Trace Callahan
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noisegoblin.bsky.social
Trace Callahan
@noisegoblin.bsky.social
Composer, sound designer, nerd, friend, story-embroider, time-slicer, noise-goblin.

Helping tell hopeful stories, and holding on to bits of beauty.

She/they
This is something I've had to do several times in my life. The push-pull between "doing the thing that lights my brain up" and "waking up every morning feeling like life is ok" can be very real, and overwhelming.

For me it boils down to making sure my identity comes from more than one place.
The last few months, I have seen a lot of negative posts. People desperate for work, feeling abandoned by an industry that they have given a lot to that now seems to have no place for them.

Worse still, it comes at a time when the world is shifting. Many people are being told that they don't even-
March 15, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I need more time in the day to listen to more awesome stories made by cool people.

That's it. That's the whole story.
March 9, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Reposted by Trace Callahan
Happy to reveal that today's episode of #ReCarmilla is one of my favourites for how very gay it is. If you haven't already, give it a listen!
February 28, 2025 at 1:56 PM
So yeah, I didn't know the release schedule either so surprise!

There was So Much Music for this episode. I went back and listened this morning. Starting to establish themes. The cozy, dream-like "home" music. Little whispers of Carmilla's mysterious motif but not quite established, not solid yet.
February 17, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Since this is now all the way out in the world I get to have fun happily yelling about it and talking about making music.

This episode is actually either the third or fourth one I worked on (I think third?) Reading the story, and then hearing the way Sasha narrated the beginning was striking.

🧵
The first episode of our Carmilla adaptation is out today!
February 15, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Reposted by Trace Callahan
Happy #AudioDramaSunday friends! #BobbysSnacks is back, & while it may start w/ the endless doom scroll that is 2025, I do save a lot of time for the stories that are helping me stay grounded. Big ups to @midnightburger.bsky.social, @midstpodcast.bsky.social, @theameliaproject.bsky.social, & more:
Bobby's Snacks Vol. 37: Sharks, Friends, & Family
bobbys-snacks.beehiiv.com
February 2, 2025 at 3:01 PM
This week I attended the celebration of life for a dear friend's mother. This friend is one of those people who spends all of her time lifting people up. She leads with compassion and grace, and from her words that night, those things come from her mother.

She asked all of us there to do the same.
February 1, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Reposted by Trace Callahan
This is happening TODAY in about 3 hours!
This Saturday at noon PST I'll be giving a presentation on crowdfunding for audio dramas as part of Podcast Book Club's AuFi Con! It's a free, virtual event happening this weekend!

Get your (free! It's free!) tickets here: www.eventbookings.com/b/event/2025...
2025 Audio Fiction Convention
The Podcast Book Club's 2025 Audio Fiction Convention is a virtual community event celebrating all things fiction podcasting. The event will be held primarily through the PBC Discord server, with pane...
www.eventbookings.com
February 1, 2025 at 5:04 PM
A very cool thing about working with different writers and showrunners is that you get to try different processes. Sometimes I'm making music for an otherwise totally finished thing. Sometimes it's close but draft-y. Sometimes it's just a script and then we go back and forth.

Big noisy experiment!
January 28, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by Trace Callahan
My birthday is coming up and I pay for about 90% of Seen and Not Heard out of pocket so if anyone wants to fling a few dollars my way to help me put the show out, I'd appreciate it!

(There's a prologue for season two coming out a week from now, if that sweetens the deal!)

ko-fi.com/carolinemincks
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December 22, 2024 at 12:44 AM
Today's listening adventure is the extremely cathartic, fun, sharp, and well done Un(con)trolled. The first episode grabbed me right away and I'll probably finish the season tonight. I got a phone call right at the end of episode 4 and need to know!!

Happy #AudioDramaSunday all!
December 15, 2024 at 10:51 PM
I finally live in a place with a little local coffee shop and today I went there for the first time. I had a delicious turmeric latte and the best eclair I've ever had.

That said, I want to go to Prism please @caromincks.bsky.social , @starplanes.bsky.social and @evantesseract.bsky.social !
December 14, 2024 at 8:02 PM
I am sat here being amazed by this perfect 2 minutes of acting from Sasha Sienna for @redracula.bsky.social's Carmilla as I try to write music that both heightens it and stays the hell out of the way.

This show is beautiful, and this is, for me, the most beautiful part.

Aaaaaa!
December 14, 2024 at 5:03 PM
It's the "mystery illnesses slowly taking out the whole office" time of year and it looks like it's my turn. This is the first time I've been mild-sick since 2020. I've have Covid twice, but nothing else. I've forgotten how to do the "not well but not completely wrecked" kind.

Bed?

Bed.
December 13, 2024 at 12:22 AM
Ok, now that it's actually #AudioDramaSunday here goes.

I've been in non-fiction mode for a little while, but something opened up in my brain this past week that let fiction back in, so I decided to pick a show I'd been waiting to listen to and dive in to see what happened.

Well... here it is

1/?
December 8, 2024 at 2:32 PM
Once again there is a story in my head that wants to get out. I'm not a writer though, and I can't figure out if this is supposed to be a book thing, a game thing, an audio drama thing, or if I should just stay in my lane, do music and sound, and leave the words to word people.
December 7, 2024 at 6:54 PM
A million (24) years ago as a college student I never dreamed that my composition style would become even remotely as "WTF even are chord tones? Just play all the things you want together in a way that's on purpose and I promise it will work" as it is now

This morning's Carmilla cue? Solid example.
December 7, 2024 at 5:41 PM
Ok, so I wasn't expecting to burn through listening to an entire show this week and now I need to find another one. And there are so many to choose from that I can't figure out where to start!

Have I mentioned lately that I absolutely love #audiodrama and all the lovely people who create it?
December 7, 2024 at 12:02 AM
I wish I had something new to show for Bandcamp Friday, but since I don’t I’ll have to settle for going on there and finding artists to support and celebrate! I’d love some suggestions. The @camlannpod.bsky.social soundtrack is already on the list 😀
December 6, 2024 at 11:12 AM
I know it's not Sunday and I think I'll have a lot to say about this then but I'm feeling the need.

@camlannpod.bsky.social is ridiculously good and I am inhaling it at an alarming rate. Like I said, I'll have lots to say once I finish the season (possibly tomorrow wow) but I am loving it so much!
December 4, 2024 at 10:55 PM
When you're an hour or two away from finishing work on an episode but have to keep your mind and ears available because a family member is in the ER (not life-threatening, just urgent and complicated)

Well, today just got weird!
December 1, 2024 at 3:15 PM
And now, back to your regularly scheduled fanhumaning about shows while working on them.

Earlier this week I got to fine tune the music in one of my favorite scenes from Waiting For October! I can't wait for the whole season to be out so I can ramble about why I love this scene so much!
November 29, 2024 at 2:19 PM
I try not to be that person who harps on hardships and life changing events, but there's something weird, specific, and kind of cool about one part of my family's recovery from Helene.

We lost a lot of our dishes. The ones in the cabinet were fine but the dishwasher bounced around too much.

1/?
November 29, 2024 at 12:50 PM
Sometimes I play a game that makes me want to make a game very, very much.

Sometimes I play a game that makes me want to write game music, so very much.

Wildmender is doing both. Deep work craving!
November 26, 2024 at 8:00 PM