Album Notes

The album features Joel playing his unique blend of guitar mixed with guitar synthesizer, using a technique he has been developing since 1992. This may be the first album ever produced of solo guitar mixed with guitar synthesizer. Joel comments: “in combining live guitar with the sounds modern synthesizers are capable of making, an entirely new 'instrument' can be created with a feel and sonic personality all its own.”

Joel has been a world leader in promoting guitar synthesizer, founding the “MIDI Guitar Homepage” and a MIDI Guitar internet discussion group which includes some of the top names in the guitar world.

Joel is an experienced guitarist, with over 30 years of liturgical/praise playing guitar,upright bass, and more recently, guitar synthesizer. He plays in a variety of styles, from bluegrass flatpicking to strict classical guitar work.

This album is Joel's first CD release. Due to busy family and professional schedules, Joel makes few public performances these days. This CD lets more people hear his interpretive fingerstyle guitar playing.

The recording for this CD was done in Joel's home studio. Joel says: “for this album I wanted a feel like I'm right in your living room picking guitar; I avoided the heavy compression and signal processing we've become accustomed to in popular recordings and movie soundtracks.” One piece, “The First Noel” was performed entirely on guitar synthesizer, using a sampled grand piano and choir.