Virtual Riot on Creativity, Sobriety & Teaching — A SlamCast Deep-Dive
Meet Virtual Riot: Composer, Sound-Designer, Audio Scientist
Why Minnesota? A Move Fueled by Recovery & Community
- Sobriety first: Virtual Riot relocated from Los Angeles to Minneapolis after completing treatment at The Retreat in Wayzata—trading Hollywood temptations for a supportive recovery scene.
- Logistical win: MSP’s Delta hub means direct flights to nearly every North-American tour stop—less travel stress, more creative energy.
- Built-in support: Friends, fellow artists, and Slam Academy’s inclusive culture made the transition seamless (yes, “SOBER-kota” is officially a hashtag now).
From Bedroom Uploads to Global Stages
- 2010–2014: Uploaded tracks to YouTube & SoundCloud “as soon as they were finished.”
- Label dominoes: Tiny German imprint Phantom Hertz ➜ U.S. boutique labels ➜ Disciple Recordings in LA.
- First big gig: A last-minute call to replace Dr P at Cologne’s Bootshaus—with nothing but a Windows laptop and raw adrenaline.
- Tour life today: Direct festival slots (Electric Forest, EDC) with a sober green-room rider: “No drugs / alcohol on stage.”
Teaching at Slam Academy: Giving Back (and Staying Balanced)
In his 12-week Sound-Design & Arrangement course, Virtual Riot:
- Breaks down oscillator theory, LFO curves, and envelope hacks.
- Guides students through Ableton Live, Serum, Massive, and TouchDesigner experiments.
- Reworks the curriculum each round to include the freshest plugins, trends, and community questions.
Creative Process Nuggets You Can Steal Today
| Challenge | Virtual Riot’s Fix |
| Loop Hell | Set a 10-min timer; every ding, extend the next 8 bars. |
| Perfection Paralysis | “Embarrassment is the cost of entry.” Upload, get feedback, iterate. |
| Sample Overload | Type a random word in your library’s search bar, scroll halfway down, use the first rim-shot you see—then make it work. |
| Visual Sync | Map kick, snare, and melody stems to motion graphics parameters for hyper-satisfying live visuals. |
Advice for New Producers (2025 Edition)
- Fall in love with the process, not the outcome.
- Audience last: Authenticity attracts superfans; trend-chasing doesn’t.
- Take criticism on the chin—then keep experimenting.
- Try alien genres: Blues riffs in Ableton? Yes. Techno rumbles at 3 a.m.? Also yes.
- Remember your mental health: Creativity thrives when you do.
Quick Links to Level-Up
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Get in touch
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Waterbury Building
1121 Jackson Street NE Suite #142 Minneapolis, MN 55413
Mike Johnson
(Baard, Michaelton)
Michael T. Johnson (aka Baard, aka Michaelton) can be found DJ’ing at just about every known venue in Minneapolis, with gigs regularly every weekend. But, he wears many hats, (both figuratively and literally). Versatility is a skill that he balances well, as he is equipped heavily in education with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of St. Thomas. His studies dove him deep into communications, recording arts, choral ensemble, music business, music theory & acoustics, social media branding, marketing, and graphic & web design. Baard is an Ableton Live enthusiast, getting daily mentoring from the top ACT’s for over 2 years now after completing the Ableton Live program at Slam Academy. He teaches privately as well as providing support for other instructors. Baard’s creativity comes from being a multi-instrumentalist with a forte in vocals. He knew, ever since making his first beats and raps in high school, that music was his direction. Baard also keeps himself busy as a music producer, clocking in endless hours of studio time to create music for short films, documentaries, and reality shows. His most recent new hat is artist management, providing guidance and connections for new artists.
Specks made his way into the DJ scene at the young age of 13-years-old. And nearly a decade later is regularly playing numerous shows and festivals in and around the twin cities.