To create different sounds and rhythms

Electronic sounds

I have always been enthusiastic about different sounds and have therefore, during my tours, collected instruments from many different countries, which I use in my music. Not least percussion instruments.

I have, for example, Chinese gongs with a special tone that varies upwards or downwards after you have struck them. They are used in traditional Chinese music at, for instance, the Peking Opera. Another very fine example is an antique gong from the highlands of Vietnam, which creates good contact with the spirits and brings good fortune. Then there are of course many different other kinds of percussion instruments from other parts of the world and even some ocarinas from Slovenia.

I have several didgeridoos from Cairns in Australia, which I practise on every day and even use in my concerts from time to time, as well as many other instruments that contribute to enriching my life and my music.

I work quite a lot with electronics and when I find it suitable I use effects such as Harmonizer, Wah-wha pedal and different echoes. They give me many possibilities of expression and are very inspiring.

Mutes

My mutes are mostly of the brand Ulvén. In my opinion they are undoubtedly the best, particularly the older models. The Dizzy Gillespie model of nickel-plated copper (even Maynard Ferguson and Clark Terry used these mutes), the cup and wah-wah, together with one of my own design “The Stubby”, which is intended to be a personal solo mute with a “Harmon” character, but a little more powerful in tone. I personally knew the old gentleman Gunnar Ulvén (my mother used to be his accountant) and he gave me many mutes to experiment with, to do what I liked with them, for instance to create little buzzing kazoo-like sounds with them. I always used to get a litre of “Poppy” valve oil from him every year as a Christmas present.
I also like a mute called “Cleartone” or Solo-mute. A very good sound in my opinion. Of course I also work with a plunger or rubber cup with its little “Pixie” attachment. If you also use your voice and tongue making sounds like rrrr, grrr, aarrr at the same time as you play, you achieve a bluesy and voice-like sound that is called “Growl”.