With over half a million followers and nine million likes on TikTok alone, 25-year-old Mirko Gottarelli—known as Infernal Beatbox—regularly posts video clips and live streams showcasing his exceptional beatboxing skills. Starting at just the age of 10, Gottarelli uploaded his first beatboxing videos to YouTube and gradually perfected his craft over the past 15 years. Today, Gottarelli’s passion and sheer talent has earned him a loyal fanbase spanning multiple social platforms as well as appearances on Italian television shows including the popular game show “Soliti Ignoti.”
Along with his well-tuned skills, Gottarelli knows that the key to dynamic and impactful beatboxing is to use the right recording equipment, which is why he regularly uses the AKG Podcaster Essentials bundle.
Designed as a comprehensive and affordable starting point for podcasters, musicians and content creators, the AKG Podcaster Essentials pairs the AKG Lyra microphone and K371 headphones with advanced software like Ableton Live 10 Lite and a free introductory recording course from Berklee College of Music. The AKG Lyra features a four-capsule adaptive array with adjustable polar patterns, simple on-board controls and USB-C compatibility, making AKG’s legendary sound quality more accessible to creators of any experience level.
The Lyra also includes a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring, making the AKG K371 an ideal pairing thanks to its noise-suppressing, closed-back design and extended 5Hz-40kHz frequency response. For Gottarelli, having a recording setup capable of capturing and conveying a wide range of dynamics and sonic detail is crucial for recording his intricate beatboxing style, which is why the AKG Podcaster Essentials is a natural choice.
“For me, it all started on YouTube in a period where beatboxing was still immature and consisted of just a few sounds,” said Gottarelli. “I trained myself to replicate these sounds and to ‘clean’ them, and I fell in love with this discipline right away. Nowadays, beatboxing has evolved tremendously. With the right gear and some studio work, I’ve noticed that beatboxing can be just as listenable as fully produced songs with instruments. “
“I found that the Lyra has very high sensitivity, which you can’t get with other microphones,” Gottarelli explained. “There are a wide range of high and low sounds in beatboxing, the latter of which especially gets lost if the microphone doesn’t have the right gain levels or frequency range. With the Lyra, you’re able to capture sounds perfectly thanks to its great sensitivity. As for the K371, I use them every day. They are present in all of my content and live shows. They are very comfortable and elegant, and have impeccable sound fidelity. I even use them for PC gaming—they are perfect for hearing ‘enemy footsteps.’”
“My dream would be to produce myself,” Gottarelli added. “If I’m able to beatbox and produce myself at the same time, inserting some lyrics and additional vocals, then I will have completed my journey. There are currently very few beatboxers doing this, and I would like to be among the first to do it. I don’t want to stop making social media videos, but I want to record those sounds and mix them to make something real and authentic.”
