William A Ferguson: guitar, bass, synthesizers, electronics and electronic percussion

እንግዳ ውበት (Unreal Beauty)

Originally from Chickasa, Oklahoma, (Occupied Territory), home of the relocated Chickasaw Indians from the East/ South East. Now living in Reno, where they rage against good sense while paying no mind to anything beyond Tahoe, alcohol and casinos. I represent the antithesis of this slow brain campaign. New days ahead. Minds are changing. Strangeness rearranging. Don’t try and innerstand me at first, just listen. 🙏🏾

I'm currently sitting on several thousand dollars of recording and mastering software, along with a shit ton of virtual synthesizers and virtual guitars (no, I don't actually play a real guitar, or a bass for that matter - diabetic neuropathy has all but robbed me of the dexterity to handle them; but I can scoot a mouse and draw lines and, while my body has basically gone to shit, my mind still works. I still have the knowledge to write music. I feel a lot like Stephen Hawking in that respect).

Anyhoo, to answer your question: Logic Pro X for Mac.

For the guitars, I use Native Instruments Vintage, Electric Mint, Electric Sunburst, Acoustic+Nylon Picked and Acoustic Strummed.

I use EZBass for my bass tracks and Native Instrument Acoustic Bass.

For the synthesizers, I have (virtual) an Arp 2600, Moog Mini and Modular V, Synthi V, Buchla Easel, Fairlight CMI from Arturia.

25 years ago, had I developed Diabetes and the associated neuropathy that robbed me of the ability to play bass and guitar, I probably wouldn't be here talking to you right now as I would have pretty much unalived myself as life would have been unbearable at that point.

Thankfully, I now have the technology to keep my hand in the music game.

And how bad is my diabetes? Upon diagnosis my A1C was 11.5 and I was coming down off a 500+ point glucose level. It's amazing I didn't lapse into a diabetic coma.

And how bad is my neuropathy?

I can barely write my name, filling out forms is a chore. I have to have someone do that for me.

My balance is nearly fucked as I have difficulty standing and/or walking. Riding a bike or a motorcycle is out of the question.

It has affected my vision.

My feet are in constant pain, especially my left foot that feels like stepping on broken glass all the time, and did I mention my fingers don't work anymore?

Basically, having been dealt a shitty hand, I didn't give up - I fought back.