How He Does It.

What instrument does a self-admitted ‘piano sound snob’ choose to serve up to his audiences?

ANSWER: Something elegant and tough!
Over a century ago, Emmert Wolf wrote that “A man is only as good as his tools“, and George has spent decades meticulously perfecting his rig starting with his controller keyboard. 

After much searching for an instrument that could deliver subtle nuances in tone by adjusting the force at which he struck the scaled hammer-action keys, he settled for the Casio CDP-S series.

“I needed something elegant, but at the same time, a keyboard that could withstand the nightly abuse of the intensity of my performances.”

MEET THE ELECTRO-HARMONIX KEY9 PEDAL
This amazing device allows George to offer listeners the swirling, hauntingly accurate sounds of four different vintage electric pianos in a single pedal.

“Whether I’m playing 70 or 80s classics from Supertramp, Billy Preston, Elton John, Leon Russell, or Billy Joel, there’s nothing like conjuring the sound of classic keyboards with this device!”

George’s electronic drummer is never late, nor do they take up too much space with a loud, clunky drum set.

MEET THE BEAT BUDDY: 

When George’s drummer/percussionist of over a decade passed away of Covid in 2022, he opted for a different rhythmic solution: The Beat Buddy.

George activates digital recording snippets performed by actual drummers, tapping it in real time to spice things up by adding a fill or drum roll. Because the loops are authentic non-quantized performances, the beat never sounds ‘robotic’ or stale.

“Close your eyes and you’ll swear you can feel the breeze off the cymbal crashes!”

Nothing enhances a love song ballad like the sweet audio icing of elegant violin sounds. 

MEET THE KURZWEIL MICRO PIANO: 

George plays a midi-device from the sound design company founded by legendary performer and recording artist Stevie Wonder.

The Kurzweil Micro Piano offers more than the thin, anemic violin sounds found in most common synthesizers: this 88-note polyphonic workstation plays back digital recorded samples of authentic string players at the zenith of their skill.

“Rich layers of stereo violin add an entirely another layer and depth to the music.” 

MEET THE TC-HELICON HARMONY SINGER!

With a tap of his foot, George is able to summon a virtual choir of backup singers to enhance those songs require a little ‘extra’ in the vocal department.

Not only does this digital device thicken up great melodies, the extra sound often inspires audiences to join in on the choruses. 

“The technology in this pedal is a marvel, and I’ve been spoiled by having these rich harmonies spring out my singing.”

“I never tire of seeing people’s expression when they first hear ‘invisible’ singers join my vocals.”

MEET THE FERRORFISH B4000:

Whether it’s Deep Purple, Steve Winwood, or Booker T, there’s nothing that compares to the unmistakable sound of the Hammond B3 Organ.

George plays (via MIDI) through the German-made Ferrorfish B4000+ emulator.

This device is one of the most powerful digital signal processors of all time, the sound and warmth of the B3 has been carefully recreated down to the last detail– including all of the electrical and mechanical inefficiencies that made the Hammond B3 a legend. The module even offers nine fully functioning drawbars!

“With a sound so real you can hear the spin of the Leslie speaker horns.”

To achieve a solid bottom-end bass sound, George employs the Alesis Nano-Bass. This 1/3-rack sized module contains over 250 preset Bass sounds. Despite it’s small size, it’s got high-quality 16-bit 48kHz linear bass guitar samples.     

All of this is pushed through a Markbass CMD 102 500W bass amp.

 “I’ve always maintained that I’m simply a frustrated bass-player at heart. Technology like this allows me to live out my bass playing fantasies.”

Take a peek at George’s unique equipment cart he had commissioned…

This customized stand allows for quick setup at events while concealing unkempt piles of cords making for a tidy stage.

George is cognizant of how crucial bringing the proper sound reinforcement equipment at an event is to the success of the evening.  

This is why his gear is ‘scalable’ to meet the needs of the venue. A smaller, enclosed setting doesn’t require the same wattage and setup as an outdoor gathering, and he is sure to accommodate either with the same expertise.

“A strategic song list for the evening delivered with engaging interaction with a crowd is forfeited if the sound is off; music too soft or blaring too loud will ruin an otherwise stellar performance.”