How Mark Knopfler combined sublime fingerpicking and Shakespearean tragedy in a Dire Straits classic
The early ’80s hit featured his iconic National Style O resonator guitar
Artists
How Mark Knopfler combined sublime fingerpicking and Shakespearean tragedy in a Dire Straits classic
The early ’80s hit featured his iconic National Style O resonator guitar
Misstra know it all? It's MusicRadar's Quiz of the Week #9
Have you been paying attention? Well?
“Playing music should always be fun”: Ed Sheeran and Orange launch the “ultimate busking amp”
Sheeran and Orange unveil the Outlowd ES series, featuring a trio of busking friendly acoustic amps – and Sheeran's Play It Home campaign aims to support grassroots music across the globe
“They’re not really football people are they?” Noel Gallagher watch the World Cup final half-time show
He’s talking about Chris Martin, Madonna, Shakira and BTS
Billy Ray Cyrus on the moment he was inspired to beat his vocal paralysis
“Up until that moment, he had never spoken to me at all. I wasn't even sure if he knew my name. In that moment I thought, ‘He's telling you something’"
“A lasting gift from a true musical great”: Ryuichi Sakamoto’s memoir to be published in September
The electronic and soundtrack music doyen died in 2023
Epiphone and Alex Lifeson team up for a replica of the Rush guitarist’s iconic 1976 ES-355
Complete with Gibson T-Type humbuckers, gold hardware, a Varitone and an Alpine White finish, this replica 'Whitey' pays tribute to the guitar that's near ever-present in the Rush catalogue
Music Tech
"A first step in making sure that AI doesn't dilute the royalty pool": Deezer launches new AI detection tool
They cite survey saying 80% want AI music “clearly labelled”
“Say goodbye to unravelling cables and restricted movement”: t-bone launch new series of wireless mics
The 300 series can run six systems simultaneously
“A natural fit for industrial, techno, noise and experimental electronic music”: Erica Synths Xenodrive review
Can the latest desktop effects box from the Erica Synths and 112dB partnership deliver full-flavoured distortion with depth?
Is Synplant 2's new prompt-based patch generator the future of synthesis?
Describe a sound, texture or instrument, and Synplant's new PhenoType feature will attempt to recreate it using the synth's text-to-patch sound engine
Best studio headphones 2026: my pick of cans for mixing, mastering, and monitoring - tested by a working musician and producer
My tried and tested pick of open and closed back headphones for music makers, with full reviews and raw frequency response testing
“For engineers mixing on small studio monitors, these will be a huge asset for checking the bass and sub bass”: Sennheiser HD 480 Pro review
Sennheiser's new cans offer reliable low-end translation that goes where your studio monitors can't
Best audio interface 2026: For home recording, podcasting, and streaming - tested by experts
Our tried and tested pick of USB and Thunderbolt interfaces for Mac and PC across every budget, plus full reviews, in-depth testing, and buying advice
"The more you look at it like some tech-boy producer, the less you get it": 5 great songs with questionable mixes
From Burial to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, we examine five examples of unconventional and rule-breaking mixing that resonated with listeners
Fender embraces AI as its Studio Pro DAW integrates Moises stem separation and a smart studio assistant
This latest evolution of the DAW formerly known as Studio One brings a wealth of AI-powered new additions
“It’s the moment that all producers wait for but I’m just really happy it happened with her”: Oscar Scheller on PinkPantheress
From North London’s indie circuit to global success with PinkPantheress, Lily Allen and Kelela, man of the moment Oscar Scheller takes us inside his creative process
Guitars
“Sounds you'll never have heard from a guitar before”: Strandberg x Jamstik Chameleon review
Class-leading MIDI tech meets a top-rated ergonomic guitar – the perfect combination?
“Playing music should always be fun”: Ed Sheeran and Orange launch the “ultimate busking amp”
Sheeran and Orange unveil the Outlowd ES series, featuring a trio of busking friendly acoustic amps – and Sheeran's Play It Home campaign aims to support grassroots music across the globe
"The addition of NAM profile compatibility pushes it well beyond your average multi-effects pedal": Nux MG-50Li review
Nux's battery-powered amp modeller promises over a quarter of a million different amp tones in a compact and gig-ready chassis
Dweezil Zappa shredding in a skate park? That must be Charvel’s all-new American Neo-Classic Series
Charvel goes back to Cali with US-made range of hot-rodded S-styles with pro specs and classic finishes
Epiphone and Alex Lifeson team up for a replica of the Rush guitarist’s iconic 1976 ES-355
Complete with Gibson T-Type humbuckers, gold hardware, a Varitone and an Alpine White finish, this replica 'Whitey' pays tribute to the guitar that's near ever-present in the Rush catalogue
"When he died, I cried and I actually jumped into the ocean": Carlos Santana and more on bass legend Jaco Pastorius
We salute a true bass guitar virtuoso
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Extreme and Weezer all confirmed for Stage Tour, the Guitar Hero successor game
Plus Gibson and Kramer are also involved
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
Learn to play acoustic and electric guitar in record time with our guide to easy-to-read notation
"Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": Beginner Guitar Lessons - nailing scales
The A major pentatonic, A minor pentatonic and Mixolydian are great places to start and we'll show you how
"There isn't one correct answer": 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
A string change is the ideal opportunity to get your 'board back to its best
What are the best online guitar lessons in 2026? I’m a professional guitar gear reviewer and these are my highest-rated lessons platforms
My expert pick of the best online guitar courses will supercharge your playing wherever you are, and whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player
How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist
The Rage Against the Machine axe-man’s most memorable moment saw him emulate a DJ scratch breakdown using a trick that few have fully mastered
With a massive 89% discount, $99 for a year's worth of Guitar Tricks online lessons is the best way to upgrade your guitar playing this Black Friday
Guitar Tricks is our number one online tuition platform for guitar players
Ignite your inner guitar god for just 27 cents a day with TrueFire’s July 4th sale - save 60% on online lessons
With over 84,000 lessons at your disposal, this is one of the best value guitar tuition subscriptions online right now
Can you fix your guitar's frets yourself? We try three innovative approaches from MusicNomad to investigate how they might conquer a major cause of fret buzz
Uneven frets are a common issue with our guitars, but MusicNomad has come up with different ways to empower players to deal with it themselves
Latest Tuition
Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
Learn to play acoustic and electric guitar in record time with our guide to easy-to-read notation
I’m so obsessed with Olivia Rodrigo’s Drop Dead trance bass sound that I remade it in my DAW
We create our own transient-heavy synth bass with leanings towards the trance-heavy sounds of the 90s. ‘Drop Dead’ you exclaim? No way! We were Born Slippy!
How to emulate the sound of Gary Numan’s synth-pop classic Cars
We lift the bonnet on a foundational piece of synth genius, and demonstrate how you can achieve its distinctive sound yourself in your DAW
How to master virtually any software synth
Don't let your software arsenal overwhelm you - sometimes the best route to creative success is to mine just one instrument
"Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": Beginner Guitar Lessons - nailing scales
The A major pentatonic, A minor pentatonic and Mixolydian are great places to start and we'll show you how
"Record everything all the time – and keep it all": 8 pro techno producers explain how they create their tracks
We delve into our In The Studio archive to compile the techno secrets behind releases on esteemed labels including Drumcode, Cocoon, Dekmantel, Second State and more
"There isn't one correct answer": 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
A string change is the ideal opportunity to get your 'board back to its best
How to pan like a pro and spread your mix across the stereo image
We help you broaden your mixing horizons with some useful tips for panning perfection
The difference between distortion and saturation and how to effectively get a gnarly sound
Adding small or even large amounts of saturation doesn’t have to be bad for you, as we explore how to singe your sonics
How to conjure the spirit of early techno and trigger your own retro zaps in software
How a sound design approach originally deployed for television effects became an electronic music staple - and how to make it yourself
How to replicate the trailblazing pulse of I Feel Love
I Feel Love’s innovative electronic rhythm section set the stage for pretty much everything that followed, and here’s how you can recreate its bewitching energy in your DAW
Improve the impact of your basslines by quickly learning the basics of bass compression
Creating the perfect foundation for your track begins just the right amount of compression for your bass - here’s how to not overdo it!
How Harry Styles brought the sounds of minimal techno to the world of pop with new single, Aperture
The former One Direction star’s latest effort is a far cry from his previous output
How close listening to Chic can teach us about the integral relationship between the kick and bass
If you want to add more punch to your production, start at the foundation of your track, with the kick and bass
How unquantizing your tracks can make them stand out from the AI-dominated crowd
If your music is sounding a little mechanical, maybe it deserves a sprinkle of organic nurturing. We invite you to un-click the quantize!
Stuck for ideas? Here's how to create fresh basslines and melodies with Ableton Live 12’s MIDI tools
In our latest video tutorial, we explore how to use Live generative MIDI tools and hardware-inspired sequencers to create riffs and patterns
7 great house and techno tips from Don’t Be Afraid label boss Semtek (aka DJ Persuasion)
The producer, DJ and founder of one of the UK's most respected underground labels revisits a 2012 release to explore what he's learned in 15 years of releasing house and techno
Four big-name guitarists spill their recording secrets
With insight from Paul Gilbert, John 5, Adam Dutkiewicz and Marty Friedman on their approaches to the recording process
Latest Reviews
“Sounds you'll never have heard from a guitar before”: Strandberg x Jamstik Chameleon review
Class-leading MIDI tech meets a top-rated ergonomic guitar – the perfect combination?
“A natural fit for industrial, techno, noise and experimental electronic music”: Erica Synths Xenodrive review
Can the latest desktop effects box from the Erica Synths and 112dB partnership deliver full-flavoured distortion with depth?
"The addition of NAM profile compatibility pushes it well beyond your average multi-effects pedal": Nux MG-50Li review
Nux's battery-powered amp modeller promises over a quarter of a million different amp tones in a compact and gig-ready chassis
“For engineers mixing on small studio monitors, these will be a huge asset for checking the bass and sub bass”: Sennheiser HD 480 Pro review
Sennheiser's new cans offer reliable low-end translation that goes where your studio monitors can't
"Where it truly triumphs is in its versatility and value proposition": Fender Strobo-Sonic Pro Tuner Pedal review
Fender gets serious about the tuner pedal at last
“Ibanez serves up another RG that’s built for stunt guitar, priced for virtuosos-in-training, and with enough sounds to please the fusion kid and headbanger alike”: Ibanez RGR431PB review
The hallowed mid-priced speedster gets a poplar burl glow-up with a hard-tail for white-knuckle riffing and a reverse headstock for metal cool points.
"The app is where things get both wild and a little weird:" Positive Grid Reactor 50 Intelligent Guitar Combo Amp review
Is 'Amp Intelligence' the future of guitar tone? If this new Positive Grid amp is anything to go by, we've still got a few years before our digital overlords take over
“Make no mistake, it could grace any professional stage”: Fractal AM4 review
Fractal’s AM4 aims to make the company’s prestigious amp and effects modelling accessible to a larger audience
