(Part 2) Top products from r/Earwolf

I'm not Brett, but I do host my own show that sounds pretty fantastic and I didn't have to break the bank for it.

For microphones, I'm using the Ultravoice 1800s dynamic mics.] (https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Ultravoice-Xm1800s-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B000NJ2TIE) They come in a 3-pack, which is $40 right now but I waited until they went on sale for $25. Really decent microphones that don't pick up a lot of background noise.

For a mixer, I'm using the [Behringer Q1202] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008O517IW/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1474221402&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=behringer+mixer+xenyx+1202&dpPl=1&dpID=5153d6epzTL&ref=plSrch). It's about $100 bucks, but again, it'll go on sale if you wait awhile.

I'm only using a mixer because I often have guests in person, though. If you're doing the show alone and don't want to bother with fine-tuning your sound, you can just use a pre-amp [like this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002KEAT78/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474221560&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=xlr+preamp&dpPl=1&dpID=41fdibotlHL&ref=plSrch). I can't recommend any specific one, but just search amazon for "xlr pre-amp" and look for models with good reviews.

The other stuff you'll need is pretty cheap. Some xlr cables (5 for $20) foam mic covers (6 for $3 on ebay) and a mic stand (around $20).

You won't be able to get earwolf quality sound out of this stuff, but [I use it all on my show and it sounds great.] (http://www.futurehorsepod.com/ghostbusters/) I'm the only one using this setup in the episode though. Jackson is in Australia so he used his own stuff.

If you want to throw money at this thing and get the exact sound they have at Earwolf, they're using the Shure sm7b microphone, which usually runs $300-400 bucks and requires much more expensive equipment to run it through.

Hope this helps!

I'm not sure if they're considered alt-comedy, but John Swartzwelder's books are hilarious. He's an old writer for the Simpsons. Most of the books are about a private detective named Frank Burly. I think this is the first one: https://www.amazon.com/Time-Machine-Did-John-Swartzwelder/dp/0975579908/

The new Norm Macdonald book, Based on a True Story, is also very funny.

I haven't heard very good things about Amy Poehler's book, to be honest, but I haven't read it. I've heard Tina Fey's book is great, but I haven't gotten to that one, either.

Man, that would be amazing. Now you've gotten my hopes up...

Edit: It looks like this is the songbook if any one else was interested.

Highly recommend Kulap's doc, it's free on amazon if you have Prime

It's really well done!

All three of John Hodgman's books (The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, and That is All) are fantastic almanacs of made-up facts.

Hodgman has a really unique voice that shines through in his writing, and his signature move of CAPTALIZING SOME WORDS for emphasis will always be funny to me - for example:


>DECEMBER 16 1936, PARIS: Walter Benjamin writes his seminal essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," in which he argues that ancient works of art, such as sculpture and pottery, have an "aura" that cinema and books, which exist only as copies, do not. Benjamin went on to claim that only he could see this magical aura, and when the time was right, he would tap its energy to fuel the massive PSYCHIC RESONATOR he was developing to halt the rise of the Nazis. IT WOULD HAVE WORKED, TOO, had the Nazis not destroyed his enormous cache of urns.

I think "More" is probably the best of the three, but they all have a through-line where Hodgman charts his path from unknown Apple commercial personality to reclusive millionaire, so the whole series is worth checking out IMO.

They even wrote a manual! They definitely treat comedy as a craft.

Wigfield is one of my all time favorites. It's written by Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Paul Dinello. There's an audio version where they all contribute the voices. It's perfect.

https://www.amazon.com/Wigfield-Can-Do-Town-That-Just/dp/078688696X

For those interested in drawing Brock the Marvel way: Here you go

Apparently it's a real product:
http://www.amazon.com/Humor-Home-Dummies-Conversation-TableTalk/dp/1572813822/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

From Humour Consultant Malcolm Kushner!

State by State with The State was a fun read

If the Amazon reviews are to be believed, sounds like you'd be getting a deal at twice the price.

(Certainly I'm not suggesting that the curiously California-based reviewers, many of whom never reviewed another product, are friends or plants or anything, but I'm not not suggesting it either. I mean, "Steven D. Agee"? Sounds made up.)

I'm seriously considering buying his book, to be honest.

https://www.amazon.com/Talk-About-Passion-R-M/dp/1857936590

I can't believe that when they were discussing Andrew Yang's AI position Hayes didn't mention that his dad has literally written a book on AI in the workplace

I think the book series they were referencing was the "ValueTale" series of books. Here's a link to the Ben Franklin one.

I was totally channeling my inner Mitch when they were conflating the two, like, "No, you fools, the mouse was in the Disney movie!"

I make psychedelic art and animations that were mentioned on the Handbook pro version ep with the teaser freezer for racing in the rain (I suggested the idea)

I was a guest on an improv podcast recently

And I wrote a dr seuss style book about a fat cat in a red hat running for office

No, the mouse is in the book and it predates Disney! Ben and Me

Passionate Detachments: Technologies of Vision and Violence in American Cinema, 1967-1974.