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Q: How does your monitor mixer cope with you and Lyle switching places several times during the show? Do you miss your backline "over there" at the other side? How large is the difference in working with Lyle Workman and Abe Laboriel Jr. compared to the 2005 band with Shayne Fontayne and Josh Freese? - from Werner

A: When Lyle and I switch sides the monitor guy helps us with the side-fills. We can hear what's going on pretty well. He is a great guitarist to work with. Abe is perhaps the best drummer ever in this band.

Q: Did you go on tour with other musician before you met Sting? - from Margitta

A: I have toured with World Party, King Swamp and Julia Fordham.

Q: I know you've recently been adding a second guitarist to your work with Sting, and that Lyle Workman is currently playing in the band with you. How has the addition of a second guitar player altered your approach to music you've played for many years. What is the philosophy you're using to allow room musically, and how are you being influenced as a player by this. Is your playing and your tone/ rig morphing as a result of this as well? - from Dennis

A: Having another guitarist in the band has done nothing but improve my own awareness as a player. I am learning so much from listening to Lyle. He is a player with an enormous palate of sounds and styles. He has certainly made me think about raising the bar with my own playing. I am loving the experience of working with another guitarist, especially him.

Q: I would like to know what make a big, fat sound of the guitars on gigs? Let's suppose we have very good sound on amp. Is it a good microphone or very good PA system? - from Jon

A: This is a million dollar question which people have been trying to answer for decades. My feelings are to do with the way you set the amp up and your level compared to the band. If you are too loud on stage the sound man will turn you down in the PA which will give you a thin sound. To get a big fat sound on stage you almost need to keep your stage level lower than you think and just trust the sound man to have you in the PA. It's also a trick keeping it low because then the sound man will really want to hear what you are doing. This gives you control and not him. Finally, if you are really thinking about complimenting the song you will always have a fat (or phat) sound. The song comes first. Your parts come second. Your sound comes third etc...

Q: I've read a number of articles recently focusing on hearing in today's day and age, and with devices such as iPods and other music players many people are at risk for hearing loss. While this may not be a huge source of concern for most people, how do you deal with it as a musician? Your career depends on your hearing almost as much as your skill with the guitar. Do you wear any sort of protection during the extended periods of time on tour with Sting? - from Gordan

A: This is a good point although it doesn't apply to me because I am not fussy (touch wood) about my hearing. I accept the fact that some of my high end has gone, courtesy of Vinne Colaiuta and Manu Katche's cymbals being only feet away for years. Perhaps I should start considering taking steps to avoid injury. Thanks for bringing this up.

Q: When you tour with Sting on various stages you have used the solid body nylon and or acoustic steel string for the applicable song. On his future dates,.. will you continue with the Guilds or go with your newer Flamenco? I also noticed that the P-project was used on the 'Third World' disc. Do you ever pick up this guitar anymore. - from Andrew

A: I always keep an open mind with the guitars and change them at different times for different reasons. They all have different characteristics which are important to me. Currently my guitar of choice is the Kazafumi. When I am on stage with Sting I prefer to use the Guild Paloma. This will most likely change at some point.

Q: When you first started performing on stage, were you completely nervous? - from Anna

A: Yes, I still do get nervous but it's a good energy. Nerves make you respectful of what you are about to do as opposed to being too arrogant and then screwing up. What I have become better at is overcoming this feeling once I am on stage and then making it work in my favour.

Q: Playing in Sting's band you have the guarantee that you can play with the best musicians around such as Manu, Vinnie and now Josh Freese. So what I was wondering is how do you approach your guitar parts every time a new drummer arrives at the Sting camp? - from Joshua

A: I have been lucky to play with arguably the best drummers in the world and they are all different. I think I adapt my playing to their styles without changing the parts too much. Manu inspires me to take chances, Vinnie makes me play tight and Josh makes me want to rock.

Q: Are you very excited before you have a gig? - from Jenny

A: I do feel excited before a gig but also I feel in control because I am in good practice. But I do get a bit nervous which is a good thing because it helps me respect the two hours ahead instead of thinking I am too good. It's humbling playing in front of thousands of people. The moment I forget that is the moment I will stop.

Q: How does it feel to be playing places like the Hollywood Bowl as a solo artist? It's certainly a far cry from the Bolivar Hall! - From Andy

A: Playing the Hollywood Bowl is no better or worse than playing the Bolivar house. Every show is a new and learning experience for me. I have to admit though that the Bowl is a bit exceptional. Did I just contradict myself?

Q: I imagine when an audience responds enthusiastically to a performance it causes you to enjoy the experience all the more, and respond in kind to the audience. If this is true, is the opposite situation true as well? Have you ever been disappointed in an audience's reaction to a show? How much is the show affected by the audience? - From Amy

A: If the audience participates enthusiastically it does make it more fun but not necessarily better. Of course we enjoy interaction but we also play to each other even though we may not be looking at each other. If we can't make a connection as a group (like a team) there will never be a connection with the audience. It's a wonderful experience when it goes a bit crazy and fun but it can also be great when there is no reaction. Sometimes this means they are really listening which after all is what it's all about.

Q: What kind of music do you make with the Tweeters together? Is it more jazz, more pop, or in this moment more classic? - From Edith

A: The Tweeters music is based on jamming. We like to come up with some structures, some of which are my tunes from my previous albums and then just go wild. Manu is the real improviser while Pino and I hold down the riffs. I hope we can do some shows.

Q: When The Tweeters perform, is it a mixed bag of music from everyone in the band or does it consist mostly of your solo material? Also, as Sting's tour comes to a close, will The Tweeters be making more appearances? - From Trish

A: Thanks so much Trish for your note. The Tweeters' tunes are 'based' on some themes of mine but become unrecognisable after a few measures. That's how we like it. We hope to do some more shows after this tour is over. I will let the site know.

Q: I've noticed at past Sting shows that you often pick out three or four people in the seats close to your section of the stage and really play to them, make lots of eye contact, throw picks to them, etc. How do you "choose" the people? Are they the people who are obviously already into your playing or is it the people who aren't paying any attention at all (and surprisingly, there are a lot) and you're subtly trying to say "Hey, focus people, focus."? - from Maggie

A: It would be hard for me to be intimate and make eye contact with people in the back. I don't consciously pick people out in the front whether they appear to be listening or not. I just can't help making a connection with whoever is there. Since there are people there and I am not in a Jazz band (where the musicians tend to look at each other) this is just a natural reflex for me.   

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