Great perspectives!

Yes, Brian, the invention of the drum machine has allowed songwriters to get drums recorded economically. I have used them, and will continue to use them myself. For years, one of Terri Lynn's and my writer's nights used a live drummer playing an electronic kit, a D4 with triggers, This way we could record the rhythm tracks for demos live at the writer's night and then go in the studio for vocals and acoustic overdubs. This was the way Terri Lynn's album was recorded. I do find modern technology useful, but I like the sound of a wooden golf club and I like to sail with windpower. I'm just an old fart.

And Larry: my buddy Steve Turner, who has played on Travis Tritt and Dolly Parton hits to name a few, is also a programmer and overdubber. He can put drum parts on with any format. Also, Jeremiah Bivens, the son of an old friend of mine,has been showing the ins and outs of programming to many of the "old dog" session drummers, as well as doing much programming himself. I first used an old Roland drum machine in the early 80's to program a set of demos for songwriter Erik Thorson which featured young demo singer, Kathy Mattea. Nashville has lived between mule power and Arthur C. Clarke for a long time.

I guess I just like a real rhythm section. Maybe I'm guilty here of some reverse form of "Argumentum ad Hominum" and am having a knee jerk reaction to "in vitro groovelization".

Finally, I have over 40 drummers in my roll-a-dex (wow, there's another outdated technology...I never thought the slide rule would join the buggy whip!), and most of them are pretty available. I'll make it a project this week to get them joining and posting.

All the Best,
Mike

You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash

It's only music.
-niteshift

Mike Dunbar Music