Free Hands Friday was all about the NS Stick! Great session with Stick legend and Los Angeles area session man DON SCHIFF.

Check your copy of Free Hands, he's in there (with his dog and a very impressive pedal board).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKIGPmSGrWM[/youtube]

Hosting the session was NS Stick player Kyle McCann, who struck up some excellent conversation surrounding Don's experience as session player, where the NS fits in on sessions that he plays (he refers to it as his Super Bass) and the who's who list of people that Don has performed and recorded with. Don also shared some unique techniques that he has developed since shifting to the NS Stick back in 2000 as an early adopter.

Be sure to tune in next week when we break down the deep set of functionality in the Line 6 Pod HD500 and HD500x. If you want to be included in the discussion, be sure to drop a line here or to info@freehandsacademy.com.

What a great session!! Don is truly one of THE greats, not just on The Stick/NS, but someone who embodies not only musical prowess and creativity, but large doses of joy, humor and personal warmth. One of the highlights for me last year (and there were many!) was getting to hang with him. Good work Gene for putting these wonderful sessions together!

Great session, Don's a funny cat.......
I'll make the next two sessions Gene.

cheers,
kev

Yes, great work Gene!!
I've really been enjoying all of them!!

Keep them coming,
looking forward to FHF nr 1000:)

Right on. June is shaping really nicely so you know.

I especially enjoyed the bit on how humor came to play a part in Don's life. I know that I always enjoy being near Don because of his good cheer - more recently, I have come to DEPEND on it, and think back on tough situations asking myself, what would Don do?

My gratitude to Don for highest honors coming my way. And thanks to Gene for bringing up my name toward the end of the hour. What a surprise to hear Don's spirited response - my Jupiter. Those are life's rewards.

Down rabbit holes and donut holes, Don's the only one I know who takes it further than me. But when it comes to some strange need to remember prenatal experiences (and perhaps earlier ones yet), that's where I have to side with his wife Cynthia - "Who cares!"

But wait a minute, maybe I should follow him down that hole (sorry Cynthia). He and I both seem to live "on the edge", an imaginary edge, the edge of imagination, but Don's boundaries seems to reach back in time as well, beyond his generation, beyond generations.