What instrument & outboard equipment do I use?

Usually a Zum Hybrid steel and sometimes an Emmons PP steel. I like to minimise the signal path and preserve the quality of the original steel sound when recording. I believe a sound should be "played" and not created with effects.... in fact I don't think it can be created, nothing beats the hands for creating tone. The majority of my recordings are made using a Telonics FP100 Pro volume pedal and Telonics PRE-1000 preamp, fed straight into the soundcard. The direct out of the PRE-1000 is perfect for steel guitar. For live work I use the Telonics soft rack or a Steel Mixer and a Fender Twin combo amplifier.

What recording system do I use?

I've used Cakewalk and Sonar DAW software for about 15 years now. Yes... I've had problems with drivers and soundcards... but Sonar 8.5 running under Window 7 is very stable, easy to use and packed with useful features. The Focusrite products have always had a good reputation. The Focusrite Liquid soundcards are very impressive, I don't use anything else.

What sound file formats can I accept?

Sonar can import just about any standard sound file format. Most people send MP3 files because they are small and can be emailed. If you are creating an MP3 file of your mix, I recommend using a bit rate of at least 192kbps, below this important detail can get lost. I usually return my proof parts at a bit rate of 240kbps.

What format do I record in?

Sonar internally produces .wav files; this format has no file compression applied to maintain the highest quality sound. I use the maximum bit depth (24bit). If I need to increase the volume of a part this means I'm operating at the highest resolution and minimising any introduced distortion. As a general rule I try to minimise any modifications to the part and use the same sample rate as used on the original source recording system. So if you're using 44.1kHz I'll use the same; this minimises conversion distortion. I can record at all the bit rates up to 192kHz.

What format are the files returned?

Before sending the master tracks I can return a stereo proof track with the steel in the mix with a little reverb. I usually email this in an MP3 format. The master tracks are always returned in a .wav format with the sample rate and bit depth suited to the source recording system. The master .wav file can be configured in one of two ways. A stereo .wav file with a mono version of the original track on one side and the steel on the other side of the stereo image. Or a mono .wav file with a few seconds (usually the count in) of the original track at the beginning to aid syncing the part.

How do we exchange files?

The original track and proof tracks can easily be exchanged by email. Larger files are best transferred using a file sharing system like Dropbox or Sendbigfiles.com. These systems are usually free to use and easy to set up.

What effects are applied to the track?

I prefer to provide parts that are not compressed or have delay / reverb effects applied. This provides the greatest flexibility during the mixing stage; it's far easier to edit a part with no effects applied. If effects are required they can be added or supplied as a separate track.