You started off playing the piano but switched to the guitar. What drew you to the guitar?
Initially I wasn’t that interested in playing the guitar, as I didn’t really resonate much with the music that was presented to me as “guitar music,” despite the efforts of my father and grandfather! Then one day I listened to Guns N’ Roses’ album “Appetite for Destruction” and realized that guitar was the instrument I felt I could express my creativity in the most.

Are there any traces of your piano skills and knowledge in your guitar work?
I think developing dexterity in both hands has certainly helped me out with particular techniques such as tapping. Thankfully I’ve never had a plateau in that area and never feel limited. However, when thinking about anything musical, I always have black and white keys in my mind’s eye rather than a fretboard. I think it helps me phrase things in a more unique way but also makes it a lot more difficult, as my style of phrasing isn’t particularly “designed” for guitar.

You’ve played 6-, 7- and 8-string guitars through your career. Today, is there one you prefer?
I’d have to say I’m preferring 6 strings more than anything! I played 8-string for many years prior to around 2021, and although that extra range was great to have, I’ve found recently that six strings have helped me express myself a lot better and be a little more relaxed. They’re still a prominent part of my songwriting though!

So far, you’ve released several solo albums and are also busy composing and teaching. Any longing for going with a band constellation? Or do you feel most at home as a solo artist?
I’d love to one day be part of a band that I can fully commit to and/or continue focusing on my solo stuff. Ultimately I want to start performing in some live shows because that’s where the authentic energy is and what it’s all about in my opinion.

As a composer of a lot of instrumental music, do you still visualize words, themes and meanings when writing songs? How does that work?
Almost always – I often find myself hitting a wall with composing, but establishing how the track makes me feel, what imagery the music inspires, etc. comes to the rescue every time! I always try to transport anybody listening to my music to another realm or universe, with or without a narrative, so part of the process for me is finding out what that is. If I can establish that, the music usually writes itself, or so it seems!

How did you first discover Toontrack and which products do you regularly use?
I’ve been a fan of Toontrack for many years – from the very early days! Toontrack came to the rescue during the production of my first album “Heavy Balance.” With only myself producing and a very small budget, it was impossible for me to have live musicians on bass and drums. I initially used the stock libraries in Logic Pro, but they always fell short, missing the mark in terms of what I wanted to achieve. Thankfully EZdrummer and Superior Drummer existed! Being able to craft the exact sound and feel I wanted from the drums helped elevate that album to something I could be very proud of. Nowadays I still use both of those Toontrack products, as well as EZbass and more recently EZkeys.

What’s next on your agenda?
I hope to start playing some live shows and travel a bit doing so. Whether it’s a clinic or concert, playing live is definitely my next goal. Hopefully some opportunities materialize soon!