These selections here are the result of collecting / recording those moments captured in my soundchecks prior to the doors opening and the audience coming to take their seats. What I have done here with the help of my trusty sound engineer, Brian Persall, is compile various musical moments which took place at these soundchecks.  Brian knows me pretty well by now and keeps his finger by the “record” button as he hears me begin to go off into those places…..

These songs were recorded to either a tape machine, a dat machine, a CD burner or computer. So, these are not multitrack recordings, but are known as a 2 mix, or a stereo mix. Some of them are clearly mono, though there are a few surprises here and there. Brian would usually give me a CD after the soundcheck, then I’d save it till I got home to see what that moment sounded like. I do sing in soundchecks, mind you. That goes without saying. But I do want the guitar to sound just right before a concert. There are times when I’ve used ‘in ear’ monitors and other times the standard speakers right in front of me. Pieces like ‘The Last Mile’ seem to be one of those where I used in ears, cause I just seemed to get lost in the music. Most of the time the hall or building I’m playing in is empty or there are a few people there at soundcheck. Often, if I’ve been traveling that day of concert, I may take a nap at the hotel, get ready, then get picked up for the soundcheck and concert. So it’s like my brain and body are somewhat refreshed and new ideas just flow out as soon as I pick up the guitar.

All of these pieces were recorded in a different city. These are some of them: St Charles IL, Jax FL, Charlotte NC, Atlanta GA, St Paul MN, Nashville TN, Johnson City TN and other places. But every piece was recorded in a different place. After I’d been home a bit, I’d take the latest disc and see what was there. I’d import the whole piece, then, instead of adding to it, I’d edit it and trim off the unnecessary bits, tighten it up and give the piece a good flow. The gear which I use has everything to do with what you hear on this disc. Most of the time, I'm using my James Olson acoustic guitar, or my Del Langejans acoustic. I have also traveled with a Charis acoustic, and it’s in here on this disc somewhere. These guitars are equipped with the LR Baggs Duet mic/pickup system—a dependable old standby system I’ve been using for years.

Here’s how my effects are hooked up: My guitar is first going to a tuner, then a volume pedal, then a Visual Sound pedal called Route 66 (compressor/distortion) then three Boss pedals; tremelo, chorus, and octave pedals, then a Line 6 DL4 delay modeler and sampler device. From that, I go into a Peavey 2 channel effects processor. The first channel utilizes the chorus, then one of the outputs goes to the first of two Radial DI boxes, the other output goes to my old Lexicon Jamman which returns to the second channel of the Peavey effects processor. This channel gives me my reverbs. There are presets there and I can have short or long reverbs. The output then goes to the 2nd Radial DI box which is what ends up going to Brian’s Yamaha O1V96 digital console and then to the House PA. So much for the extreme details, but many people ask me what my set up consists of. Also, I might add, I use a variety of hand held musical helpers, such as finger cymbals and capos (a Shubb and a Kaiser). The Kaiser has two notches in it at the 2nd and 4th strings. That’s how I do ‘Shades of Green’ and ‘Nellie’s Tune’. There is an egg shaker, a plastic laminate strip - Thanks Dave wherever you are - (that’s what sounds like steel drums and a koto). Also, I’ve been using an E-Bow since 1977! Check out Heet Sound products. Greg Heet invented the E-Bow almost 30 years ago, and I've recorded with it for all these years, ever since ’77. So, you can see I’m a busy guy up there on that stage.

I’ve enjoyed compiling these “soundcheck loops” for you to hear. I’ve been reliving those moments in all those places where these recordings took place. I hope you enjoy listening and traveling with me as the disc spins. Oh, there is one piece on here that was actually made up here at home, and that is “Loop Frog”. This piece is me trying out Roland’s Loop Station. The cool thing about this pedal is that it actually has a mic input as well as an instrument input. The Jamman by Lexicon, I believe, was discontinued years ago. But today, there are many devices that allow a guitarist or any player to record loops - in the studio or live on stage…..Thanks for listening…..

By the way, Bernadette gave me the title (Roundabout) to this project.  Thanks sweetie! As you know, roundabouts go in circles, and that’s what my loops do. I lay a pattern down, then record multiple parts around and within these loops. It’s a fun way of being creative. ‘So whether here at home or there abroad—I play my loops and worship God’.