Touch Sensitive is my tenth solo record since 2008. For me, that is incredibly hard to believe. But then again, it's hard to believe that a 16-inch bass drum could produce a low, meaty tone. What? Well. 

Every record presents challenges and this one was no different. One would think that by the tenth one, things would get easier. I'm here to report to you that this notion of ease is a myth. Every record for me starts the same - it's starts with an empty session in the DAW, some mics, some mental notes, lots of coffee, and some drums. MANY drums.

Ideas for this record started a little bit differently than the others. Normally, I like to start with scratch rhythmic ideas, either on a drum set or some sort of electronic percussion. This time, I started with my trusty PPG Wave 2.3, Waveterm B, the Yamaha EX5, a few Akai samplers (S950, S2000, S5000) and a TrapKat. The Wave is amazing, and I found myself 'mining' for sounds and textures that would lend themselves to rhythmic ideas and vocalizations that were rattling around in this brain thing of mine.

By July 2021, I was recording final drum tracks, alternating between my vintage Radio Kings, the always-rock-solid Precision drums, and the North (yes, the North)! Nexus kit from the 70s. Snare drums included the Radio King, my Leedy & Ludwig, a Pearl Brass Piccolo, a Slingerland "Artist" series, and a maple Masters Series Pearl. By the end of the summer, I felt good about where the project was headed. The tracks identified only as "ideas" at this point were taking shape. Most of "Pivot Point," "Unconditional," and "Starling's Folly" were almost complete.

I started mixing the record in earnest in December 2021, but it became apparent that transitional, "bridge" pieces were needed to unify the record, and make things make sense to you. And me! So, through the spring of 2022, tracking continued. Mixing Touch Sensitive was demanding; it's unlike anything I've ever mixed before, and it stretched into Fall 2022, just wrapping at the end of the year.

I truly hope you enjoy listening to this one. It's been a journey, for sure. Rock on!