What Equipment Do You Use?

I have two Chapman Sticks, the ten string is made from Paduk wood with a passive pickup. The Grand Stick is, I think, Rosewood, and it has a EMG active pickup. I have two amps depending on the size of the room, a Phil Jones Bass BG-75 and an AER Bassic Performer.

For effects, I have a lot of pedals. Right now though I'm keeping things very basic. A SFX SP2 Stick Preamp, then three TC Electronic pedals. The SCF Reissue Chorus/Flanger, a Hall of Fame Reverb and a Flashback Delay. They all sit on a Ruach pedal board.

I have a trunk of other things like AnalogMan BiComprossor, Whammy pedals, EHX MicroSynth and Cathedral Reverb, Boss Dimension C (Waza Craft). It all very much depends on the sound I'm trying to achieve.

What Tunings Do You Use?

Back in The Rumours Are True days I had an Ironwood Stick, this was before adjustable bridge pieces and so on, so I learned on the Classic tuning. When I bought the ten string Paduk it was in Deep Matched Reciprocal tuning and I just couldn't cope with it at all. So I reset it back to Classic tuning. The Grand Stick is in Classic tuning as well but the zero fret means I can get down to the low C string on the bass side without any effort.

How do you approach writing and recording ambient or soundscape music on the Stick?

A lot of it starts with a single idea, a tone, a harmonic texture, a rhythm and it all grows from there. Looping allows you to build a piece layer by layer in real time, which suits the Stick perfectly. The Sunday Soundscapes series came out of a very organic, unforced process. I'd record on a Sunday morning, follow where the instrument led, and not overthink it. Some of the best moments on those records were first takes.

What Do You Listen To?

Oh where to start.... Michael Manring, Keith Jarrett, Steve Reich,anything on ECM, Brendan Rothwell, Paddy Nash, Trey Gunn, Anouar Brahem, Michael Hedges, Tuck and Patti, St Vincent, Hiromi, King Crimson, Taylor Swift and going back to the music that really got me interested, Suzanne Vega, Level 42. The Walkman is always loaded with interesting stuff.