My recording studio started in 1985 when I converted what I describe as my "manual" one man band show, that is sitting down since 1980 with 3 keyboards in front of me 2 octaves of bass pedals and a beat box to a Macintosh based MIDI system using Mark of the Uncorn's new Performer software. There were no MIDI files to download in those days either for free or bought so I composed all of my backround tracks for my show which has led to my MIDI expertise I incorporate into songwriting bed tracks today. As computers got more powerful audio was introduced as Digital Performer which I use to this day. Although ProTools came out and is pretty well the industry standard Mark of the Unicorn started introducing hardware PCI cards and interfaces to allow Digital Performer users to digitize analogue audio without paying the huge prices of a ProTools system with the same quality and software tools. This has continually evolved to the studio I have today. The 3 MOTU firewire optical interfaces below allow simultaneous recording of 18 line/mic channels, 8 line channels 24 bit 44.1 kHz and control for 5 MIDI devices which in my case is 5 keyboards and my Fender/Sunn PLC816 16ch MIDI lighting board system.

Computer Recording System Macbook Pro 13" 16GB memory 500GB SSD HD and 2GB Seagate backup drive, 27" Dell HD external display, MOTU 828MK11, 2 x MOTU 8pre, MOTU Micro Lite, Yorkville YSMP1 nearfield monitors, Apple iPad 4.

Software Digital Performer 11.04, Motu MX4, MOTU BPM 1.51 w/Akai MDP18, Strum GS-2, Korg M1VST, Oberheim OBXD, Toast 17, Sonivox Vocalizer

Keyboards Kurzweil PC88mx, Casio XW-P1, Hammond XK-2, Novation MiniNova, Ensoniq ESQ-1 Plus,1906 Heintzman upright grand

Sound Systems Surround sound system w/Bose and Yamaha speakers, 2 x RSC 3 way bass reflex studio monitors. PA system 2 x Yorkville nx520P powered speakers, Yorkville LS200P powered subwoofer.

Microphones 3 x Audio Technica AT 4033a studio mics, Shure SM35XLR headset mic, Nady UHF-3 wireless headset mic and cardiod handheld mic system, various handheld cardoid, dynamic condenser and boundary mics.

Headphones 4 x Koss PortaPro, Audio Technica ATH M40, Mackie HM-4 4ch headphone amplifer

Percussion Maracas, tambourine, LP congas, bongos