Jay: Yes, several, but mostly demo quality. I would like to see them go for a really good original CD, and I would like to release it nationally on the label, but that's a large undertaking for the musicians and singers involved. They're not sure it’s the direction they want to pursue at this time.

Scott F.: Do you feel its better to hire musicians who are considered "studio caliber" to record at a church, or to use the regular musicians who may not be as skilled but have a good heart for the ministry?

Jay: For the most part, I would say to use in-house players. Several reasons. For one, they need to feel a part of the project; these are the people who give their time each week, all year long, and they should be a part of it.

Jay (continued): Second, the congregation is going to expect to hear something close to what they hear each week. As far as feel and flow, hired guns would not produce this. Now, the only time I think hired guns are appropriate is if your main audience is not the congregation, but maybe Christian radio, or some other large format.

Jackson: So are you involved with sound reinforcement system design with Integrated Media?

Jay: Somewhat. I assist in the engineering process, and overview each design before it is ordered and installed.

TJ: How much more of an impact do you see software having in the studio?

Jay: Today, software is everything in the studio. It is, and has been, the main source for editing for almost 10 years. But more recently, computers are becoming the main source of storage for all tracking, so the software has had to become an all-in-one solution for tracking, mixing and mastering.

RJS: Whose advice did you seek when setting up your studio? Or was it assembled based primarily upon your own experience?

Jay: I consulted many sources. And I will go as far to say that if you are creating a studio for professional use (by this I mean retail releases and/or radio), you really must do this. It required a lot of research in our case, but among the companies involved were RPG Acoustics, Sweetwater Sound, DB Acousticians, Pro Sound Inc, and several fellow studio owners, as well as a host of books, builders, electricians, and the list goes on.

Tom: Is your studio "wired" - ISDN, fiber or ???