need" by Quiet Zone
2020: soundtrack for the short video: "The E-team."
2020: soundtrack for three 30s campaign videos: "Mary Peveto for Metro"
2020: soundtrack to "Somebody's Hero" Ludum Dare 46 video game
2020: produced the single "Angel Come Down" by Quiet Zone
2020: produced the single and video "People (Vote)" by Morrow Michalak
2020: wrote keyboard parts and mixed the single "And the Sea Runs" by Evan Shapiro and me
2021: produced the music for "Bubbles" by Morrow Michalak featuring Sophia Bass
Film and Video:
1999-2005: producer, actor, director, editor for Skate Squad TV series (episodes 1 and 2)
2000-2005: videographer and editor for Fall and Spring USC dance shows
2005: actor, co-director, editor for short film "The Mold Inspector" with Jay Olin
2007: actor, co-director, editor for short film "MyGmailStory" with Jay Olin
2008: drummer, keyboardist, and grip for "Strange Man" music video for Toxic Waste in LA
2008: actor, co-director, editor for short film "Klondeities" with Jay Olin
2018: video editor for Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar video
2019: video editor for "Skate Squad: Episode 2"
2020: produced 3 short campaign videos: "Mary Peveto for Metro"
2020: produced a video lab tour for Prof. Juliane L. Fry at Reed College
2020: produced the music video "People (Vote)" by Morrow Michalak
Home Studio Equipment:
Instruments:
- Schecter Omen-6 electric guitar
- Ibanez Soundgear SR505 electric 5-string bass
- Martin D28 acoustic guitar
- StudioLogic SL-1100 88-weighted-key MIDI keyboard
- Roland TD-9S electronic drum kit
- Various percussion (shakers, guiro, bongos, etc)
- Software Instruments:
- EastWest Composer Cloud Plus
- Serum Wavetable synthesizer
- Toontrack EZdrummer
- XLN Addictive Drums
- PianoTeq 6 piano emulator
Audio Hardware:
- Vanguard V13 microphone
- Neumann 184 stereo pair
- Trumpet Lab Delphina microphone
- BLUE bluebird microphone
- Shure SM57
- Presonus Tube Pre-amp
- Avalon U5 pre-amp
- Yamaha HS80 studio monitors
- MOTU audio express 6x6 audio input
- UAD-2 Satellite (136 plug-ins)
- Various instrument pedals:
- SansAmp Para Driver Tech21 DI box
- Microtubes B3K CMOS Bass overdrive
- Electro-harmonix Metal Muff with top boost
- MXR Custom Comp compressor
- MXR Super Badass distortion
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
- Danelectro Pastrami overdrive
- Danelectro Daddy O overdrive
- DOD FX25B envelop filter
- Delta Lab RD1 rock distortion
- VOX V846-HW wah wah pedal
Software:
- ProTools 12
- Logic Pro
- Final Cut Pro
- iZoptope RX
- Melodyne
- Bfxr (8-bit sound generator)
- GIMP image alteration software
Bygone Equipment (RIP):
- Takamine Acoustic/Electric Guitar
- Ludwig 7-piece drum kit (Tama hardware); 6 cymbals
- Roland KC-300 stereo mixing keyboard amp
- Marshall MG 30DFX guitar amp