Matt,
amazing as always. you guys are always pushing the envelope, and a pure pleasure to listen to your interpretations.

when I was about to push the play button, I likened to going to your favorite restaurant, and ordering their signature speciality incredible dish that you love. you have that great anicipation and already can taste it. It comes out sizzling hot, and the aroma precedes it -and you are basking in it already. then comes the first bite- satisfaction from the start to finish. as you fold your napkin from your lap to the table, you are sated in every way, mind heart tummy and spirit, and you leave with a lasting memory and a desire for more.

that's the way it is EVERY single time I listen you your lush arrangements and innovative playing. so I felt the same emotions described above, and pushed play..... wow. here comes the larger than life signature Heartstrings arrangement and spot on playing. you always put the emotion into the strings which in this song i think really heighted it. I focused more on the melody and its interaction with underlying counterpart harmony with a melodic/harmonic minor which really brought out its textual richness. on the original, you focus on Mick's voice and the "intentional sloppiness" which defined the Stones sound- Keith said that once backed up by Charlie Watts that they pushed and pulled the beats to give it life. your arrangement was just pure.

and if that wasn't enough, you put it over the top with nice hammer on/pull offs at 2:14!
as Christopher Walken would say as the Continental "wow- Zee- wow-wow".

you've really got a winner and a great marketable formulae for this CD. if your fans are clamoring, then give them what they want! people scream at my concerts for "Mellow Yellow" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqrHz7vMTk
so there ya go!

can't wait to hear more! again, congratulations on really, really great work!!!
dave brosky

This arrangement and the sonic blend of the two different sticks sounds excellent!

Matt, what would you say are the differences between the alto stick and the SG12? I see some folks still buying altos - is that because they want ten strings with the better fingering space or are there other reasons? I imagine an SG12 with PASV-4 would be great for me but I have no chance to try one out.

It's not easy to arrange music for two Sticks; the main pitfall being a muddy sound when you overdo it. Timbre and texture take center stage when mapping things out, and it just sounds like heaven when you get it right. I have a long way to go as an arranger (and composer), but every now and then you take a big step or find a whole new gear that you didn't know you had. Those are truly the moments I live for.