Gearwire MVP Candidate homestudioguy is a trombonist by education and a guitarist at heart. Needless to say, he knows his stuff in a lot of different areas and is a DIY type of guy with a versatile background. His forum postings have prompted over 20,000 people to visit his website www.homestudioguy.com, in the past year..

What is your background?

I was born near Pittsburgh, PA to parents who loved music. Dad loved country music and dance band music and Mom was a formally trained pianist who had a marvelous alto voice and played French Horn. I have worked on dairy farms, delivered newspapers, worked in a steel factory, waited tables, worked construction, was in music retail for 6 years, worked in corporate human resources for one of the largest corporations in the U.S., worked 6 years with a Federally funded Head Start (tm) program and I currently substitute teach, which allows me to be at home with my 2 youngest children when they don't have school. I am a trombonist by education but a guitar player at heart.

How did you get started in music and what advice would you give to someone who just started?

I started playing trombone in third grade via the school band program which eventually led me to study music in college and then play professionally for a symphony orchestra for 10 years as well as playing for Ice Shows, Circuses, brass ensemble work, recording work and playing for folks like Carol Lawrence, Al Martino, Jerry Vale, Judy Collins, and so on. I started playing guitar and bass-guitar in 1968 and studied guitar with a Berklee Guitar Grad while in college. Advice? Find a good teacher, learn to read music, practice most every day, develop a basic meditation practice, listen to a wide variety of music, and learn at least the basics of Music Theory.

Who are your musical influences and what genre do you listen to most?

My musical influences are very broad. From Bach to Basie to Bachman Turner Overdrive, Blues, Boogie Woogie, and so on. Like Mozart to Gary Morris to Pat Metheny. My first albums were "Woodstock" (the original), B.B. King's "Indianola Mississippi Seeds," and Herbie Mann's "Memphis Underground." As I was born in the mid 50's, I grew up listening to rock n roll from almost the very beginning. I listen primarily to Jazz, Blues, Windham Hill artists, some country, and some contemporary Christian. I also listen to ambient and meditative type music including Hemi-Sync music from the Monroe Institute.

What's your inspiration?

For songwriting, I have found that when I connect my head to my heart and just "listen," words or phrases or chord progressions just begin to come naturally.

What's your motivation for helping people out on forums?

I have learned so very very much on the forums from those who are clearly gifted, talented, and experienced as well as from people who are just starting out but see things from a different perspective. My motivation is to give back in some small measure what I have been given.

What's your favorite piece of gear and why?

It has taken me 14 years to get my home studio to where it is today so it's like the whole studio is my favorite piece of gear. I compose primarily on guitar so my guitars are my favorite composing tools. My most recent equipment acquisition is a Focusrite Saffire Pro 10 Firewire unit that will bring me kicking and screaming into computer recording as soon as I can get some recording software!!

What gear do you use?

• Yamaha 16 channel AW16G Digital Audio Workstation
• Alesis Monitor One Studio Reference Monitors
• Alesis RA-100 Reference/Power Amplifier
• KRK Rokit 5 Studio Monitors
• Auralex MoPads
• sE Electronics Reflexion Filter
• sE "TITAN" Large Titanium Diaphragm Condenser Mic
• sE R-1 Ribbon Mic
• sE Z5600A Large Diaphragm 9-Pattern Tube Condensor Mic
• sE Z3300A Large Diaphragm FET Condensor Mic
• sE SE2200A Large Diaphragm FET Condensor Mic
• sE SE3 Small Diaphragm Condensor Mic (PAIR)
• sE Electronics Metal Microphone Windscreen
• Popper Stopper Microphone Windscreens (2)
• Focusrite TrakMaster Pro Channel Strips (2)
• Focusrite Saffire Pro 10 Firewire Interface
• ART MPA GOLD Two-Channel Tube Mic Preamplifier
• ART PRO VLA Tube Opto Compressor/Leveler
• ART Tube MP Studio tube mic preamplifier
• Carvin PB48 TRS Balanced Patchbay
• NADY PCL-800 Power Conditioner (2)
• Hosa "Little Bro" 6-channel snake
• Behringer HA-4700 Headphone Amplifier
• Sennheiser HD280pro Headphones (2)
• JVC TWD209 Dual-Well Cassette Deck
• Alesis SR-16 midi Drum Machine
• Line 6 PODxt digital guitar amp simulator and effects unit (w/Bass Pack)
• Bach Stradivarius LT42BG Symphony Bore Trombone
• Ensoniq KS-32 76 Key midi-workstation
• Yamaha Pacifica 712 (modified) Electric Guitar
• Carvin Colbalt 750 Acoustic Guitar
• Fender MB5 (Japan) 5-String Electric Bass
• Yamaha G100-112 III Guitar Amp
• Crate BX-160 JBL equipped Bass Amp
• 6 DIY Owens-Corning 703 Acoustic Panels

What are your favorite sources for gear-related information?

I read a lot, whether it be on the forums, catalogs, manufacturer websites or trade related magazines such as Tape-Op, Sound-On-Sound, EQ, Recording, Keyboard, Mix, Electronic Musician etc.

What's the best music related advice you've ever given?

If you can't play it right slowly, you most likely won't do so well playing it fast. Don't try to be or play like somebody else, but incorporate the best of others as you develop your own self or style.

What's the best music related advice you've ever received?

Always carry a pencil. I pulled out a pen at a Ringling Brothers rehearsal one time and got my butt chewed out royally.

What's the best and worst thing about being a musician?

The best thing about being a musician is that I am part of a world-wide community and we all can speak the same language. The worst thing about being a practicing and performing musician is the time it takes away from family.

What is the best and worst thing about online forums?

The best thing about on-line forums is the ability to learn and share as well as make friends and do collaborative work. The worst thing is when someone gets "writing rage."

What music-related topic do you think is most neglected on forums?

I believe the music related topics are generally well represented except for the legal ins and outs. Copyrights, Contracts, Publishers and Publishing, ASCAP, Unions, and so on.

What are the 5 forum posts/threads where you are most proud of your contributions? (Give actual URLs)

All 3 of these (consider as one) relate to a low-cost ($80) workstation desk DIY project I built then shared photos and detailed plans on my website for anyone to use. I have had people from all over the world comment positively on this and it was featured on MAKE-ezine.

• Build This LOW COST workstation/desk
• Build This Workstation For $80
• DIY ($80 Workstation) Featured in MAKEezine!!!

This is another DIY project I built and shared step-by-step photos on my website for all to see. Photos of this project and my home studio ended up on the website of ATS Acoustics.

• $10 DIY Wall Mounts for your Owens-Corning 703 Acoustic Panels

This is a thread where a "newbie" needed some microphone related help.

• Best cheap mic for lyric soprano?

This is a thread where I offered to spotlight photos and information about other home studio owners on my own website: www.homestudioguy.com, I have one person thus far from Pilsen in the Czech Republic with more getting ready to send material.

• Feature Your Home Studio?

This is a thread where I assisted someone who was having trouble recording a trombone.

• trombone recording... pop filter?

Anything else you would like voters to know?

I recently volunteered to help with live sound at our church's 11am contemporary worship service. The church just did a major sanctuary rebuild that included a new 32-channel Yamaha MC7L Digital Mixer, an Aviom monitoring system (A-16's et al) and other incredible sound system and television/video upgrades. For the past month or so I have been relaying eq and volume/balance info from the main floor to the MC7L tech located on the 2nd floor balcony during the service via a head set. However, if all goes as recently discussed, I may soon be mixing the house via an Ethernet connected touch-sensitive computer screen. Thankfully, I have been able to use a lot of what I have learned in forums and other sources to help improve the overall live sound for the benefit of our congregation.

Any interesting music related stories?

I once played an outdoor brass ensemble gig at a college where President Ronald Reagan was the commencement speaker. Needless to say, security was incredibly tight and ranged from Secret Service to State Police to County Sheriffs to the local police department. After our rehearsal, we put on our "uniform" for the performance that included blue sports coat, gray pants, white shirt and red tie along with the mandatory sunglasses. On our way to the college we stopped into the local and very crowded Burger King for lunch and when all six of us walked into the door, everyone stared at us for just a minute then all of a sudden everyone got out of our way and motioned us to move right up to the counter to order. Of course, we were caught of guard and quite surprised by everyone's generosity and kindness. Of course, as we walked back out to the car with our lunches in hand we then realized they thought we were Secret Service Agents.