My main interest in using the sticks is adding to their sonic possibilities, to continue my research in phase shifting or speed illusions as well as hemiolas, with the keyboard, vertigo-like fabrics of animated sounds; adding sort of contra-punctual vocal endeavors too.

I reinvent principles of vocal articulation distorting and shifting the relationship of mouth, tongue, palate, and breathing patterns. Hid- ing a membrane inside my mouth, an invisible object, yet very noisy, seemed to be an exciting idea.

Inspired by Hal, I began to make my own instruments (and even be- gan my education as a piano technician), and I eventually discovered the possibilities of the contact microphone, which opens the field of microscopic (microphonic?) discoveries: any object could now bring out a rich and full sound, even for an audience, regardless of how little it sounded acoustically.

She promptly gifted me one and after gen- tle but swift inauguration into my arsenal of utensils, these slim metal blades transformed my approach to the semi-acoustic guitar. This initial experience led to a minor obsession with streetsweeper blades and these, new to me utensils, became the basis of a slowly developing group of prepared guitar techniques that I brought into service when performing.

A favorite object of mine is a small, bugle-shaped bicycle horn that I’ve had since I was 6 years old.