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Hi frosties. I wondered if any of you are stomp box users, by which I mean bits of wood that you kick not guitar pedals.   For a while now I've gone to gigs where people are using Kajons and I really like the sound. I do a fair amount of acoustic stuff and when I play guitar I can do a sort of drumming thing as I play using different parts of the guitar. But I'm thinking of doing some acoustic piano stuff and I'm wondering how I can get a drum going to. As I say, I like the sound of the Kajon, and also I know people use various stomp boxes, Porch Boards etc. And there's more advanced things like the Farmer Foot Drums wich have a kick snare and high hats.  It would be great to have a kick and snare sound, but most of the things I've found which might do the trick need both feet, or in the case of the Kajon the hands.
So what I'm looking for quite speciffically, is some kind of box which has a heel and toe arrangement where one foot can do the bass and snare by an up and down movement of the heel.
I've come across a couple of electrical efforts which claim to do this. In the case of the Puk'n stompa, the kick isn't too bad, but the snare is a bit nasty. In the case of the Beet Root, it says you can get a wide range of sounds from the two pickups and then proceeds to demonstrate this. But to me it all sounds pretty much the same and not too good at that.
I am not handy at all and have no real grasp of making stuff, but I did wonder if something could be made with a foot pedal on some kind of spring. Some kind of beeter system and a stomp box with two different playing areas a bit like the Kajon. On the downward push the snare sound could be achieved, and with the upward bounce the kick sound could be made using different beeters and playing surfaces.   In my mind it works, but I have no notion of how to make it.
Failing that, I guess something could be done with pickups I guess. Or a totally electric system. But I'm thinking that would sound pretty lifeless.
Well, I just wondered if anyone here had any experience, and if anyone has heard or thought of something similar to my suggestion. I'm sure its doable, but don't know how. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Cheers.

It's Sundy evening, and time for Sing Something Simple. Well, not that simple, but hopefully enjoyable. We have more Genesisy offerings here from the vids we made in Wales. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUm8x7YPTBQ Something for Gabriel and Collins fans alike. Hope it pleases.

Evening Frosticles. Just wanted to let you know. If anyone hasn't got tired of me waffling yet, plese check this out:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdh_RZqn5jw&feature=youtu.be  We're putting out 7 interview videos, one a week, about TMT and Cocoon and other revealing revelations. If you chck this out thank you in advance.

Afternoon Frost*ies.
I'm honoured and delighted to officially announce that I'm joining the ranks of DJs at www.Progzilla.com
If you're not familiar, Progzilla has been going as a one man effort for sometime, but they are now expanding their staff and number of shows. As far as Im aware they're the only full time Prog station in the UK, so do check them out and support them.
Every other saturday I shal be presenting "Tales from the Tiger Moth". Starting this Saturday, March 14th from 12:00 til 14:00. Repeted the following Wednesday at midnight, or is that Thursday really? Ok, repeted the following Wednesday at 23:59 or possibly a minute later. I offer nothing too rad, just a great mix of old and new. Plus a few features E.G. "Prog that's not Prog" and a healthy dose of wackiness to boot. I do hope you'll join me proggers, this Saturday from 12pm UK time. My thanks to Cliff and the hallowed halls of Progzilla Radio. The sho that never ends!
PS, Yes Frost is on the playlist, so it's worth tuning in just for that ain't it.

Hello there me dearios. It's with great pleasure I announce that the video for A Visit to Chigwick is now online. Please check it out here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpnJmWEJVZg  My thanks to Rob Reed, Chris Jones and Mark Wardle for making it happen, but especially to Chris who put in many man hours to produce this lovely video. Hope you enjoy this mothingtons.

I'm indecently excited to announce that Magenta have asked Tiger Moth Tales (me) to support their shows at the Borderline in London and the Robin in Wolverhampton on the 27th and 28th of June retrospectively. These will be the first ever live TMT gigs, so this is a happy occasion for me and a great honour to be mixing with the cream of Prog. I'm very grateful for this opotunity. In celebration of this, I also thought I'd post here this vid of my version of a Genesis classic which we filmed at the Pop factory recently. Please enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo3EJaFM7aE

Just wondered if anyone has any bizarre stories from gigs they've seen or played at themselves? I was reading a bass pedal related story on the Big Big Train Facebook page and it reminded me of something I did about 17 years ago which I now look back on and think "Erm...why?". I was in my first propper band. Well, I say propper, there was a drummer, a guitarist who couldn't really play guitar and didn't have an amp or pedal, and me basically doing everything else, playing bass on bass pedals and the leed guitar stuff on the keyboard. But yes it was our band. Hehe. I discovered that the drummer's dad was a fellow Genesis fan, and I would play bits to him when we'd finished rehearsing. I had a sound on my old keyboard which wasn't a bad ringer for the Watcher of the Skies intro, and I used to play it quite often. The drummer's dad liked it, and he suggested that I opened up the gig with it. I thought this was cool, so at our first big gig (in the local miners wellfare) we came on stage and I powered up the 200 watt PA and rocked the room with that amazing intro. Well, I say rocked the room. I think for those who could hear it and were listening they probably thought, "What the feck's he doing and why is everyone else just stood there?". But any effect that I managed to build towards the climax was probably ruined as our first track was Alright Now! Lol. We were a basic rock covers band. So can you imagine the grandure of Watcher of the Skies, in to that first power chord? I look back on it now and giggle. Go and dig out your Foxtrot album and your "Best Driving Rock Anthems" and put them together. It's ace. Lol Don't get me wrong, I love Alright Now and stil sing it frequently, but I've never put the two together since. Ok, your turn.

TA-DA!! For all TMT enthusiasts, I am excited and a little terrified to announce that I've decided to take the RPM challenge. For those who don't know, the challenge is to write and record an album, in 28 days, or to put it another way in February. This anual event is an exercise in creativity and using the resources at your disposal. To learn more read here: http://rpmchallenge.com  I intend to make a reasonably decent album in the 28 days given. Well, 26 now. I think this will work wonders for the creative juices, and hopefully give TMT fans a nice bonus as I know some of you have already asked me when the next album will be happening. I also intend to fit in this creation around everything else I'm trying to do at the minute, hense why I'm terrified. Gem Godfrey didn't manage it, so what chance do I have? Lol. Ah well, gonna do it anyway. So, I shal now depart in to the studio and write a master piece. Lol. In the meantime, don't forget about Cocoon which if you haven't got already you can rush to download it here: https://tigermothtales.bandcamp.com/releases  Wish me luck folks!

Hi Frosties. Just wanted to bring Built for the Future to your attention if you've not clocked them already.   Recently become aware of these guys on Soundcloud. I've spoken to them about their music which I'm really enjoying. They're influenced by the later Rush and Yes material, a kind of cross over prog style. Although in this track I'm going to post I can hear a lot of Beatles and possibly a little ELO. Their tracks are sometimes slow burners, but I really like their sound. Very atmospheric and great use of synths. Vocals great too. Check this one out folks and see what you think. Great things to come I think from these Texus chaps:
https://soundcloud.com/thefisherking-1/radiowaves-by-built-for-the-futurefinal      

The god of guitar is bringing out a new solo album. This is wonderful news. While I've hugely enjoyed the Genesis revisited 2 album and subsequent tours, not to mention the fact that it got me in to a couple of new prog bands (Agents of Mercy for one), I have been thinking recently that we need more new Hackettness in the world. Well folks, it's coming. The album is about journeys through Inner and outer space and the struggle for personal freedom. Here Steve tells us a little more and the release date for what I'm sure will be another corker from this legendery chap:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shO2GYUiREI

V happy.

Hello Frosties. This is a tentative question and what I do will depend on your thoughts. Now My music and literature tastes are many and varied, and while I'm a lover of the deep and meaningful  and complex which is why I love prog, I also have a soft spot for the purile, the imature and downright indecent.
Over the years I have been composing Christmas parodies for my own amusement. I have 14 of these in total, and they range from the harmlessly whimsical, to the obnocctiously rude and offensive. Sort of a cross between Bernard Cribbins and Chubby Brown if you can imagine such a thing.

Over the years I've shared these with close friends and family, and by and large they've gone down well, even to the point of the songs being requested at gigs.
So, what I want to know is, would any of you lovely Frosties like to hear them? I know I've now gained a small reputation on here as being a fairly credible prog artist, and I value that very highly. Therefore, I don't want to put the link up, until I find out whether you wish to be exposed to this ribbledry or not. Of course, even if I do post a link to the album, you don't have to click on it, and if you did you have been warned, there is some serious language on a couple of the tracks. But I thought I'd try and gage  the feeling first.
If people are interested I'll post the link, or send it to individuals. I'd like to give people a little crimbo prezzy to say thanks for all the support and CD sales, and if like me you find yourself struggling to deal with the constant cheeriness that Christmas brings on then you might well enjoy this offering. Let me know what you reckon Frosties.
Tigermoth

I feel honour bound to post about the new EP from the wondreful Rob Reed. I say EP, but it features 11 tracks. I believe it's songs written during the Sanctuary sessions. With more vocals from the stunning, awesome, jaw droppingly fantastic Angharad Brinn (I like her) i'm sure this will be another magical moment from Rob Reed. I just preordered here:
www.robreedofficial.co.uk

You can too!

It is with great emotion that I can now inform you that Cocoon, the debut album from Tiger Moth Tales (AKA me) is now officially available on CD from White Knight Records. You were the first to know as I promised. Those who have expressed an interest in getting a copy can do so by clicking the link:
http://www.whiteknightrecords.co.uk/

I'd like to say a huge thanks to Mr. Reed and Mr. Mackie for making this happen and for giving TMT a chance. 
For those who prefer to download, the album will be available on Itunes, Bandcamp and the usual sites in January next year, but for now it's exclusively available from White Knight as hard copy. An essential addition for any Prog collecter, I mean it's got a lovely cover, you'd be daft not to.

Thanks to any buyers in advance, and thanks to all the Frosties for your lovely comments and support thus far.
If you haven't heard any TMT yet, you can hear a teaser here:
https://soundcloud.com/tiger-moth-tales/album-teaser

Thanks all.

Couldn't really find a category that suited all of this so just thought i'd have a general ramble. Firstly, hope all you Frosties are thriving and feeling grrrrrrreat and wondreful.
Got my hot little hands on Kaipa's latest album today> Really loving it. I've posted about Kaipa here before and generally not had enthusiastic responses, but I must say I love 'em. I'll admit that sound and style wise they haven't really changed much in the last few albums, but it really works for me. Love the vocalists, love the guitarist, the songs, all of it, plus its nice to hear a bit of recorder now and then.

I don't know if any one has spoken about the Genesis documentary on here yet so I may be covering old ground: but I watched it again last night just to see if i'd misjudged it the first time round. Nope. I didn't. As a life long fan, I wasn't really expecting to hear anything i'd not heard before, and lets just say that was fortunate. Lol. I'm not one of these genesis fans who clammers for the often hinted at reunion, because I really don't think it will happen and the guys are all making great music on there own anyway especially Mr Hackett. That brings me to my main gripe, was it just me, or did they totally not credit his solo stuff atall. I mean after he left the band. It was like he'd never existed.
I'm not naive, I appreciate they were going to concentrate more on collins and gabriel and Genesis's more successfull 80s period, but come on. Even Banks's solo career was made more of. It just seems like a deliberate slight to me, although I suspect this could have had as much to do with the documentary makers as with the band. I just think its very rude, especially considering what Hackett is doing to keep Genesis's legacy alive at the moment.
Then again, they sort of went and missed out Phil leaving and the Ray Wilson album which I would have thought were fairly important events in Genesis's history, but then what the hell do I know. I thought the whole thing was a bit of a sham really. I have a documentary on a DVD I forget the name. SOmething like "The Genesis Story). Anyway I really don't think there's any thing new or worth the time and money that this new  documentary must have cost to make. Even more sad when you know that pretty much the only reason for it was to coincide with the (ahem ahem) compilation that just came out. I just think sometimes the old sleeping dogs saying applies. We stil have the music and that's the best thing.
As for snubbing Steve, well I guess his getting on for 30 solo albums don't count, but they'll do for me. Lol

I'm very much looking forward to Dave Kerzner's much talked about album. I think he said October, but these things often don't run to time. Should be great though. Well, with all those stars of prog on it, if it's not great i'll want to know why. Lol
Speaking of much talked about albums, on to an album i've been talking a lot about. My own. I'm not saying it officially, but we could be on for a December release with a bit of luck.
For my birthday I was bought Touch Stone's oceans of Time. My first ever TOuch Stone album. Really enjoying it. So much good music out there and not enough time in one's life.
Also looking forward to JM's solo album, and I Hear that Jeff Green is working on his next release too.
So, all good stuff. Feel free to add your thoughts folks and whatever else you've got on your mind.

I realise I'm a little tardy to the party (I just found out what that means), but after Pedro  kindly provided me with the vox for The Other Me, I decided to follow in the footsteps of some of you chaps here. I must say right away that I don't think it's something i'll do again in a hurry! I think I've fried my brain, and I don't think my laptop will ever be the same again. Apart from anything else I decided to start messing around with phonetics which took like serious time! Lol. Anyway I've begged, stolen and borrowed all sorts of bits and bobs to make this monstrocity, and to say there's some timing issues would be an understatement. However, I got to the point where I thought "You could take another 3 weeks and get this spot on for the small group of loveable yet strange people that might want to hear it, or you could get on with it and be able to go to the pub in the next day or 3.". So that's what I did. As sparkling beautiful remixes go, it's not. But I think I like it for all that. Behold! THE OTHER MARVIN:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14720207/The%20Other%20Marvin.mp3

I wonder what Mr Godfrey would think

In the absence of anything to report on the TMT front, I thought I'd post a couple of old radio spoofs which my singing partner and I recorded during our stint at our local station. We did the Saturday breakfast show, and what with our shaky DJ-ing skills and our commercial spoofs which in hinesight were probably a little inappropriate for a commercial station, well we lasted three weeks. But we really enjoyed doing these, and as they don't get much of an airing I thought some of the Frosties might appreciate them. Well here goes:  https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14720207/07%20No%20Shame%20Claims%20-%20%282%20To%20go%29.mp3

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14720207/10%20Telly%20Minus%20-%20%282%20To%20go%29.mp3

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14720207/12%20Cleanergram%20-%20%282%20To%20go%29.mp3

Hope this gives someone a chuckle.

Is it me, or did the forum change? I use screen readers to navigate sites as i'm registered blind, and it seems to have gone wierd. Has it changed for anyone else or is it just me?

Allo there. A guy I used to write with back in my sixth form days asked me if I stil had the old stuff we did back in the day. I told him I did indeed, and that I'd been getting around to putting it on my hard drives along with all the other hundreds of tapes, minidiscs etc that I want to back up before the means to play them become obsolete. I hadn't heard this track in about 6 years and it must be about 17 years since we did it. I can't help thinking "Where did the time go?" and also "What substances had we taken?" https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14720207/19%20-%20War.mp3  I can reveal that we hadn't taken any, we were good boys. One day we thought it'd be an interesting experiment to get drunk and see if we wrote anything. Well, all that happened was, we drank 3 cans of white lightning, kept laughing our heads off, whatched a load of crap telly and ordered a curry! Ah, such Innocence.

I posted this a while back on FB when I was in a ranting mood. I think what I need is a blog, but then who'd read it? Lol
Ok, warning this is a lengthy post so if you're easily bord then navigate away from this page immediately I don't mind.
Certain recent events and conversations with friends have led me to question again the strange way in which digital recording and the record industry in general have changed our outlook on things.
I am often invited to go and record in the studios of friends of mine who tell me about their vast aray of state of the art plug ins, sound modules, software etc. When I go to these places i am indeed impressed by the sounds they have and how speedily  they can use lodgic or pro tools or whatever.
However, I also often notice little querks in the sounds that they can't seem to do anything about and in some cases can't even hear. I also notice little querks with the software and basic things which I take for granted in my own little setup that seem to be difficult or impossible to fix in these sparkly new studios.
For instance, i went to a studio in Sheffield owned by a verry successful record producer who I won't name but if I were to say Bryan Adams or the Spice Girls you'd probably work it out. Anyway I was having a go on the latest extremely expensive piano plug in they had, and I noticed straight away, there was latency. Ok, not much, but more than I was comfortable with. I mentioned it, and the chap said he hadn't noticed and said "there shouldn't be". I thought, "Well yes, I know there shouldn't be". Latency is one of the things I frequently notice either during recording or playback. It seems that in some cases this just can't be helped. Similarly, there seems to be difficulty in getting reverb in to the headfone monitors so that a singer can hear it while they record. There's other things but i'll be here all day as it is.
So we go on to produce a verry nice track using hollywood strings, bfd and whatever else there is, which takes not some inconsiderable time, creative and technical effort, to then hear something like "Well we've got the basis of a good demo. Now we can look at getting string players, drummers, etc etc.".
Of course I know this is standard practice, but there seems something a little odd about spending thousands of pounds on samples of strings probably played by the best and highest payed performers in the world, to then effectively not use them. I suppose what I mean is, what's the point of using the best sounds money can by, if you're then going to pay for a string quartet to come in and try and recreate them.
Some will say there's no substitute for the real thing, which in principal I agree with, but if that's the case, why bother to try and reproduce a hollywood string section in the first place? Why do they keep making the plugins and why do people keep buying them?
Same applies with drums. What is the point of painstakingly programming an amazing drum part, adjusting the mic positions, tuning the snares, and all the other things you can do with bfd, if you're just gonna get a drummer to do it again anyway.
It gets crazier. Now with all the technical jiggerypokery, we can now make real drums not sound like drums! You can apply any number of effects and processors and I believe you can even quantise a drummers performance if necesary.
Million Town album is a great example of what I think people would agree is in some parts a strange drum sound. I hasen to add that in my book its a great sound and not a bad thing atall. Also I know that in parts there are reall drums verses programmed drums. But it has to be said, there are parts where the drums don't sound like drums.
So you can now go to the time and expense of getting a drummer to play live, and then make it sound like it came off a keyboard.
In a nut shell, you can have real drums that don't sound like 'em, or drums which aren't real but do. Take your choice.
It seems that over the last 20 years manafacturers of digital instruments and recording gear have gone to extraordinary lengths to reproduce, amp modeling, guitar modeling, string sections, drum sounds, analogue processors and effects, the list goes on.
We're now at the stage where the reason digital is so great, is because we've finally managed to make it sound like analogue! And yet, should we choose to record in analogue, we'll be told that the sound is inferior and unacceptable, and yet it's the sound that digital has tried so hard and for so long to recreate. A paradox?
Keyboards have been designed over the decades to recreate the sounds of other instruments. While this has no doubt resulted in p---ing off a lot of drummers, basists, string players etc, it has also meant that creating music on your own or with others is more afordable and easier. Without the melotrom would we have had King Crimsone? Would we have even had prog as we know it? There's got to be a reason why to this day bands would rather use the melotron choir sound that was recorded over 40 years ago, than to get a choir in to do it for them. Of
course in this case it's for the vintage sound, but it's also got to be because of the ease and creativity factor. But let's face it, you can now get choir plug ins where you can get them to say what you want them to say, (although i've not heard one that sounds quite convincing yet).
We're now at the stage where keyboards can reproduce sounds so well that in order to replacate them for real, your average bedroom recording artist would have to spend huge amounts to find and pay for the performers, not to mention buying a new house to put them in.
So, why is it now unacceptable in some circles to use keyboards for the verry thing they were designed for? Why is analogue a nono, when digital is in some ways doing it's best to compete with analogue and in some ways stil failing?
I could give many examples of albums which were recorded with electric drum kits and synth strings that are timeless works of art. Would they really have been better if they'd got the philharmonic in? Further more, in the time that would have taken might the work have lost some of it's creativity?

Ok, i'm not suggesting people make crap recordings (but then how do you define crap). I'm not saying we shouldn't have drummers or basists or anything ridiculous like that. I'm not implying that keyboards can conquer all.
My point, if I have one, is that surely the joy of all these digital advances is that one should be able to use them as one wishes. If you've got hollywood strings and you know how to use it, why not leave it at that? I'd argue that programming samples and building up arangements is just as valid an achievement as playing a violin.
I wouldn't mind betting that some amazing film scores and albums have been produced which never saw a "real" instrument, and that even the sharpist ears would struggle to tell the difference.
Fair enough, if you can aford orchestras and what not and that's how you prefer to work then thats great. But a lot of people can't. Further more, some people like to work and create alone. Creation should NEVER be compromised. If you want to reproduce an orchestra in your bedroom and then  sell your work, why on earth not?
Well, for a start "why not" is the fact that if you want to go down the record company route and they insist that you redo your work with real instruments in a propper studio then you don't have much choice.
I'm the first one to groan with pain when Will I Am brings out his latest vocoderised electronic nightmare, but nobody says "Go back and do it again, with a drummer, a bass player and preferably a singer who can sing". I realise that's an extreme example and you can't compare it with prog or classical music. But what i'm saying is, we have the choice of how we want to create, and neither musical snobbery, elitism, budget, technology or lack of it should be allowed to compromise that. I genuinely think that when some people listen to a track that hasn't got real drums on, they'll just switch off as soon as they realise. The fact that a great job has been done and that you've made a good sound doesn't matter after that because it's not real. At the other end of the scale I know people who wouldn't know a synth drum if it bit them on the backside, they just like what they hear and enjoy the music for what it is.

People like Mr Godfrey have proved what amazing things you can do with all the latest and greatest gear.
Then take an album like Phil's Both Sides. Done all on his own at his house (Apart from the drums). Obviously recorded at a time when his creativity was flowing but he chose to do it on his own with just a keyboard. The reason may have been finantial, experimental, or maybe that he just wanted to be alone.
Whatever the reasons, it resulted in an album with guitars, violins, banjos, trumpet, bag pipes,  etc reproduced by synths. It also included some leed synth sounds which some would say were a bit dubious, not to mention some of the actual solos. But it also included some of Phils most emotional, reflective and creative work to date. That album takes me to all sorts of places, dark and light.
The verry method of how it was done shows us so clearly the feelings and phil's state of mind at the time. If he'd gone in to the studio with Hugh Padgem, Darrel and the crew and did it all again, would it be so much better? Would it really be worth doing?
Who knows, we'll probably never know. Although in these days where it seems we've got to remaster everything pre the year 2000 (or even 2006) it might not be out of the question.
But I hope it never happens. That album is a perfect example of solo creativity at a budget which produced some of Phil's finest work. If you put something out like that these days, it would be a demo, and probably thought of as not a verry good one. How things have changed.
So in a vague long winded way, I suppose what i'm trying to say is that it seems that we're now in a time where we have more creative choices than ever, and those choices include opting to go back to old gear or instruments, to just record yourself singing with a guitar using one mic if you like, to recreate an orchestra in a box, or to go out and record one live in action. And yet with all these choices, some how it seems like we've become less open minded. Is that a general affect of the human brain? The more options we have, the less options we want?
I'm certainly old fassioned and possibly living in a different world to my contemporaries. You could also argue that i'm swayed by my own limitations. All I know is, there's no right or wrong when it comes to music, but sometimes it seems a lot like it.

Well, I just felt like talking about my guitar because I love it. I have an Ibanez RG470. In itself a lovely guitar, and though for the big spender it's a budget moddle, for the average Joe its a great bit of kit. I love the Ibanez sound, and the trem is kick ayers! But, here's the beauty, (or the barstardisation however you see it) I've had a sustainiac fitted. Yes, I got someone to gouge a hole in it and shove a sustainiac in there. As an aside, if you're thinking of doing this, make doubly or trebly sure you have the best modle of sustainer for your guitar and that you get someone who know how to do it to fit the thing, or else you'll waste an awefull amount of time and money and what idiot would do that? (Erm, me)
But that's by the by. So what I have is the awesome action and sound of the bridge and middle Ibanez pickups, and the neck pickup and hugeness of the Sustainiac. 
Now if you know anything about the sustainiac you'll probably be thinking "Well we already know its awesome Tigermoth! We need look no further than Mr Hackett and Phill Colin for evidence of that!". If you don't know about it however, I can tell you that it basically will sustain a note in theory for as long as you like or until the battery runs out, or until your band mates bend your guitar around your neck. My particular modle has three modes, fundamental (Route note sustain), Harmonic (Screamy harmonic sustain) and a blend of the two.
As a guitarist I would describe myself as fair to middling depending how I feel on the night and how often I've practiced. I rely fairly heavily on trem which all my mates tell me is perhaps not the best thing, and I frequently try to shred and then wish I hadn't. However, with the sustainiac on board, I can't help but feel like a king among men. I can do lovely slow passages letting the notes linger on whith just a little trem for vibrato. And if I'm shredding and I get tired or don't know what to do next I can do lovely reliably screaming dive bombs or just jiggle the trem arm for that bouncy vib thing that Steve vai does. Well, if you're stil reading, heres a video of my beast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdPDPYa-fPA
  I'd call this amiddling day. I'd even left my wammy bar at home. What a numb scull! But here you can hear just how easy it is to sustain. No amplification required. You can even do it on a clean setting. However, it is a beast, and requires taiming. As I accidentally demonstrate  its easy to let the wrong string sustain. But with practice and mastery of the controls, you can get great results. The purists out there may dislike this in the same way they dislike the Variax (Which I also have one of) but for me its a huge plus. Unlike the EBow, you have the freedom of both hands. Unlike the ebow of course, you have to have it fitted to one guitar alone, and this is more costly, but if you really want it, it's worth it.
I mentioned Variax. Now what i've really like is a guitar with a floid rose trem, Variax technology, and sustainiac. That would be my dream. But until Mr Belew decides to have some more made and I win the lottery and buy one I guess i'll have to dream. Or maybe there's a guitar wizard out there who can custom make one? Who knows.
Well, hope you enjoy the vid, and if anyone has Sustainiac stories, please do post. Cheers, and good day all.