[4] While a student at Albany, Lainhart assisted and performed with many celebrated guest composers, including John Cage, David Tudor, Phill Niblock, David Behrman, Beth Anderson, Luis de Pablo, Harley Gaber, Daniel Goode, and Giuseppe Englert.

Throughout his early musical career, Lainhart mastered numerous traditional instruments in addition to his electronic explorations, playing bass in several rock bands and eventually heading the popular swing jazz ensemble, Doc Scanlon and The Rhythm Boys, performing on mallet instruments and keyboards.

Numerous recordings for CD, vinyl and the Internet followed since then, establishing Lainhart's reputation as one of the seminal American composers working in the electronic medium.

In 2009, he was one of 200 electric guitarists who performed in the US premiere of Rhys Chatham's "A Crimson Grail" at Lincoln Center in New York City.

As a synthesist, Lainhart has enjoyed a fruitful series of musical collaborations with celebrated Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess, including a DVD of duets entitled A Fistful Of Patchcords and several independent CDs.