Hey Dr.

That's a great compliment! Thanks! I think I finally hit on something that I can really get into from all points of view. I've spent the last year trying to find something I could sink my teeth into that wasn't old school punk. Don't get me wrong, I love old school punk and playing with No Alternative, but it can limit one as a musician. I have much more to say, musically speaking, but it's hard to find a place within which to work. I'm happy to say that I've found it. However, I'm still doing the old school country and blues solo CD. Here's what I use in the studio:

I started, like everyone else trying to build a professional studio, with ProTools and Cubase. I also have all the other industry standards, but no longer use them. I use an extremely simple base software program called Acoustica Mixcraft. It's a simple to use $50.00 program. However, I went in and programmed extra software into it. For example, I use a number of digital rack mount effects that are built into my computer. For the interface, I've gotten rid of the traditional firewire interface and replaced it with a Vox AT 35 amp and my secret black box. The Vox allows me to dial in the true tube sound of any Vox amp every made. It also has a board of built in effects.

For drums, I use a software program that allows me to build up real drum sounds from scratch. I also record drum tracks with a 1940s Swingerland Drum set. I mike the drums, lay down separate tracks and mix them down. For the guitars, I use a ES-175 for 90% of the tracks with a Marshall Halfstack thats been reset to give me a warm Fender like tone. I also use a Gretsch customized ProJet guitar for the bassier tones. For the bass, I use a 1962 Hagstrom that I recently rewired. I get the clean bass tone through a Vox amp set for clean guitar. I keep it really simple since most of the great recordings of our times were done on extremely simple equipment. Too much technology gets in the way of the creative process. I'm currently reworking Was Pigs by Black Sabbath. Acousitca Mixcraft. however, is the key to my recording success thus far. Talk to you later, I'm going to go watch Rod Serling's Night Gallery with Mrs. Genocide now!....JG